Chapter 40
FORTY
AARON
Aaron stood almost in a trance as the pastor spoke over his father’s grave. He barely heard the words about the wonderful man who was taken too soon, the one Aaron never really knew. He never had a chance.
He wondered if the people gathered around them knew the truth. Did they know he left his family, his kids, after getting caught having an affair? Did they know he’d abandoned his boys when they were barely old enough to understand that he was choosing not to return to them?
Only, he did eventually return.
They were supposed to have more time together. They’d started reconnecting, with Aaron having just agreed to give him another opportunity less than two weeks before Bri called him in hysterics. She’d found him in his recliner and couldn’t wake him.
Aaron couldn’t focus on anything except the little girl sitting next to him, holding his hand and crying quietly.
Bri’s pain was worse than anything. Aaron released her hand to wrap his arm around her.
Tucking her into his side, he kissed the top of her head.
She’d been traumatized, and he didn’t know how to help.
The pastor finished with a prayer and a moment of silence.
When everyone stood, Aaron didn’t hesitate to turn and lift his sister into his arms. She buried her face into the side of his neck as he held her close, neither seeming to care that she was getting too old to carry like this.
Rubbing her back, he whispered, “I know.” He ran a hand down her hair. “I know, sweetheart.”
Their dad might not have been there for him and Aiden, but he’d stuck around for her. He was the only parent she’d ever really known, and now he was gone. At least Aaron and Aiden had their mom. Bri had no one.
No, that wasn’t true. She had her brothers.
“I’m here,” he told her as people began dispersing, offering them words of condolence.
“For how long?” she asked.
Those words broke his heart even more. He didn’t know what came next, but he didn’t want to say goodbye.
His dad had been an only child, and his parents had passed before Aaron was even born.
Her mom had relinquished all custody rights years ago and had made it clear she didn’t want any contact ever.
Which meant Bri was either going into foster care or…
He glanced at his brother, who was shaking hands with an older couple. Charlie met his gaze though, tilting her head a fraction and scrunching her brow as if silently asking what was wrong.
“Come on,” his mom said, gently touching his arm. “Let’s get her out of the cold.”
Aaron nodded and followed her to the car.
Ten minutes later, they were all sitting in his mom’s house, where they were hosting a small reception.
It felt strange to have it in the home the man had abandoned nearly twenty years ago, but Aiden had planned the whole thing, and their mom had offered the space.
His mom was currently sitting with Bri, encouraging her to eat a plate of crackers because she hadn’t had anything all day.
“What are you thinking?” Charlie sat next to him.
With a sigh, Aaron said, “I’m thinking I don’t want her going to live with strangers.
” She’d stayed with him in the days since their dad’s death, sleeping in his bed while he stayed on the couch.
That couldn’t continue forever, but she hadn’t wanted to leave his side.
And honestly, he hadn’t wanted her to either.
He leaned forward now, bracing his arms on his legs.
“I don’t want to lose her now that she’s in our lives. ”
“Okay, so, what are we going to do about it?”
He looked at her, the corner of his mouth curving up. “We?”
“Obviously.” She bumped her shoulder into his, reminding him that, despite everything, she was still one of his closest friends. Arguably, she knew him better than anyone—apart from Lars. “We’re family. No matter what.”
“I mean, you’re marrying my brother,” he teased, glancing down at the diamond ring on her left hand. “So, you’ll legally be my family.”
She made a face, her nose scrunching up. “Is it weird that you’re going to be my brother?”
“What, because I’ve seen you naked?”
She smacked his arm. “Stop.”
Aaron let out a soft chuckle. “Oddly enough, it doesn’t feel that weird.”
“I don’t think so either,” Charlie said, hooking an arm around his and leaning against him. “But back to the issue at hand… Aiden and I discussed it, and she’s more than welcome to stay with us.” She tilted her head to meet his gaze. “But I have a feeling that’s not what you want either.”
“I can’t just keep an eight year old at the apartment with me and Vi. There’s no space, and I don’t think Vi would appreciate that.”
Charlie laughed quietly. “No, probably not. She’d have to cool it with bringing home all those dates.”
“If she stays with you guys, you’d have to cool it with the nonstop sex,” he whispered, mirroring her teasing tone.
Ignoring him, she squeezed his bicep. “You barely stay there anyway though. I don’t think she’s the one you’d need to talk to about this.”
He looked across the room to where Lars stood with Harper, Colby, Wyatt, and Olivia. “We’ve only been together a few weeks. That’s not… I can’t ask him that.”
“You’ve only been sleeping together a few weeks,” Charlie said.
“But you’ve been friends for like twenty years, and you’ve been helping raise his girls for six of those.
Even before you realized your feelings for each other, you were a part of that family.
They’re who you ran to after our fallout. He’s your person.”
“He’s barely left me since I called him the other day about Dad,” Aaron whispered.
“Because he loves you.”
As if sensing Aaron’s stare on him, Lars met his gaze.
His brows furrowed slightly. Aaron gave him a small smile and a nod, silently telling him everything was okay.
“I don’t even know what’s happening with them,” Aaron said.
“For all I know, they could be moving to London. He could be… He could leave me, Char. And I don’t… I don’t know how to just…”
He cleared his throat, fighting the burning in his eyes.
The fact that Lars possibly leaving for another country was hitting harder than walking away from Charlie wasn’t lost on him.
The truth was, he never felt like this about her.
He’d loved her, yes, but it wasn’t this constant intense need he had now.
“You both agreed to try to make this work, right?” Charlie asked.
Aaron nodded. “Yeah, but…”
“But nothing. If you want a future with him and you want to keep that little girl, you should talk to him. You and I both know he’d bend over backwards to support you.” Charlie nudged him again. “Just like you do for him.”
With a sigh, Aaron nodded once more. “I promised my dad I’d look out for her, but even if I hadn’t…”
“Aaron?”
He looked up to find that same little girl standing in front of him. Sniffling, he blinked away the tears blurring his vision. He reached for her hand to draw her closer. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Can we go ho—” Bri cut herself off, and he realized she was about to say ‘home’.
The plan he’d been considering was staying here with his mom for the night. He could sleep in his old room, and Bri could take Aiden’s. But she clearly wanted to get out of here, away from all these people. Standing, he nodded and lifted her into his arms.
Charlie stood beside him. “How about our place for now?”
“Perfect,” he whispered. He carried her over to his mom. “Hey, she’s getting tired. I think we’re—”
“Yes, absolutely, get her out of here,” his mom said.
Aaron glanced around the room. She was hosting a reception after her ex-husband’s funeral. He shouldn’t leave her alone to deal with this. Aiden appeared next to them. “Go.” As if reading his mind, he said, “I’ll stay.”
“Thanks.” Aaron shifted Bri higher then turned to find Lars, but the man was walking toward the door with his phone to his ear.
By the time Aaron and Charlie made it outside, he was gone. Aaron’s stomach sank as he watched his car disappear around the corner at the end of the block.
“Where’s he going?” Charlie asked softly.
“I don’t know.” Aaron continued to his own car. He put Bri down and opened the back door for her before he and Charlie climbed in the front. Checking his phone, he frowned. “He didn’t even text me or anything.”
“Maybe something happened at home and he had to rush back,” she said.
That only made him worry even more. He shot off a text, asking Lars if everything was okay, then pulled out of the driveway. For now, he just needed to focus on his sister. Then, he would figure out everything else.