It warmed my heart to see how proud he was to show me his new place, and I was genuinely happy for him. As I watched him turn the key in the door, any jealousy I had faded away and was replaced by an overwhelming sense of pride, like his victory was my own.
I pushed my sunglasses on top of my head.
He opened the door. “After you.”
“Thanks,” I said, walking inside. “Wow.”
He stopped next to me with his chest puffed out like he’d built the office space up from the ground himself.
“I love how it smells in here,” I said.
“That would be the fresh paint.”
“And the carpet looks new.”
“It is.”
“I like the color.”
“I didn’t pick it, but I was told it would be easy to maintain cause of the little specks.”
“So paint the picture for me,” I said. “Walk me through the vision.”
Aiden rubbed his hands together and exhaled. “I’m so glad you asked.”
I smiled.
He took a few steps straight ahead. “I was thinking there would be a reception desk here.”
“Oohh. Your very own receptionist. How exciting?”
“I know.”
I shook my finger at him. “I hope there won’t be any funny business.”
“No funny business,” he said. “Though it would be a bonus if she was attractive since most of my clients will probably be men, at least in the beginning.”
“Could we compromise on attractive and married?”
He smiled. “Sure.”
“Good,” I said. “Please continue.”
“So I was thinking I’d separate out two spaces here.”
“Uh-huh.”
“One would be for my office, and one would be a room for the sports masseuse.”
“A masseuse?”
“Yeah.”
“An attractive masseuse?”
“It’ll probably be a dude if this is going where I think it is.”
“Oh, okay. Just curious.”