Is this destiny?

~ Los Angeles ~

Thursday

1:25 PM

Sarah is having drinks and appetizers with Aaron in a cozy French restaurant which looks like a bar.

Aaron is glancing around nervously, confident that Aiden will pop out from somewhere and hurt him. Badly.

Since Sarah\'s birthday party when Aaron got a beating from Noah, Aaron is much more cautious.

"Relax, it\'s just the two of us.", Sarah assured him.

Aaron nodded and lowered his head, embarrassed that Sarah noticed.

"I guess you didn\'t call me here just for company.", Aaron decided to find out why Sarah suddenly called him to meet here.

It\'s not that he is complaining, he would love to have many meetings with Sarah, with only the two of them (and more than just meetings), but he knows that Sarah is not such a girl and that is one of the reasons he admires her to the point of obsession.

Sarah smiled. She knows that Aaron has a thing for her, but the fact that he asked her such a question, means that he is using his head. "You mentioned that you want to be of use to me, and I have a position that will suit you perfectly."

Aaron\'s face lit up. "I am listening."

"First, I have a question for you. Why are you so keen on following me?"

Aaron\'s stunned expression told Sarah that he was not expecting such a question.

He cleared his throat before responding: "Aren\'t we in a mutually beneficial relationship? I help you by getting your people overseas without being noticed, while you got me to work with EY."

"Is that all?"

Aaron avoided her gaze. "What else could it be?"

"The fact that I am married to Aiden does not change anything?"

Aaron\'s expression cracked. "You are married!?"

It\'s not that he didn\'t think about it as a possibility but thinking about it as something that will happen in the future and knowing that it already happened are two different things.

It took him a few seconds to compose himself and to force a smile with difficulty. "Congratulations."

Aaron\'s eyes darted aimlessly for some time before he looked Sarah in the eyes. "I admit that I admire you. You are straightforward and honest and… faithful. Not only to Aiden but to everyone. That gives me the confidence that working with you is not a mistake."

Aaron omitted a few things, but he said the most of it and he hoped that it\'s enough.

Sarah decided not to push this further. Aaron already proved more than once that he will not cross the line with her, no matter what his feelings are. "OK. In my opinion, it\'s a position that fits you perfectly. Officially, you would lead a team of graphic designers for my newly opened company in Europe with the title of a chief graphic designer."

Aaron understood that Sarah knows that he worked as a graphic designer in his father\'s company. That was before Whites drove the company into bankruptcy after the incident at Jeff\'s and JoAnna\'s wedding.

Aaron didn\'t miss that Sarah said how that is the \'official\' version of what he would be doing. "And unofficially?"

Sarah is pleased that Aaron can pick up on such points. 

"You are aware of the army Noah belongs to…", Sarah paused and gave Aaron a meaningful look.

Aaron\'s lips twitched when he remembered his shock when he realized how Noah changed in less than a year.

"I have limited knowledge about it.", Aaron admitted.

"We are expanding into Europe. I need a strategist. Someone who is smart and can see the details while focusing on the whole picture. A person I can trust."

Aaron\'s face lit up when he realized that Sarah is talking about him. "Will I be in charge of resources and missions, how Noah is now?"

Sarah confirmed. "That will depend on your capabilities."

"You said, in Europe?"

Sarah nodded. "Headquarters is in Romania. You will need to move there. At this point, we have one additional base in Milan, and are planning a few more through Europe to open soon. You would act as the main point of contact for any missions in the area and oversee bases. That will include buildings, people, and other resources. If you accept the job, you will learn the details."

"What can you tell me about the official job?"

"The job includes a place to stay and meals are covered on the same property where the HQ building is, but you are welcome to get something on your own if you wish. You will not be bound to stay in one place. You will lead a team of graphic designers. As the company grows, your position will stay on top of the design team, reporting directly to the creative director who is one of my people. It\'s a marketing company so there will be modeling jobs as well, if you are interested. And we can work around the EY schedule, so that you can do both if you wish."

Aaron shook his head. "EY is not a problem. I am at the age where most of the models are noticeably younger than I am, so I would retire from the catwalk soon anyway. Photoshoots are once per collection and all combined, that is no more than two weeks a year. I am curious to find out more about the company."

Sarah reached for the folder from her bag and handed it to Aaron. "I have picked a number of directors; they are people I trust, each with specific skills but none of them are involved with the army. You will find information about them and the company here. Take your time to read through the files and let me know your thoughts. You will see that the specifics of the job are quite flexible. If you accept, you will spend some time with Noah to learn from him about the army and pick a few people which you will take with you. The company opens in two months, and by then you will need to move to Romania… You will also be responsible for hiring graphic designers who will report to you…"

Aaron listened to Sarah while clutching the folder in his hands.

She asked him several times if he has any questions, but all of this came too suddenly, and he was overwhelmed to the point of not knowing what to ask. In the end, he responded: "Let me read through this and I will get back to you in a few days with questions."

"OK." Sarah responded and her sight moved above Aaron.

Based on the change in Sarah\'s expression, Aaron knew that someone is standing behind him, and considering that Sarah\'s smile reached her eyes, he had a good guess who it is...

"Are you sure you are not trying to score another meeting with my wife?"

Aaron closed his eyes and gritted his teeth for a second before plastering a fake smile on his face and turning to Aiden. "Your wife, my boss."

Aiden smiled smugly and sat next to Sarah. He put his arm around her shoulders in an obvious display that she belongs to him. "Actually, I will be your boss as well."

Aaron sneered at Aiden and looked at Sarah. "You didn\'t tell me that."

"Army is mine. The company belongs to both of us.", Sarah explained.

Aaron could not look at Aiden\'s smug expression. "I guess we are done here. Thank you for the offer. I am honored that you are considering me for such a position. I will get back to you."

Sarah watched Aaron leave the restaurant and she pinched Aiden\'s arm.

"What was that for?", Aiden grumbled.

"You couldn\'t wait for the meeting to end?"

"You said everything there was to say.", Aiden said knowingly while gesturing to his ear stud.

From the beginning, he was in the back of the restaurant, listening to Sarah\'s and Aaron\'s conversation.

Sarah didn\'t want to argue with Aiden. She is grateful that he waited so long before making his appearance. It\'s not that she has any secrets from Aiden, but when Aiden is near Aaron or Noah, the atmosphere turns into a macho-showdown and it\'s impossible to have a normal conversation.

"What do you think?", Sarah asked.

"I think that he will read through the files and see how that is an amazing opportunity, and he will take it. I don\'t like him because of the way he looks at you, but I must admit that he is smart. If he is not smart, he would end up with the rest of the punks which we dealt with at the Black & White nightclub. Also, he is aware that his modeling career is limited by his age and if so far he didn\'t reach the top, it\'s not going to happen."

Sarah gazed at Aiden with eyes full of admiration. "Thank you."

Aiden\'s eyebrow arched questionably. "For?"

"If the roles are reversed, I don\'t think that I would be able to allow you to work close to a woman who looks at you like that."

Aiden frowned. "Work close? I thought that we are sending him to Europe."

Sarah burst into giggles. 

"Don\'t think that I am fine with it.", Aiden said when Sarah calmed down. "But I know that he respects you, and that you have eyes only for the most perfect guy in the world so... I will allow it."

Sarah sighed and leaned onto him. "This is why you are the most perfect guy in the world."

Aiden kissed her temple. "And I am yours."

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