"Em J, don't look now. Your love bug just walked in..." Lizzie said to her friend with a naughty grin on her face.
Emily Jane gave her friend a smirk and stuck out her tongue. "Haha, very funny," she replied dryly.
"Amanda, tell her..." Lizzie continued.
"Yes, he's really here," Amanda smiled also.
"You guys, this is not funny. Shut up!"
"Why don't you turn around and take a look for yourself then?" Lizzie nodded towards the table in the back corner.
Emily Jane finally turned around and saw him just as he was about to sit down. There he was. In the flesh. She put a hand over her mouth and kept herself from squealing.
"Oh my gosh! I die!!!!" she squealed, acting more like a love sick teenager than the self-employed small business owner she was. She hid her face by putting a hand over her brows like her dream man was staring at her, but he wasn't. "What is he doing here?"
"I don't know, eating?" Lizzie retorted sarcastically. "I mean, you gotta hand it to our dads, this place is still popping, many years later. And the food is to die for! I heard that this is actually one of Owen and Ava Carter's favorite places to eat at."
"Really?" Emily Jane asked.
"Yes."
Emily Jane Miller stole another quick glance at the handsome man wearing a baseball tee and a baseball cap. Aiden Carter. She couldn't believe it. Out of all the places and time to see him, it's when she was wearing gym clothes and no make up. Ever since her parents moved back to the Philippines, she would pop in every now and then and make sure the place is running smoothly, always reporting back to her dad that MNL Kitchen + Bar was still a well oiled machine. She lived in her parents old beach house in Malibu with her younger brother, Jared Ethan. He was still in college, his final year, studying business management. She, her dad's business partner's daughter Lizzie, and Lizzie's step sister Amanda were having dinner after their work out at the gym, hence why she thought she looked like a hot mess. She didn't think she would run into anybody. Big mistake. Not only somebody...but a big time actor and his lookalike son.
"Let's get out of here," Emily Jane said.
"What? No! I'm not done with my food yet. I know we just worked out and all, but that's why I feel free to eat this yummy sisig," Lizzie took another bite of the sizzling crispy chopped pork pieces with ginger, onions, and vinegar.
"Em J, relax! He didn't even see you. And who cares if he does? Then it can be your chance to finally meet your future husband," Amanda winked at her and giggled.
"Ugh, you guys are the worst. If you're not ready to leave, I am," she grabbed a $20 from her wallet and put it down on the table. She slung her purse over her shoulder, took one last glance at Aiden, and walked out of the restaurant.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" she berated herself as she got to the sidewalk. "Missed opportunity? Ugh, but I can't...he's so hot...and I'm the crazy lady talking to herself in the middle of the sidewalk!" she waved at the passersby who were looking at her quizzically. "Hi, carry on, nothing to see here..."
She fished in her purse for her car keys but remembered she rode with Lizzie and Amanda to the gym and left her keys at their apartment. She let out a sigh and begrudgingly walked back inside MNL. She walked back to their table, but found it empty. Her eyes roamed the restaurant and gasped when she noticed the two women sitting in the table with Owen and Aiden.
"What are they doing there?" she asked herself.
Lizzie spotted her and waved for her to come over to their table. She was shaking her head vehemently when her eyes met Aiden's eyes for the first time. He smiled lazily at her and time stood still as she looked at those mesmerizing baby blues. She found her feet moving of their own accord towards the man she was secretly fawning over.
"Em J, good, you're here. Aiden, Owen, meet Emily Jane. She is our resident wedding coordinator," Lizzie introduced them.
"Hi, Emily Jane," Owen said.
"Em J is fine," she shook the older man's hand. "Hi, Mr. Carter. I'm a big fan..."
"Owen is fine," the older man said back to her. "By the way, this is my son, Aiden."
"Hi," Emily Jane said shyly.
"Hi, nice to meet you," Aiden smiled warmly and shook her hand. He stood up and offered his seat to her before asking the next table if he can take their extra seat. He placed it next to Emily Jane's and sat next to her.
"How did we end up here?" Emily Jane asked one of her two friends.
"Well, we were just going to the little lady's room when we couldn't help but overhear their conversation about planning a surprise party as we passed by. Of course, me being nosy and inquisitive me, introduced myself and the rest is history," Lizzie explained.
"I see. What's the occassion?" Emily Jane asked Owen, refusing to look at Aiden for fear of melting.
"It's my wife Ava and I's 25th wedding anniversary of our real wedding. I wanted to do a surprise vow renewal for her."
"That is so romantic!" Emily Jane couldn't help but gush as she held both hands over her heart. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to set up a formal meeting at your office. I'd like to keep the details private, and we never know who could be listening in on us, I hope you understand," Owen winked at her.
