Katie Ashley - The Pairing

“Okay, that should get it,” the photographer said.

“Here godfather, it’s your turn,” Megan said, as she handed Noah to him.

By now, Noah was tired of being held and tired of being ensconced in yards of lace. He peered up at Pesh before howling. “I’m sorry, little guy,” he cooed, trying to bounce Noah in his arms.

As Noah continued to cry, Pesh looked apologetically at the photographer. Just before he was ready to give up, Megan came up and started clapping her hands and making noises at Noah. The baby instantly stopped crying. “That’s right, Noah. Give me a smile,” Megan urged, as she backed up to stand by the photographer. She continued making the noises, and she even resorted to flashing one of the strands of her hair at him. Finally, Noah’s quivering lips broke into a grin.

“There we go,” the photographer said. Pesh quickly plastered a smile on his face. After several flashes went off, the photographer put down his camera. “Got it.”

Both Noah and Pesh sighed in relief. Gazing down at him, Pesh asked, “Bet you’re ready to get home and get out of that dress, huh?”

“It’s a gown, not a dress,” Megan countered with a smile.

He laughed. “Regardless of what it’s called, I don’t think he likes it very much.”

Megan brought some of the lace between her fingers. “Probably a little itchy for him.”

“Did your son wear this gown?”

“No, this is Aidan’s gown. Mason wore my mother’s, which my brothers and I also wore.”

“I see.”

“In your culture do they do anything special like this for a baby?”

Pesh nodded. “We have the Namakaran, or naming ceremony. It’s sometimes held in a temple. And like this, it’s all about offering blessings to the child—family and friends coming together in support of the new baby.”

“I like it.”

They were momentarily interrupted by Aidan and Emma walking up. Noah immediately reached out for Emma. “Such a mama’s boy,” Aidan muttered, which earned him a glare from Emma. He merely winked at her in response before starting down the aisle.

Pesh saw Megan’s mother beckoning her with a wave. “Guess you need to go,” he said.

“But I’ll see you at Aidan and Emma’s, right?” she asked.

He swallowed hard. “Um, yes, I’ll be there.”

“Good,” she replied, with an alluring smile. She gave him a small wave before walking off to join her parents.

Shaking his head, he mumbled, “This is trouble.”

When Megan arrived with her parents at Aidan and Emma’s, she was surprised to see a catering truck outside in the driveway. Her surprise continued once she got inside the house. Gazing out into the backyard, she saw where tables were set up alongside the pool. The tables were adorned with blue and white tablecloths and glittering blue and white centerpieces.

A low whistle behind her got Megan’s attention. Turning around, she saw Casey shaking her head. “Wow, this is one epic baptism party,” she remarked.

“It’s impressive. That’s for sure,” Megan agreed.

As Emma breezed into the kitchen with Noah in a more comfortable outfit, Casey cocked her head. “So, I was just wondering where the ice sculptures were?”

Pink tinged Emma’s cheeks. “I kinda got carried away. With me not working anymore, the old marketing and PR side of me let loose. And with my connections, I was able to get everything ridiculously discounted.”

Megan smiled. “Everything looks wonderful. You waited so long to have a baby that it makes sense you might go a little overboard.”

Emma wrinkled her nose. “I never wanted to be one of those moms who threw the over-the-top parties.”

While Casey started to open her mouth, Megan smacked her playfully. “It’s just catered in food, right?”

Emma nodded. “They did the tables, too.”

“Then I think you’re safe from being a Momzilla Party Monster…for now.”

Casey laughed. “I’ll anxiously be awaiting Noah’s first birthday party.”

With a scowl, Emma mumbled, “Whatever.”

Realizing she didn’t see Mason, Megan quickly excused herself and went outside. She didn’t like the idea of him being close to the pool. Even with everyone around, it was still too dangerous for her liking. Just as her chest started to tighten, she saw him on her papa’s lap. The two of them sat at one of the tables underneath the shade of a massive umbrella. Several of her other younger cousins sat around them, playing on their PSPs and other hand-held devices. “Everything okay?” she asked.

“We’re fine, honey,” Papa replied.

“Let me know if he gets to be too much.”

Cocking his head, Papa demanded, “Are you trying to say I’m old or something?”

“No, not at all. He’s a handful even for me.”

He waved her away with a hand gnarled with age and time. “Go on and enjoy yourself. I’ll keep an eye on Mason.”

She smiled and leaned down to kiss his weathered cheek. “Thanks, Papa.”

He returned her smile. “You know, while you’re enjoying yourself, you might go spend a little time with the godfather.”

Megan’s eyes widened. Was he trying to set her up with Pesh like he had with Emma? He gave her a knowing look. “Be good for both of you.”

“Um, okay. Whatever, Papa,” she murmured, before she turned away. Although she hated to admit it, she had been looking forward to talking to Pesh again. She had tried to kid herself that she hadn’t secretly been searching the crowd for him when she was taking in all of Emma’s decorations. When she did finally catch sight of him, her traitorous heart skipped a beat. She didn’t mind if her body gave a reaction, but it pissed her off that her heart was affected by him as well.

He’d ditched his suit jacket along with his tie. With the first button of his shirt undone, she could see a tuft of dark chest hair. She bit her lip at the sight. She was a sucker for chest hair. Her eyes dipped down to take in how the sleeves of his white shirt had been rolled up to his elbows, giving just a glimpse of his defined biceps. Casey had been absolutely right—he was built like a brick shithouse. Megan wanted nothing more than to get better acquainted with his body, especially with fewer clothes on him.

At the sound of Emma’s voice behind her, she jumped. “Ready to eat?” Emma asked.

“Um, sure.”

