Bose POV:
It was Friday, and I could finally have Chapa over again after she'd been staying at her own apartment since Tuesday. She had run out of clothes and left a few unfinished projects at hers, so she needed the time back at her place. I'd seen her during work hours a couple of times, but lately, I'd been swamped with overtime. The new projects with my secret company were demanding, and I had to make up for some hours I'd missed.
Andrew was managing the fashion side, prepping for an upcoming autumn collection show, but my focus was on something bigger. A month after the show, we'd be producing Shakespeare's Macbeth for the entertainment department. The pressure was mounting.
As I sat at my desk at home, mentally checking off the tasks I had left, the door to my penthouse opened. I heard the familiar jingle of keysâthe extra set I had given Chapa because, honestly, she practically lived here now. I looked up just in time to see her walk in. I couldn't help but smile.
I got up from my desk and crossed the room to meet her, taking her jacket off for her, hanging it on the rack. She looked up at me, her brow furrowing slightly in that way she does when she knows something's up.
"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes narrowing at my expression.
I smiled innocently, placing my hands on her shoulders. "So..." I began, dragging the word out a bit, unsure of how to say it.
She raised an eyebrow, waiting. "Spit it out, Bose."
I took a deep breath. "Two of Blaise's sisters are coming here tonight. We have to babysit them."
She immediately removed my hands from her shoulders, sighing in frustration. "You could've told me earlier," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I know, I'm sorry," I apologized, trying to soften the blow. "It's only from 6 to 9."
"Only?" she scoffed. "And why can't their dad babysit them? He is their dad."
I explained, "They don't have it easy financially. Their dad works mostly at night, and those shifts pay the best. He starts at 6 p.m. and doesn't get off until 2 a.m."
Chapa sighed again, her frustration softening just a little. I added quickly, "Blaise will be here around 9 to pick them up. It won't be that bad, I promise."
She looked like she was about to argue but stopped herself. I could see the gears turning in her head. There was a moment of silence between us, and then I thought of something that had been on my mind all week.
"If we're on the topic of kids and babysitting..." I said carefully, watching her reaction. "Did you take the morning-after pill?"
Her eyes flickered with hesitation, and I immediately knew something was off. She looked away, biting her lip before answering. "I... I couldn't."
I blinked, taken aback by her response. "Why not?"
Chapa sighed, her hand reaching up to rub the back of her neck. "I've been thinking about it, Bose. I just... I want to wait it off."
I wasn't expecting that. "Wait it off?" I asked, a little confused but mostly surprised. "You don't have to if you don't want to, you know that, right?"
She nodded. "I know. But I want to."
My surprise must've shown because she gave me a small smile, the kind that said she'd been thinking about this for a while.
"But you've always said you didn't want kids. I mean, you're practically anti-children," I pointed out gently, trying to understand her sudden change of heart.
Chapa let out a small laugh. "I did... but watching you with Sage and Blaise's sisters last week? It made me reconsider."
I smiled at that. It warmed my heart to hear that I had made an impression on her, but I couldn't help but feel like this was still too soon. "Isn't it too soon to be thinking about this?" I asked cautiously.
She shrugged, a playful glint in her eye. "It's not too soon for your mom."
I couldn't help but laugh at that. She was right. My mom would have me married with three kids by now if she had her way.
Chapa grew more serious, though, and said, "If I end up pregnant and regret not taking the pill, I can always choose... abortion."
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. It was Miles and Blaise, standing there with Blaise's two younger sisters, Sadie and Lena. The girls immediately rushed past their sister, excitedly throwing their arms around me, practically tackling me with their hugs.
"Bose!" Sadie shouted, her face lighting up with excitement.
"We missed you!" Lena added, holding onto my waist.
I chuckled and ruffled both of their hair. "Hey, you two! You excited for tonight?"
They nodded enthusiastically. Chapa stood behind me, watching with her arms crossed, a small smirk on her face as she shook her head. "Yeah, real hard to say no to kids, huh?" she teased quietly.
Blaise smiled warmly at us, clearly relieved that I had agreed to babysit. "Thanks again for doing this. I really appreciate it."
"Anytime," I said, waving them off.
As Miles and Blaise said their goodbyes, Sadie and Lena were already tugging me toward the living room, eager to start whatever games they had planned. I glanced back at Chapa, who wasn't too pleased at the sight of the girls laughing and chatting excitedly.
Miles POV:
Blaise and I were on our way to my Aunt Didi's birthday party. The silence in the car was only broken by the hum of the engine, and I could feel the tension growing. I glanced over at her, and she was staring out the window, clearly lost in her thoughts.
"So," I started, keeping my voice light, "about tonight..."
