CHAPTER 26
Aiden
“So, you’re holding her dog hostage, that’s your grand plan?” Ben says in my phone screen.
“I’m not.” I am.
Ben chuckles, “Very romantic, mate.”
“I tried that!” I bark as I curl a fifty-pound weight. “Took care of her like you said, made sure she’s eating real meals, equipment for the store, bought her things she needed—”
“She needed a vintage Bronco?”
I set down the weight and sigh, “That was the romantic bit.”
“A car was the romantic bit? And you flat-out asked her to dinner and she said no,” he repeats. We’ve been over it already, though he’s having quite a laugh. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Yes, well, she wanted to say yes,” I grab the weight with my other hand.
“Did she now? You think that based on what?” Ben asks.
“Based on the way she talked to my bare chest earlier today, for one thing,” I grunt.
And how she would fight a smile when I would come in every morning. She hung on every word I’d share with the townsfolk. Memorized all my favorite pastries and coffee blends, based on my reaction, since I never told her which I preferred.
“Not the same and you know it. She can want your knob and not the rest of you attached to it,” he says as he makes his way into his apartment.
“Don’t forget she also defended my honor with the water pitcher,” I remind him.
He scoffs, “That was about calming down a drunk kid, not standing up for your grumpy arse.”
“Two things can be true at once,” I say.
I hear him place his keys and wallet on an entry table as he says, “But they’re not. You’re a handsome bloke, but a prickly one. Maybe just let it go? Starting with her dog?”
I make a show of opening the side garage door. “Stuart, go home,” I say. The dog raises his head off the giant dog bed I put up in the gym area for him, snorts, and flops back down to sleep. “You see? Tried. Bloody menace, that one. She’ll have to come get him.”
“And let’s say this dog-napping finally gets her to cave, then what, Aid?”
“Then I finally get to take her out for a decent meal. That isn’t reheated,” I say.
I hear Janie call to him in the background, “Coming love,” he says to her.
He lowers his voice and looks down at his phone, “And then?” I open my mouth to say then I hopefully get to kiss that shy little mouth, see if she’s as sweet as I imagine.
Maybe hold her, touch her, help her to escape, to relax, if only for a few minutes.
I’ve always had…good reviews in that regard.
Women usually come back for more. Maybe Harper would too.
But I shut my mouth right up again because I’m not about to say all of that to Ben.
But he shoots a knowing glare through the little glass, anyway, since he is also a red-blooded man in his thirties.
He knows exactly what I’m thinking. “And after that bit? Then? And then? And then you bloody go back to London. I’m telling you, Aiden. Leave it.”
“Hmph,” is all I say in reply.
“Got to go, email me those confirmations for the bachelor party, yeah?”
“Already did. Quite a while ago,” I say.
He rolls his eyes, “Wank—” I cut the call.
At the same moment, a text comes through.
Harper: Do you have Stuart?
Aiden: At this point, who really has who?
Harper: Omw
Aiden: Don’t
This was indeed my plan. And it worked like a charm. Still, I feel like a right twat, making her come get her dog after a long day working in the sun.
Aiden: I’ll bring him to you.
Harper: ty
Aiden: Actually, would it help if I kept him here?
Aiden: [photo]
Harper: omg that dog bed is the size of my human bed!
Aiden: almost, if memory serves
Harper: Are you sure you don’t mind?
Aiden: I’m sure
I want to be an ass and type something snarky. I’m inexplicably angry about what she said, that I “just watch her dog sometimes.” And angrier still that she said it in front of that smiley bastard, Lewis. But I stop myself. I think she knows all of that. She proves me right a second later.
Harper: You’re not just someone who watches Stuart
Aiden: Right, I’m also the town’s rich asshole
Harper: Yes, and I guess, if I squint really hard and tilt my head…
I hold my breath and pull the rectangle of pixels closer to my face.
Harper: I can see you as a friend.
Aiden: Brilliant
Aiden: As your friend, I need to reiterate that Lewis is, indeed, a wanker.
Harper: lol facts.
Harper: As your friend, I have to tell you that your race was EPIC today. I haven’t laughed that hard in months.
Aiden: Happy to be of service.
I could be of service in other ways. I could service you in all the ways! I want to type it so badly, my thumb aches. But I don’t. She’s finally talking to me, electronically, at least, and I don’t want to spook her.
Aiden: How were the numbers today?
Harper: Amazing! Huge turnout. And everyone paid for all the additional charges, with hardly any complaints. You were right.
Aiden: Of course I was.
Harper: [eye roll emoji]
Harper: Why do you have to do this?
Aiden: Gloating just comes naturally when you’re constantly proven correct
Harper: Barf. Not that. Why do you have to ruin the town?
Aiden: There’s no other way to lay out the resort, I looked at the options.
Aiden: We will be tight on parking as it is
Harper: Why couldn’t you just make the resort smaller?
