Last and Forever

by Brooke, Rebecca

  “While I wish that could be the case, there’s no guarantee that the money will always be there. Eventually they’ll find a new lead singer. By then they’ll probably play their new songs. Somehow I need to put food on the table. Besides, we’ve already seen what happens when I spend too much time at home alone.”

  “Very true.”

  We walked a little farther down the path where I saw a bench. “Mind if we stop so I can give Chloe a snack?”

  “Not at all. It’s gorgeous out. I don’t mind soaking up some sun. We probably won’t see a day like this for another month or so.”

  She took a seat on the bench while I tugged out Chloe’s snack before taking her out of the seat.

  “When did Dr. Harris sell you the practice?”

  “About a year and a half ago. When I finished school I took a job where I interned, near the college. But I was homesick.” She unzipped her coat. The sun even warmer now that it had risen higher. “It sucked being so far away. I don’t know how you did it all those years. And you were even farther than me.”

  “At first I hated it and made sure to come home every time Jackson did.” I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye as I held the container for Chloe. At least for a moment anyway, she’d gotten very independent over the last few months and always wanted to hold it herself.

  “I know. He told me every time you were coming home. Tried to convince me to come back and hang out with you guys.”

  “But you never did.”

  “No. I had a lot of things going on then and I needed to be away from here. I needed to figure out who I was.”

  She seemed so lost when she said that. I couldn’t imagine her having any problems, we spent almost every day together in high school. I adjusted Chloe in my arms so I could place my hand on her shoulder. “You know you could’ve talk to me then. I would’ve listened to whatever you had going on. I would’ve done anything to help.”

  She rested her hand on top of mine. “I know, but this was something you couldn’t help me with.”

  I tried to imagine what could’ve been so messed up that I couldn’t help her, but Lexi chose that moment to jump to her feet.

  “Ready to keep going?”

  Lexi picked the container off the ground and handed it to me. I hadn’t even realized that Chloe had finished it and dropped it when she was done.

  “Sorry, that’s a bad habit she picked up one time when I laughed after I did it.”

  “Let me guess, you keep laughing.”

  “Maybe a little,” I said sheepishly. “How did you know?”

  “I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t keep doing it if you didn’t keep reacting to it.” She smirked.

  I chuckled. “Probably not. But she always smiles when she does it and I can’t help myself.” I grabbed a handful of cereal and placed it on the tray so she could eat it while we were walking. “But I didn’t laugh today. That’s got to be a step in the right direction.”

  She shook her head laughing and started back down the path. “It’s a start.”

  I pushed Chloe a little faster to catch up with her. “At least, I’m trying to be a good dad.”

  Lexi stopped in her tracks and turned to me. “You don’t need to try, you’re already a great dad.”

  I shook my head. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes up until now, but I’m really trying to fix that.”

  “And that right there is what makes you a good dad. You wouldn’t care so much if you weren’t.”

  We started walking again. “I never thought of it that way.”

  “You should. People who care always do better than people who don’t.”

  Silence settled over us as we rounded the loop halfway through the path. There was a soft breeze blowing Lexi’s long hair.

  I moved my gaze away from Lexi. “Do you like being back in Westlake?”

  She smiled. “I do. I missed being home.”

  “Think it’s a lot different when you left? ’Cause I sure do.”

  “It’s only different because you’re used to people chasing you around with cameras and living in gated mansions.”

  I pointed at her. “Hey, those gates kept those creepy assholes from sneaking pictures through my windows.”

  She shivered.

  “Are you cold?” The warm sun still beat down on us.

  “No. I just can’t imagine having my privacy invaded like that all the time.”

  “It’s a pain. Gotta think about everything you’re doing and how the gossip blogs will spin it.”

  We passed a couple, probably a little older than my parents, sitting on one of the benches. Lexi waved as we kept walking. “I remember the way they flocked to town once they realized you came back here.”

  “Thank fuck—”

  Lexi’s eyes widened and I slammed my hand over my mouth and looked down in the stroller. Chloe had leaned back and was fast asleep.

  “Oh, thank God.” I pointed inside the stroller and Lexi peeked in.

  “You’re lucky. Throwing stuff on the ground will seem easy when her first word is a curse.”

  I ran a hand through my hair. “I know. I know.” I glanced in the stroller once more to make sure she stayed asleep. “I can’t tell you how relived I was when they left.”

  “I can only imagine.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not the only reason it’s weird to be back.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “Everybody seems so different.” She lifted a brow at me. “Well, except for you. It’s like everyone is keeping their distance. Unless of course they know my mom, who tries to get everyone to talk to me.”

  She giggled. “That’s ’cause they don’t know what to say to you.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. Why would she giggle about that? “They could just say hi. I don’t need everyone’s sympathy.”

  She laid her hand on my arm. “That’s not it. You’ve been back for around nine months—”

  “Who’s counting?”

  She shoved my arm away and rolled her eyes. “Don’t start. You’re not the same Aiden who left for college. You’re a celebrity. They’ve seen you on TV, on the Internet, even on the gossip blogs. They don’t know how to talk to you, besides to give you sympathy.”

