by Ivy Jordan
“Good morning,” I whispered, leaning down to gently kiss her on the cheek.
Her eyes opened, staring up at me with innocence and a purity that made my heart ache. Why had I been such an ass?
“Are you going to work?” she asked, looking up at me with a bright smile.
I nodded, even though I really wanted to stay.
“Can I meet you for lunch?” I asked, figuring seeing her in the middle of my day would make it go easier.
“Sure,” she replied softly, rubbing her eyes with her small hands.
“Good. I’ll meet you at the diner around noon,” I responded, gripping her tightly to my chest for a squeeze.
I hated to leave her, to leave the warmth of the bed, our bed. I knew I’d made enough mistakes over the last week that getting out of work again would only cause more problems, more stress.
“I’m gonna make all this up to you,” I whispered in her ear and then slid from the bed.
I showered and dressed, and by the time I made it back to the bed to kiss Blake goodbye, she was already back asleep. I leaned down, kissed her gently, and then slipped out of the room unnoticed, leaving Blake undisturbed.
We hadn’t exactly made up, but having her stay the night was a start, and lunch would be another step in the right direction.
At work, the mess I’d left behind was piling up, and I didn’t get a moment’s rest from the time I walked in until nearly time to meet Blake. It was my own fault. I knew that.
“Hey, you look better,” I heard and turned to see Luke standing in the main showroom.
“Thanks, I feel better,” I smiled.
“Did you ever find out who that man was, the one Blake was talking to?” Luke asked, concern in his eyes as he spoke.
“I did. Some tool named Graham, an ex-boyfriend,” I informed my friend.
“What’s he doing here?” Luke asked.
“Blake said he was passing through town, that he would only be here a few days and wanted to see her,” I sighed.
“Who the hell passes through this small town?” Luke laughed.
I rolled my eyes, shook my head, and nodded in his direction. He’d passed through and never left. I was beginning to wonder if he was ever leaving, or if he was working on finding a way to stay.
“So, you talked to Blake?” Luke asked eagerly.
“She came home last night,” I smiled.
“Came home?” Luke asked.
“Yeah, and actually stayed the night,” I added.
Luke looked surprised but happy. He patted me on the back.
“Good. I sure hope things work out,” he encouraged.
“I’m meeting her for lunch at the diner in just a few minutes,” I informed, hating to rush him off after all he’d done for me, but not willing to miss my lunch date with Blake.
“Great. I’m meeting Liam at the diner too. I was actually just on my way, and wanted to check on you,” Luke said.
“You wanna walk with me?” I asked, moving towards the large front doors.
“Sure,” Luke agreed, following me as we exited the building.
The diner was a few blocks down, and it was a beautiful day to walk. I wondered if the birds had always chirped so loudly, or of the sky had always been so blue.
“Have you talked to your abuela or your mother yet?” Luke asked.
I shook my head. My hands stuffed into my pockets, I focused on the walk ahead. I couldn’t deal with facing my family just yet, not until I at least got things settled with Blake.
“You don’t think Blake told her, do you?” I asked, realizing I’d never gotten any details of how she found out.
“I can’t imagine she’d throw you both under the bus like that,” Luke assured me.
“Yeah, but she was pretty guilt-ridden, and then I started acting like an ass before she went to see her,” I pointed out.
Luke’s eyebrows lifted in surprise as if he was contemplating the idea that Blake could’ve been the one to spill the beans, blowing this marriage out of the water purposely. Not that I could blame her; I’d pretty much sunk it already by the time she visited my abuela.
We made it to the diner, and I had it on my mind that the topic of discussion at lunch would be how my abuela found out, and if it was, in fact, Blake that told her. I wasn’t sure how I’d react to the news if it were true, but I was hopeful I could understand her reasons.
I pulled open the door, walked inside, and was immediately greeted by Liam. He stood in front of me, a strange look on his face, and seemed to be unwilling to move.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“I think we should go somewhere else,” Liam stated firmly.
“I’m meeting Blake here. She should already be here,” I explained, looking past his shoulders to see if she’d arrived yet.
Liam moved with me, shifting his body like he was trying to block my line of sight. I noticed Blake, sitting in a booth, with that man, Graham, sitting beside her, not across from her, but beside her. What the fuck? She knew I was meeting her here. Did she think she could get rid of him before I arrived?
Rage rushed through my veins as jealousy spilled into my heart. I lunged forward, ready to confront them, but Liam gripped me tightly around the arm, pulling me back. As I shrugged to break loose from his grip, my other arm was contained. I turned to Luke, who was now helping Liam pull me back towards the door.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Blake
“What is it?” I asked, noticing Graham’s silence, and his fixation on something towards the front of the busy diner.
I looked up, following where Graham’s eyes were placed, and noticed Aiden, there with Liam and Luke, who were both holding him back.
My face froze, fear set into my soul, and I could feel the color in my flesh dissipating as our eyes locked.
“Is that Aiden?” Graham asked.
“Yes. I have to get you out of here,” I said quickly, fearful that Aiden would say, or do, something we’d all regret later.
“Why? We’re just talking,” Graham insisted.
