Chapter 4
Stacie tossed her black-rimmed glasses on the empty space beside her in bed and rubbed her eyes. She'd spent the past three hours going over the blueprints and designs for the new Rad Tech research facilities and lost track of time. She grabbed her phone and cursed when she realized she managed to miss Lexi's calls. She called her girlfriend back and waited anxiously as the phone rang.
"Hey," Lexi said sleepily and Stacie sighed.
"I am sorry, Lex. I put my phone on do not disturb and forgot all about it. I just wanted an hour to focus on the designs and time got away from me. How did the meeting go? Please tell me you at least went out and explored London a bit."
"EJ and I had celebratory drinks at a pub and watched some soccer. Sorry, football as they call it here."
"I guess that means the presentation went well."
"They made an offer and EJ accepted. Conrad Industries is now officially international. No more middle man or waiting for results overseas."
"Wow that is great. I am surprised EJ didn't call me about it."
"I think he passed out pretty early. You should have seen how nervous he was. It was a successful but very long day."
"When can I have you in my arms again?" Lexi giggled.
"Tomorrow night I will sleep over at your place but don't be surprised if I am too jetlagged to be any real fun."
"You are always fun. Get some sleep. I will talk to you later."
"Love you, bye."
"Bye, babe," said Stacie before hanging up. She tossed her phone on the bed, but smiled when it rang again.
"Miss me already," teased Stacie, but she frowned when she realized it wasn't Lexi.
"Hey," said the voice that also made her heart flutter and Stacie's eyes widened.
"Bree, hey, uh…what are you…why…um…is everything alright," Stacie managed and Aubrey sighed.
"Yea, I just…I guess I just needed to hear a familiar voice tonight." Stacie glanced at the clock.
"It is really late there. What are you even doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake up Chloe."
"Well, she is probably up. Beca says Lucas is a night owl."
"I know but they have their hands full and I just wanted someone to talk to tonight."
"What's up? Did you ever go to that specialist," asked Stacie. It had been four months since the baby shower and Stacie made more of an effort to stay in contact with her friends. She and Aubrey stayed in contact more as well and actually spoke directly to one another in the Bellas' group chat, but that night was the first phone conversation they had.
"Yes and it turns out you were right. It is all in my head."
"That's not what I said. I said stress can do things to the body. You are stressed and it is putting stress on your body, throwing your hormones out of whack."
"I really don't want to talk about my stress right now. Tell me about you. What is happening in the life of the amazing Stacie Conrad?"
"Well, construction begins next month on the research facilities. It took a lot longer than I wanted but I think this is the best way for me to do it. Lexi didn't agree with that and said I shouldn't have turned down the properties my mom showed me, but the labs were either too small or too old."
"Stace, this is your dream. You have worked your ass off to get here and it is part of your legacy. You are building an empire and that takes time. At least you will know every piece of those facilities is what you want them to be because you are choosing them. It is like I tell my clients all the time, if it doesn't feel like it is yours, you won't put your best foot forward. It is a lot of planning though isn't it?" Stacie groaned.
"So much," she whined and Aubrey giggled.
"Welcome to my world," she teased.
"I don't know how you do this all the time."
"Well, to be fair, most of the time I help renovate and revamp resorts. I have only had to start from scratch once and it was a nightmare. I never want to do that again unless it is mine."
"Thanks for the words of encouragement."
"Hey, I said unless it is mine. It is different when you are invested and connected to it. Once it is built, you are going to have a place in L.A. that is everything you have ever wanted it to be. Remember that when the long nights get tough."
"I will."
"Your dad still giving you a hard time about it?"
"Actually, he is starting to come around. I think he is starting to remember what it was like. He and my mom built Conrad Industries from the ground up. They still tell stories about driving out to the land and envisioning what would be there. I think he is becoming a bit nostalgic about it, which is nice. I hate when we aren't on the same page."
"That's because you are a total daddy's girl."
"I am not," laughed Stacie and Aubrey smirked.
"Oh don't even try it, Stace. It is cute though."
"Yea, I am pretty cute."
"Smartass."
"Yea, I am pretty smart." Aubrey laughed and sighed happily.
"Thank you, I needed this. I am really glad we can talk again."
"Me too."
