Chapter 38

ARIA

“Let’s gooooooo! We’re going to be late!”

Len is hounding Katie, Joel, and me to get out the door of his apartment, which I find odd, since he’s usually the tardiest of us all.

“All right, Len, geez. We don’t have to be there right at seven, do we?” I ask as I finish applying my lipstick in the mirror.

Len shoots me a glare, and I roll my eyes but quickly grab my purse and step out the door.

Len’s work is hosting a company event, and he’s invited all of us along. Initially, I said no, preferring my Friday-night plans of eating junk food and crying myself to sleep. But Len insisted to the point that he said he wouldn’t go if I didn’t. So dramatic.

I bought and am wearing a beautiful orange-red-blue ombre dress that reminds me of the Italian sunsets I watched with Jett.

I feel good in it, but I can’t ignore the dark cloud that continues to shade my head and heart. I’m hopeful a night out with my friends will help lift my spirits.

The party is at a rooftop bar, which means we’ll be treated to an incredible skyscraper sunset, with free food and drinks—always a plus.

But as we step off the elevator and walk through the doors to the rooftop, I notice it’s empty.

The patio is stunning, covered in strings of lights and lavender roses, but I’m confused by the absence of people. Before I can turn to ask Len, I hear my name.

“Aria.”

My heart freezes.

Jett suddenly appears and starts walking toward me. I turn to look at my friends, stunned, and see them closing the doors I walked through, with them on the other side.

~Traitors~.

I turn back to Jett. “Jett, this is not—”

“Please, just let me say what I need to say, and then you can go,” he says as he stops a few feet away from me. “The first thing I need to tell you is I’m sorry.”

I fold my arms but don’t say anything.

“I should’ve told you about your dad. And I should’ve heard you out about Gray. I let my jealousy and my ego get in the way, and I have no one to blame but myself. I’m so sorry.”

“Is that it?” I demand, though I note the soft sincerity in his voice.

Jett shakes his head no.

“I went and saw your dad,” he says.

At this, I drop my arms and forget my anger. “Where is he? Er, how is he?”

“Regretful. He’s good but regretful,” he says. “We had a long talk, and he wants to be back in your life if you’ll have him. Also…”

Jett pulls a worn, delicate paper out of his jacket and unfolds it. “He found a letter your mother wrote to him after you were born—about how perfect you were and how she would do anything to be a good mom to you. We thought you should have it.”

My hands tremble as I reach out and take the paper from him. Two thick tears spill out from my eyes and down my cheeks as I instantly recognize the penmanship from other things my mother wrote before she died.

“Finally,” Jett says as he cups my face in his hands, wiping the tears from my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. “I love you. I’m fucking insanely in love with you. I had no idea what love was until I met you. If you insist on staying apart, I will survive, but my life will only be whole if you’re in it.”

Suddenly, it all falls out of me. My pain and anguish, my depression and suffering, all come spilling out as I start to sob.

When I open my soggy eyes again, I see Jett looking at me with desperation and concern on his face.

“I’m sorry too, and…I love you—”

He doesn’t wait for me to say anything else before his lips claim mine. He pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around my back as I put mine around his neck. It feels amazing to be in his arms again, protected and loved.

When we finally break our kiss, he presses his forehead to mine.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much,” he says.

I’ve missed him too. I’ve missed his smell, his voice, the way his skin feels against mine.

Suddenly, everything we went through feels manageable as I see how hard he is trying to make amends.

I rest my head on Jett’s chest as he wraps me in a tight embrace. ~I’m home.~

Suddenly, I pull back and look up at him. “Was this whole thing…?”

“A setup that I orchestrated with Len’s help to get you here and, hopefully, celebrate with our friends? Yes, yes, it was.”

I smile. “You are crazy, Jett Abrams,” I say as we kiss again. “I’ll go get them.”

I turn to go, but Jett’s grasp on my hand pulls me back to him.

“Before you do, I have something else for you,” he says as he pulls a small box out of his jacket.

When he opens it, my eyes land on a gorgeous vintage engagement ring, featuring a large pink diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. My mouth falls open as I look between Jett and the ring.

“Aria, when I said my life wouldn’t be whole without you, I meant it. You…you see me, you make me a better person, and I would like to spend the rest of my life right next to you. Will you marry me?”

I clap a hand over my mouth as Jett’s words hit me square in the chest. It’s all happening so fast. The last several months flash through my brain like a highlight reel. I absolutely love Jett, but I never expected this.

I watch Jett hold his breath as he waits for me to say something.

Finally, I pull my hand away from my face. “Yes,” I whisper.

A wide smile spreads across Jett’s face as he scoops me up in his arms. “Really?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” I repeat, giggling.

Jett kisses me again, and I nearly forget about our friends, the ring, everything. ~Jett just asked me to marry him, and I said yes.~

Jett lets me go and pulls the ring out of the box, sliding it on my ring finger. It’s absolutely stunning, and I can’t believe it’s on ~my~ finger.

“Sorry to interrupt, but can we join now?”

I look back and see all of our friends waiting for us by the patio doors.

I smile and beckon them out. Katie, Len, Joel, Nathan, Wes, and even Grandma come out onto the patio and hug me and Jett while congratulating us. We spend the evening drinking, eating, and celebrating our reunion and engagement.

As the evening winds down and everyone heads home, Jett and I cuddle up to watch the sky darken and the skyscrapers around us light up. Jett’s arm is around my shoulders, and I’m leaning against his chest as we sit on a couch on the rooftop patio.

“I still can’t believe you rented this place out,” I say, laughing. “What would’ve happened tonight if we didn’t make up?”

“Well, I’d have a lot of champagne to drown my sorrows in,” he says. “I was worried Len wouldn’t be able to get you here.”

“He almost didn’t. He was quite dramatic about it,” I say.

“Well, I owe him,” he says. “And Katie. She came to see me when I was wallowing.”

“Hmm, I’ll have to have a little chat with them about loyalty,” I say, and we both laugh.

Jett squeezes my arm. “Well, are you ready to go home?”

I look up at him and see a mischievous grin on his face. I know exactly what that look means, and it makes my insides spark with excitement.

“My place or yours?” I ask.

Jett’s smirk widens. “Whichever is closest,” he says as his strong hand squeezes my thigh. Desire pools in my belly as Jett trails kisses from my ear down to my neck.

“Technically,” I say breathily, “the ~closest~ place would be the office.”

Jett growls like a lion about to pounce on a kill.

“Hmm, back where it all started, huh?” he says.

I look up at him through my lashes and shrug. “You can be the grouchy, brooding boss, and I’ll be your shy, new PA.”

I see Jett’s pupils dilate as he grabs my neck and nibbles the shell of my ear.

“Let’s go.”