Emma gave her a puzzled look before nodding in Pesh’s direction. “Why don’t you ask Pesh to join you at Aidan’s and my table? He doesn’t know a lot of people, and I would hate to have him end up with the kids.”

Megan quirked her brows in surprise. “Are you sure?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

With a shrug, Megan replied, “I don’t know. Maybe because you didn’t like the idea of me getting to know him.”

Emma shook her head. “I never said I didn’t want you two to get to know each other—I said I didn’t want you using him for a fling.”

Megan couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “The day isn’t over yet. I could still turn on my powers of seduction and lure Pesh into a night of seedy passion.”

Emma stared at her in shock before busting out laughing. “Seedy passion? Those words and Pesh will never, ever go together in the same sentence.”

“Are you saying that you and Aidan have never had seedy passion?”

“Aidan and Pesh are not in the same league of men. I love Aidan, but he’s not necessarily a gentleman. Pesh is.”

“Yeah, but you’re a lady,” Megan protested.

“Maybe in the street, but she’s one hell of a freak in the bedroom,” Aidan said behind them.

Emma squealed before whirling around to smack him. “People could hear you,” she admonished.

As Aidan chuckled, Megan shook her head. “Forget other people. Me having to hear it was painful enough.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Aidan said, “I came over here to ask if we were going to eat or not? People are getting restless. I had no idea I was going to interrupt such an interesting conversation. Of course, I don’t think I want to know why the two of you are discussing Emma’s and my sex life right now.”

Emma waved her hand dismissively. “We weren’t. And yes, we’re ready to eat. Let’s round everyone up.”

As Emma walked off to call people to sit down, Aidan grinned at Megan before saying, “Total freak.”

Megan closed her eyes as if in pain. “Spare me. Please.”

“Just saying. Because you never know if your gentleman might be a super freak too.” And with a wink, he walked off to join Emma, leaving Megan to wonder why everyone seemed so concerned with hers and Pesh’s love lives.

* * *

As the sunlight started fading, most of the party guests began to trickle out the door. By the time it was dark, it was only a few of Aidan and Emma’s close friends left. Megan had let her parents take a sleepy Mason home, vowing she wanted to stay to help Emma clean up. The truth was she wanted to spend as much time as she could with Pesh.

Thankfully, she found herself sitting next to him at one of the poolside tables. Somehow they managed to end up by themselves after some of the other guests had left. Leaning forward in her chair, she asked, “Did you always want to be a doctor?”

Pesh nodded. “For my fifth birthday, my father bypassed the usual play doctor’s kits by giving me a real medical bag with tools from the hospital. I examined everyone who would stand still long enough, including the two dogs.”

Megan laughed. “I bet you were a cute little doctor.”

“My mother has some embarrassing pictures,” he replied, with a smile.

“So your father was also a doctor?”

“Yes, he had a general medicine practice for forty years. He just recently retired.”

“Did he pressure you to follow in his footsteps?”

He grinned. “I’m starting to feel like I’m being interrogated.”

She laughed. “I’m sorry if you feel that way. I’m just trying to get to know you.”

“You’re certainly a very attractive interrogator,” he said.

“I think you’re avoiding the question by flattering me.”

“There’s flattery and then there’s the truth.”

Cocking her brows, she replied, “And then there’s not answering my question.”

He held up his hands in defeat. “Fine, fine. No, I didn’t feel pressure to become a doctor. My father would have never wanted me to pursue a profession where I didn’t feel useful.”

Megan smiled. “So you’ve always had a need to help people?”

“Pretty much. As the oldest, I always looked out for my two younger brothers and sister. My mother has always called me an old soul.”

“I can see that about you.”

Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on the table. “Now it is my turn to be the interrogator.”

“Okay, I don’t mind.”

“What about you? Did you always see nursing in your future?”

“Yes and no. Originally, I wanted to be a doctor.”

His brows shot up in surprise. “Really?” When she nodded, he asked, “What happened?”

There was no way she was going to tell him the truth about her past and why she had been forced to abandon medical school. Instead, she shrugged. “Life happened, I guess. I decided on the next best thing, which was nursing.”

Pesh stared thoughtfully at her. “Was it your son?”

“Excuse me?”

“Was it your son who changed your plans about medical school?”

She shook her head. “No, it was before I had Mason.”

“Does he…are you…?” Pesh shook his head. “Forgive me. I was being too forward.”

“No, go ahead. I told you I wasn’t afraid to answer your questions.”

He grimaced. “But it’s rude to pry, and it’s not my business.”

“Just ask your question,” she replied.

After a resigned sigh, he finally asked, “Were you married?”

“No, I’m not divorced. And no, Mason’s father doesn’t have anything to do with him.”

Anger flashed in Pesh’s dark eyes. “Even though I know nothing of him, I know that he is not a man. A man does not abandon his children and his responsibilities.”

“You would be right. He’s just a boy playing at being a man,” she replied, glancing down at the table.

When Pesh took her hand in his, she jerked her head up in surprise. In a soft voice that vibrated with empathy, he asked, “He hurt you very much, didn’t he?”

As she shifted in her chair, she tried downplaying the moment by wagging her free finger at Pesh. “Now you’re really turning the heated questions on me, aren’t you?”

He quickly released her hand. “I apologize.”

She sighed. “No, it’s okay.” She raked her fingers through her hair as she tried processing if she was really going to be honest with Pesh. Gazing into his eyes, she didn’t detect any judgment or prying—there was only compassion. “Yes, he hurt me. He continues to hurt me each time I look at Mason and realize what he’s being denied.” She jerked her chin over to where Aidan cradled a sleeping Noah in his arms. As the others talked and laughed around him, Aidan stared down at his son with such love in his eyes and adoration on his face that it cut a jagged hole in Megan’s chest. Her chin trembled as she replied, “I want that for my son.”