by Lynn Stevens
Chapter Seventeen
Aiden picked me up on time. He wore black shorts and a white ZZ Top concert tee. Casual, and sexy. When he kissed my cheek, I inhaled his clean soapy scent with a hint of spearmint. I pulled him closer for a less PG-13 kiss. He came inside, said hello to my parents, and held the door open for me when I got in the car. It was all very chivalrous. And so not like anybody I’ve ever known. I wasn’t going to compare him to Eddie. That was like apples and grapes.
“What’s going on with you tonight?” Aiden asked after about twenty minutes of total silence between us. “You’re quiet.”
“Just thinking.” I tried to pull myself out of the melancholy. “Where are you taking me?”
Aiden smiled and kept his eyes on the road. “It’s a surprise.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but I couldn’t. He liked to be a gentleman. Did I want that? Or did I want someone who treated me as an equal? There was so much I didn’t know about Aiden.
“Twenty questions?” I asked suddenly.
“Sure. You go first.” Aiden slowed for a stoplight and glanced at me.
“What’s your plan after you graduate?” This was good, solid ground. And a good place to start.
“It depends on a few things. I like Texas, but it can be ungodly hot. I’ll probably find a landscaping company to work for in Houston and go from there. Eventually I want to start my own company and nursery. I can do that anywhere though.” He smiled with a wicked gleam in his eye. “My turn. What’s your favorite color?”
I laughed. “Seriously? We did this already. Silver, remember?” Shaking my head, I turned the tables toward him.
“I know,” Aiden laughed. “I just wanted you to ask me mine again.”
“Okay, what’s your favorite color?”
Aiden stared into my eyes. “Gold, like the flecks in your eyes.”
My breath caught in my throat. Someone honked behind us, breaking the intense moment. I was grateful.
“My turn,” he said. “What’s your favorite band?”
I snorted.
“What?” he asked teasingly.
“That’s impossible to answer. I have too many faves.” I opened my phone and played my most recently played song. “I’ve had ‘In the End’ by Linkin Park on repeat lately. So, I’ll go with them as the band of the moment.”
“Old school? Nice.” He turned onto a gravel road and his car’s engine worked hard to get up the mountain.
I thought about what I wanted to ask him as he drove. We crested the hill and ended up at an outlook over the lake. There was a small empty parking lot and an old, rusted swing set. Aiden parked and turned off the engine. The view took my breath away, and I blurted out the next question. “Why me?”
Aiden touched my face, turning my gaze toward him. His finger traced my jawline, then over my lips. “Because you’re honest, protective, loyal, and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “You ooze confidence, and you know who you are. That’s sexy, Miranda. You hide your heart, but you also wear it on your sleeve. You hide the pain, but you wear it as a badge of honor. You own who you are. That’s the sexiest thing in the world.”
I couldn’t say anything to that because wow. My heart raced so fast I thought it was going to leap from my body. I wanted him to kiss me, so I could show him how much that meant to me. How much I wanted to be with him there, in that moment. He leaned back and smiled almost sadly.
“Come on,” he said as he opened his door. “We only have about forty-five minutes before sunset.”
“You brought me up here to see the sunset?” My voice sounded small, childlike.
“Yeah, I thought… I thought we could watch it together.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I thought you might find it romantic.”
“Aiden, everything you do for me is romantic.” I smiled shyly. This was a moment. A huge moment. He wanted to make me happy. Eddie had only wanted to make himself happy, and that usually involved me spreading my legs. Aiden didn’t expect sex. “You’re so incredible.”
He smiled and nodded toward the picnic bench. I opened my door, climbed out, and into his warm embrace. He breathed in my hair, pulling me tight against his body. I could feel he wanted to be with me. It was pretty obvious, and in that moment, I wanted him too. I kissed his neck, slowly making my way to his ear. Aiden groaned softly. When I took his earlobe in between my teeth and tugged, his moan became a growl. He pulled back and kissed me in a way that left no doubt what he wanted to do. I dug my fingers into his scalp and kissed him back. Our tongues danced in a fast seduction, doing what our bodies wanted.
