Love & Business: Part II

Best-friend-a-versary

The friend group along with our kids, all sat at Lynda and Mason's dining room table. They insisted they host a dinner for their two friends that got their company to be ranked number one.

"Well, I'm absolutely jealous that it wasn't my company at the top," Zach admitted. "but if it were anyone else other than my best friend and his beautiful wife, I would be even more jealous so cheers to that."

We all laughed holding up our glasses of wine. "Cheers!"

"So you're the man who stole my mommy away from me." Ava randomly said as she narrowed her eyes at Hunter.

Everyone immediately turned their gaze to Hunter.

He faked a smile before turning his face to me. "Her what now?"

I laughed sheepishly, taking another sip of my beverage. "It's a long story." I then turned to Ava. "Ava, I thought we already talked and worked this out."

"We did but I'm not letting him off the hook that easy."

Blaze suddenly woke up and started to cry. Good timing.

I picked him up and started rocking him. He calmed down.

"Aww, you guys are giving me baby fever." Sabrina cried. "All of you have kids now but stupid Jack doesn't want any."

"I'm right here," Jack said looking agitated.

"Maybe it's time for you two to grow up and finally start a family of your own," Mason mumbled.

"They're still young Mason. I think they should enjoy their early twenties. I wish I would've had Blaze a little later sometimes."

I froze when I said the last sentence. I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I don't regret having him but I would've wanted to have him later on my own terms. I glanced at Hunter who was giving me a sympathetic look.

"Sophia, I heard what the reporter asked you at the press conference." Kennedy suddenly spoke. "If it's about that, don't worry about her. She's just jealous she's not in your place."

I cleared my throat. Sometimes I forget that our friends are clueless about the real reason Hunter and I got together.

Zach must have seen me struggling because he changed the topic. "Your first anniversary is coming up in a few days. Care to tell us your plans, Hunter?"

I could see Hunter glaring at him while discreetly sticking up his middle finger to the side. Zach rolled his head back, dying of laughter. He was fully aware of Hunter's plans for sure.

I looked over at Hunter who was trying his absolute best not to make our eyes meet. I smiled at his struggle.

"Well, I think Sophia should spend a day with Ava and I. After all, it would be our first anniversary of being friends too." Kennedy added.

"Oh stay out of it Kennedy. You're always trying to be in the spotlight." Jack finally spoke up.

Everyone sat shocked by Jack's sudden outburst.

"Why don't you stay out of it Jack." Sabrina snapped. They've been bickering the whole night.

"Not cool," Zach said, defending his wife. I turned to Kens to give her a soft smile.

After that, dinner went silent as we ate. The only noise was from the silver cutlery knocking on the glass plates.

...

I sat in my office reviewing my notes from this morning's meeting when I heard a knock on the door. When I told the person to come in, it was Jannette.

"Um Miss Kennedy is outside," she said with a weirded-out expression on her face.

"Let her in."

She nodded and left then Kennedy strolled in.

My mouth dropped as I took in her appearance. She wore a denim overall. That's it. Just the overall. No blouse nor bra underneath it. How on earth did she get past security?

"What is wrong with those guards at the entrance? They dared to tell me that I'm breaking the dress code," she laughed. "Can you believe it?"

I was too stunned to even speak. I watched as she sighed while placing a brown, woven, wicker basket on my table. She then tied up her hair in a bun.

"Finish up. We're going on a date."

"Ex-excuse me?"

"For our first anniversary. I wouldn't want to get in the way of Hunter's plans." her eyes widened before she quickly covered it up. "that's if he even has any of course."

They were all terrible liars. I picked that up when Hunter wanted to surprise me with the nursery. I heard my stomach grumbled so I stood up. "Fine."

When we reached the front desk area, she stood up by the security guards. "See, I told you! I told you I was best friends with the boss!"

I couldn't have felt any more embarrassed. Why did Zach even let her leave the house like that? The security guards didn't even look at her. They just kept looking forward, not flinching one bit.

I held her hand and dragged her out of the building. "Kennedy stop!"

She frowned.

"Your boob is falling out," I mentioned. She looked down and frowned even more. I gave her a soft smile as I took off my jacket and gave her. "Here wear this."

She sighed before taking it and opening the doors of her car. When we both safely entered and were on our way, she started talking again.

"I'm really sorry Soph."

I looked at her confused. "About?"

"Humiliating you at your workplace."

I smiled. "Relax, you've done way worse compared to this."

She smiled and we continued to drive in comfortable silence before I interrupted it.

"Why was Jack so pissed off with you at the dinner? It's unlike him."

I watched as she stiffened in her seat. Her grip tightened around the stirring wheel. "N-nothing. That kid probably got grumpy because he had too much to drink."

That was far from the truth but I let it go because she obviously doesn't want to talk about it.

We pulled off on a small acre of land. I didn't see anything but dead grass. She pulled out the key then got out. I sat stiffly in the car. Was she trying to murder me? There wasn't a soul around. I heard a small knock on the window then jumped when I saw Kenney.

"Well come on. I can't drive any further."

I slowly got out of the car. I followed her until we reached the bottom of a low hill. I stopped then she looked back after realizing I wasn't following anymore.

"What's wrong Soph?"

"I'm wearing heels."

She rolled her eyes. "Just take them off. It doesn't hurt to get your feet dirty every now and then Miss Billionaire."

I narrowed my eyes at her before doing as she said. To my dismay, I got pricked by a thorn laying on the hillside. So much for 'it doesn't hurt'.

When we finally reached the top, I dropped down my butt to pull the thorn out from my foot.

"Damn it," I cursed under my breath.

Kennedy came and sat down next to me, handing me water. "I'm sorry, again."

"You're probably going to apologize to me one thousand times before today ends."

She laughed as she packed out the food on the blanket she had brought. On the blanket laid, a bowl mixed with cherries and strawberries, various pastries, and some drinks. We started off with fruits then ended up eating everything else together. We laughed and talked about a bunch of irrelevant stuff.

Today was actually kind of nice after all.