by Sam Ayers
“Who?” Aiden questioned.
Alex groaned. “You didn’t guess! It was Abigail. Can you believe it?” He smirked.
“Abigail who?” Aiden asked as he took his seat and checked his emails.
“Abigail! Abigail Black! Jo’s friend! We met her last night,” Alex explained.
Adele raised her eyebrow. “So that’s how you knew her!” she exclaimed.
“Umm . . . yeah!” Alex smirked. So he met Abigail again; Adele said he flirted with her. He never changed but last night Aiden saw a different Alex, someone who believed in love and was in pain when Abigail left.
“Grandpa called and said that he wants me to get married in France,” Adele said. “What should I do now?”
“Well, it’s up to you. Do you want to get married there?” Aiden asked.
Before he could say another word, Alex spoke, “Are you having second thoughts about marrying Gabe or something? Because if you are, you can run away with me and we’ll live on an exotic island with exotic beauties and you can cook for me while I flirt with them.” He grinned.
“No . . . but I am seriously considering eloping in Vegas, what with everybody trying to plan MY wedding for me,” Adele muttered.
Raising an eyebrow, Alex looked at Aiden and asked, “What’s with her?”
Aiden shook his head and said, “It’s Grandpa . . . again!”
Alex understood what he was trying to say, and snickered, “Let me guess, he said something like ‘My grandauzer will not marries in ze Canada, zhe will marriez here in Pariz, the zity of luv’ or something?”
Listening to the really bad imitation Alex did of Pierre, Adele burst out laughing, “Thanks Al, I really needed a good laugh,” she smiled, “But yes, that’s almost exactly what he said,” she sighed. “I want a small wedding that’s all about Gabe and me and the love we share but everyone is set on blowing it out of proportion.”
Alex suddenly became grave, “What does Gabriel think?”
Adele grinned. “It was his plan to elope once grandpa started calling him. That’s when I stopped answering his calls.”
Aiden looked at Alex and they burst out laughing. “You are perfect for each other,” Aiden said between gasps, “But now he’s calling me twice a day because you both aren’t answering.”
Aiden didn’t know for how long they had talked. It had been a long time since they sat down for a good chat, but it was soon time for Adele to leave. Aiden walked her to the elevator.
“You don’t have to worry about anything; I’m always here for you. You and me against the world, remember?” Aiden asked and hugged her tightly.
“I know, Aidey. But I’m scared, what if this doesn’t work out?” She asked. Aiden placed a soft kiss on her temple.
“Don’t worry, you’re just tired. Go home and rest. I promise everything will be alright,” he said.
“Okay. See you later. Bye, Aiden!” She waved and walked away.
“Bye, Adele,” he said and walked towards his office and saw Jo checking his diary. He plopped down on her desk and smirked.
“Hi. Is there anything you want?” she asked quietly.
“Why are you sad? I have been noticing you from morning and you’ve been gloomy,” he replied.
“It’s nothing, Aiden. I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” she said. It wasn’t anything, though. Something was bothering her and Aiden thought about last night when Jo had to leave with Abigail because of Alex’s behavior.
“Want to join me for dinner tonight?” He asked. She looked at him as if he was speaking in a foreign tongue.
“Din . . . Dinner? Me?” She stuttered.
“Yeah! You, obviously!” He raised an eyebrow when she just stared at him and was quite for a while.
“Okay,” she murmured and looked down.
“Alright, I’ll pick you up at . . . say, 7PM?” He looked at his wristwatch. He had enough time to go home and freshen up. “Will that be okay?” He asked.
“7 will be fine!” Jo smiled.
“7 it is! Text me the address. See you later, Jo,” he said and walked towards his office.
He checked the files one last time and mailed Alex the details about the meeting they had today. Picking up his suit jacket, Aiden slipped it on and walked towards the door.
“Bye, Jo,” he waved and walked away.
* * *
Today was a long day, Jo sighed. Aiden looked happy when that girl visited him. She was beautiful too. And why did he want to have dinner with her? Wasn’t he busy already? Maybe he invited her just as a friend. Thinking about that, she sighed again.