Blaise turned her head slightly, raising an eyebrow as she waited for me to continue.
"I mean... you don't have to be exactly like Maddie. Just, you know, don't make it obvious you're not her," I said, trying to find the right balance between serious and casual. "They're just gonna be happy I brought someone, and my family's... intense. Aunt Didi is... intense."
Blaise chuckled softly. "Sounds like you're setting me up for something I didn't sign up for."
I smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, maybe. But you agreed, right?"
"Only because you begged," she teased, but there was a softness in her voice, a hint of playfulness that made me relax a little.
"Just be yourself. You don't have to try too hard. My family doesn't expect much, trust me. They're mostly hard on guys who come into the family. Just nod, smile, and maybe pretend we're a little in love. Simple."
Blaise turned to look at me, eyes narrowing with amusement. "Pretend we're in love, huh?"
I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the road. "It's just for a few hours. Oh and mom's gonna ask why you're not her, but if we keep our story straight, it'll be fine."
Blaise crossed her arms, watching me closely. "So, how exactly did you end up promising Maddie would come? Especially since, you know, she's your ex."
I sighed. "Long story. My mom begged me after telling aunt Didi we were still together. And she kept begging so I thought i'd be easier to just say yes."
Blaise smirked. "Easier, huh? Look where that got you."
"Yeah, yeah," I said with a grin. "You can roast me about it later. For now, just help me survive this."
We pulled up in front of Aunt Didi's house. The place was already buzzing with activity, the driveway packed with cars. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the nerves, and Blaise followed suit.
"You ready?" I asked.
She smiled slightly. "Ready as I'll ever be."
I rang the doorbell, and within seconds, Aunt Didi swung the door open, her face lighting up with excitement when she saw me. "Miles, my boy!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug. Then her eyes fell on Blaise, and she gasped. "And you must be Maddie! My goodness, look at youâso beautiful!"
Blaise forced a smile, giving a small nod. "Thank you."
We stepped inside, and I could feel both of us forcing our smiles now. Blaise, pretending to be someone she wasn't, and me, pretending like this was normal.
As we entered the living room, I noticed Mom across the room, her brow furrowed, staring at us. It didn't take long for her to walk over, a look of confusion and curiosity on her face.
"Miles," she started, her voice low but firm. "This isn't Maddie."
Before I could say anything, Blaise stepped forward, introducing herself quietly. "I'm not Maddie. I'm Blaise. But I'm... pretending to be Maddie for today."
My mom's eyes flicked back to me, clearly waiting for an explanation.
"I wasn't actually bringing Maddie," I admitted, feeling the weight of the situation. "But I didn't want to show up alone, since I promised you, and Blaise wanted to help out."
Mom's expression softened a little, but she wasn't entirely convinced. "Fine. But you two better look like you're in love for the night," she said, her tone making it clear this wasn't up for debate.
I nodded. "We'll make it work."
Blaise shot me a glance, half amused, half exasperated. I gave her a small smile, silently thanking her again for going along with this.
Aunt Didi returned, holding two drinks. "Here you go, you lovebirds," she said, beaming at us. "Now, you two just sit back and enjoy. I've got so much planned for the night!"
We took the drinks, and I gave Blaise an apologetic look as we settled into the evening, both of us knowing this was only the beginning.
Mika POV:
As we drove to Aunt Didi's birthday party, I glanced over at Andrew, who seemed unusually relaxed. His hand rested casually on the steering wheel, and he had this little smirk on his face that I couldn't quite figure out.
"So," I said, breaking the silence, "are you ready for the Didi experience? She's not like my momâshe's more... intense."
Andrew chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Intense how? Like, 'drill sergeant intense' or 'I'll interrogate you for fun' intense?"
I laughed. "More like 'I'll run a full background check on you without you knowing' intense. She's a cop, remember?"
He grinned. "I figured. What are the odds she already knows everything about me?"
"High," I replied quickly. "Very high."
"Good," he said, shooting me a confident look. "That means I don't have to worry about hiding anything."
I raised my eyebrows, half-joking. "Are you sure you don't have a secret criminal record?"
"Hey!" he protested, laughing. "I'm clean. But if your aunt finds something, I'll be impressed."
I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. "Just don't let her intimidate you too much. She likes to test people."
Andrew shrugged, completely unbothered. "I'll win her over. Trust me."
We pulled up to Aunt Didi's house, and the second we stepped out of the car, I could already see her standing by the front door, waiting. She had that sharp, observant look on her face, the one that meant she was already sizing Andrew up before we even made it to the porch.
"Mika!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug as soon as the door opened. "You look great, honey."
"Thanks, Aunt Didi," I said, returning the hug. As soon as she let go of me, she turned her full attention to Andrew, narrowing her eyes at him.