My heart was pounding hard against my chest, so hard that I was certain Graham, and even the people in the booth behind us, could hear it.
“Are you afraid of him?” Graham asked, his eyes filled with a strange concern.
I shook my head, my mouth hanging open, and my heart still racing. “He just looks really angry,” I mumbled.
Graham stood up, pushed his chest outward, and gave me a familiar look. Oh shit.
This was why I’d broken it off with Graham: his little man complex. He was always ready to fight, especially if it was someone twice his size, and Aiden was that. His protective nature was endearing at first, but it took a few months to realize it wasn’t all about me.
“Graham, stop,” I called out as he walked away, too late.
I rushed behind him, headed right into Aiden’s fury, the place I so wanted to avoid.
“You seem to have a problem with that lady over there,” Graham said, turning to point to me in the booth, only to find me already right on his heels.
“I have a problem with you,” Aiden snarled.
“Aiden, he just stopped in for lunch, and since he saw me, we talked, that’s all,” I pleaded with the man I loved, even though I couldn’t imagine why at this moment.
Liam and Luke still had a tight grip on Aiden’s arms, keeping him from doing anything stupid.
“You need to just walk away,” Liam informed Graham with a stern tone.
I knew that Liam’s orders would only fuel Graham’s need to prove himself. Backing down wasn’t his style: one thing I still couldn’t stand about the man.
“Let’s go,” Luke said quickly, tugging on Aiden’s arm as Liam pushed open the front door.
Instead of acting like a civilized man and staying inside the diner while Aiden’s friends cooled him off, Graham, of course, followed them out onto the sidewalk.
“Dude, you really need to fuckin’ back off,” Luke scolded Graham, who even next to Li
am looked short.
I stood by Aiden, explaining that nothing was going on as I stroked his arm. His muscles were tight and tense, and it was obvious he was ready to swing if given the chance. I didn’t want that to happen, not only for Graham’s sake, but for Aiden’s as well. He had a good reputation in the town, a business that people trusted, and having a fight outside the diner in the middle of town would certainly hurt that.
“Just stop, Graham,” I demanded.
“Yeah, just worry about your little boy toy. Don’t worry about me,” Aiden snarled at me.
I released my grip on his arm, felt my heart crush, and then noticed Graham lunging forward with his arm cocked back. Shit!
My jaw ached as I stumbled back. The swing was meant for Aiden, but his height made it impossible for Graham to land it, causing it to crash down on my face. My hand immediately slammed over the aching spot, a yelp escaped my lips, and everything started to become blurry. It was wildly chaotic.
Arms flung in every direction; Graham was on the ground, Aiden on top of him, pounding his fists into his face.
“Stop!” I screamed, pulling at Liam and Luke who were both trying to contain Aiden’s fury with little success.
“Please. Stop, I love you, Aiden,” I screamed out loudly onto the sidewalk before realizing what I’d said.
Aiden turned, looked up at me, leaving Graham to squirm to his feet. He looked as if he was ready to speak, but no words came from his mouth.
Red and blue lights appeared, causing a large crowd to form to see what was happening. When the cops stepped out of their vehicle, Graham immediately pointed to Aiden, his mouth bloodied, and demanded he be arrested.
Liam stepped forward, explaining to the officers what had really happened. They ended up handcuffing both Aiden and Graham, hauling them to the station.
“You need to come down and fill out a report,” the one officer told Liam, Luke, and myself.
“Are you hurt?” the female officer asked, noticing the redness on my jaw.
“I’m fine,” I lied. It ached like hell.
People stared as Liam pushed through the crowd, rushing me through the parking lot where his truck was parked.
“You can ride with us,” Liam instructed, opening up the passenger door to his truck.
“I’ll drive,” I insisted, pulling my keys from my purse.
He nodded, jumped in his truck with Luke, and waited while I started my car and pulled onto the road. He followed behind me all the way to the station and then held my hand as we walked inside. It was nice having my big brother again. I was glad he was there to help.
The female officer took me aside, and the male one on the scene took Liam and Luke into a separate room.
I told the woman my story, not leaving out any detail, and watched as she scribbled it all down.
“So, do you want to press charges?” she asked.
“No, not if he doesn’t press any on Aiden,” I bartered.
She gave me a strange look but nodded before she left the room. I assumed she was giving Graham the option to be released with no charges filed against Aiden, or go to jail if he chose to pursue it.
It didn’t take her long to return to the room.
“Okay, no charges are being filed,” she stated with a smile.
“Good,” I sighed, gathering my stuff and heading for the door.
“Are you going to be taking your husband home?” she asked.
I paused. Fuck. He was my husband. So, was I the one who had to sign for his release?
“What do I need to do?” I inquired nervously.
“Just sign the papers, pay the fine, and be on your way,” she instructed, motioning me towards the front desk clerk.
Liam and Luke met me in the lobby. They looked relieved.
“Are you okay?” Liam asked.
“They said I have to sign to get Aiden out,” I explained.
“I’ll take him home,” Liam offered, Luke behind him nodding in agreeance.
My chest loosened, and my shoulders relaxed a bit. I was a nervous wreck at the thought of driving Aiden home alone in my small car.