"Oh, yes, of course!" Emily Jane was all business now. She grabbed a business card from her wallet and handed it to the older Carter.
"Can I have one, too?" Aiden all of a sudden asked. "I'm sure my old man will have me doing most of the work here."
"Of course, son! Your mom will get suspicious if I go around secretly planning things and might get the wrong idea," Owen punched his son on the shoulder.
The three ladies laughed at the two gentlemen. They've only read wonderful things written about the relationship and marriage of Owen and his great love Ava. Emily Jane wished for a love like that; after all, she was a witness to the epic love story between her own parents, Jake and Beth. Romance is ruined for me forever, she thought silently; me and my high expectations, she continued in her head. She got another business card and handed it to Aiden, their fingertips brushing for a few seconds, electricity coursing through her veins from the brief contact. She didn't feel the spark earlier when they shook hands, but this was a surprise, and her skin crackled in response. She looked up at him and once again drowned in those blue pools.
"Thanks. I'll give you a call," Aiden said.
Emily Jane nodded dumbly, words failing her, still in shock from her frazzled nerves. Owen and Aiden left, leaving Emily Jane still in a daze as Lizzie snapped her fingers in front of her face.
"Ems? Em J? Hello? Anybody home?"
"Huh? What? Yeah, yeah, I though that went well."
"Well done, Em J! I'm surprised you didn't melt into a puddle of goo," Amanda good naturedly laughed.
"Or worse, didn't make a mess from all her drool," Lizzie added.
"Shut up, you two! Argh! Was I really that bad?" Emily Jane asked meekly.
"No. We got a meeting didn't we? Now to close the deal..."
"Don't worry, I got this!" Emily Jane said brightly.
"Wow them with your talent!" Lizzie high fived her. "You have to close this deal, Ems. It could mean a lot of time spent with the younger Carter!" she winked.
"I know!!!" she finally gushed. "He is so cute! How can a man look that good?! He is not real, I swear! Perfection!"
The three friends were laughing when Emily Jane heard a throat clear behind her. She looked back and turned a deep beet red color.
"Sorry, I forgot my sunglasses," Aiden said and reached past Emily Jane to retrieve them from where he placed it on the table.
Emily Jane looked down at her lap in embarrassment, waiting for him to leave and wishing for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
"I'll call you, Em J. See ya!" Aiden bid them good bye again.
Emily Jane shrank deeper into her chair and gave him a small nod of her head in recognition and waved at him.
"Please kill me now," she said resolutely to no one after he left.
***
"Hey, sis, too bad you're not here to help with all this wedding planning stuff," Aiden greeted his sister Ondine Amelia over the phone. Ondine was currently a senior at a prestigious music conservatory in New York City studying music and training to be a concert pianist.
"I know, brother, but you guys are hiring professionals, so you should be fine. Plus just email or picture message me the stuff to pre-approve," Ondine replied.
"Well, dad is absolutely sure about hiring Double M Events. He said they looked hungry for exposure so he knows they'll do an amazing job for practically free, not that money is an issue. You know dad, he always has a soft spot for determined dreamers."
"He married one, didn't he?" Ondine laughed. "You'll be fine. I'm sure dad's right about this company. Who's your contact?"
"A woman named Emily Jane Miller."
"Sounds pretty."
"Ames," he called her by the nickname he had for her.
"What, just saying. Is she a total dud?" she asked rather crassly. "Sorry," she apologized for her words, not for if she was right about Emily Jane's looks.
"No, she's actually quite pretty."
"But..."
"No buts."
"Just felt like there was."
"Even from 3000 miles away, you're trying to match make."
"I'm not. It's just that you're wound up so tight. Relax a little."
"I can't. My career is just taking off now. I'm a little late to the game, but I've been getting these breaks lately. I can't be distracted by some woman who's planning our parents' wedding."
"Hmmm, so you ARE interested!"
"No, I'm not. You're hearing things!" Aiden denied vehemently.
"Uh huh, whatever, brother," Ondine continued to tease. "Just keep me posted."
"Will do. Bye, Ames."
"Bye!"
And the siblings hung up. He took the card from his pocket and looked at the embossed name again. Emily Jane Miller. He had to admit, she was a looker, even without the fancy clothes and make up. She was naturally pretty and effervescent. He could go for her, but then he heard her gushing about him. He hoped his dad was right and that she wasn't some shark who will divulge their family's secrets to the highest bidder. Well, he wasn't interested anyway. He had to focus on his career only for now. Emily Jane would not be a welcome distraction.
He will not get distracted by her pretty face, her bright eyes, her gorgeous smile, and her soft hands.
Nope.
She was not a distraction.
Not even a little tiny bit.