Then he pulled back and put his forehead against mine. Our heaving breaths mixed in the hot evening air.
“I don’t want to rush this,” he said softly. “I want you to choose me.”
I tried to kiss him again, to let him know I was choosing him.
“No, not like this.” He leaned back and stared into my eyes. “I know that he’s still there.” He tapped my temple. “Years of manipulating, taking what he wanted from you, that doesn’t go away in a few weeks. As much as I wish it did, it hasn’t.” He leaned down again and rested his forehead back on mine. “I want to show you how you should be treated. I want to prove to you that you’re worth everything. You’ve wormed your way inside me faster than I thought possible, but I can’t… as much as I want to show you how I feel, I want you to choose me. You’re not there yet.”
“I want to be,” I whispered.
He leaned back and kissed my forehead. “That’s a start.”
Then he let go and walked toward the trunk. He brought back a picnic basket and took my hand, leading me to the surprisingly sturdy wooden table.
“My turn,” he said as we spread out a tablecloth. “What are your plans after college?”
I laughed because that was so not on my mind at the moment. “Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t even know what I want to major in. I just thought I would figure it out when I got there.”
“That’s fair.” Aiden took out real plates and two wine glasses. “A lot of people find what they love once they start classes.”
I retrieved potato salad from the basket. “Are we officially a couple or are we just dating?”
Aiden froze with a container in his hand. He didn’t look up when he responded. “What do you want to be?”
“I think I’d like to call you my boyfriend,” I said quietly, because that was so hard to say but I wanted him to know where I stood. “But I’ll understand if you want to not say that. I’d just like us to be together. I think we’re good together and…” I sounded like a complete asshole. “I don’t want to be with anyone else. So… yeah.”
“What about him?” he asked still not looking at me.
“I’m not going to lie to you, Aiden. Eddie … now that you’re interested in me, he’s suddenly trying to get me back. But there’s nothing to get back. I don’t want to be his throw away toy anymore. I want to be with someone who likes me for me. And I want to be with someone I like more than I probably have a right to.”
Aiden didn’t respond right away. He kept arranging our dinner picnic as the sun crept toward the horizon. He took out a bottle of cheap sparkling wine and popped the cork. After pouring it into the wine glasses, he handed me one and lifted his.
“To our coupledom,” he said, leaving his glass high in the air.
I raised mine and tapped it against his. The dull plastic thud reverberated in my heart. “To our coupledom.”
Aiden set his glass down. “Miranda, I really like you. And I like spending time with you. I’m not going to lie or manipulate you. Every time I see him, I want to punch his face until there’s nothing recognizable anymore. That feeling isn’t going to go away.” He took my hands in his. “I don’t want to see him anywhere near you, but I have a feeling he’s not going to disappear so easily either.”
I shook my head.
“So if I get pissed
or jealous when he shows up, you’ll forgive me for being a dick?”
I nodded, unable to actually speak.
“Good, because I don’t share.”
He yanked me into his chest and crushed my lips against his. It was sweet, harsh, gentle, and possessive, as if he was claiming me.
I claimed him back.
Chapter Eighteen
I was high on life. Things, for once, were looking up for me. My parents were so busy with Carly’s upcoming wedding that they didn’t interfere with anything. Luke’s fling with the HR intern was turning serious. Carly and Gracin had enough on their plate, too.
And Aiden, it was too good to be true.
We texted, talked, and saw each other almost every day for the next two weeks. Aiden didn’t push me into sex. He didn’t even make a move on me past his passionate kisses, and those were enough to set me on fire.
The best part, Eddie left me alone.
Everything was great, too great, so I should’ve seen the disaster looming on the horizon.
“Miranda?” Mom half shouted, half asked politely up the stairs. I was staring at my laptop as I searched community colleges in Houston. “Are you up there?”