"Well, I am going to finish this bottle of wine and then get some sleep. Text me pics of the designs when they are done. I would love to see what you came up with."
"I will. Goodnight."
"Night," said Aubrey and Stacie sat on the line in silence well after Aubrey hung up. She could tell something was off, but figured Aubrey would tell her in time. They were becoming friends again and she made a mental note to text the designs to her in the morning.
Two more months passed before Aubrey and Stacie saw each other again. Their phone calls came more often until one day Aubrey mentioned a meeting in Portland with clients. They both danced around the topic for a couple of days on the phone before Aubrey finally got up the courage to ask Stacie to dinner while she was in town. She was relieved when she agreed and both were nervous when they saw each other. It didn't take long for them to find their rhythm again though, falling into conversation easily and enjoying their meal together. Afterwards, Stacie took Aubrey to get donuts for dessert and they brought the treats back to her house. Aubrey laughed when Stacie emerged victoriously from the kitchen with two cups of milk.
"I can't remember the last time I had donuts. Let alone went in search of them for dessert," said Aubrey as she made herself comfortable on the couch.
"I will have you know these are the best donuts you will ever have." Aubrey moaned as she bit into one and nodded.
"Okay, point taken, you win," agreed Aubrey.
"Wow, Aubrey Posen never caves that quickly. These donuts are miracle workers. Let's see if they will make her tell me what's going on," she said before taking a bite of hers.
"What do you mean," asked Aubrey as she averted her eyes from Stacie's, causing the brunette to smirk.
"You know I am observant," reminded Stacie as she glanced down at Aubrey's hand. Aubrey put her donut down on her plate and wiped her hands before shifting to face her. She showed her ring finger and shrugged.
"How long? When," asked Stacie.
"We finalized it last week."
"So that night you called me…"
"Was the night I moved out of the house…and told my dad the truth." Stacie's eyes widened and she gulped.
"Wait, you told him? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want to complicate things. We were finally in a place where you could look at me without being angry anymore and I didn't want to ruin that. Besides, I didn't think I had the right to drop all of that on you, not over the phone. I have screwed so many things up with us and I hate myself for it."
"Bree…"
"All I want is for you to be happy and…well…if Lexi makes you happy…"
"Lexi is gone. She moved to London," confessed Stacie and Aubrey frowned in confusion.
"Why didn't you say anything before?"
"I didn't think it mattered. I mean you are…were...married and you are right. Things between us have been good."
"What happened? Wait, did she take the position EJ was talking about?"
"Yea, she did."
"I can't believe she would just do that though or that EJ would even…"
"I told him to offer it to her. Things between us hadn't been good for a while. Lexi has always wanted more with us. She wanted to move in together and move forward, but I always hesitated. I told myself it was because I needed to go slow, but it was more than that. She was holding herself back for me and I didn't want that for her, so I told him to offer it to her. She deserved it, but did ask me to go with her. Of course I couldn't, I mean I have Rad Tech and I plan on moving to L.A. soon. It wasn't going to work and honestly, it never was. But, back to you now, you told your dad. How did that go?" She pulled her into her arms when she saw the tears already forming. Aubrey pulled her closer and sighed.
"How I expected it to go," she whispered. Stacie kissed the top of her head.
"I am so sorry."
"It is okay. Really, it is. It hurt at first a lot, but it hurt more hiding everything about myself. I wasn't being a good person. I would drink a lot and I was lying to everyone around me. I even lied to you. We were…well…he was trying for kids, but I never stopped taking my birth control."
"Why would you lie about that to me? I wasn't exactly rooting for you to have a kid with him."
"I felt guilty and I couldn't face why I was doing it. The truth is I want to be a mother so much and I told myself the love of a child would outweigh the lack of love in my marriage, but it wasn't true. I realized I couldn't bring a child into a home built on lies. I didn't want our kid to grow up and later find out their mom never really loved their dad the way she should. He found the pills and stayed with his parents for a while, but I was the one to end it. He wanted to come back and for us to go to counseling after."
"Of course the guy had to be a saint," grumbled Stacie.
"I told you he was a good man. I told him I didn't want that though. He asked if there was someone else and I told him the truth."