Aiden: It has to be a certain size to maximize profitability
Harper: BS. You could turn a profit on a one bedroom bed and breakfast
Aiden: Why thank you
Harper: Ugh. Bye!
Aiden: I have a portfolio to maintain, I can’t start opening B&Bs
Harper: You can, though. You can do whatever you want! And you do!
Aiden: Remember the alternative? Your town dies, everyone defaults, those who can will move away?
Harper: There’s something else you’re not telling me
Aiden: There are one million things you aren’t telling me
Harper: lol I’m not that interesting
Aiden: What’s your favorite color?
Harper: Ocean blue
Aiden: Favorite food?
Harper: My gourmet Mac and cheese. My dad always added bacon or lobster, I started adding truffles, it’s amazing
Aiden: Sounds like it
Harper: What’s your favorite color? Black?
Aiden: Green, as of late.
Harper: Food?
Aiden: You already know about my sweet tooth
Harper: Which dessert though
Aiden: Unclear, must keep testing all your options to see
Harper: lol
Aiden: Can I ask you a personal question?
Harper: No
Aiden: How did your mum die?
Harper: Oh, she’s not dead. After she and my dad got divorced she got remarried and left town with her new family
Aiden: Well, shit. Sorry
Harper: Yup
Harper: Are you close with your parents?
Aiden: No
Harper: Raised by nannies?
Aiden: Yes
Harper: ! I was joking! I’m sorry
Aiden: There are worse things
Harper: Man, this is depressing, quick change the subject
Aiden: Favorite concert?
Harper: Never been to one, you?
Aiden: Coldplay at Wembley
Harper: Favorite tv show?
Aiden: Sports
Harper: That is not a tv show!
Aiden: What’s yours?
Harper: Sex and the City probably
It takes me a minute to recover from the shock of what she’s said. And the fact that she texted me the word Sex in any context. I have to take a breath to calm my visceral reaction. Then shake my head at the fact that all the blood in my body is running south at the mention of a television program.
Harper: It’s not just about Sex!
Aiden: If you say so.
Harper: It’s about strong women going for their dreams in New York
Aiden: And their dream is to have a lot of sex, then?
Aiden: If that’s your dream, I’m happy to help.
Harper: You know what, never mind
Aiden: I can come over straight away.
Harper: omg stop
Aiden: I’m afraid I can’t now.
Harper: We’re FRIENDS, remember
Aiden: Friends with benefits is a thing!
Harper: You want me to use you for your amazing body
Aiden: I’m sorry, my what?
Harper: You are the worst
Aiden: You’ve just said I am amazing
Harper: Just your body!
Aiden: It’s happy to be used. Shall I head your way?
Harper: STOP! Lol
Haper: I promise you the show is not just about sex
Aiden: I’ll start watching it immediately. I’ll take notes.
Harper: Don’t, you’ll hate it
Aiden: Already holding the remote
Harper: omg. New subject please! what’s your sign? I bet you’re an Aries
Aiden: I don’t know? My birthday is tomorrow actually
Harper: WHAT!
Aiden: So whatever sign that is
Harper: why didn’t you tell anyone it’s your birthday?!
Aiden: It’s not a big deal
Harper: FALSE! It’s a huge deal!
Harper: You have to come into the store in the morning to celebrate
Harper: Everyone has missed you the last few days
Aiden: Everyone?
Harper: Yeah
Everyone including you? Admit you missed me! Admit you want me even if you don’t want to want me!
I tuck my phone away to quit while I’m ahead. I learned about her mum, which…damn. Leaving Harper behind for a new family? Hard to believe. I can see why Ben is on my ass about this. Her mum, sister, Lewis, Janie. And the JimBo character.
But I’m not asking for a future and I’m not her bloody mother. I just want to take the woman to dinner. Show her some fun and freedom while I’m here to throw my money around and help how I can.
Help before I bulldoze her little shop.
Shit.
I pull my phone out and decide to push my luck.
Aiden: I suppose I can come by. If *everyone* wants me to.
Aiden: When did you decide to open up the bakery?
Harper: I didn’t
Aiden: ?
Harper: It was my dad’s dream
Oh. So I’ve been wrong about that all along then. Perhaps I am a total rubbish human after all.
Aiden: What’s your dream then? Other than the sex.
Harper: I’m happy at the shop
Aiden: Not the question. And the shop is about to be gone
Aiden: Then what
Harper: Then you break my father’s heart, I guess?
Aiden: And what of your heart? You’ll be free, what will you do?
Harper: Idk
Aiden: You haven’t thought about it?
Harper: No
Aiden: Well start
Harper: OR you could just not tear it down
Harper: is the resort your dream?
Aiden: Part of it, yes.
Harper: Bummer that your dream is other people’s nightmare
Harper: gtg gn
I groan and put my head in my hands.
Should’ve quit while you were ahead! Idiot!