Chapter 20
TWENTY
AARON
Someone knocked on the Powells’ front door, and Aaron grinned, even as his heart hammered in his chest. “I’ll get it. It’s probably Lars and the girls.”
He’d driven them to school the last two mornings as usual then hung out with Maddie throughout the day.
He’d cleaned the house and worked here and there, mostly when she was napping, and in the evenings, he’d played with the other two, helped with dinner and bedtime…
and avoided looking at Lars as much as humanly possible.
Neither had mentioned what happened a couple nights ago. It was so freaking awkward.
But they’d promised the girls could come to Friday night dinner this week at Charlie’s parents’ house. They had been too excited to change the plan. Especially when he’d mentioned his mom would be there. They’d missed her about as much as he had.
So, for them, he would push through and act like everything was fine. He took a deep breath and opened the door. His smile turned genuine when Chloe yelled, “Unc Aaron!”
Bending down, he scooped her up and kissed her cheek. “Hey, guys. Come in.”
He stepped out of the way, and Lars carried Maddie inside with one arm while holding Allie’s hand in the other. “Thanks. We are starving,” he said with a chuckle. “Allie, want to take your jacket off?”
She nodded and did as he suggested, and he started pulling off Maddie’s little coat.
The temperature had dropped overnight, now feeling more like winter than fall.
Hopefully, it was warmer for Halloween next week.
Chloe kicked her legs, hugging Aaron around the neck.
He laughed and crouched to set her down.
“All right, Little Monster. Let’s get this coat off. ”
As soon as she was out of the bright yellow jacket, she ran toward the kitchen.
“Chloe, wai—and she’s gone,” Lars said, laughing.
Aaron took the other coats and hung them in the closet next to the front door. Allie bounced on her toes. “Can I go too?”
“Yeah, everyone’s excited to see you all,” Aaron said, turning to say hi to the youngest Spencer daughter. He took her small hand in his and played with it. “Hi, Maddie.”
“Hi,” she said in her cute little voice, then she repeated it over and over while reaching for him.
Aaron took her and finally looked at Lars. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
A beat passed, neither saying anything else. Maddie pointed to the kitchen. “Food.”
Aaron nodded, grateful for the distraction. “Yes, let’s go get you some food, baby girl.”
He bounced her gently as they walked into the kitchen, where Allie sat on his mom’s lap, telling her all about kindergarten and showing her the picture she colored for her.
Elliot sat right next to them, joining in.
Chloe, on the other hand, was dancing with Charlie near the sliding glass doors.
Charlie’s dad was cooking and talking to Aiden, and her mom sat at the island bar with Harper and Vi.
Everyone looked so content. One big happy family.
Aaron had wanted Bri to come too, but she’d had a sleepover planned already.
He promised her she could come any week she wanted.
Their Friday night dinner tradition had been going on since before Aaron was even born, and no one had any plans of stopping them.
There was no rush. He loved how much it had grown over the years to include friends.
Charlie’s mom stood when they entered, grinning at Maddie. “There’s my other favorite girl.”
The feeling was mutual, as seen by how Maddie immediately lunged for her. Aaron laughed. “Traitor.”
She returned to her seat, leaving Aaron and Lars standing together. Aaron glanced over. Lars met his gaze, and Aaron swore he saw the same worry and pain there. But also like Aaron, it seemed he didn’t know how to fix this either.
“Unc Aaron,” a small hand grabbed his, “dance with me.” Chloe tugged at him.
He twirled her around a couple times, loving her giggles. Then, he lifted her up, turning this way and that before dipping her backward. She let out a squeal. Holding her close again, he walked over to Charlie and swayed to the music. Chloe hugged him just as tightly.
“Dinner’s ready,” Mr. Powell said a couple minutes later.
“I sit with you?” Chloe asked.
Aaron kissed her cheek once more. He loved this little girl so much it almost hurt. “Of course.”
As they all sat down and started plating their food, he looked around the room in wonder. Despite everything that had happened, it had all worked out. Everyone was together. Happy.
When his gaze met Lars’s across the table, he just hoped it would work out for them too. He prayed that he hadn’t ruined their friendship.