Andrew, ever the gentleman, extended his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Andrew."
Before he could say more, Aunt Didi cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I already know all about you. Good material for now," she said, eyeing him up and down. "No criminal recordâyet. But we'll see."
I sighed internally, bracing myself. "Aunt Didi, please. He's not going to break any laws."
She snorted. "That's what they all say. He still has to win over my trust."
Andrew, completely unphased, gave her his most sincere smile. "I'm up for the challenge. Happy birthday, by the way." He handed her a small gift bag, which I didn't even know he had with him.
Aunt Didi's eyes lit up at the sight of the gift, and she pulled out a restaurant gift card for $200. Her eyes widened as she looked between me and Andrew.
"Ooh, mama likes gifts," she said, clearly impressed.
I shot Andrew a death stare. Why on earth did he spend so much?
He just gave me a sheepish smile. "You missed the envelope," he said, pointing to the bottom of the bag.
Aunt Didi, ever curious, dug around and found the envelope. "Unless there's money in here, envelopes don't matter," she muttered as she tore it open. Her eyes widened even further when she pulled out two tickets to an upcoming baseball game. "How did you know I love baseball?"
Andrew gave her a playful smile. "I have my sources."
Aunt Didi stared at the tickets for a second longer before turning to me, a rare smile on her face. "He's a keeper, Mika."
I smiled, both happy and a little overwhelmed. As we stood in the hallway, taking off our jackets, I leaned over to Andrew and whispered, "You didn't have to spend so much on her."
He shrugged, grinning. "I'd do anything to win everyone over in your family."
I couldn't help but smile back. "You're ridiculous."
We stepped further inside, and that's when I spotted Miles standing off to the side with a girl I didn't recognize. She had this quiet, reserved air about her, but something seemed off.
I walked up to him. "Miles," I said slowly, eyeing the girl, "who is this?"
Before Miles could say anything, the girl leaned in, whispering softly, "I'm Blaise, pretending to be Maddie for tonight."
I blinked, then turned to Miles, my eyebrow lifting even higher. "Miles," I began in a hushed but firm tone, "you can't just bring a girl here and pretend she's Maddie. What are you thinking?"
Miles shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his hair. "I know, I know," he sighed, "but Mom and Aunt Didi were both expecting Maddie, and Blaise agreed to help me out. Besides, they are way more intense with the guys you bring home. They're not gonna grill Blaise like they did with Andrew... or Jordan."
Andrew's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait, who's Jordan?"
Miles suddenly backed away slightly, realizing he had let something slip. "Uh, did you not have that talk yet?" he asked nervously.
I sighed, knowing I had to fill Andrew in. "Jordan was... not a long-term thing. He wasn't even my boyfriend for long. We dated when we were sixteenâjust for eleven months. It was all secret because Mom and Dad hated him, and they hated the idea of me dating at such a young age."
Andrew's expression shifted to one of curiosity. "So, what happened? Did he do something wrong?"
I shook my head. "Not really. He was just a typical high school boyfriend, my first kiss, you know? But they thought he was too immature, and honestly, they weren't wrong. It just became a hassle to sneak around all the time."
Andrew raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "Your first kiss? Your parents were okay with that?" I rolled my eyes, recalling the memories.
"Of course not. My parents wanted to kill him every time they saw him around me. They were convinced he was a bad influence."
Miles chimed in with a chuckle, "I remember the death glares they gave him. It was scary. " I laughed.
"Right. They were on high alert anytime Jordan was near. It didn't help that he had this reckless streak. I think the only time he ever showed up on time was for my birthday."
"Oh and he once tried to impress me by jumping off the roof of the garage into the pool. Spoiler alert: he missed and landed right on the edge. It was a total disaster."
"Did you still like him after that?" Andrew asked, a hint of jealousy creeping into his tone.
"Honestly? I think I liked the idea of him more than the reality. He was charming, but it was all very high school romanceâdrama and all. Besides, he was my first kiss, but that didn't mean I wanted to keep him around forever."
Andrew shifted slightly, his grip tightening on my waist as if to stake his claim. "Well, I think it's safe to say you've moved on to much... better choices."
I felt a wave of relief wash over me as Andrew's touch sent warmth through me.
"Definitely," I said, smiling up at him.
Chapa POV:
It was barely 7:30, and I already felt my patience thinning. Blaise's sisters, Sadie and Lena, had been running around non-stop, their energy levels through the roof, bouncing from one thing to another. Every few minutes, they'd ask me something, pull me into one of their games, or worseâtry to involve me in some over-the-top princess storyline. And while Bose had been a saint, playing along with them, it was starting to grate on my nerves. I just wanted one peaceful night. Was that too much to ask?
