Ethan sat the last box of donuts onto the conference room table and took his seat in the huge leather chair. He'd called an impromptu meeting, not letting Mrs. Cook or Abe in on the details prior. One, to be an ass to Marilyn for tattling on him. Two, because he couldn’t wait to see their faces about the upcoming expansion of Devry Media.
It was still months away, but he wanted to inform the building in case anyone wanted to get in line to make the move.
Especially one person in particular.
Marilyn walked inside the conference room five minutes early, taking in the donuts and coffee with a confused look. "What is this about?" she asked abruptly. "I didn't get a memo about the details like usual."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, a half-smile on his face. "That's because I didn’t send one out this time."
She sat down slowly, as if she expected him to explain, but he didn't. He kept his mouth shut, waited patiently for the other department heads and marketing department to arrive.
Abe came in with a group of marketing reps, his new assistant Seth by his side. Ethan still hadn't resolved his issue with Aria attending the fundraiser with him. He knew Aria well enough to know she wouldn’t jump on the new guy, but it still irked him that she would be entertained by him the entire night instead of Ethan.
Really third grade of him, but he couldn’t help it.
When the last group of employees made it into the conference room, Aria in the midst of them, a distant look on her face, he gestured for everyone to grab a donut.
"Grab a donut," he said leisurely. "Fuel up."
Once everyone settled, he noticed Marilyn's pen tapping against the table due to her irritation. Ethan's day was made.
"Okay," he said, standing up and shoving his hands into his pockets. "I had dinner with my father last night and was told amazing news." Ethan glanced around the room, noticing Aria doodling on the corner of her notepad, completely out of it. It wasn't like her.
He cleared his throat loudly, clutched his hands in his pockets, and waited to gain the entire room's attention. Aria's gaze lifted from her notepad and landed on Ethan’s; a deep purple blush crawled to her cheeks.
"We are expanding Devry Media and will be opening another location in Dallas, Texas."
Abe sat forward in his seat, eyeing Marilyn across the table, while straightening his pocket square. "What a big announcement. Do we know who will run the business in Dallas?"
Ethan smirked. "Me. And anyone I choose to move with me."
Marilyn began scribbling onto her notebook, and a pleased look took over her face. "And here? Is your father choosing a new CEO?" she asked.
Ethan shrugged. "I'll be putting someone in charge here and moving to the Dallas office when it's up and running sometime this year."
Marilyn's face told Ethan she knew he wasn't going to choose her, and she hit the nail on the head. They didn't need Marilyn Killjoy Cook as the CEO of Devry Media.
The conference room erupted into chatter, mostly excitement about the possibilities of moving to Dallas. Everyone but Aria. She sat on the edge of her seat, her fingertips curled around the edge, but it was the look that stalled Ethan.
She looked sad. Why? Because she thought Ethan would move, or because he may want her to? He wanted to ask her right then and there, but the room's attention slowly turned back to him.
"That's all I have at the moment," he said casually. "Take these donuts to the break room for everyone to enjoy. We'll meet at a later date on the details of the expansion."
Everyone filed out, leaving Ethan to gather himself in silence. Or so he thought. Abe tapped the table beside him. When Ethan glanced over, he noticed Abe's face took a turn for the serious, which was abnormal for his friend.
"Dallas, huh? You want to move to Dallas?"
Ethan hadn't given moving much thought if it meant getting Aria away from Devry Media and all to himself. When had this happened to him? He'd turned into some whipped love-struck man that only thought about one girl.
One girl that wasn't returning his affection. He knew there was a reason, but she wasn't loosening the reins enough for him to find out why. Ethan smoothed his palm over the side of his hair and chuckled humorlessly. "Dad presented the idea to me last night, out of the blue, and I think it's an amazing way to expand our business ventures."
Abe nodded. "Absolutely, but do you want to move to Dallas?"
Ethan shrugged. "Dad seems to think it'll give me a chance to meet a nice woman and … marry."
Abe tossed his head back in laughter. "Marry? What has your father suddenly sentimental? Can you see yourself with a wife and a kid?" he asked.
