•ADRIAN•
I waited outside my office for what felt like forever, pacing back and forth. My nerves were on edge—I couldn’t bring myself to go inside until my mom gave the all-clear. Eventually, she finally emerged, her expression warm but slightly amused.
“Hey, son. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long?” she asked, though the glint in her eye told me she knew she’d had me standing here for nearly an hour.
“You did keep me waiting, Mom. And in my office. My own office,” I grumbled, sounding like a kid but not really caring. After all, it was my office, and she’d practically hijacked it.
“Sorry about that, darling,” she said, reaching over to tug playfully at my cheek like I was still her squishy little boy.
“Mom, c’mon!” I whined, pulling away. “I’m not a baby anymore. Stop doing that.”
“No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my baby,” she said with a mischievous look. I rolled my eyes and ignored her.
“So, what could you have possibly been discussing with Brianna for nearly an hour?” I raised a brow, genuinely curious now. “You guys had me standing out here like a lost puppy.”