Bose, of course, was completely oblivious. He was sitting on the floor with Sadie, helping her stack some blocks while Lena ran in circles around them, giggling. I sat back on the couch, crossing my arms and trying to fake a smile when one of them would glance at me, but I knew I wasn't hiding my annoyance well.
After another half hour of this, Bose finally looked up and noticed me sitting there, probably with the sourest expression I'd had all night. His eyes softened, and I could see him trying to figure out what was wrong. He walked over to me, his hands sliding into his pockets. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.
I didn't want to blow up on him. It wasn't like he was trying to make my night miserable, but still... this wasn't how I pictured spending the evening. "No," I said, trying not to snap. "My night is ruined."
Bose frowned, clearly feeling bad. "Chapa, I'm sorry. I should've told you earlier. I didn't mean for it to be like this."
I gave him a half-hearted shrug, still acting grumpy, even though I could feel my anger starting to fade just from the way he was looking at me. I wasn't going to let it go that easily though. I wanted him to know how much this bothered me. "Yeah, well, you didn't," I said, still pouting, even though I wasn't really mad anymore. But if acting mad would get him to make it up to me, then I wasn't about to drop it.
He stepped closer, his eyes locking on mine. Then, he leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. "Tonight," he whispered seductively, "I'm all yours. Whatever you want."
A shiver ran down my spine. I tried to keep my face straight, but the way he said it, the promise in his voice, made me melt just a little. I didn't get a chance to respond though, because right then, Sadie and Lena popped up out of nowhere, staring at us with curious, wide-eyed looks.
"What are you whispering about?" Sadie asked, her little voice full of suspicion.
Bose froze, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He stammered, trying to come up with something innocent, but nothing came out.
I took over, smirking at the two of them. "It was meant for my ears, not yours," I said, giving them a playful smile. They huffed, clearly not liking that answer.
Sadie crossed her arms. "That's not fair!"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Life's not always fair, kiddo," I said, feeling a bit better now. The way they pouted was actually kind of funny, and it was hard to stay irritated with Bose when I knew he was going to make it up to me later.
Bose shot me a grateful look, probably relieved I didn't let them in on his little secret, and for a moment, all the annoyance I'd been holding onto melted away completely. Sure, the night wasn't going as planned, but if it ended the way Bose was hinting at... I could deal with a little chaos.
Blaise POV:
Miles' mom had just come up to us, her face tight with concern. "You two need to look more in love. This isn't convincing at all." I barely had time to process before Miles slid his hand around my waist and pulled me in closer, just like she suggested. The sudden warmth of his touch sent a flutter through me that I wasn't expecting. I could feel my heart speed up, though I knew this was all just for show.
I kept my composure, leaning into him a little, playing the part. His mom gave us a final glance, still looking skeptical but letting it go for now.
Just then, Aunt Didi came over with her usual no-nonsense attitude. "Hi lovebirds. How in love you two look. Miles, you better protect and treat this girl right," she warned, her sharp eyes flicking between us.
Something inside me shifted. I wasn't about to just stand here and let them treat me like I needed someone to fight my battles. "I can handle myself, you know," I said with a confident smile. "I don't need anyone going easy on me."
Aunt Didi looked surprised, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think you were like that," she muttered. "His mom said you were more quiet, fragile."
Crap. I realized I needed to stay in character. "Oh, I am. I'm just respectful when I need to be," I added, trying to soften my tone while keeping up my confident facade.
She seemed to accept that explanation, though she gave me a curious look before grabbing Miles' hand and dragging him off to the side. I watched them out of the corner of my eye, wondering what on earth she was telling him now.
When he came back, he looked a bit awkward. "So... Aunt Didi thinks you should come with us to Hawaii," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
I blinked. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah," Miles continued, clearly uncomfortable. "She wants you to come on our vacation to Hawaii. You know, to stimulate our 'love'."
I nearly choked on my drink. "She really doesn't have to do that."
Aunt Didi reappeared before I could say anything more. "Oh, I insist. I want to make sure you two are doing things right. Maddieâ" She caught herself quickly, realizing her slip. "You deserve everything. Miles needs to step it up and give you more." She turned to him like she was scolding him.
I stifled a laugh, trying to keep my cool. "That's really not necessary," I said, still trying to ease the tension.
Aunt Didi squinted at me, suddenly serious. "You do really love him, right?"
The question hit me hard, and I immediately said, "Yes, of course." I was quick to hide my hesitation.
Aunt Didi nodded, then smiled. "Good. Then it's settled. You're coming to Hawaii with us. No arguments."
She gave Miles a final pat on the back and walked off, leaving the two of us standing there, a little dumbfounded.