Ethan had once laughed at the idea of having a kid. After growing up with limited access to the man that helped bring him into the world, and his lack of attendance at school events, and sending his nanny to his sixth-grade graduation, he didn't think he would know how to show the appropriate amount of love.
"He has good intentions," Ethan said. "And plus, I get to bring who I want to with me."
Abe narrowed his dark eyes to slits and studied Ethan's face. "Is this about Ms. Linetti? When are you going to admit you have the hots for the girl, Devry? Maybe she could be the one to settle you down, and you wouldn’t have to move to Dallas."
He vaguely remembered his conversation with his father about Aria. She wasn't born into the right family to become a Devry. Ethan had fought the urge to strike his father at the comment.
Ethan ignored Abe's accusation. "Are you going to miss me, Abe? Or are you trying to gain rank here once I'm gone?"
Abe knocked his fist against the table and chuckled. "Oh, I'm overqualified for the position, Ethan. We both know that."
"Of course," Ethan said. "So you're not interested?"
Abe pointed at him. "Never said that. I bet Marilyn wishes she never tossed you under the bus now, because honestly, she would make a killer boss. Even for a killjoy."
Ethan knew it was true but would never admit it.
Ethan wandered the hallway until he made it to Aria's cubicle. Her chair sat empty, only her purse sat tucked underneath her desk from sight. Ethan glanced around, not noticing her anywhere.
The girl needed to take up a career in magic because she disappeared a lot.
He stalked toward the kitchen, finding a few employees enjoying the donuts he brought by, but no Aria. Besides the bathroom, there were only a couple places she could have wandered to.
He walked toward the fire exit where the smokers took their break and opened the door. The city came to life around him, the hustle and bustle of the impatient drivers, and the foot traffic that stirred around this time of the morning.
Aria stood in the corner of the platform, her elbows perched against the railing while she mumbled to herself. "Is everything okay?" he asked. "You stormed out of the meeting."
Aria wiped the corner of her eye where she thought he wouldn't notice and turned to look at him. She'd definitely been eating better since her fainting spell because Ethan noticed it in her curves, even though she still hid behind those summer dresses.
"I'm fine," she lied.
Ethan sighed heavily beside her, resting his forearms against the railings. "Are you afraid I'll ask you move?"
Aria gave him the side eye, and carefully tucked a brown curl behind her ear. "To Dallas?"
He nodded.
"I don’t know. Part of me feels my problems would vanish if I did move, and the other part of me thinks it'd be a bad idea."
Ethan turned his body to face her, searching her face for some answer to all of his questions. "What problems, Aria? Did you get the email I sent you about the jewelry project I want your help with? Is it financial problems—"
Aria shook her head. "No, it's not financial."
This made him even more curious than before, but he didn't want to pry it out of her as he wanted. What was she hiding? "I know you work hard," Ethan said. "I could tell when I saw you at the restaurant and the extra work on the weekends—you're a great employee, Aria. I would be lucky if you did want to move to Dallas."
Aria bit her bottom lip, sending Ethan's nerves on end. "Why, Ethan?" Aria asked. She turned to give him her full attention. "Is it because I’m not falling into your lap? Is it because I haven't slept with you again? I don't understand your persistence. I know you've slept with other girls employed at Devry Media because I've heard them talking about it. You said you want to get to know me, but why? Why not take Heather to the fundraiser? Why keep trying?"
Her insecurities laid like opened wounds. She wore them where everyone could see. Ethan sighed heavily. "You're right, Aria. Is that what you want to hear from me? You aren't the first one-night-stand that I've had, okay," he said, stepping forward, trapping her against the corner of the fire escape.
Aria's palm moved upward, resting against his stomach, as if to keep him away from her. But the touch set him on fire. "But you're the first one that I can't stop thinking about. Everything about that night haunts me. I replay it in my head like a hit song, day in and day out. I can't stop, and I won't stop, until you give me a chance—"
Aria leaned upward and kissed him.