Chapter 19
AIDEN
The sun was just about to come up. Normally, Aiden would be getting off a graveyard shift at the hospital, but he had another day off. In a few hours, he’d be heading out to the build site to work with Parker.
Funny how he didn’t mind spending time with his brother as much these days. Parker had become more than just his brother. He’d become a confidant and a friend—something Aiden hadn’t expected after the way things had gone between them when they were younger.
Lily rested her cheek against his shoulder as they swayed on the porch swing, coffees in hand. She hummed softly to herself, the tune unfamiliar.
The quiet of the morning was nice, but spending it with her was even better.
These were the moments he breathed for. He could see their future spread out before them like the lines in a storybook. Heck, if Reese showed up right now and Aiden had to come clean about everything, part of him believed it would all work out.
Then he remembered how many times Lily had already shown him grace, and his heart seized. He still didn’t know what would happen if she learned the one truth he’d continued to hide.
Reese was scheduled to be out of town for a couple more weeks. Aiden kept telling himself that gave him time to figure out the right way to explain everything. But deep down, he knew there might never be a right way.
It wasn’t that he planned to keep this from her forever. He knew the truth would come out, and he wanted to be the one to tell her. He was simply terrified that once he did, all the happiness they had found would disappear.
“What are you thinking about?” Lily whispered.
He turned his head and kissed the crown of her hair. “Our future.”
She hummed, a smile in that single sound. “Tell me about it.”
Aiden chuckled. “I don’t want to scare you off.”
Her fingers found his, and she laced them together before giving his hand a squeeze. “You could never.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think I could.”
“Try me.”
An amused sigh left his chest, and he closed his eyes, allowing himself to be vulnerable with her.
“You finally decide you’re interested in animal medicine and start taking courses to become a vet technician.
Around here, there’s always a need for traveling veterinarians, and that’s what you decide to do.
We get a small plot of land where we can have a couple of horses and maybe a few dogs. ”
“No shih tzus,” she said with a giggle.
“No shih tzus,” he agreed. “Maybe we’ll talk to Mateo and get a couple of ranch dogs just for fun. Because one day, we might decide to raise a few animals.”
He felt her shift beside him, lifting her head so she could look at him. “Yeah?”
Aiden glanced down at her and grinned. “Absolutely. You have to marry a farmer, right?”
She laughed. “Oh, you’re totally right. Can’t go disappointing my dad, now can we?”
He tapped her nose. “Shh. Let me finish.”
She mimed zipping her lips, but her eyes sparkled with interest.
“Let’s see. A house on a small piece of land. Lots of animals. A new job.” He tilted his head. “What am I missing?”
“Kids?”
Her question was so quiet and sweet that he slowed their swaying and looked down at her.
“You want kids with me?” he murmured, his heart squeezing. She could see him as the father of her children. He’d never thought much about being a dad, but knowing she could picture him that way did something to him.
“Yeah,” she whispered. “A whole bunch of kids. And we’ll do something silly when we name them. Maybe they’ll all be named after trees. Or types of butterflies.”
He laughed. “Types of butterflies?”
“Or something equally ridiculous,” she said with a giggle. “But they’ll be ours, and that’s what will matter.”
Aiden studied her for a long moment before brushing his fingers beneath her chin and grazing his lips against hers. “Nothing would make me happier than having that life with you.”
Then he kissed her again, slowly this time, trying to pour every promise he couldn’t yet voice into the tenderness of it.
The sound of hammers echoed through the structure. They were putting up the siding on the church that day, and while the work was slow, there was something rewarding about the whole experience. Aiden didn’t even mind that he hadn’t been competing at the rodeo as often.
“Things still going well?”
Aiden glanced at his brother beside him. “Yeah. Why do you ask?”
Parker lifted one shoulder. “You seem…”
“Happy? Content? At peace?”
His brother smiled, but there was something almost sad about it. “I don’t know how to describe it. Resigned, maybe.”
Aiden stiffened. “What?”
Parker blew out a breath, tucked his hammer into his belt loop, and faced him with his hands on his hips. “How are things going with Mathew?”
Mathew was an issue all on his own. No one had ever accused the man of not being stubborn. If Aiden had to guess, he’d say Mathew was keeping his distance because he didn’t want a fight. If they didn’t fight, then maybe their friendship wasn’t over.
At least, that was how Aiden chose to view it.
He shrugged one shoulder and turned back to his work. “It’s fine.”
“Yeah, right.”
When Aiden didn’t respond, Parker kept going.
“If it’s not Mathew, it’s something else. There’s something bothering you. I don’t care how much you smile. You’re still holding back for some reason.”
His brother had no idea how close he was to the truth. There was one glaring problem Aiden still hadn’t dealt with.
Reese.
The second Reese returned to town, everything would change. Aiden had already decided he would tell Lily before Reese came home. He just hadn’t decided exactly when—or found the courage to do it.
