All Good Things Absolved Read Online Free PDF Page A

shrugged. "I spent all that money on a dress I'm sure I won't fit in come two months anyhow."
    The dress. Seriously? "You really are a woman." I stated. "It all comes down to the dress."
    She nodded. "I'm a woman and I'm pregnant. So remember that the cake will be just as important to me as the dress." She grinned mischievously. What was she up to?
    "I ordered you the lemon cake." I said. It was the one she'd liked the best.
    "I don't think I want just the lemon cake."
    That was a surprise. Was she trying to make planning this fiasco difficult? I wouldn't let her see my fear. Wedding planning was a piece of cake. Figuratively. And possibly literally. "What would you like?"
    "I'm thinking I'd like the colors to be yellow, deep chocolate brown and white with hues of gold interlaced throughout." She grinned as though she'd won a race and I couldn't help but feel elated as I watched her. She was happy. And I was the one who made her that way. "So, I think we should ask him to do a three tiered cake with lemon and chocolate. Marriage is about compromise, not sacrifice."
    I fucking loved this woman I thought to myself as I crossed the space between us to pull her into my arms. "It sounds perfect to me."
    "Good." She pressed her lips to mine. "Because it sounds like heaven to me."
    Little did she know, she was my angel and I was in her heaven.
    ***
    A week had passed since we found out we were expecting. It had been a deliriously blissful week of lovemaking, work ditching, and dreaming aloud. I currently sat in Jace's office with him. He'd had a desk brought in for me. It had been strategically placed to the left of his desk, facing his so he could always see me. My neurotic man was simply ridiculous. But I loved him in all his obsessive qualities.
    Despite the fact that he often drove me to the brink of insanity, I had to admit he also kept me from jumping off the ledge. If it weren't for Jace offering Franco an obscene salary to run the café for me, I would be drowning in stress. I'd finally come to admit there was no way I could possibly run the café bookstore at the same time as planning a wedding and coping with pregnancy. Never mind bending to Jace's irrational whims. There was simply no way.
    Jace's phone rang and he glanced up at me from his computer. "Do you mind getting that?"
    "I do, actually." I nodded, ignoring the phone. I saw his eyes widen and a frown marred his exceptionally beautiful lips as he answered.
    "Rush," he barked. "Yeah. I'll send her out." He glared at me as he replaced the phone. I pretended I didn't notice. But I did. I knew I was in trouble, but I had to make a point. He just didn't know it yet. From my peripheral vision, I saw Jace rise from his desk, the computer no longer so important. "Why couldn't you answer that?"
    I shrugged. "You need an assistant."
    His eyes widened. "You're trying to prove I need an assistant?"
    "Yes." I nodded as I stood, placing the strap of my purse over my shoulder. I knew the call was for me. I was meeting Trisha for lunch. It felt like it had been forever. "What are you going to do when bean comes?"
    "Bean?"
    "Yes. Bean."
    "It's baby, Olivia." Jace frowned. "Why are you calling it bean?"
    "Because it's the size of a bean." I smiled. He shook his head and the look he gave me said he thought I was completely, thoroughly insane. Maybe I was. "Anyway, you need an assistant before bean arrives."
    Jace groaned, rubbing his brow tiredly. "Trisha's here."
    "I know." I waved my phone. "She texted me."
    "Of course she did." He ground his teeth and I knew what was coming. We'd talked about this all day yesterday. Jace didn't want me going to lunch alone with Trisha. I knew he was being paranoid. I hadn't received a letter from my savior in over a week. That was record time for him. "Where are you going?"
    I rolled my eyes. "You know where I'm going, Jace."
    "Tell me again."
    "I'm going to the café, Jace." I ground out. "My café."
    "Good. Nowhere else." He warned through stern