Modern Arrangements: Complete Trilogy (Modern Arrangements #1-3) (65 page)

A week following our reunion, Devlin
arrived in my office. I called Liam and James to attend the meeting as well.

"Aidan." We shook hands and he
sat down.

"Devlin." I corresponded.

Liam and James greeted him as well.

"Aidan, I have to tell you that if
this child is legitimately yours, then the terms of the inheritance…"

"Wait, you are saying that this is
considered unfaithful?" I asked.

Devlin nodded.

"Aidan, it shows proof that you
slept with another woman."

"Even if he was drugged and
basically raped?" Liam questioned.

"What?" Devlin looked shocked
and appalled.

"I have the evidence, Devlin, and I’ve
filed a police report." I sat back in my chair.

"I will need to get copies of
everything, but…I think that this will negate any claim of unfaithful actions.
Are you and Lilli?"

I nodded. "Lilli is still my wife.
She is standing by my side one hundred percent. Not that I deserve that from
her, but she is giving it."

We discussed what had happened on that
disgusting night, but I could only offer small details. In conclusion, I had
been raped. It seemed absurd to me, but I had not willingly slept with Loreley
and she was still nowhere to be found.

Another week passed after the meeting
with Devlin and Viola had planned a small party for Liam’s birthday. Lilli and
I both attended together. I wouldn’t…oh, who am I kidding...I couldn’t keep my
hands off of her. She kept scolding me and giggling at all of my touching and
groping.

It was when we were all leaving the
restaurant that we ran into a very distraught looking Gideon.

"What have you done to her?"
He yelled at Lilli and me. I immediately took a protective stance in front of
her.

"I have no idea what you are
talking about." I spit out, ushering Lilli into the car. Soon, James was
at my side, along with Oscar and Dixon.

"Oh, I bet you don’t!" He
yelled sarcastically and lunged toward me.

"Okay, old man, that will be enough
of that." Dixon had both hands on Gideon and was pushing him back as we
all climbed into our cars.

"Get your hands off of me! You’ll
pay Iverson!" I heard Gideon shout as we closed the car door and took off.

"I wonder what that was about."
Lilli looked at me, shock still on her face.

I wrapped my arms around her. "I’m
not sure, but I plan on finding out."

Having investigators look into what set
Gideon off and keeping police on standby for anything that Gideon may do, I
still didn’t have one clue on the whole situation. It was very frustrating, but,
as long as I had Lilli to come home to every day, I didn’t let it get to me too
much.

The twin’s second birthday was rapidly
approaching and I couldn’t believe that our children were growing so quickly.
Lilli was planning a small family party, but Phoebe and Viola had blown it up
to large proportions. What was once a small family dinner with cake and
presents had elevated into ball pits, clowns who made balloon art and a
professional photographer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lilli

"I can’t believe I let you, and
Phoebe, talk me into all of this for two year olds. I mean, come on!" I
exclaimed in the back of the black car as we headed to lunch.

"Oh, come now, what’s the point in
marrying a rich man if you can’t throw elaborate parties!" Viola giggled.

I looked at her with my mouth hanging
wide open.

"I’m only teasing." She
laughed. "Okay, they are only two, but so what? They are Aidan’s
offspring. Do you think that if Phoebe had gotten a hold of him with ideas that
it would be any less?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Oh god, you’re right! Except we
would all be renting out Disney World for their party!" I rolled my eyes
and laughed.

We pulled up to one of the familiar
restaurants that Viola preferred. Once we were seated, I excused myself to
quickly call Kimberly and check on the twins. I loved helping with the
foundation but I hated not being home with them, too. It was such a bittersweet
thing to love what you do, but to have the biggest loves of your life, home,
waiting on you all day. Hell, if that were the worst choice I had to make,
after everything, I’d take it.

It had been a few weeks since Loreley
had popped into my thoughts. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was okay. If she
was truly pregnant, would she just drop in out of nowhere on us? Claiming that
her child was an Iverson heir?

"They are fine and have been fine all
day, will you enjoy your days out of the house." Kimberly answered with a
chuckle.

"I can’t help it." I whined.

"I know you can’t, but if something
were to happen then I would definitely call you. You know that."

I sighed. "I know, but I feel
guilty when…"

"Just stop it! You are a wonderful
mother and they love you dearly, now get back to lunch with Viola!"
Sometimes I felt like Kimberly was my nanny too.

I turned abruptly and smacked into a
large dark figure. Stumbling, my heel broke and I waited to feel the concrete
come into contact with my body. It never came. Instead, I felt myself pulled up
tightly against someone, my hands landing on his chest.

My eyes widened. "Demitri?" I
choked out.

"Lilli." He had a large smile
on his face and then he hugged me.

I pushed back, knowing that Aidan would
be furious. "Demitri, we shouldn’t…"

"Lilli, I’d like you to meet
Lorna." He put his hand out and pulled a familiar red-haired woman to his
side closely. "Lorna, this is Lilli."

"Lilli, I’ve heard so much about
you." She smiled brightly and shook my hand.

"Lorna is my fiancé." Demitri smiled
at her adoringly.

"Fiancé?" I knew that my whole
face read shock.

"I know, I know…but as soon as I
met her, she had me." He kissed the hand that he was holding while she
smiled up at him in adoration and pride.

"Well…it’s nice to meet the woman
who could tame the infamous Demitri." I smiled and hugged Lorna. "And,
you." I smacked his chest, "I am so happy for you." I threw my
arms around his neck and squeezed.

"Thank you."

"Well, I should get back
inside."

They both nodded to me. "It was a
pleasure, a huge pleasure, to meet you, Lorna. Demitri…it was…eh…" I
winked at him.

They both laughed and climbed into an
awaiting taxi.

