Chapter 11
AIDEN
“They’ve finally cleared us to break ground.”
“That’s good.” Aiden nodded. “Right? It’s about time. So what happens after that? They pour the foundation, and you can jump in with the framing?”
Parker pulled a box of carpenter nails from the shelf, studied it for a moment, then grabbed a few more and placed them in the oversized cart.
“Yeah. Since I have men who can complete every stage of work, this build is all mine. It’s going to be the first big project, start to finish, for my company. ”
“Sounds awesome,” Aiden insisted. “I can’t wait to see it.”
His brother gave him a crooked grin. “Somehow, I don’t see you as the church-going type. When was the last time you entered the house of the Lord?”
Aiden scoffed. “I go to church. When there’s one close by.”
With an arch of his brow, Parker smirked. “I suppose it’s a good thing I’m here, then, huh?”
This was just one more piece of proof that Parker was the golden child. Perfect grades. Successful businessman. Adored member of the community. Active parishioner.
There was no need to ask Parker when the last time was that he’d gone to church. Ever since he’d shown up in Copper Creek, his Sundays were blocked out. He’d asked Aiden to tag along a few times, but Aiden always made excuses.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like attending. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in it, either. And maybe that was why his brother continued to ask.
The guilt was what stopped him.
The one thing keeping Aiden away these days had everything to do with the double life he was leading. He’d started to experience this irrational fear that the second he stepped over the threshold of a church, everyone would look at him and know.
Liar. Cheat. Fraud.
He was betraying his friends. He was letting Lily trust a version of him that was only half true. And somehow, walking into church with all of that sitting on his chest felt like asking God to look directly at the worst parts of him.
“Hey, man, you okay?” Parker’s voice jolted him back to the present. His brother might be younger, but he was a few inches taller, and he ducked his head slightly to get a good look at him. “I know I asked you to come out and help me with the big stuff, but if you’re not feeling well—”
“I’m fine,” Aiden insisted. “Promise.” He gripped the back of his neck and shifted his attention to the hardware store.
Shelves of materials surrounded them, and there was no lack of interesting things to look at.
He just couldn’t let Parker figure him out.
“Is this about that girl?” Parker asked quietly. “The one that used to date your friend?”
Aiden flinched, then his expression sharpened. “Shh! Don’t say that out loud,” he hissed, looking around the immediate area. “You have no idea who might be listening.”
Amusement was the main reaction on Parker’s face. He glanced around as well, then murmured, “Sorry, man. You’re right. I didn’t realize just how chatty nails and hammers can be.”
“Shut up,” Aiden snapped. “I’m serious. You’ve been here long enough. I’m sure you’ve overheard a few conversations.”
Parker shrugged and tossed a few more materials into the cart before heading down the aisle.
“I may have heard a thing or two about Mathew’s cousins and the extent to which they’ve feuded with that other family.
What was the name?” Parker paused for a moment, then snapped his fingers.
“Meyers. That’s right.” He grinned. “There’s a whole lot of drama there. You know the story, right?”
Aiden rolled his eyes. “Leave them out of it. That’s Lily’s family.”
“Heard there are a lot of eligible women in that household, too. You think Mathew would get riled up if I wanted to meet a few of them?”
Scowling, Aiden muttered, “He’d probably hand one of them over on a silver platter. Nothing but the best for Mr. Perfect.”
Parker paused, glancing at him for a moment, but he didn’t speak. That somehow made Aiden feel worse.
They finished their shopping and headed for the front of the store. Parker paid for everything, then turned to Aiden. “I’m going to pull the truck up to the front so we can load the heavier stuff.”
Aiden nodded as he gathered the shopping bags and placed them inside the cart. By the time he made it to the exit, he stopped cold.
Right outside was his biggest nightmare come to life.
Parker was speaking to Lily.
They were both smiling.
His stomach dropped.
Flirting. So many emotions attacked him at once.
Fear.
Jealousy.
Panic.
Everything was about to crumble right before his eyes.
He had no other option but to head through the large glass doors and face the music. If there was one reason he should have given in to Lily’s request to meet his brother, this was it. At least then he would have had some control over how the introductions happened.
Aiden’s hand tightened around the cart handle.
He should have told Parker that Lily knew him by his middle name. He should have told Lily his first name long before now. He should have explained that Christopher wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t the whole truth.
And now the choice had been taken from him because he hadn’t had the courage to make it himself. Aiden raked a hand through his hair, then another realization hit him square in the chest.
He was still dressed for work.
Sneakers. Scrubs. None of it gave the impression that he was a rancher, which was what Lily believed.
It was over.
This little slice of forever he’d found with her would be no more. He could feel it in his bones.
Clearly, she wasn’t going anywhere. Not with the way Parker could carry on a conversation. Aiden just knew they were discussing the new church coming in. That was Parker’s passion, after all. He’d talk anyone’s ear off about his latest project.
And Lily was the kind of girl to listen.