When she reached home, she saw Abigail sitting on the couch with lots of files. Wedding planning must be tough, Jo thought.
“Hey Jo, guess what? I was at the Reids’ place. Their home is stunning. And Mrs. Reid is so kind! I met Adele – she is going to be a very beautiful bride,” she smiled and picked up another file.
“Oh! Listen, I’m . . . I’m going out later,” Jo said. She hoped that Abigail wouldn’t ask if it was a date.
“Is it a date, Jo?” she grinned.
“No, it’s not a date, Abby,” Jo groaned and walked away to her bedroom. She checked her wardrobe and found a decent flannel shirt and jeans. It wasn’t a date or anything, so she didn’t have to wear anything pretty. Well that was what she thought.
Aiden was waiting outside at 7PM sharp. Right on time! I’m impressed, Jo thought. She walked out to see him texting. This wasn’t his Audi; instead, he was driving a black BMW M3 Convertible. He opened the door for her and she got in.
“I thought you had an Audi! Not a BMW Convertible!” She exclaimed.
“Hello, Jo. This isn’t mine, it’s Alex’s,” he grinned. Alex’s car! Wow!
“Hi, so where are we going?” Jo asked, putting on the seatbelt.
“Will French cuisine be fine? Or do you prefer Italian?” He asked politely. Did he make the reservations already?
“Aiden, look at me!” Jo exclaimed. “I am not dressed up for some fancy restaurant,” she sighed.
He was quite for a moment, and then he looked at her. “Alright, so you can choose,” he sighed and pulled out his phone to text someone.
“I know a place . . . It’s not much but they have delicious food,” she said, enthusiastically. She didn’t want him to be upset with her.
“Alright, tell me where it is and we can go there.” He smiled.
They reached the restaurant in ten minutes and ordered their food. The waitress was giving him a weird look. Oh no! Jo wished she could just stand in front of him and say, Back off, he’s mine!
“Are you worried about Abigail and Alex?” He asked suddenly.
“Maybe . . . I’m not sure. Abigail didn’t say a word about last night,” she sighed.
“Well, I apologize for my cousin’s behavior,” Aiden said. Why was he apologizing? They all knew how Alex was.
She sighed and continued, “That’s alright, Aiden, please don’t apologize, it’s not your fault.” He just nodded. They ate in silence and when it was time to go, he asked her to take a walk with him. Now this is weird. He should have some place to go, right?
They got some coffee first. And when they were taking a stroll, Jo decided to ask him about his fiancée.
“I heard that you were getting married. Congratulations!” She said.
He looked at her in shock, “What? Where did you hear that? It was Alex, wasn’t it? I’m gonna wring his neck the next time I see him!”
“No, it wasn’t Alex. But I saw your fiancée today and you spoke about wedding planning and . . .”
Surprisingly, he burst out laughing. “And you assumed that I was the one getting married.”
“Well, yes,” she reddened.
He smiled at her, “The woman you saw today wasn’t my fiancée. She is my twin sister, Adele.”
Jo’s face went red with embarrassment, “Oh! I’m so sorry but you were talking about weddings and brides and . . .”
She trailed off as
Aiden started to laugh again. That cleared, they chatted for a while. Aiden looked at his watch and said, “It’s getting late, I’ll take you home.”
She nodded. The ride back home was quiet, and they didn’t speak much. When he dropped her off, she smiled at him and stepped out of the car.
“Jo, wait!”
Turning around, she looked at him puzzled. He got out of the car and stood right in front of her. Her heart got caught in her throat as he leaned towards her and whispered in her ear, “Thanks for tonight. I really had fun. Hope we can do this again sometime,” he whispered before kissing her cheek and turning away.
She stood there in a trance with her hand on her cheek as he waved and left, wondering how she had met someone like him . . .
- Chapter 6 -
Emergency Code
GRANDPA
Jo couldn’t stop grinning.
“He isn’t the one getting married!” Her heart cheered. Opening the door, she walked into the apartment, her grin bright enough to blind someone.
Abigail came out through the kitchen with a coffee mug in hand, she turned to look at Jo and raised an eyebrow, “And what has you so happy today?”
