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“Yes, babe,” I murmur, pressing my lips to her hair.

I didn’t want to tell her beforehand. I wanted her to find out together with everyone else so she could share the moment with them.

Over the last month, I’ve seen how much she genuinely cares about her team, how hard she works to make sure they’re safe and properly rewarded for their work.

So I knew this would matter to her.

And the tears gathering in her eyes prove I was right.

Overcome with excitement, she starts bouncing in place like an excited child.

“I can’t believe this,” she squeals happily. “Congratulations, guys. I’m so happy for you.”

Unfortunately, we can’t go because the official opening of the chain is less than two weeks away, and I still have an insane amount of work to deal with.

She’ll finally have some time off, though.

Something she absolutely deserves after working nonstop for so long.

Still, I’m sure she’ll spend most of that time with me at Hartho.

And the second the grand opening is over and things calm down here, I’m making sure we disappear somewhere together.

Just the two of us.

I can’t fucking wait.

TWENTY-EIGHT

Selene

“When do you start the new project?” Dad asks me.

Holding the phone between my shoulder and ear, I straighten the pages of a contract spread across the desk.

“After Zayn finishes the opening,” I reply, checking the page number.

“I think we’ll make it back in time too, so we can attend,” Mom says, and that makes me pause. I set the paper down and take the phone properly in my hand.

“Seriously?” I ask, my voice lifting with disbelief. “You’re coming home?”

They’ve been gone for almost three months, and I miss them terribly. I also can’t shake the guilt I feel over not managing to fly to Romania during all this time to visit Grandma. Still, I’m relieved she’s doing well, that she’s no longer in the hospital, and that all the tests are looking exceptionally good.

“Yes, everything’s fine here, and Grandma has gotten her strength back. She’s managing on her own again,” Mom explains happily.

“I’m so happy, guys,” I tell them, just as Zayn’s office opens and he walks in wearing that absolutely gorgeous smile of his. “I can’t wait to see you. Love you.”

I end the call as soon as I hear them say it back and place the phone on the desk.

“I’d like to believe you’re this happy because I finished my meeting and came back to you,” he says, walking to me. “But I’m getting pretty jealous realizing it has something to do with the call you just ended.”

Laughing, I hop onto his desk and spread my legs.

“That was my parents telling me they’re coming home for the new chain opening,” I say, looking at him through my lashes as I tug lightly on my bottom lip. “But I really don’t want to talk about them when I’m about to have sex with my devastatingly handsome boyfriend.”

“Privacy on,” he says immediately, stopping between my legs. “Should I take it as a sign that you missed your boyfriend?” he asks, lowering his head to kiss my neck.

“Like crazy,” I whisper, already undoing his belt. “I’ve been imagining you walking through that door and fucking me on your desk ever since you left an hour ago.”