Well, shoot.
He was about to become a forever bachelor once again. With a new kind of heaviness weighing on his shoulders, Aiden trudged through the doors and toward his doom.
Lily sensed him first. She had a knack for feeling his presence, just like he did with her. He could tell when she was looking at him. When she was upset. He might even go so far as to know her thoughts when he was in the right mindset.
Curiosity shifted into surprise, then elation when she recognized him. Her sole attention shifted from Parker to him in an instant.
Aiden already knew Parker wasn’t used to not being the center of attention. He probably wasn’t even bothered by it. But it was enough to have him turning his focus toward Aiden as well.
Then Parker spoke.
And that was when Aiden had a front-row seat to his own demise.
Lily’s brows furrowed.
Her mouth formed a tight line.
Even her flushed skin paled. In fact, she looked a little green. So many questions flickered in her gaze that he had to brace himself for what she might say when he finally reached them.
His own heart stuttered.
Heck, it didn’t even feel like it was beating anymore. He couldn’t breathe. A strange sense of dizziness came over him, and all he wanted to do was abandon the cart so he could run to Lily and shield her from the truth she was about to find out.
No. Not shield her. He wanted to shield himself from what the truth would cost him.
All he could offer her was an apologetic smile.
He didn’t have to look at his brother to know Parker was confused by Lily’s reaction. The way he shifted in Aiden’s peripheral made that perfectly clear.
When he reached the two of them, Lily finally spoke.
“Aiden?” she asked, her voice a barely-there rasp.
He flinched.
“You said your name was Christopher.”
Actually, no. He hadn’t.
She’d known him by that name from his time in the rodeo. But he knew better than to point that out. He hadn’t corrected her, and that made the accusation true enough.
“And this is…” She cut a glance at his brother. “Parker said he was your brother.”
Aiden wanted to tear his gaze away from Lily. He desperately wanted to push pause on this conversation so they didn’t have to have it on the street out front of the hardware store where anyone might overhear.
But he couldn’t move.
He was utterly frozen.
Parker muttered a quiet “Oh, boy,” which had Aiden flicking his eyes to his brother. At least he looked apologetic. He was smart. Of course he’d connected the dots. And as much as Aiden wanted to be furious with him, he couldn’t quite manage it.
This wasn’t Parker’s fault. It was his own fault. He had no one to blame but himself.
The coloring had returned to Lily’s cheeks. Her hands were balled into fists at her sides, and she shook her head like she needed to clear it.
But then her sharp blue eyes turned the shade of ice.
“You lied to me.”
Her words sliced into him.
She was right.
He’d lied about who he was by letting her believe something he knew wasn’t true. He’d lied about why he wanted to keep their relationship private. He’d acted like secrecy was harmless because it was easier than admitting he was afraid.
Hope fizzled until he no longer carried it in his heart. He stared at her forlornly, unable to find the words that would right the situation. “I—”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe this.” Then she turned on her heel and stormed away.
“Lily—” He called after her, shoving the cart in his brother’s direction.
But Parker’s words had him stopping short. “Maybe you should let her cool off a bit?”
Aiden turned slowly to face his brother, seething. The anger came fast because it was easier than shame. Easier than standing there with Lily’s hurt still hanging in the air between them.
“What did you say?” he demanded. “Did you tell her your life story or something? You weren’t even out here that long.”
Parker grimaced. “I just said I was staying with my brother Aiden. I asked her if she knew him.”
Aiden clenched his jaw to prevent himself from saying anything that would destroy the tentative relationship they’d found while Parker had been staying with him.
“I might have also mentioned that you work at the hospital?” Parker seemed smaller somehow as he said it. “I’m sorry, man. I only mentioned it because I’m proud of you. I’ve always looked up to you for getting such a good job.”
That gave Aiden pause. It was enough of a distraction that the fire building inside him continued to fade.
Parker was proud of him?
Mr. Perfect himself looked up to Aiden?
His fists relaxed at his sides, and he shook his head. “I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault.”
Parker blinked like he hadn’t expected that.
Aiden swallowed hard. “I should have told her.”
Parker’s expression shifted into something softer. “Yeah. You should have.”
The words normally would have made Aiden angry, but they didn’t.
“I need to go fix this.” Aiden looked in the direction Lily had gone. “I don’t know if there’s anything to salvage, but I…”
Parker jerked his chin toward Lily. “Go. I’ll wait for you.”
Aiden swallowed hard, then turned to chase after the only girl he’d ever had these sorts of feelings for.
He was terrified he’d lost her. He didn’t know what he was going to do if she shut him out of her life altogether. It hadn’t been long enough. Their time together had been cut short far too soon.
And if he was honest, he had been the one holding the blade.
Even though she herself had admitted second chances didn’t come easy, he sent a little prayer heavenward that she’d be willing to hear him out.
Not because he deserved it.
But because he wanted the chance to tell her the full truth before he lost her completely.