Secret Designs(60)

"Dylan, why didn't you tell me you and Ari were going out? I wouldn't have aided Rosalie's attempts at getting closer to you, if I had known."

"Sorry, Mum. It just so happened Ari and I were in one kind of a rough patch or another whenever she was over at your place. We didn't mean to hide us from you."

"Rough patch?" Linda said worriedly. "Is everything okay, now?"

Dylan chuckled. "Yes, Mum."

"Oh, that's good," Linda replied. "I'm so glad you finally met someone, darling." Turning to Ari, she said. "And I'm doubly glad it's you, Ari."

Ari breathed a sigh of relief, her face splitting into a shy smile. "Thank you, Linda."

"Now, could you release her so I can introduce her to some people?" Linda asked her son.

"Okay. Just give her back to me quickly. I miss her already."

Linda patted Dylan's cheek, her face shining with happiness. "Wait till I tell your dad. He'll be very pleased. In fact, why don't you go find him and tell him right now?"

Dylan rolled his eyes upwards. "Sorry, babe," he said to Ari. "You're gonna have to suffer them for a while."

Ari chuckled and turned to Linda. "I hope you don't mind learning about us here tonight, Linda. I don't want things to get awkward with you and, err, Rosalie and her parents."

"Oh, don't worry about that, darling," Linda answered, linking her arm with hers as she led her away from Dylan. "I admit, I was hoping Dylan would ask Rosalie out because she likes him and I wanted him to find someone special, but Dylan's clearly interested in you and not Rosalie. Rosalie will be disappointed, but that can't be helped. Anyway, is everything really okay between you and Dylan?"

"Yes, it is," she answered with a smile.

"Good, good. My son is not used to being in a relationship, Ari, so be patient with him, okay? I would really like for things to work out between the two of you."

"Yes, thank you."

Linda shook her head and looked at her apologetically. "Oh, what am I saying. Forgive me, Ari. I'm not going to intrude in your relationship. I'm not that bad," she said with a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm just really happy that Dylan found someone special. I was starting to believe he really didn't have any plans for finding himself a proper girlfriend. And I'm truly happier that it's you."

"Thank you, Linda," Ari replied, her eyes moistening a bit. "We love each other."

"Ooh!" Linda said delightedly. "That's great! I'm going to shut up now. If I go overboard, just tell me, okay? I'll try not to mind."

"I will," she agreed with a laugh.





*******



"Finally," Dylan said, as he wrapped Ari in his arms and swayed with her on the dance floor. He'd waited patiently until his mother had finished parading Ari to her friends, introducing her as the designer of her daughter-in-law's exquisite wedding gown and as Dylan's girlfriend.

"I don't think I remember a single one of the names of your mum's friends," Ari replied, laying her head on his shoulder.

He kissed her forehead. "I'm not surprised. She practically introduced you to everyone in the room."

"She's really thrilled you have a new girlfriend."

"You mean she's really thrilled I have a girlfriend," he said dryly.

She giggled. "You must have worried her a lot when she thought you had no plans to find a special someone."

"The most important thing in my mother's life is her family. She wants all of her kids to end up like her and dad, with five loving children."

"That's so sweet," Ari murmured, before she gasped and leaned back in his arms.

"What?" he asked and followed her line of vision. What he saw was Trey dancing intimately with Kris—a little too intimately for two people who'd only just met. He sighed. "Oh boy."

"I warned Kris about him," Ari said.

"And?"

"I guess it didn't work. But she said she was only looking to get laid."

He stared at Ari and shrugged. "Well I suppose if that's all she wants, there shouldn't be a problem. Trey wouldn't say no to a pretty girl like Kris."

"I'm worried," Ari said. "That's exactly what I said to Jasmine when I told her it was only a one-night stand between us. And look what I did. I fell in love with you."

He smiled and brought her head back to his shoulder. "Well, I think we just need to trust that they both know what they're doing."

He held her tighter and buried his face in her hair. He loved her so. If only he had a ring with him right now…

But there would be a perfect time for that. For now, he'd ask her another question.

"Baby, what do you say about moving in together?"