“Yeah,” I shouted from my bedroom, closing the laptop. “I’m coming.”
Mom stood at the bottom of the steps, a worried expression covering her face. “We have to go.”
“Where?” I stayed at the top because going downstairs meant facing whatever she was upset about.
“It’s Luke. There’s been an accident at the theater.” She rubbed her hands together, her eyebrows crashing down. Then the tears came. “He’s at the hospital.”
“Okay, let me grab my shoes.” I held out my hand to calm her like a wild animal. Mom was about to lose it, so I had to stay calm no matter how much I wanted to freak out. I slipped into a pair of flip flops and grabbed my keys. Mom hadn’t moved when I got down the stairs. “I’ll drive.”
“What if something happens to him?” she asked in a childlike voice. I’d never heard her so scared before. “He’s my baby.”
I put my arm around her shoulders and led her toward the front door. “It’ll be okay, Mom. I’m sure Luke is fine.”
She sobbed, and I hugged her tighter as I led her out to my car. Mom got in, slumping in her seat. I kept my cool as I pulled out of the driveway. Her sniffling filled the car. I tried to ignore it because she had every right to cry. Luke would always be her baby. So would Carly, and so would I.
My calm slipped the closer we got to the hospital, but I knew I had to keep myself together for Mom’s sake.
Luke will be fine. It’s nothing major. Nothing life threatening. Please don’t let it be anything major. I prayed silently.
When I pulled into the lot by the emergency room, Dad walked quickly in front of my car. I stopped, and Mom jumped out. He hugged her tightly and waved me on to park. It took me almost ten minutes to find a spot. Once the car was off, I just sat there. Tears filled my eyes, and I let them free.
He’s gonna be okay, I thought repeatedly as I gathered myself back together. Mom and Dad didn’t need to see me melt down. I hurried to the ER and found Mom in a chair with a dumbfounded expression on her face. Dad wasn’t anywhere around. The harsh fluorescent lights didn’t do anyone’s complexion justice. Mom’s pale skin looked washed out under them.
“Mom?” I sat beside her quietly, afraid that any sudden movement might startle her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, but her gaze was far off in another world. The stark whiteness of the floors, walls, and ceiling only added to her ghostly glow.
“Is Luke going to be okay?” I asked gently. The sharp smell of antiseptic filled my nose.
Again, she nodded. I didn’t take much stock in her response.
“Your brother’s in surgery,” Dad said behind me. I turned around to face him. Dad’s normally impeccable suit jacket was wrinkled, and his tie was loose around his neck. “A boom fell on the stage. He pushed Marx out of the way, and it landed on his leg. That’s all I really know right now.”
“His leg. That’s not a vital organ or anything. He’ll be fine?” It was both a statement and a question. I’d never heard of anyone dying over a leg injury, but what did I know? I wasn’t a doctor, and I’d barely passed high school biology.
“He’s in surgery,” Dad snapped like I hadn’t heard him.
I closed my eyes, and Mom’s hand squeezed my fingers. He didn’t mean it to be an asshole. I knew that, but it hurt nonetheless. People forget words hurt more than a physical blow sometimes. The pen truly is mightier than the sword. I’d had enough words slung at me over the years to know the truth of that statement.
Nobody said anything else for a long time. I held Mom’s hand. Dad paced the ER. Carly and Gracin showed, and Dad gave them the same information. We settled in for the long wait. Gracin at one point left to get food. I ate a burger, but nothing had any flavor. It was almost six in the evening when the doctor finally came to us.
“Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds?” a man said. His white coat hung off his wiry frame. Beneath that, he wore scrubs stained with blood. My brother’s blood. He offered his hand, and Dad shook it firmly. Mom couldn’t stand. “I’m Dr. Harbaugh. As you know Luke suffered a compound fracture of his left femur, tibia, and fibula. The fracture nicked his femoral artery. Thanks to the fast action of your staff, they were able to slow the loss of blood before the ambulance got there.”
