Chapter 30
THIRTY
AARON
“Ishould have worn another shirt under this. It’s freezing,” Aaron hissed to Lars as they walked down the sidewalk toward the next house.
Just as he’d hoped, Allie and Bri made quick friends. They were getting along so well, talking nonstop about their favorite movies and school. It turned out Bri loved arts and crafts too, and she was excited to go to the kids’ class at Happily Ever Crafter next week with Allie and Elliot.
Chloe had been glued to Elliot’s side for the first block, but eventually, the chaos of all the kids running around and the prospect of more candy got to her.
She’d already tried to race off ahead of them a handful of times, and someone always quickly grabbed her, but the last time, she’d gone too close to the road, scaring the shit out of everyone.
So, she was now perched on Aaron’s shoulders.
They were a big group. Lars’s parents had stopped at the church to help out because one of the volunteers had called in sick, but Colby had met up with them.
He and Harper walked side by side in the middle of the group, keeping an eye on the three oldest kids while Aaron and Lars focused on Chloe and Maddie.
“Unc Aaron, I have candy?” Chloe asked, patting the top of his head.
He chuckled, one hand holding on to her leg and the other carrying her pumpkin bucket. Looking at Lars, he said, “Dad?”
“One.” Lars smirked, walking close enough for their arms to brush.
He was pulling Maddie in a little wagon with a bunch of blankets for when they all started complaining about the cold.
It was only a matter of time. She’d started off walking, made it about ten feet before wanting Lars to carry her, and then wanted to ride in the wagon shortly after that.
She seemed to be enjoying watching everything from her cozy nest.
“All right, what kind, Little Monster?” He paused, handing the bucket to Lars so he could lift her off of his shoulders. Setting her on her feet, he knelt, keeping ahold of her.
“Choc-it!” She clapped a couple times, bouncing on her toes.
Lars searched through her bucket and pulled out a fun-size KitKat bar.
Aaron watched him examine it, making sure the wrapper was fully intact before opening it, breaking off a piece, and handing it to her.
She immediately grabbed it and shoved it in her mouth, which was exactly why they always gave her little pieces instead of the whole thing.
Laughing, Aaron stood but held on to her hand. He walked with her to the next house, and couldn’t help but grin when she yelled “trick-or-treat” louder than all the others. An elderly couple held out a bowl for them to each take a couple pieces, then they moved on once more.
The sun had finally set beneath the horizon, making it feel more like Halloween, in Aaron’s opinion. He’d loved doing this at night growing up, but with these kids being so young, they went on the earlier side. As the sky slowly darkened above them, Allie stuck by Lars’s side.
Chloe tried to pull away as they neared a particularly decorated house.
It had lights and cobwebs, fake gravestones in the small front yard, an inflatable pumpkin taller than Aiden, and fun music playing.
He released her as they headed toward the porch.
She climbed the steps and was the first to knock on the door.
When it opened, revealing a woman also in a pirate costume, Chloe giggled and spun around to point to Aaron.
“Unc Aaron, ’nother pirate!”
“I see that,” he said with a laugh, stopping on the step below her and letting the other kids go up in front of him.
The young woman greeted them, then she introduced herself to Aaron. “Hi, I’m Sasha.”
“Aaron.” He shook her offered hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” she said with a flirtatious smile. “You’re their uncle?”
He shrugged. “For lack of a better word.”
“Unc Aaron, marry pirate lady!”
Aaron let out a nervous laugh, shaking his head. “Oh, Little Monster.” He scooped her into his arms and tickled her sides. As she wiggled and squealed, he told the woman, “Have a nice night.”
The others started walking away. She nodded, but before he could turn to leave with them, she said, “Maybe we could start with coffee instead of marriage?”
He could practically feel Lars tense a couple feet away. With a smile, he shifted Chloe to hold against his side. “I’m… um… actually kind of seeing someone right now. So…”
“I get it,” she said when he trailed off. “But maybe I could give you my number in case you change your mind?”
Aaron couldn’t help but glance at Lars. His friend had his jaw clenched tight enough to see even from here.
But the swirling emotions in his eyes were what made Aaron’s chest ache.
He never wanted to be the cause of such uncertainty in Lars, let alone pain.
Turning back to Sasha, he shook his head.