Suddenly, her eyes grew wide and she grinned at Jo. “Oh . . . I know! You had a hot date, didn’t you? Why didn’t you tell me? Who is he? Have I met him? Rate his hotness on a scale of one to ten.”
Jo couldn’t help but laugh, Abigail had a tendency to let her mouth run off before her brain caught up with it, but Jo couldn’t help but blush as she replied, “No Abby, it wasn’t a date . . . it was just a dinner with a friend.”
“I really don’t think I can believe you when you are blushing while saying that. Anyway, which friend was it that I don’t know about?”
Jo mumbled, “I went to dinner with Aiden.” She sighed dreamily as she sat down on the couch.
“Aid . . . Aiden? Oh my God! You guys are dating? I knew it, I noticed the looks you were giving each other that night . . . in the club,” she said and sat next to Jo. “Tell me what happened! Everything!”
“Again, Abby, it wasn’t a date. It’s just that I thought he was the one getting married and I found out tonight that it’s his sister’s wedding and not his.”
Abigail rolled off onto the floor in a fit of giggles. Trying to rein them in, she said, “You thought he was the one getting married? How did you figure that out? It’s his sister who’s getting married. I am their wedding planner, you know . . . I would have told you if you had asked.”
“I know, it was a huge misunderstanding and I guess he noticed that I was down and asked me out. I was planning to refuse, but I accepted,” Jo explained. “So when we were taking a stroll in the park I decided to ask him. He thought it was a prank Alex pulled on me. Then he explained that it was his sister’s wedding.”
At the mention of Alex’s name, Abigail stiffened. “Yeah, sounds like the sort of prank that Alex would play.” Then, grinning, she added, “Aiden’s sister is lovely, you know. She’s so sweet and kind; and so beautiful and successful. I haven’t met the groom yet, though. I guess he is busy, since he is a neurosurgeon, but you should see the way she talks about him . . . and the number of times he calls her between surgeries, it’s so cute that they are so in love.”
Suddenly, a sour look came onto her face. “The only thing that annoys me is that Alex is ALWAYS there FLIRTING. It’s annoying when he just ignores Mrs. Reid and Adele and keeps hitting on me!”
“Well, you know he is called THE PLAYER for a reason, right?” Jo laughed, trying to picture Abby trying to work and Alex flirting with her when Aiden’s family was around.
“And I told you about Mrs. Reid before, right? She is wonderful; she owns that patisserie we visit. I tried some of her pastries today,” Abigail said. “And Alex was arguing with his cousin, Ashton. You know they were fighting over a pastry? He’s so childish! Little Aubrey is a sweetheart; she kept on asking Alex when Aiden would visit her. Alex is not that bad,” she sighed. “I mean, he is a player but when I saw him with his family I felt like this person was completely different from Alex. He was kind; he cared about his little cousin. He teased Adele and troubled Ashton. And the way he behaved with Mrs. Reid . . . it was as though he was her son. He may call her aunt, but he loved her like a mother. And she treated him the same way. Just like her other kids.”
“So, do you like Alex, then?” Jo asked curiously.
Abigail sighed and ran her hand through her hair. “I don’t know, Jo . . . it’s just that I could feel a connection with him from when we met, you know, that sort of spark. And he is funny and interesting and doesn’t think of women as senseless idiots, but he is also the player who changes girlfriends like people change clothes. I don’t know if I can trust him, and isn’t that the basis of any relationship?” She looked at Jo, confused and lost, and Jo didn’t know what to tell her.
“He hasn’t really dated anyone since I met him, Abby. Sure he flirts, but it’s harmless. He never leads anyone on.” Jo hoped that these two would sort it out soon.
* * *
It was late when Aiden reached home; he just wanted a shower and a coffee. The dinner was good; he couldn’t believe that Jo thought he was the one getting married.
After taking a shower, he made himself some coffee and switched on the television. Few minutes later, he heard the doorbell ring. Who could be visiting at this time? He wondered. It must be Alex; he usually crashed at Aiden’s place when he didn’t want to go home. Aiden groaned and opened the door, but was surprised to see Adele standing there with a small duffel bag in her hand.