I signed the papers, paid the small disturbance of peace fine, and then waited with Luke and Liam for Aiden to be released.
When Aiden appeared in the lobby, he looked ashamed, defeated, and remorseful, but it wasn’t enough to make me feel sorry for him. He’d done all this, caused all this. All I’d done was love him.
“I’m so sorry,” were the first words from Aiden’s mouth, and they were directed right at me.
“Liam’s going to take you home,” I said sternly.
Aiden looked hurt and disappointed.
“Where are you going?” he asked softly.
“I’m going back to Alyssa’s and Liam’s,” I stated.
“You said you loved me,” he whispered, a tear welling up in his left eye.
“I do love you, but I can’t deal with all this violence and self-destruction,” I sighed, fighting back my own tears.
Liam guided Aiden out of the lobby, and I sat down, waiting for Graham to be released. I would take him back to the diner and then head to Alyssa and Liam’s. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever go back to Aiden’s.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aiden
My fingers burnt as they gripped around the mug of hot coffee. I watched as the steam floated from the top of the brown liquid. What had I done?
It was my fault that Blake had gotten hurt. If I hadn’t acted the way I had, that weasel Graham wouldn’t have felt the need to defend her, and she wouldn’t have been hit while he tried to swing at me.
“What are you gonna do now?” Luke asked, stretched out on the couch across from me.
He’d come back to the house, to babysit me I was certain. I knew he was worried, just as Liam was, that I’d go back to the bottle, but I’d swore that off until I knew I could handle it.
“I don’t know,” I sighed.
“Work might help keep your mind off of everything,” Luke offered.
“I’d be useless right now. Besides, I have the office manager handling everything,” I replied.
“So, are you going to get divorced?” Luke asked cautiously.
I fought back tears. I didn’t want to get divorced. I loved being married to Blake, even if it was supposed to be fake. It felt real, and I wanted it to be real. But now, I wasn’t sure things would ever go back to the way they were.
Wow. I’d really messed things up this time. Just when I thought I couldn’t make things any worse and felt lucky to have gotten her back into my life, I made things worse. So much worse.
“Is this what love’s supposed to feel like?” I questioned, staring at my friend, who I knew had never been in love himself.
“It’s pretty close to the movies I’ve seen,” he chuckled.
I couldn’t help but laugh with him. The thought of Luke, Mr. Tough Guy, watching romantic comedies always tickled me.
“Well, then I guess I’m really in love then,” I smiled.
“No doubt about that,” Luke grinned.
My doorbell rang, and I nearly jumped out of my seat to head towards it. My heart raced. I wanted to see Blake, and all I could picture was her on the other side of that door.
I flung it open to find my abuela and my mother standing on my porch, my abuela with a scowling face, and my mother with one that looked as if she’d been crying.
“Are you gonna invite us in?” Anna-Marie asked, already moving her way through the threshold.
Luke stood, looking nervous as the two women entered my home. He greeted them, but neither was very friendly. They were fixated on me, their eyes locked tightly with mine, one with a warning scowl, the other with disappointment.
“I hear you’ve been making quite an ass out of yourself,” Anna-Marie scolded.
I had no response.
“He was only defending himself,” Luke interjected, trying to save my name.
“Oh, bullshit. I’m not talking about jus
t the fight outside the diner; I’m talking about everything,” Anna-Marie growled.
I knew she was referring to my fake marriage, and how I’d managed to ruin it.
“I told your mother everything,” Anna-Marie admitted, turning to face the woman who gave me life.
“How could you lie to me, to us?” Liana sobbed, overly dramatic as usual.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly.
“So, where is Blake now?” Anna-Marie asked.
“At her brother’s,” I sighed, moving towards the kitchen to refill my coffee.
“Are you going after her?” Anna-Marie pushed.
I shrugged my shoulders.
“I don’t see the point now. Do you want coffee?” I offered to both women.
“That girl’s in love with you, and from the way you’ve been acting a fool, it’s obvious you’re in love with her as well,” Anna-Marie pointed out sternly.
I chuckled. The thought of Blake being in love with me was ridiculous, especially after the way I’d acted.
“No alcohol this time?” Anna-Marie asked, looking around the kitchen.
I shook my head shamefully.
“Good,” she smiled, and then started searching my kitchen cabinets and fridge.
“Aiden, I want you to be happy, but you don’t have to lie to me,” Liana said, gripping my cheeks in her palms.
“I know, Mom,” I agreed remorsefully.
“Do you love this girl?” she questioned.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Then you go after her,” she persuaded.
My heart ached from her words.
“I should just give her space,” I groaned.
“Nonsense,” Anna-Marie scolded.
“She doesn’t want to see me. If she does, she knows where I am. Hell, most of her stuff is still here, and she doesn’t even want that right now,” I moaned.
“It’s up to you to change her mind. You need to make a grand gesture, win her back by proving you’re the man she loves,” Liana added, agreeing with my abuela.
Luke sat at the kitchen table beside me as my abuela continued to pull items from the cabinets and fridge.
“What are you doing?” I asked, half-chuckling at the old woman.
