Chapter 34 #2
I got up from the bed and glanced around.
Plants lined the balcony. To my right, a shelf was stacked with photography books that made about as much sense as IKEA manuals when I skimmed the pages.
Camera lenses sat on the table beside his bed, and his closet was filled with clothes I’d already seen him wear a hundred times.
What kind of secrets had Mabel thought I'd find here?
I opened the drawer anyway, finding stacks of photos inside. I flipped through them: animals, nature, busy markets, kids laughing which made me pause. Something clicked in my thoughts.
The memory rushed back, the girl Aeron had mentioned, the one he'd taken a photo of, the one whose smile he'd said had seemed to be only meant for him. I skimmed through the pictures desperately to find hers, but no luck. Apparently, Aeron wasn’t making this easy.
I tugged at the drawer below—locked.
I found a tiny key in the first drawer. I hesitated, my moral code whispering something about privacy, but curiosity shouted louder.
Sliding the key into the lock, I felt a satisfying click and eased the drawer open just far enough to glimpse a gray box.
That’s when I sensed someone standing behind me.
Mabel must've come to whisper-shout that Aeron was pulling into the driveway, or worse, already halfway up the stairs.
“You didn't tell me you were coming.”
Shit!
He was already firmly in caught-you-snooping territory.
Was I about to get lectured on personal boundaries?
I spun around, flashing my calmest, not-guilty smile. “Surprise?”
His eyes flicked briefly, almost too fast to catch, toward the half-open drawer before returning to me. “Try harder.” He crossed his arms, leaning casually against the doorframe, a teasing smile curving his lips as he slowly scanned me from head to toe.
“Should I give you a little twirl?” I smirked.
“I was surprised to see you actually have legs under all those oversized outfits.”
I grabbed the first thing my hand touched, a pillow, resisting the temptation to toss the lens that sat closer, and threw it at him.
I'd been expecting a compliment, something sweet like Mabel had offered.
Aeron dodged it, and it went through the door, and fell to the floor.
He closed the distance, planting his hands on the table, trapping me in place. “Find anything suspicious, Sherlock?”
“Your color choices.” I pointed at the walls. “They scream nothing is happening here. A nice haunted-forest green or maybe a bloody-murder maroon would sell that suspicious vibe.”
“If you move in with me.” He leaned in close enough to sabotage my normal breathing. “I'll repaint everything. Pink, orange, or whatever color makes you happy.”
My heart gave an unsteady thump because the way he said it, certain and achingly sincere, had me suddenly craving those crazy colors. “Any color?”
“Any,” he promised.
“How about…” I rose onto my toes, opening my arms. Aeron leaned toward me, his hands sliding naturally to my waist as I looped my arms around his neck. “Traffic-cone orange, Barbie-dreamhouse pink, glow-stick green?”
He snorted, fingers tracing idle circles on my waist. “What’s next? Crime-scene tape yellow?”
“That’s awesome. We’ll save that for the ceiling, and please can we add some orange polka dots?”
His laugh rumbled, vibrating between us. “You’re insanely insane, you know that?”
“And you’ll still repaint?”
“I’ll repaint. Neon stripes, glitter…polka dots…hell, I’ll even hold the ladder while you string up fairy lights.”
I blinked. Fairy lights? The man whose entire closet was one single color palette now wanted to pick paint swatches.
“Aeron, are you compromising?”
“No, sweetheart, I’m surrendering.”
This man! How could I not fall for him?
I tightened my hold around him, hoping he could somehow sense everything I wasn’t ready to say out loud. Aeron’s hand moved gently up my spine, his silent way of letting me know he felt it too.
I pulled back just enough to see his face. “Matching outfits?”
Aeron groaned. “Don’t push it, sweetheart.”
I laughed, burying myself right back into his chest, my safest hiding spot. Even if I went completely overboard and asked for matching heart pajamas, he would shake his head and still say yes anyway.
“I am so happy right now.”
I stepped back from Aeron’s embrace to see Mabel standing in the doorway, eyes bright, grin huge.
“And you, my son.” She narrowed her eyes accusingly at Aeron. “I’m still mad at you for keeping this.” She gestured between us. “A secret.”
“So, you sent her here on a secret revenge mission?” Aeron asked.
“And you forgot to warn me he was already home.” I feigned a betrayed tone.
“Please…” Mabel gasped. “He snuck in like some cat burglar. I didn't even know he was here until Isabel told me he’d gone upstairs. I rushed up immediately, but by then, the damage was already done. Anyway, now that the mystery’s solved, get your butts downstairs.
I'm starving.” Halfway out the door, she paused, glancing back at me with sympathy.
“Good luck handling him. You’re going to need it. ”
I glanced at Aeron, feigning concern. “Is there like a discount code or some emotional support fund available for handling you?”
“It’s strictly volunteer work for you.” He smiled, leaning in for a kiss.
I pressed a hand to his chest, stopping him. “As tempting as it was, my stomach is moments away from eating itself.”
He muttered a curse and took my hand. As we moved to leave, my gaze flicked back to the drawer. It was closed now, although I didn't remember seeing him shut it.
When had he done that?