Chapter 32
32
Lis
I reach to turn off my alarm, just for a minute and then snuggle back into Aidan’s warm body. We have been running nonstop since we moved in and hardly see each other.
My clinical hours at the hospital are not overnight this time, but start early, so our mornings are rarely full of leisurely wakeups. More like jumping out of bed, scrambling into scrubs, and running out the door. Hospital. Shower. Bistro. Sleep.
At least, that’s what the first week was like. I hated only seeing Aidan when we tumbled into bed at night and ghosting a kiss across his lips as I ran out each morning, not wanting to wake him.
I set my alarm for earlier this week, so I can do this. Take five minutes to soak in his strength and calm before my crazy day starts. I place a kiss over his heart and start to ease out of bed, when Aidan’s arm snakes out and pulls me back in.
“Not yet.” His voice gravelly still. He closed McBride’s last night, only sliding in next to me a couple hours ago. He kisses my forehead and rubs circles on my back.
“I have to go. Go back to sleep, I’ll see you tonight.” He holds tight and rolls us over, settling himself between my thighs.
He squints at the time on my phone. “You have two, make that one more minute ’til your alarm.” Pressing his hips into me, he peppers kisses along my neck. “More than that, really since your coffee will be made for you while you get ready. Think we have time for a proper good morning ?”
I groan, knowing we don’t have time for a proper anything, not even a quick something.
“Tonight, are you working?” He feels so good, his body pressed into mine, hands tickling up my sides. I want to stay in bed all morning wrapped up in him. But… mwamp—mwamp—mwamp— Aidan’s alarm goes off and when he leans over to turn it off, I crawl out of bed and hear a mumbled curse as I grab my clothes and head for the shower.
After a lightning fast shower, I twist my still-wet hair into a bun, and slide into a seat at the counter. Aidan fixes my coffee and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “We need to talk about your sister’s wedding. It’s in a few weeks, yeah? Have you given any thought to what you want to do?”
I have, and it strikes me that I haven’t shared those with him. I bite my lip, feeling bad for not talking this out with Aidan before now.
“I need to go. It’s the right thing to do, no matter how much I’d rather spend the day anywhere other than there.”
“What’s the time, again? I’ll make sure I’m covered at the pub.” Aidan pops a bite of my sandwich in his mouth and makes a face. “How do you eat that shite?”
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll just make my appearance and leave.” I hike my bag higher on my shoulder and grab my PB & J from him taking a big bite.
Aidan plants his hands on his hips, eyebrows pinched together.
“You think I would let you go through that alone? No, tell me again when it is and I’ll make sure I’m free. Not letting you deal with that without me.”
My heart flutters at his concern for me. “It’s two weeks from Saturday.” Popping up on my toes, I give him a kiss and murmur, “I love you,” before I head out into the world.
I have been blissfully avoiding my mother’s calls for the past couple of weeks. Our relationship is nothing short of toxic and I just don’t want to play anymore.
Of course, just as Gracyn and I settle ourselves at McBride’s, my phone rings. It’s my mother, again. Aidan places our pints in front of us and stares at my mom’s name on the screen.
“Just answer it. You’re gonna have to talk to her at some point. The sooner you do, the sooner we can go look for a good dress. One we like.” Gracyn nods her head at Aidan like they are teaming up on me. “Right?”
His lips pinch together and his eyes sparkle as he agrees with Gracyn.
I close my eyes and swipe at the screen. “Hello?” Passive aggressive, just for this moment, I will my voice to sound like I have no idea who is calling me. It’s all I’ll allow myself.
“Lisbeth. Have you been avoiding my calls?”
I roll my eyes and shift to climb out of my barstool. Gracyn grabs my leg as Aidan grabs my hand, both of them holding me in place.
“We need to discuss your part in the wedding. Have you lost enough weight to fit in the dress we picked?” Two sets of eyebrows hit their respective hairlines with record speed and I just shake my head.
“Wow. Um, hmm.” Gracyn is looking for a pen to scribble-yell her thoughts on my mother, and Aidan, bless him, sets a glass in front of me along with a bottle of bourbon. I smile at both of these amazing people I have supporting me.
“While I’m sure the dress you and Maryse picked is lovely, I’m going to find my own. Is there a color you’d like me to stick with or a specific detail? Length? Sleeve?”
My mother’s displeasure is unmistakable, mostly because she launches into me on how ungrateful and selfish I am. Pot, may I introduce kettle?
I let her rant while I pour myself a little bourbon and before I can even pick up the glass, Gracyn dumps in enough to put me on my ass. Aidan drops in an ice cube and nods for me to take a drink.
I’m so caught up in enjoying these two hovering over me, I miss it when my mom’s tirade comes to a close. “…Lisbeth are you even listening to me?”
“No. I stopped a bit ago. So, Bliss Bridal is where you got the dress? I’ll consult with them for the color.”
“I have your dress here at my house, you’ll just have to make it work. You can pay me for it when you pick it up—” At her house ? As if I didn’t grow up there. But it has never been home to me. Never.
“Yeah, no. Sorry, I’ll—” Is she for real? “I’ll see you Saturday.” I’m so over this mess.
“The rehearsal is on—” Can’t do it.
I disconnect the call, throw back the bourbon and turn to my sister of choice. “ Shit . Wanna go shopping?”
Turns out, being a little bit buzzed is a great way to shop with Gracyn. Loaded down with dresses in the most boring shade of pink you could even imagine, I pull Gracyn into the dressing room with me. Much as I love my privacy, I need her in here with me.
“What the fuck is that?” She picks a dress from the hook and looks at it like it has personally offended her. “Nope. Not that one.” She rifles through my maybes and pulls four more dresses out, chucking them in the corner. “Those are nos too.”
Perfectly satisfied with herself, Gracyn rolls her hand at the remaining dresses in a “get a move on” gesture.
Miraculously, I find two dresses that look good enough. And while I don’t love the color, I’m stuck with it. Thank God for small favors—it at least complements my hair and skin tone.
I plop down on the chair opposite the fainting couch where Gracyn is laid out and put my feet up on the end.
“What do you think? Which one?” She offers me a Twizzler from the package she pulled from her purse. I grab two, because they’re Twizzlers.
“Any one of those look fine on you. Just pick one.”
I check the price tags and they are all way more than I want to spend. I shrug, not really excited about any of these options.
Gracyn chucks me the bag of candy and stands. “Hang on a minute.”
Six of the strawberry-flavored twists later, she comes back and trades the candy for a dress. Heaving a sigh, I push myself up and look at what she brought me.
It’s pretty. Like really pretty. Off the shoulder, rouched bodice, and a fitted skirt that ends just below my knee. It’s similar in style to the dress I wore when Aidan asked me to move in—the first time.
It fits perfectly and looks drop-dead gorgeous.
“Where’s the price tag?” I can’t find it no matter which way I twist.
“At the register. It fell off when I grabbed it out of the rack. I think it was like eighty bucks?” She’s doing her shifty thing again. “So, that’s the one. Let’s get out of here and get something to eat.”
“G, don’t lie to me.”
Hands on her hips, attitude in full swing, Gracyn turns and pins me with a look.
“Fine. Francie and the bar boys gave me a wad of cash to make sure you got something beautiful that would knock your mom and Maryse on their asses.” She puts her hand up cutting off my protest. “We all know you’re all about doing everything yourself, but just take it this time. Really. Strut into that wedding looking like a rock star with your beautiful man and let them know—rub it in their fucking faces—that you got your Prince Charming.”