“See? That look right there.” Parker waved a finger in Aiden’s direction. “You’re worried about something. Please tell me you’re not about to sabotage the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
Aiden batted his brother’s hand away. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. Come on, you can talk to me. I thought we’d gotten past the whole enemies thing we had going.”
Blowing out a frustrated breath, Aiden set his hammer aside. “Fine. You want to know what I’m dealing with? Reese.”
“He doesn’t like that you’re dating his ex?” Parker asked. “You can’t exactly blame him.”
No, Aiden wouldn’t blame him. Especially since Aiden had known the truth from the beginning.
“He doesn’t know,” Aiden muttered.
“What?” Parker’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m sorry, but it sounded like you said he doesn’t know.”
Aiden flinched. “He doesn’t. And Lily doesn’t know that Reese and I are friends.”
Parker’s mouth fell open. “What?”
Aiden groaned and dragged a hand down his face. “She thinks it would be messy for someone to date a friend’s ex. Reese and I weren’t even in a good place when he started dating her, so at first, I didn’t know what to do.”
“That might explain the beginning,” Parker said, lowering his voice. “It doesn’t explain why you still haven’t told her.”
Aiden’s jaw tightened.
“Sheesh, Aiden. When this comes out, you’re going to be in hot water. What are you planning to do? When are you going to be honest with her?”
“Honest?” Aiden snapped. “You want to talk about being honest? What about you?”
Heat crawled up his face, and by the look of Parker’s expression, his brother was getting just as frustrated. They were both on the defensive now, and Aiden knew he was shifting the focus. That didn’t stop him.
“What about me?” Parker asked. “I’m not lying to anyone.”
“Really? Because it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that there’s something going on with you and Jasmine.”
“What?” Parker threw his hands in the air before turning back toward him. “Are you insane? Jasmine?”
“The way you look at her. Flirt with her. Come on, man. You like her. You’re just so emotionally stunted that you’re not willing to risk putting your heart on the line again. One bad breakup and suddenly you can’t trust anyone? What’s holding you back?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the fact that I don’t like her that way. Ever think of that?”
Their voices had risen enough that a few of the other workers had started glancing in their direction with interest. Parker noticed and lowered his voice as he stepped closer. He poked Aiden in the chest.
“I’m not interested in getting married again. Ever.”
“Technically, you never got married,” Aiden pointed out. “You only made it to the altar before everything fell apart.”
Parker’s jaw tightened. “I’m not talking about this with you.
Not about Jasmine, and especially not about what happened before.
My relationships—or lack of them—are none of your business.
” He drew in a slow breath. “I will say that Jasmine is a good person, and she’s fun to spend time with. But so is Lily.”
Aiden shook his head, frustrated more than anything. “You may not be lying to Jasmine, but I think you’re lying to yourself. You were never meant to be alone.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Parker hissed. “I know I want a family. I want people to care for. I want a home that matters to someone besides me. That’s always been part of who I am.”
“Then why won’t you give her a chance? Maybe the two of you could be good together.”
Parker let out a humorless laugh. “There’s no spark, Aiden.
Nothing pulling us together.” His voice softened, taking on a sadder quality.
“I’ve thought about it, you know. What it would be like if Jasmine and I could click the way you and Lily do.
We have a lot in common. But it’s just not there, and I like her too much to ask her to settle for a loveless marriage. ”
Aiden stared at him. Did Parker really not hear himself? He cared about Jasmine enough to worry about what she deserved. Maybe that wasn’t love yet, but it sure seemed like it could be the beginnings of love.
Still, Aiden knew his brother well enough not to push any harder. Parker had made his position clear.
“I wish you didn’t feel that way,” Aiden said.
“It’s fine. I’m figuring things out.”
“What does that mean?”
Parker reached for his hammer. “If it works out, you’ll see.”
Aiden huffed out a laugh.
“And maybe,” Parker continued, “you should go to that girl of yours and tell her everything. Today. She loves you, Aiden. That doesn’t mean she won’t be hurt, but it does mean you owe her the chance to hear the truth from you.
” He picked up his hammer, signaling the end of the conversation.
“Whatever happens after that, at least you won’t be hiding the truth anymore. ”
Aiden looked out across the field of wildflowers stretching toward the foothills.
Lily belonged here somehow, full of warmth and life, as though she'd bloomed right alongside them.
But Colorado summers never lasted forever.
If he wasn't careful, he could lose what mattered most long before winter settled over the valley.
Parker didn’t want to talk about his own life, but that didn’t mean his advice was wrong. Lily loved Aiden. He knew that. But he also knew this very well could be the final straw for her.
No second chances. That was what she had once said, and she had already broken that rule for him.
Aiden retrieved his hammer, the weight of it solid in his hand. For the rest of the afternoon, they worked in silence, and Aiden felt a little more unsettled than he had when he arrived.