  “I’m not a celebrity.”

  “Even if you don’t see yourself that way, I can guarantee the people in town, people who you grew up with do. But I also think we can put everyone at ease by introducing you to them again.”

  “So I have to meet people I already know.”

  “Probably.”

  We made it to the start of the path, near where the cars are parked and I stopped the stroller. “I guess whatever works. For now, can it just be us while I’m still trying to get my head on straight?”

  “Of course. Remember, we’re hanging out sometime this week.”

  “I know, just need a day.”

  “I’ll text you after I look at my schedule tomorrow.” She leaned up on her toes and pressed a brief kiss to my cheek. “Thanks for inviting me on your walk.”

  “Thanks for coming.”

  Lexi and I parted ways, heading to our own cars. I couldn’t help but think how much she put my mind at ease, even with a simple walk around the park. The days didn’t feel so lonely when I spent time with her.

  Hopefully, that wouldn’t change anytime soon.

  15

  Lexi

  All the windows were lit up when I parked out front of Aiden’s house. I was keeping him to plan. One night a week out of the house. His mom agreed to watch Chloe while I made sure he got out of the house and didn’t spend it wallowing in grief.

  Last week had been much better than the first time he attempted to spend a night out, but I made sure we stayed far away from any place with alcohol and the movie was only two hours.

  Mrs. Cormack stopped by the office one day to tell me what a difference she’d seen in the last week. She was more than happy to be a weekly babysitter for however long we needed as long as she got her s
on back.

  I noticed her white Mercedes in the driveway as I walked up to the front door.

  I knocked twice and pushed the door open. Aiden was nowhere to be seen, but Mrs. Cormack sat on the living room floor playing with Chloe.

  “Hi, Mrs. Cormack, Chloe.”

  Chloe’s face lit up and she started crawling toward me. Mrs. Cormack stood to face me.

  “Lexi, I keep telling you, please call me Georgia.”

  “Sorry, Georgia.” I walked forward and scooped Chloe up into my arms. “Hey, sweetheart. Are you going to have fun with Mom-Mom tonight?”

  I leaned that Georgia went by Mom-Mom for Chloe when we dropped her off last week.

  Georgia gestured around the room. “I can’t believe how much has changed. It looks like a home.” She reached for my free hand and smiled. “Thank you for helping him. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “Always. He’s been my best friend since we were kids. Even if we did have time apart, I can’t not be there for him if he needs me.”

  She reached up and patted my cheek. “He’s always needed you. He just forgot for a while trying to build the band and his relationship with Christine.”

  Her eyes were downcast as she said the last part.

  “I heard Jackson stopped by about a month ago. That had to make a little bit of a difference.”

  Georgia’s eyes widened. “Not really. He threw Jackson out of the house. They haven’t spoken in over a month.”

  I froze in my tracks on the way around the sofa. “What?”

  “After everything that happened with Megan, Jackson told me he couldn’t help if Aiden didn’t want to help himself.”

  I sighed. “We’ll work on that one next. He needs everyone in his life to help him right now.”

  “He needs you more than anyone else.”

  My heart raced in my chest. Even though she didn’t mean it that way, it still made me feel like I could conquer the world if Aiden needed me more than anyone else.

  Before I could ask what she meant, because I was dying to know, Aiden appeared at the end of the hall. The beard that had covered his face for the last few months had been trimmed to a light scruff on his cheeks. The brow piercing was back in his left eyebrow.

  Tattoos that ran from elbow to wrist now showed beneath the sleeve of his short-sleeved T-shirt.

  “What are you guys talking about?”

  Mrs. Cormack walked forward, her eyes wide as she circled her son.

  “Mom, what is it?”

  Her mouth opened and close a few times before she was able to speak. “You look…look like you.”

  Aiden’s brows drew together. “I’m not sure how I didn’t look like me. It’s not like I can change my features.”

  When he spoke, I could even see the tongue piercing glinting in the light.

  She smacked him in the arm. “Not what I mean. I know you can’t change your features, smart ass. But the piercings, tattoos, even the hair. You look like the Aiden I know. Not the man in the suit with his hair slicked back and everything else hidden from sight.”

  Aiden smiled. “I guess you could say I’m tired of hiding who I am. No one in town is going to drag the gossip blogs and paparazzi here to follow my every move.”

  Aiden and I both knew that had nothing to do with him hiding who he truly was and by the look on his mom’s face she didn’t believe the nonsense coming out of his mouth either. But it didn’t seem like she would call him out on it when she kept her mouth shut.

  “I don’t remember that many tats when I saw you last, but I like them.” I hiked Chloe higher on my hip and walked over to examine the ink that wrapped around his skin.

  He shrugged. “I added a few over the years.” He reached out to me. Chloe leaned right into his arms. “Looks like you made a new friend,” he said directly to Chloe.

  Mrs. Cormack winked at me from behind Aiden’s back. “She most certainly has.”

  “Mom, are you sure you don’t mind watching Chloe for a few hours?”

  “I’m positive.” Mrs. Cormack took Chloe from Aiden’s arms. “Have fun and don’t race home. We’ll be fine for a while.”

