Slow Dancing

18 | sin al fine

1 8

s i n   a l   f i n e

[It.] : Up until the end.

KADEN'S TWENTY-FIFTH birthday was like several of my Christmases and birthdays rolled into one. And that wasn't even an apt comparison. The first thing I noticed when I came into work on Thursday morning was the fact that my desk, and the general area outside Kaden's office, were swamped with presents addressed to Kaden.

There were bottles of expensive wine and champagne, gift certificates and extravagant bundles, cards with well-wishes and birthday greetings. Those were just the icing on the cake. The actual cake itself – and there was cake, in fact, there were at least eight birthday cakes still wrapped up in boxes – consisted of all-expenses paid trips to various countries and keys to two separate cars that were presumably valet parked for him outside.

Parker, who had taken some time off to drive me to work and simultaneously wish Kaden a happy birthday, seemed far more amused than surprised. "This is just from his business clients," Parker told me, carefully shifting some gift hampers down onto the floor so that he could sit at the edge of my desk. "You should see his actual party."

My eyebrows knitted. "I thought Kaden wasn't having a birthday party."

"His parents throw one for him every year. It's more of a business party than anything, a way to let the rest of society know that their son's one of the most influential bachelors in the world."

"Are you going?"

"Me?" Parker rolled his eyes and chuckled. "I'm nowhere near as influential or wealthy as Kaden is. Nolan gets invited every year though, but he'd rather stick pins into his eyeballs then spend an evening with Lawrence and Adelaide Bretton. Speaking of celebrating birthdays, Isla, you should join us for drinks this Saturday," he added, before grinning. "It was just going to be the three of us, but I'm sure Kaden would like you there."

"I don't think so," a tiny smirk played on my lips as I set my bag down on the empty spot on the desk and began to shift away the presents onto the coffee table and adjoining sofas opposite. Parker quickly hopped off the desk to help. "I wouldn't dream of ruining the bromance between the three of you. Apparently, Nolan's trying his best to preserve the love."

"There's no bromance," Parker scoffed, "especially when Nolan's got himself involved in so many open relationships that he doesn't even have time to meet Kaden or me for drinks on weekends."

I was vastly amused. I'd known all along that Nolan was a massive flirt, but I hadn't known that he was in an open relationship, let alone several of those relationships. The intercom buzzed at that moment before I could reply, and I hastily reached over to pick up the call, setting it on speakerphone. "Mr Bretton's office, how may I help you?"

"Isla?"

It was Dylan, and a smile curved on my face when I heard his frazzled tone. "Hey, Dylan! Everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's just – there's quite a few people here in the lobby wanting to meet Mr Bretton. Shall I send them up?"

This was something unexpected. Kaden wasn't in his office yet and I had absolutely no idea where he was. I threw a frantic glance at Parker, who immediately lifted his hands in an x-sign.

Turning back to the intercom, I took a deep breath and tried to calm my frazzled nerves. "Mr Bretton is currently engaged at the moment, Dylan, could you tell them to wait?"