Aubrey's POV:
Today is Saturday, but as usual, I wake up alone. Easton has gone into the office again today, he goes in most days. He's working really hard to keep the peace and keep our family safe while still working with Lorenzo and the Italians on the hush.
I miss him, I miss waking up in his arms, I miss falling asleep together every night, I miss him being home. But I know he is doing this for me and our baby girl, he's trying to get everything into place so when she's born he'll be able to spend more time at home with us.
I make my way downstairs and open the fridge door only to find it empty
Shoot, yesterday was grocery day, it must have slipped my mind.
The front door opens and I turn to find Easton walking through the door with a take out bag and a smile on his face. "Good morning sweetheart, it looks like I'm right on time."
"What are you doing home?" I smile from ear to ear, happy to see him
"Leo and I had a chat this morning, and I've decided that because I don't want to miss out on any more time with you and your baby girl, and I don't want to take Nate away from Oli and Amara that Leo is going to fill in for me for a little while."
"You stepped down?" I ask surprised "East you didn't have to do that, we're fine, honest-"
"I didn't step down, I'm simply working less and Leo is working more, he needs the money and I need to be at home, it's a win, win."
"Soooo, I have my boyfriend back?" I grin
"Yes." He takes a step closer and presses his lips to mine "and to make it up to you, I'm taking you out for dinner tonight."
"Where are we going?"
"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise."
"Since when do you do surprises?" I raise a brow
"Since today." He pulls the food from the bag. "Now take this to the lounge room, and put on a so we can eat and cuddle."
♠
"This has been the best day I've had in forever." I kiss his cheek softly
"You're an easy woman to please Sweetheart, all we've done is watch movies, and cuddle."
"That's all I want, the simple things. Just the three of us spending quality time together."
"Where did I go right to deserve you huh?" He strokes my hair softly and I snuggle my head back down on his chest kissing it softly.
It's been a few weeks since we've been interment. I have no issues being pregnant and still having a healthy sex life, it's just a little hard when he's never home, but that's all about to change.
Continuing to kiss down his chest, I move lower and lower until I reach the top of his pants, and un-button them
"Aubrey," he moves slightly
"Yes?" look up at him with a lustful expression
"Sweetheart, I'd love to, but we should be getting ready for dinner."
I stop and sit up looking at him in disbelief, this is the first time he's ever turned me down and I don't understand why.
"I want to, I do." He reaches out taking my hand "It's just we really need to get to dinner on time or we might lose our table."
"Sure, I'll go and take a shower." I stand up from the couch and make my way upstairs.
I reach the bathroom and pull my dress over my head, I stare in the mirror for a moment assessing myself body, my boobs are bigger but that's about all that's changed except for my bump, I don't understand, does he not find me attractive anymore?
I step into the shower and get the water temperature right, before stepping under the water and let it wash over my body. I better hurry, I don't want to be the reason we lose our table and have him annoyed for the rest of the night.
♠
We arrive at the restaurant five minutes prior to our reservation time. I'm dressed in a form-fitting red dress and heels, my bump is well and truly on display tonight, and even though heels aren't the best idea when pregnant I wanted to look nice for Easton.
Easton is dressed in black jeans, dress shoes and a nice dress shirt, he looks gorgeous as always.
"Mr Raven, so nice to see again." The older man on the door who's name tag reads 'John' greets
"John, long time no see, how's the family?" Easton smiles
"Very well, we're all going along wonderfully." He smiles once more before turning his attention to me. "You must be the lucky lady."
"I'm the lucky one." Easton smiles "this is Aubrey, my girlfriend and as you can see, she's also carrying our first child."
"Well look at that." John smiles happily "congratulations, I'm sure your family is over the moon."
"They are." Easton smiles
"I won't told you up any longer, your table is waiting, follow me."
We follow John to the table and he holds out my chair for me, pushing it once I've sat down. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome, your wait staff will be over soon. Enjoy your night." He leaves the table.
I look up at Easton who is looking around the restaurant a little on edge "are you looking for someone?"
"Huh? Oh, no I'll be back in a moment." He stands you and makes his way back to the front of the restaurant.
Ten minutes pass and I'm still sitting on my own waiting. I look around for a toilet sign but don't see one. I stand up and make my way back to the front to ask John where it is when spot Easton.
He has his arms wrapped around another girl, she's smiling, running her hand up and down his arm with one hand, a black box jewelry box in her other hand. She pulls away and gives him a kiss on the cheek, he smiles talking to her as she laughs at his words.
I feel my heart break instantly, it explains everything, why he's never home, why he's no longer interested in sex with me, why he's so on edge and on his phone all the time, why he didn't want me at the office yesterday.
"Miss Aubrey are you okay?" John asks
"Uh, yes." I nod "I have to go, please excuse me." I move past him and Easton and the stunning redhead who's still standing close to him and pray they don't see me.
"Aubrey." Easton yells
But I ignore him, holding onto the rail as I run down the stairs in an attempt to leave the building.
"Sweetheart, please stop." He chases after me.
Ignoring him I keep moving and head out onto the sidewalk. I walk quickly, as quick as my heels will allow me anyway.
"Aubrey." He catches up to me and pulls me back to him "stop please"
"Just stay away from me." I seeth and turn to walk away once more
"Aubrey, what, stop this, you're being insane right now."
I turn to him with tears rolling down my cheeks and shake my head "It all makes sense now, why you're never home, why you didn't want me at your work, why we never spend time together anymore, why you don't touch me like you used you, you don't find me attractive anymore and you found someone else." I wipe my tears "this is why you're so jumpy, so secretive."
"Aubrey, no, this isn't how it seems"
"What was this Easton?"
"Can we just take a few deep breaths and talk about this?"
"I don't want to talk if it's going to hurt me."
♠
We arrive home and I make my way into the living room. I pull my heels off and sit them on the floor, then look up at Easton who hasn't spoken a word during the drive.
"This is not how I wanted to do this." He sighs as he kneels down on both knees in front of me one hand on either thigh. "I know how this looks baby, and I'm so sorry." He sighs and looks down for a moment.
"You're right, I have been distance lately, I have been home late, and I did reject you for sex this afternoon, but I can explain."
"That's what I'm waiting for Easton." I sigh softly looking down at him
"I've been home late every day because I've been working, that's true, I've been nowhere but work." He looks at me once more, our eyes now meeting. "When you came into the office yesterday and I said I couldn't do lunch and I was on edge it's because I was in the middle of a video call with the woman you saw me at the club with tonight."
I nod my head slowly, still listening, still not liking the feeling in the pit of my stomach
"She's a jewelry designer from Europe and she's been helping me with something." He pulls the black box from his pocket. "The reason I've been keeping my phone close and not asking you to read out my messages like I usually do when you're closer to my phone is because she and I have been in constant contact about what she was making for me."
"This afternoon, when I told you we couldn't be late, again it was because of her, I was meeting her tonight to receive what she's made for me, and she is on a fly-in fly-out trip, and was only on a short stopover before she had to get on a plane again and head to New York."
"Aubrey I love you." He runs his hand up and down my thigh softly. "And I know I didn't go about this the best way, and again, this really isn't how I wanted to do this." He hands me the black box and I take it from him.
"Open it."
I open the box revealing a stunning white gold ring with a large square diamond in the middle and smaller diamonds down each side of the band. I look back to Easton who is now on one knee rather than both.
"Marry me?"
Placing my hand over my mouth as the tears well in my eyes, I can't believe I was so stupid, I've ruined everything. But it's still happening and he's still in front of me on one knee
"Yes."