Chapter 19
“Istill cannot believe you are here.”
Anna gives me a side-hug as we walk up the porch steps of the Hamptons house. We went into town to get some much-needed coffee before our wild bachelorette night.
“I wouldn’t have missed this, Anna, you know that.” I take a sip of my coffee as we sit down on the lounge chairs facing the gorgeous ocean. “No matter the circumstances.” Robert’s stupid smug face flashes into my mind.
“I was also honestly surprised that you brought someone. I still don’t understand why you didn’t Facetime me immediately when you first went on a date with that hunk.”
“No one says hunk anymore, Anna.”
“Well, I do. It’s gonna come back, you’ll see.”
I roll my eyes and smile.
“Speaking of,” Anna continues, “where is Prince Charming?”
“Um, he had to go run an errand or something. He got a call and said that he needed to run into town to go take care of some business.” I’m kind of worried about him, actually. He had that serious look on his face that I know all too well as his assistant. His eyebrows would furrow a little and his jaw hardened slightly as if he was holding back what he really wanted to say about whatever situation he was dealing with. I hope everything is okay, but I didn’t ask because I don’t want to pry. Just because we are fake dating doesn’t give me the automatic right to become privy to what is going on in Aidan’s brain. Even though I desperately want to know what he is thinking about me and my family and friends. He probably left because he wanted to escape this crazy circus, he was just too polite to say so.
“Ooooh, so mysterious. Maybe he is going to stop at a jewelry store and, you know, browse.” Anna raises her eyebrows twice like she is up to something mischievous– and, let’s face it, with Anna, she probably is.
I couldn’t help but maniacally laugh at the insane notion that Aidan would even think about looking at engagement rings for me. He did buy me jewelry the other day, but that was different–it was to help make me look like I belonged on the red carpet next to him. “I highly doubt that.”
“Why would you highly doubt that? It’s not so out there to assume that this man would buy you jewelry. Or maybe he is going to shop for some lingerie for you. Gosh, I can only imagine how that man is in the bedroom. With that body and those massive hands…”
I choke so hard on my coffee that some spills out of my nose.
Anna set her coffee down on the side table. “Okay, girl. Spill it.”
I cough. “I think I just did.”
“Don’t be quippy with me and don’t try to evade the subject. I’ve known you all of my life, Haley Swann. I know when you are lying. Spill it!”
Damn, she knows. I knew I couldn’t lie to Anna. She’s like a fricken bloodhound when it comes to detecting lies. She should have gone into detective work so she could interrogate people. She’s a natural at it.
“Okay fine.”
So I tell Anna the entire story. Everything from the meeting in Samantha’s office, the diner, the premiere, and even the night in Aidan’s apartment. It feels so good for someone other than Aidan, Rachel, Samantha and Chris to know. I need someone in my inner circle to know what is going on. I am just too embarrassed to tell my mom and God knows what my dad would have thought about all of this.
“I swear I won’t tell a soul…not even Dan.” Anna takes my hand in hers. “I promise.” That’s the thing about Anna. She is sincerely genuine and she has never judged me for anything in my life. We have a bond that’s truly unbreakable. We support each other no matter what.
“Anna, you can tell Dan if you want. He’s your person. I don’t expect you to keep anything from him. He’s about to be your husband in, like, 48 hours.”
She shakes her head. “Nope, not even Dan. I am taking this one to the grave. You were my person first, babe. You’ll always be my person. Dan just comes in as a very close second.”
“Thanks for understanding and listening…and not judging.” I graze my finger on the black lid of my coffee cup.
“I would never judge you, Haley and of course. This is what best friends are for.” She reaches an arm around me and pulls me in for a hug.
I take a deep breath of relief as I sip on what is left of my coffee.
“But,” Anna says, “I have to be honest with you, Hales, it doesn’t seem like Aidan is faking anything.”
I almost spit out my coffee yet again and laugh. “Yeah, okay.”
“Why do you say it like that?”
“Like what?”
“All sarcastic. You are seriously telling me you don’t feel ANYTHING when you are around him, and that he doesn’t look and act like he is totally head-over-heels for you? I am pretty good at reading body language, as you well know, and what I am reading is definitely attraction.”
I do not want to admit that of course I feel something, but nothing can really happen between us. Aidan and I have a deal.
I sigh. “Okay, maybe just a tiny teensy bit, but…”
“Ha! I knew it!”
“But…nothing can happen, Anna. We are already scratching the surface of unprofessionalism and I really cannot jeopardize my connections at the studio. I need to get my work seen and be taken seriously. I don’t want to be a personal assistant forever.”
Anna shakes her head.
“What?”
“Are you sure that’s all it’s about? The work?”
“Yes, what else would it be?”
“Are you sure you aren’t putting up too much of a wall with Aidan?”
I know where this is going and I don’t want to go further. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
“C’mon, Haley. All I am saying is I know how much Robert hurt you. And ever since then, you’ve been afraid of opening up your heart again. I get that. What Robert did is unforgivable. There is no denying that.”
Tears are welling up at the memory of what Robert and Julia did…in our shower. In our home.
Anna squeezes my hand. “I sense a real spark between you and Aidan and I don’t want you to diminish it because you’re scared of letting someone else in again. You deserve to be happy, Haley. And I think he legitimately makes you happy. He could be your person.”
“I guess if you believe that, he really is a good actor.”