“Thanks, but I don’t plan on changing my mind. ”
When they walked away, the corner of Lars’s mouth curled up, even as his head lowered. Setting Chloe down, they followed her closely, and Aaron bumped their shoulders together.
Lars met his gaze as they made their way down the sidewalk.
“I meant it,” Aaron whispered. “I don’t want to go out with anyone else.”
“Me neither.” Lars slowly slipped his hand into Aaron’s.
Everyone was in front of them, even Harper was now pulling Maddie’s wagon, so no one saw them.
It still felt risky, but honestly, he didn’t care.
He didn’t want the girls to see, and he knew Lars didn’t either.
It was far too soon for that, especially since they didn’t know about him and Mel yet.
But Aaron didn’t care if anyone else saw.
For days, Aaron had been growing increasingly more aware of how desperately he wanted this.
He’d fallen hard for his best friend quickly, and now that they’d started giving in to those desires, he couldn’t imagine going back to just being friends.
It was fast, he knew that, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt like this was where they’d been heading all these years.
They’d always been close, but it had also seemed like more.
There was an added layer to their friendship, a sort of connection he’d never felt with anyone else.
In the past, he’d thought it was just simply because they’d experimented with each other as teens, that they’d reached a different level of openness he didn’t have with his other friends.
But now… now, he wasn’t sure it hadn’t always been more.
Was this how Charlie and Aiden felt? Had it been a slow progression like this?
Regardless, he was fairly certain of one thing:
He was in love with Lawrence Spencer.
And it felt so different than what he’d had with Charlie. He understood their passion now, that all-consuming need to be with each other every hour of every day.
But it was more than physical. He was his best self when he was with Lars and the girls. They made him want to be better.
As the group walked to the next house, he realized a second too late that it looked too spooky for their little ones.
Someone jumped out right by Chloe with a terrifying mask, practically shouting in her face.
She screamed and immediately started sobbing.
In an instant, Lars was there, shoving the man away from her. “What is your problem, man?”
Aaron rushed to her, but before he could pick her up, Elliot was there.
The little boy turned her around and hugged her, holding her away from the man.
In any other circumstance, Aaron would’ve commented on how adorable it was that he’d gone to comfort her.
Kneeling beside them, Aaron put a hand on each of their backs while fighting the urge to punch the douche in the face for scaring his baby.
Lars didn’t have as much restraint. He shoved the guy up against the nearest tree. “She’s a fu-freaking toddler. Why would you do that?”
Farther up the walkway, Harper was holding a crying Maddie and Colby stood with Allie and Bri.
“I was just having some fun,” the young man said. “It’s Halloween.”
“Thanks, buddy. I’ve got her from here,” Aaron whispered to Elliot before lifting Chloe into his arms. As she buried her face into the curve of his neck, he quickly went to grab Lars. “Let’s just go.”
There were other families watching them, groups of kids huddled around trying to figure out what was going on.
When Lars hesitated, Aaron said, “Let him go, Lawrence.” Leaning in, he quietly added just for him to hear, “Don’t give anyone a reason to take you away from the girls.”
That seemed to snap him out of his rage-filled haze.
Lars released the man and took a step back.
He opened his mouth but seemed to think better of whatever he’d been prepared to say.
Turning, he nodded to Aaron then focused on Chloe.
He brushed a hand down the back of her head and said in a soft tone, “It’s okay, baby. It’s not real. It was just a mask.”
He kissed her forehead then focused on the other girls. Aaron returned to the sidewalk near the street where there was more light. “Sorry, Little Monster.”
“He scary.” She hiccuped.
“I know.” He swayed from side to side, holding her close while waiting for the others to rejoin them. “Do you want to go home or keep trick-or-treating?”
Her tiny shrug was answer enough. When the rest of their group came over, Lars was carrying Maddie and holding Allie’s hand. Bri moved to Aaron’s side, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“I think that’s enough for tonight,” Lars said quietly. Aaron nodded in agreement. They’d been at this for a couple hours already anyway. It seemed like most of the little ones were tired.
“You okay with that?” Aaron asked his sister.
“Yeah, I’m cold.”
He chuckled. “Girl, me too.”
Colby lifted Elliot into his arms as Harper said, “I think we’re ready to go home too.”