I returned to Viola and told her about
my little run in with Demitri and his fiancé as we ate lunch together.

The twin’s birthday had finally arrived
and everyone came to the house. The decorations were pink and blue puppy dogs. Phoebe
had practically covered the entire house.

Liam and Viola came with Maggie, Jason,
Abby and baby Ryan in tow. Aunt Anne, who was holding baby Jimmy, arrived with
Elora and James. At first I stiffened, waiting to see Henry’s face, but it
never appeared. Phoebe and Oscar arrived with Celia and Dixon. Celia was
sporting her large diamond engagement ring. Other family members arrived and
once most guests were settled we began the mingling.

Aidan walked Walsh around while I held
our shy, little Livy. She immediately jumped to Dixon, whom she adored, and
Celia was Walsh’s girlfriend. Walsh gave Celia a large kiss on the cheek.

"Hey there, are you trying to steal
my woman?" Dixon smiled at Walsh who gave him his crooked smile in return.
All the while, Livy hugged Dixon’s neck like he was her super hero.

"Lilli, can I speak with you?"
Phoebe whispered into my ear.

I nodded and excused myself from the
group.

"What’s wrong?" Phoebe’s face
seemed pale and she looked nervous.

"Come with me." She grabbed my
hand and pulled me out of the room and into the downstairs guest bathroom.
Shutting the door, she leaned against it.

"What the heck is going on?" I
half-laughed at her behavior.

Phoebe picked up her purse, opened it,
and pulled out a white pen. I furrowed my brow at her.

"What is…Oh My God! That’s not a
pen!" I shouted. While a smile formed on my face, I grabbed for the white
stick.

"Shhh!" Phoebe hushed me.

"Seriously…really? Does Oscar
know?"

"Will you keep it down? No, he
doesn’t know!” Phoebe was twisting her fingers in knots.

"Phoebe, what’s wrong? You think
that he won’t…be happy."

She shrugged and I saw tears forming.

"Oh, Phoebe, I’ m sure that he will
be thrilled!" I exclaimed.

"Lilli, we haven’t even talked
about living together yet. Let alone marriage, long term plans, or kids. How…I
mean…what if—?"

 "You won’t know until you talk to
him."

She bit her lip nervously.

"Everything will be perfectly fine.
I bet that when you tell Oscar that he will be over the moon."

"You think?" She took a deep
breath and seemed to be calming down.

"Damn straight. Who wouldn’t want
you to have their babies?" I winked and she giggled.

"I love you, Lilli. Thank
you!" She hugged me as a knock sounded on the door.

"Um…I don’t mean to intrude, but,
uh, we have a lot of people out here." I heard Aidan’s velvety but muffled
by the door voice.

I swung the door open, forgetting what I
had in my hand. Smiling at him, I spoke.

"I’m sorry." Then I wrapped my
arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"What’s this?" He furrowed his
brow and took the stick from my hands.

"Wait…it’s…" I tried to
explain, but his expression went from confusion, to shock, before finally
settling on a huge smile.

"Are you?" He sounded a little
more eager than I expected he would.

"Uh…no, it’s not mine."

"Oh." Now he looked
disappointed. He looked back up quickly at Phoebe. I looked over my shoulder
and Phoebe gave a small wave. "Holy shit! Does Oscar..?"

"No." Phoebe almost shouted
and grabbed the stick, shoving it back into her purse.

Aidan furrowed his brow at her.

"You know that he’ll be thrilled,
right?" He smiled at her and I watched Phoebe’s face light up with a
larger than life smile.

"Really?" She was almost
bouncing now. Aidan nodded confidently. "Oh, thank you, Aidan!" She
hugged him and pushed past us to get out of the bathroom. I was almost positive
she was heading toward Oz.

I smiled at Aidan. "Thank
you."

"For what?"

"For making her happy. She was
really worried about Oscar."

Aidan snorted.

"Oscar is head over heels in love
with that little energizer bunny." He laughed.

"Well, they haven’t really talked
long term or babies, so she was nervous. You made her feel better." I
shrugged and hugged him.

He snorted again. "I guess she hasn’t
realized that Oz has been hinting at marriage and living together? "

"What?" I said, shocked. He
nodded. "Well, tell him to step up his game!" I laughed and Aidan
chuckled.

We headed back to the party.

"You know…I’m kind of disappointed
that it wasn’t your test." Aidan confessed.

"Bite your tongue!" I
playfully scolded him.

"I’d rather bite—" I kissed
him before he could finish speaking.

The weekend following the party Phoebe
confessed to Oscar that she was pregnant. She had still been nervous but when
Oscar called Aidan to tell him the news, I assumed that he was good with it.
And, when Phoebe told me that he had practically called everyone he knew to
tell them, I knew that he was absolutely thrilled.

Oscar confessed that he had been trying
to hint for her to move in with him. Now that she was pregnant, he demanded
that she move into his place immediately. That following weekend a moving van
arrived to move Phoebe into his house. The last I had heard from Phoebe, Oscar
was picking out colors and themes for the baby's room.

A month later, I was on a three way
phone call with Phoebe and Celia discussing Celia’s wedding plans when I walked
into the house.

"Phoebe, I love you, but Celia gets
to decide."

"See! My wedding, Phoebe!"
Celia practically cheered.

"Fine! But I still say that roses
would be perfect." Phoebe pouted.

I laughed and walked down the hall. As I
passed Aidan’s study, I realized that the door was open. I leaned in and saw
Aidan sitting at his desk.

"You both need to calm down."
I laughed. Aidan’s head shot up, his face a mixture of sadness and anger.

I furrowed my brow at him. "Guys, I
will call you back." I hung up. "What’s wrong?"

"Care to explain these?!" He
tossed glossy photos across his desk at me, causing them to slip onto the
floor.