“Hi Aiden,” she said and walked in. Wait a second, why is Adele here?
“Hey, how are you?” Aiden asked. “Is everything alright? It’s late, and wouldn’t Gabe be wondering where you are right now?” Too many questions, Aiden!
“I’m good. And no, Gabe doesn’t know where I am, and it’s not like he cares,” she said and sat down on the couch. “What are you watching? You don’t mind me staying here for few days, right?”
“Fe . . . Few days? Ady, look at me,” he called and stood right in front of her. “What are you talking about? What do you mean he doesn’t care?”
“Aiden, calm down! I’m here because if I go to Mom and Dad’s place they will ask me lots of questions. Come to think of it, you are doing the same. Maybe I should have stayed at Alex’s,” she said.
“Adele, what’s wrong? Did you guys have a fight? I don’t mind you staying here. You can stay here as long as you want. But please tell me if there is something wrong,” he murmured as he sat next to her.
She rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, “It was so easy when we were kids, and no responsibilities and we could stay with our parents and go on vacations. I miss that, Aiden; everything has changed. Gabe has changed. He doesn’t spend time with me. He isn’t home yet. And he will call when he finds out that I am not there.”
Just as she said that, her phone began to ring. Aiden saw the name that flashed. It was Gabriel.
“Aidey, can you please answer it? I’m going to freshen up,” she said and walked away to the guest bedroom.
Aiden picked up her phone and answered, “Hey Gabe!”
“Aiden? Hi! Why are you answering Adele’s phone?” He asked.
“Err . . . you see, she’s here, at my place. So . . . um, yeah. That’s why!”
“Your place! Why?”
“Sorry Gabe, I should have told this before. You know it’s Aubrey’s birthday in few days? So we are planning a surprise party.”
“Is that really the reason, Aiden? I thought she left because she was mad at me,” he sighed.
“Gabe, she loves you. Why would she do that?”
“I had to cancel our date again; this is the fourth time it happened this month . . . it’s just that I am on a very delicate case right now and—”
“Don’t worry about this, Gabriel. She isn’t mad at you. It’s late, and I think you should take rest. I’ll tell her to call you tomo
rrow.”
“Oh! Okay, if you are sure then good night.”
“Night, Gabe.”
Aiden turned around to see Adele sitting on the couch, looking at him. “Happy now?” he asked her.
“Delighted,” she said, turning back to the television.
“You’re mad at him because he cancelled a date?” He asked as he took a seat next to her.
Adele sighed, “No, it’s just that I saw him, like, five times this whole month. He has absolutely no time for me. Mom and I are doing all our wedding arrangements. I’m just wondering if he really wants to marry me, and if I can really marry a man that I hardly see home.”
“He is just busy right now, he will have free time soon; and you knew he would be busy when you started dating him, so why are you second guessing now?”
“Yes, I knew he would be busy, but Aid, we are getting married! That’s a different world altogether. It’s not like when we are dating; it’s commitment at a whole other level and I am not sure if he can give enough in a relationship like that right now.”
“Wait, are you having second thoughts?” asked Aiden.
“No, I am not having second thoughts . . . it’s just that I need to get away from the wedding for a few days. Everywhere I go people are talking about it, and my fiancé is missing most of the time, and I guess I’m just overwhelmed.”
“I think you should go to bed now. I’m tired too. We can talk tomorrow. Good night, Ady,” Aiden said and placed a soft kiss on her temple.
She hugged him and whispered, “Good night, Aidey.”
He walked away thinking about Adele. Seeing her hurt almost killed him. He wanted to help her, but he understood Gabriel’s problem too. Gabe was busy and it must have been so hard to deal with all this.
* * *
The next morning at the Reids’ place, it was really pleasant as, walking down the stairs, Nicholas could see their whole home: all the times he had spent here; how in the beginning, he would be late home from work and Adelynn would be waiting for him. Now that Aiden had taken over, Nicholas could spend time with his family – his kids, and his wife whom he loved more than anything. Speaking of her, he could hear Lynn humming a French song in the kitchen . . . God! How he loved this woman! He moved forward quietly and wrapped his arms around her, startling her.