Dad just nodded. Mom’s hand tightened around mine, and I think I stopped breathing at one point.
“We repaired the tear in the artery and were able to set the bones with pins, but he has a long recovery ahead of him. The damage to his bones is extensive.”
“He’ll be okay?” Mom croaked. I wrapped my arm around her.
“We’re going to keep him a few days for observation. He also suffered a concussion when his head hit the stage. We just want to make sure there aren’t any lingering effects, but I expect him to make a full recovery with time and physical therapy.”
Dad held out his hand again. “Thank you, Dr. Harbaugh. Can we see him?”
“He’s in post op now and will be moved to a room shortly. I’ll have someone take you to his floor so you can be there when he wakes up.” Dr. Harbaugh nodded to each of us with his lips pressed into a thin line and back away until he turned around.
We let out a collective breath. As one, we hugged each other, even Gracin. The tears came again, only happy ones this time. It was a great weight we’d all carried, and it had been lifted. I wanted to curl up and fall asleep.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and broke away from the group as they talked about Luke’s recovery.
Where are you? There’s nobody at your house.
Shit. Aiden. We had a date, and I’d totally forgotten.
At hospital. Luke is hurt but will be okay. I’m so sorry. It all happened so fast. I hit send, and it wasn’t two seconds before he responded.
Why didn’t you call me?
That was a great question, and one I didn’t know the answer to. Why hadn’t I called him? We had been there for a long time, and I’d had chances. I just hadn’t done it. Aiden didn’t really know Luke except from at work. There wasn’t a reason to call him.
I don’t know. As soon as I hit send, I realized it was the wrong thing to say.
Oh. I hope he’ll be okay, he sent.
Me, too.
Aiden didn’t respond.
Chapter Nineteen
I was a zombie at the theater the next morning. My alarm went off at seven, but I snoozed it until I had twenty minutes to get dressed and get there. By some miracle, I hit every light and clocked in a minute early. My phone remained suspiciously silent. I’d texted Aiden before I fell asleep what I thought was a heartfelt apology. He hadn’t responded.
So I figured that either it was over and he couldn’t handle my lack of relationship skills or I needed to do some serious groveling. I hoped for the last.
The
stage was busy. I tried to ignore it, but my brother could’ve died up there. He had pushed Marx, the lead singer of the band, out of the way. Thank god the grips acted quickly. I stepped up to the edge, searching for something. I didn’t know what it was until Gracin came out from backstage.
“They cleaned up the blood,” he said quietly.
I snapped out of my reverie. “I wasn’t… I mean I didn’t…”
“It’s okay, Miranda,” he said, raising his hand. He walked to the side and sat down, dangling his feet over the edge. “I’ve been here all night with Carly. The band moved their equipment out overnight, so that’s one less thing to worry about. Carly and I wanted to make sure it was fixed right and cleaned. The last thing your dad needs is to deal with this mess on top of everything else.”
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, he’ll be fine, but it’s not going to be easy. He’ll probably have a limp.” Gracin swung his legs like a kid. “We haven’t had a chance to talk since … well, ever.” He smiled, and I offered him one back. “You okay with me joining the family?”
“As long as you never hurt her again, yeah.” Carly had been devastated when Gracin let her go to Nashville alone and he went back to L.A. She had put up a good front, but there were days I knew she was dying on the inside.
“I never wanted to hurt her the first time.” He sighed and stared out over the seats. “I remember when I met you at that ambush at the resort. My father had intended on making me look like an asshole, and all I did was make Carly look bad to your dad.” He grinned, lost in a memory that was both good and bad. “I’ll never forget opening the door to my room and seeing this fiery, already pissed off girl who could eat me up and spit me out. I think I fell in love with her a little bit then.”
“Do you believe in love at first sight?” I asked.
“Yeah, I do. I think we’re all in love with the idea of being in love more than anything, but when you meet the right person, you just know.” He turned his intense hazel eyes toward me. “Eddie? Or are you talking about the new guy? Aiden?”