"Which is," asked Stacie as she felt her heart thundering in her chest. Aubrey reached out for her hand and Stacie laced their fingers together.
"I told him I have spent my entire life not going for what I want and I couldn't do it anymore, especially after it cost me everything." Stacie used her thumb to wipe away a stray tear from Aubrey's cheek as the blonde leaned into her touch.
"And yet here we are, both single, and finally talking to each other like I know we have both wanted for a while now. What do you want, Bree?"
"For you to forgive me." Stacie smiled adoringly at her.
"I already have, what else do you want?" Aubrey didn't hesitate to capture her lips in a passionate kiss and Stacie moaned as she deepened it. Aubrey straddled her waist and grinded her hips into Stacie as she peppered kisses on her neck. Stacie's hands slid underneath Aubrey's skirt and Aubrey whimpered when Stacie cupped her backside.
"Bedroom," Stacie asked between kisses and Aubrey quickly nodded. She stood up and pulled Stacie up to her, kissing her tenderly again. Stacie led her up the stairs and giggled when Aubrey pinned her against the wall.
"I missed you so much," said Stacie as Aubrey placed her thigh in between her legs.
"I missed you too," said Aubrey as she made quick work of Stacie's dress and tossed it aside. She moaned when she saw Stacie's bare breasts.
"I knew you weren't wearing a bra," she whispered and Stacie gasped as the blonde sucked a nipple into her mouth. Aubrey pressed her thigh against her and Stacie grinded against it.
"Bree, I'm not going to make it if you keep doing that," she whimpered and moaned when Aubrey smirked.
"Good," she whispered before sliding her hand into Stacie's panties causing the brunette to let out a cry of pleasure as Aubrey plunged two fingers inside of her. She rode them deeply, wanting to hold out and yet needing to feel Aubrey as much as possible. Stacie cried out Aubrey's name as a powerful orgasm washed over her and Aubrey watched through hooded eyes as Stacie rode out the pleasure. She kissed her teasingly, nipping at her lip and nuzzling her neck as Stacie came down from the high. They both giggled when Stacie reversed their positions and pinned her to the wall.
"Hey there, Hunter," teased Aubrey and Stacie passionately kissed her.
"Bedroom, now," Stacie practically growled and Aubrey happily nodded. She sighed in relief when they finally made it to the room and Stacie pulled her onto the bed. Stacie crawled up her body, placing kisses up her stomach as she hiked up Aubrey's skirt. Aubrey helped her strip off her blouse as Stacie gazed into her eyes adoringly.
"I love you, Bree."
"I love you too. I always have," whispered Aubrey before tenderly kissing her. Stacie cupped Aubrey's bare breasts and smiled.
"Great minds think alike," she teased and Aubrey bit her lip as Stacie sucked and teased her nipples. She could feel the coil in her stomach tightening and moaned as she bucked her hips up to meet Stacie's.
"I need you now, baby," whimpered Aubrey and Stacie winked at her before pulling off Aubrey's lace panties. It was Aubrey's turn to cry out as Stacie buried her face between her legs and tasted her the way she fantasized doing again for so long. Aubrey spread her legs for her even more and gripped the sheets as Stacie slipped two fingers inside of her. She used her other hand to bundle up Aubrey's skirt as the quivering blonde tried not to orgasm.
"Come for me," moaned Stacie, knowing how close Aubrey was to the edge.
"I want it…fuck…I need it…to last…so fucking long," whimpered Aubrey as Stacie plunged her fingers inside of her and lapped at her folds.
"This is the first of many tonight baby," assured Stacie and Aubrey screamed her name when Stacie sucked on the sensitive bundle of nerves aching to be touched. Her toes curled as she climaxed and gushed around Stacie's fingers, only coming down after another orgasm crashed into her. Stacie sighed happily and peppered kisses back up Aubrey's body before pulling the skirt the rest of the way off. She rested in between her legs and Aubrey nuzzled her neck.
"I love you so much. I need you, Stace," whispered Aubrey and Stacie tenderly kissed her. They stayed like that, reveling in post-coital bliss, until Stacie felt Aubrey's hips began grinding into hers again.
"Shower," asked Stacie and Aubrey happily nodded.
"God I love you," giggled Aubrey as Stacie pulled her toward her bathroom.