  Aiden’s shoulders relaxed. “As long as you’re sure.”

  “I am. Now, get out of here, you two. Go enjoy your night.”

  “Ready?” I asked, gesturing toward the door with my head.

  “I am. Going to tell me where we’re going?”

  “Nah, you can figure it out when we get there.” I reached for the handle on the front door. “Thank you, Georgia.”

  She set Chloe back on the carpet in the middle of her toys. “Anytime. Enjoy your night.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  I pulled the door open and shuffled down the steps with Aiden right behind me. “Want me to drive? Or did you want to drive?”

  He tipped his head from side to side. “How about you drive since I don’t know where we might be going.”

  “You like surprises.” Aiden had always been one for surprises and I had a feeling it hadn’t changed.

  “I do.”

  “Good to see some things stayed the same.” I tugged the car keys from my purse, dangling them in his face. “My car actually has keys.”

  Aiden reached for the handle, a smirk flicking up the corner of his lips. “That’s ’cause it’s old as hell.”

  I opened the car and stepped on the running board and peeked over the top of the car. “Not all of us can own four different cars. One for each season.”

  Aiden was quiet for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed. A deep, rumbling belly laugh. “Touché. At least I only have one of them here.”

  I climbed in the car and glanced over at Aiden, who had done the same. “Oh my God, you’re shameless.”

  “Sometimes. Now where are we going?”

  “For food.” I turned over the ignition. “That okay with you?”

  He ran his hand over his stomach. “Sounds perfect. I’m starving.”

  I started down the street. “When aren’t you starving?”

  “When I’m eating.”

  “Figures.” I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, unsure how he’d react to what I wanted to say next. If there was anything I learned over the last few weeks, it was that I could push Aiden even when he would have pushed everyone else away. And I was going to use it to my advantage. “Speaking of people of always being hungry, isn’t one of the guys in Jackson’s band like that too?”

  He turned his head to look out the window. “Yeah, I guess.”

  “You guess. I thought you spent time with those guys.”

  “A little, but I haven’t seen any of them in almost a year.”

  “Even Jackson?”

  I slowed to a stop at a red light and found Aiden watching me, his eyes narrowed. “You already know Jackson and I had a falling out, don’t you?”

  I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel. “I know you threw him out of your house a month ago.”

  “I didn’t throw him out, he left.”

  “The way I found you two weeks ago, I highly doubt that.”

  A car blew their horn behind me when I hadn’t notice the light change to green.

  He rubbed the palm of his hands back and forth on his jeans. He let out a heavy breath. “Fine, I threw him out.”

  “Why would you throw out your best friend?”

  “You’re my best friend.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t start, Aiden. I’m your oldest friend. Jackson is your best friend and someone who cares a whole hell of a lot about you. Why throw that away?”

  “’Cause he wanted me to get my ass out of the house.”

  I pulled into a parking space downtown and turned in my seat to face him. “I’m sorry, he wanted you to do exactly what I wanted you to do, but you said yes to me.”

  “I’ve never been able to say no to you.”

  My chest tightened. You said no to me more than once before.

  I cleared my throat. “I’m sure y
ou’ve said no to me in the past and would have no problem doing it now.”

  I reached for the keys, needing to get the hell out of the car. All my insecurities from my teenage years coming to wreak havoc. This time was about getting Aiden out into the world again. To get him living again. Not hiding behind alcohol and work.

  But my brain wanted to go a million places it didn’t need to. I had to remind myself I wasn’t that girl anymore. The one seen as the boys’ best friend. The one who did anything and everything for their band just to get noticed as something more. I had become a successful veterinarian with my own practice.

  Tonight had nothing to do with me, and I had to remember that. Fingers grazed my cheek. I glanced over to see Aiden watching me.

  “I wouldn’t nor could I ever tell you no.”

  The vines of tension in the car were so thick, they wrapped around my chest, stealing my breath. I held Aiden’s gaze for a few more seconds before I had to get out and get some air.

  I broke the connection and shoved the car door, thankful for the cool night air that smacked me in the face as soon as I stepped out into it.

  Aiden stayed exactly where he was, which worked for me. I needed a moment to pull myself together. I sucked in a lungful of cool air in an attempt to regain my focus. The slamming of a car door yanked me back to reality. When I spun around, Aiden stood at the front of the car watching me.

  His brows were pulled together, the corner of his mouth turned down into a slight frown. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded overenthusiastically. “Yeah. I’m great. Starving. Let’s go eat.”

  My short, choppy sentences weren’t going to fool Aiden. I only hoped he didn’t call me out for my erratic behavior. The last thing I needed was to lay the embarrassment of my youth at his feet.

  The frown stayed on his face and I prayed he would let it go. “All right. Let’s go.”

  I led him down the sidewalk to the main street in town. Windsor Lane was filled with shops and restaurants. Plenty for the tourists to check out and locals to have lots of options without driving forty minutes to the mall.

  We walked past stores full of books, the hardware store, and the dry cleaners, all the while I tried to keep a few steps ahead of him. It gave me the time I needed to regroup and put a genuine smile on my face.