Free Unexpected Chance by Annalisa Nicole Page A

my teeth. My cosmetic bag is still sitting on the counter from yesterday, but I can’t find my toothbrush anywhere in the bag. I look on the counter and it’s sitting in a toothbrush holder alongside Aiden’s. This is one crazy family, and I don’t know where these men learned supersonic lightning speed relationships, but I secretly thank them.
    Aiden comes in the bathroom wearing a white undershirt and the trousers to his suit. He walks to the other sink and brushes his teeth, and then he flosses. Funny, I’ve never been in a relationship with a man who flosses. He swishes some mouthwash in his mouth and spits as I watch in awe. He sees me watching him, smiles at me, kisses me on the cheek, then leaves the bathroom. Now I’ve wasted about ten of my thirty minutes gawking at Aiden again, I need to get ready.
    I throw my hair up on the top of my head in a messy knot, then I go at the bruises on my face with concealer like a mad woman. I dab on some eyeliner and mascara, grab some floss and floss my own teeth. Floss together, stay together . . . maybe.
    When I walk back out into the bedroom, Aiden is gone and so is the rest of his suit. I walk into the kitchen where he’s pouring coffee into two travel mugs. Shit, I forgot to bring back his other mug. He takes his suit jacket from the back of the kitchen chair and puts it on. He grabs his briefcase and my school bag and asks, “Are you ready to go?” handing me a coffee cup.
    I smile, take the coffee mug from him, grab his off the counter, and follow him out into the garage. Ruby is sitting next to Jade, but I distinctly remember leaving her on the street last night.
    He holds open the door and I get into Jade. I plop our coffee mugs in the cup holders. We drive to school drinking coffee. Occasionally he glances my way with a smile or puts his hand on my leg, which is nice. He drops me off at school and says he’ll pick me up at five. I go to my first class with a smile and hope in my heart that I haven’t felt since I was a little girl.
     

Chapter 5
     
    Aiden
     
    On my way into the office, I drive by Savvy’s condo to see if the brown Chevy is hanging around. No brown Chevy, and there doesn’t seem to be anything out of place, so I head to work. I park in the underground garage and take the elevator to my floor. The second I get in my office, even before I can put my briefcase on my desk, Asher comes in.
    “Knock knock. Do you have a minute?” he asks, knocking a knuckle on my door.
    “I always have a minute,” I tell him.
    “Please tell me you’re good for more than just one minute?” Asher asks with a smirk.
    “Dude, we’re at work. And I can go all night long,” I tell him.
    “In your dreams,” he says smugly.
    “Is there a reason you’re bugging me at nine in the morning?” I ask.
    “This merger with Stran Corp. isn’t going well. We have some major issues and I think you’re going to have to take a trip to Chicago to iron them all out,” he says.
    About a month ago, Asher put in an offer to buy Stran Corp. The deal was accepted, but some of the contingencies aren’t being met.
    “This isn’t a good time for me to be leaving. Can you send Ava?” I ask.
    Ava recently joined Wellington Corp. after leaving a prestigious law firm. I’m actually relieved she’s here, she’s been a huge help.
    “This is more in the area of your expertise than hers,” he replies. I’ve always been a corporate lawyer, where Ava has more general experience. “Is this about Savvy? How’s she doing?” he asks.
    I start pulling out files from my briefcase, then stop and look at him. “Why does it take women so long to see what we see?” I ask.
    “Man, your guess is as good as mine. I’m with you. You know it when you feel it,” he says, patting his chest.
    I honestly didn’t believe that until that night at the bar.
    “She’s got a lot of issues to work out. She’s been staying at my house for the past few days. Have you heard anything from Max