“ARE YOU SURE YOU’LL BE ALL RIGHT?”
“Yes. Go.” Jenny waved me off. “It’s your birthday. Have fun! I promise I won’t burn the store down.”
“That’s not funny after the iron mishap.”
Guilt suffused her face. “That was one mistake, okay? I learned my lesson. Now go spend the day with your hot boyfriend or the next iron incident won’t be a ‘mishap.’”
“Fine. Twist my arm. Leave it to me to hire someone who threatens their own boss,” I muttered good-naturedly on my way out.
Jenny had been one of my virtual assistants before she moved to the city to be closer to her family. Hiring her to help me run the shop had been a no- brainer.
Despite my reluctance to leave her on her own at the start of graduation season—pressed flowers were a surprisingly popular graduation gift—my misgivings melted at the sight of Dominic waiting for me on the curb.
He leaned with his back against his car, looking like he’d stepped off the cover of GQ in jeans and a slate gray button-down with the sleeves
rolled up. Sunglasses hid his eyes, but his slow smile warmed every inch of my body.
“Look at you. Feeling fancy now that you’re a bank owner, huh?” I teased. He rarely drove his Porsche in the city, but seeing him in front of, next to, or behind the wheel did unholy things to my libido.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” His rough drawl sent a breathless shiver from my head down to my toes.
As of yesterday, Dominic—or rather, Dominic’s company—was officially the new owner of Sunfolk Bank. The institution that’d been responsible for so much of its competitors’ turmoil had landed in hot water itself the past three months. The leaked contract had only been the tip of the iceberg; after his arrest and detention, the CEO had been found dead in his cell due to an “undisclosed incident.” Everyone suspected foul play, but no one could confirm anything.
Since then, Sunfolk had burned through two CEOs and multiple board resignations before Dominic stepped in. He gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse, they accepted, and he cemented himself in corporate history.
He was still worried about his brother and paranoid about Roman’s former employer coming after us, but we hadn’t run into any trouble yet. I think Dominic realized he couldn’t spend his life looking over his shoulder, so he’d calmed down on the constant check-ins and insisting we visit secure locations only.
I followed him around to the passenger side and slid into the seat after he opened the door. “So, Mr. Davenport, what do you have planned?” I arched a playful brow. “I expect nothing but the best after the way you hyped today up.”
My birthday fell on a Wednesday this year, and Dominic had insisted on us taking the day off work so we could “celebrate big.”
He grinned. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it?”
He slipped his hand over mine and held it on the center console as we wound our way through the city. I glanced at his profile, my heart embarrassingly full.
I didn’t care where we went. I was just happy spending the day with him.
Dominic and I were officially dating, which felt strange to say when we’d once been married, but neither of us wanted to rush back into marriage without ironing out our issues. And truth be told, dating was fun. No complications, no pressure, just simple enjoyment of each other’s company.
I suppose it was easier when you knew the other person was the love of your life, but regardless, I wanted to savor every step of relationship 2.0.
Half an hour later, we arrived at Teterboro Airport, where his jet waited for us on the tarmac.
Curiosity sparked. “Are we going to Brazil again?” My brother would be thrilled. We’d visited him last month to celebrate his promotion at the restaurant, and I thought he’d been happier about our rekindled relationship than his own career advancement.
A mischievous glint passed through his eyes. “No. It’s a little closer to home.”
 |
He took us to DC, the city where we met, dated, and fell in love. The city where we got married and planned to celebrate our ten-year anniversary. It’d encapsulated so much of our relationship that stepping onto its streets was like stepping back in time.
The nostalgia intensified when our driver dropped us off at our first stop of the day. Black exterior. Crooked red sign. Windows advertising the “best burgers in the city.” Some things changed, but this place hadn’t.
My throat closed with emotion. “Frankie’s.” The site of so many late nights and stolen touches all those years ago.
I hadn’t expected the impact it would have on me. Dominic and I hadn’t visited DC in years, which was why I’d insisted on coming for our anniversary. It was so close to New York that weekend trips should’ve been common, but he always wanted to go somewhere farther, more glamorous.
St. Moritz. St. Tropez. St. Barts. Despite what it meant to us, DC had never made his list except for work—until now.
“Exactly as we left it,” Dominic said. “With a few improvements.”
“I hope so.” A watery laugh rustled in my chest. “Eleven and a half years is a long time to go without any changes.”
“Yes, it is.”
Soft, silent understanding melded our glances together before we looked away. Our fingers interlaced as we walked into the diner, familiar enough to set me at ease but new enough to send butterflies fluttering through my stomach.
Frankie’s, Thayer, Crumble & Bake for my favorite lemon cupcakes followed by a stroll along the Georgetown waterfront and aimless wandering through the new neighborhoods and shops that’d popped up since we left…it was the ideal mix of comfort and novelty. Dominic couldn’t have planned a more perfect birthday.
“God, I’ve missed this city.” I wouldn’t live here again. I’d outgrown what DC could offer, personally and professionally, but being back was like slipping into a beloved, worn pair of jeans.
Dominic drew me closer to his side and kissed the top of my head. “We can visit any time you like.”
This close to sunset, the waterfront was filled with people. Students, couples, and families thronged the benches, but one particular family drew my eye. The couple was young, likely in their mid-twenties, and they looked blissfully happy as they cooed at the baby sitting in the mother’s lap.
Longing gripped me so fiercely and suddenly it brought me to a standstill.
Dominic and I hadn’t talked about children since we agreed we both wanted them one day. That’d been at the start of our marriage. So much had changed since then, but I still wanted a family—with him. Only him.
Dominic followed my gaze. “Cute kid,” he said softly.
“Yeah.” I swallowed past a sharp ache. He hadn’t pushed me to take things further or faster than I was comfortable with. We were exclusive
now, but I suspected he wasn’t sure if I wanted to get married again one day. “Ours will be cuter.”
His gaze snapped to mine. I could see the moment the implication behind my words sank in because his mouth blossomed with the tenderest, most beautiful smile I’d ever seen.
“Yes, amor,” he said. “They will.”