“What the hell is going on?” Vi hissed, the second he stepped out of the bathroom an hour later.
Aaron’s brow furrowed as he pushed past her. “I had to pee?”
“No, not that.” She grabbed him by the arm to stop him. “What’s going on with you and Lars?”
With a sigh, Aaron faced her. “Is it that obvious?”
“To anyone with eyes,” she deadpanned. “You two have been friends for almost twenty years, and I’ve never seen you guys like this. The tension is insane; you haven’t said two words to each other all night. Are you fighting again or something?”
“No, and we weren’t fighting before.”
“So, then, what—” Her eyes widened, as if realizing the truth. “Oh my God, did you sleep with h—”
“No, shh.” He quickly dragged her into Charlie’s old room, glancing behind him to make sure the hall was still empty. How in the hell had she jumped to that conclusion? Was it because of their conversation about playing house? “It wasn’t—we didn’t…”
“Holy shit,” she said in an amused tone. “I was right, wasn’t I?”
“No.” He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, but this stays between us.”
She nodded. “Okay, just spill.”
Aaron moved to stand near the tall white dresser and crossed his arms as he leaned against it. “He’s been struggling with this whole separation with Melanie.”
“I know,” she said in a more serious voice. “It sucks.”
“Yeah, and with everything going on, his entire life is literally just the girls and work. He’s…
” Aaron sighed, knowing he probably shouldn’t be sharing all of this.
But he needed someone to talk to. Normally the person he went to was Lars…
“He’s been really lonely, Vi. He and Mel had a drunken hookup like six months ago, but that was the first time in a while. And it was the last.”
She moved to sit against the footboard. “So, you let him fuck you?”
“No. God, just… stop,” he said, even as he chuckled, trying to hide the way that image made his dick start to harden. He cleared his throat. “I, um… may have givenhimablowjob.” The quiet mumbled words all rushed out as one.
But Vi heard him. She bit her lower lip, clearly trying not to grin.
“Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking it,” he said, shaking his head. “It was a one-time thing. Just one friend helping out another.”
She let out a short laugh. “You’re a really good friend.”
“Words I never thought I’d hear from you.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever helped out a friend like that,” she added, ignoring him.
Aaron raised a brow at the absurd statement. “Right, just strangers from Love Hunters or the bar?”
“You make me sound like a slut.” Before he could respond, she lifted a hand and pointed at him. “Don’t. My love life is not the topic of discussion right now. Okay, so why are things weird between you two if it was just… friends hooking up?”
Aaron hesitated before saying, “Because I wanted to keep going, and he didn’t.
He pulled away and left, which I get if he was freaked out.
I was too. But… I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it, and it’s so fucking awkward.
” Rolling his eyes, he added, “I don’t even understand why.
It’s not like it was our first time.” He snapped his mouth shut, but it was too late. The confession was out there.
Vi straightened, her amusement shifting to anger instantly, and he knew what she was thinking before she could start yelling at him.
Aaron quickly shook his head. “No, it wasn’t—This has nothing to do with Charlie. I swear.”
“You and Charlie started dating when you were sixteen,” she said. “You were together for eight years. If it wasn’t then, when—”
“Before,” he said. “It was before I asked her out. Remember when I told you about experimenting? We were just dumb teenagers trying to figure things out together because we trusted each other.”
She narrowed her eyes. “So, this isn’t why you called things off with Charlie?”
“No. I swear.” It honestly had nothing to do with that.
“I called things off because I couldn’t live with the guilt anymore.
Especially when I saw how much Aid was hurting at the wedding.
I knew he would’ve stayed by my side, but when I overheard him in the dressing room talking to our mom, I just…
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do that to him. ”
Vi took a deep breath then dipped her head. “Fine. So, what’s the issue now? Why don’t you just talk to Lars?”
He lowered his gaze and kicked the floor with one foot a couple times. “I’m terrified I ruined everything. He’s my best friend, and I don’t want to lose him.” Looking up, he said, “I can’t lose the girls, Vi. It would kill me.”
She opened her mouth, but from the doorway, a deeper voice said, “You won’t.”