by Sadie Grubor
"Her parents are okay with this?"
I hadn’t even thought about what Lilli’s parents would think of this arrangement.
"Umm…we haven’t really talked about parents just yet." Embarrassment tinged my cheeks.
"You’re sure about this?" Worry creased her face.
"It will be fine," holding both of her hands in mine, I kissed her cheek. "So, where’s that ring?" I winked.
Vi would only give me the ring if I agreed to immediately introduce her to Lilli the moment the ring was on her finger. She warned me not to run off and elope. She was going to start calling around to plan a small family wedding. I quickly agreed to her terms so I could go and make other arrangements.
With the ring in my pocket, I knew there was one more person I needed to talk to. So, on my way to my apartment I called Dixon.
"What up, dog?" he laughed.
"You are positively insane," I laughed.
"You are a tight ass bitch. What do you want?" He joked.
"I wanted to tell you something and I wanted to tell you before anyone else did." I swallowed, slightly nervous about his reaction.
"Well?" He pressed with a little unease in his voice.
I went on to explain what happened with Lilli. Though, I didn’t play up the parts of my manipulation, of course. It was quiet between us for a few and before I could ask if he was still there, he spoke.
I heard him huff.
"Aidan…if you hurt her, so help me God, I will rip your balls off and feed them to you." He didn’t sound pissed off.
"I have no intention of hurting her Dixon. The farthest thing from my mind is hurting her. I only wanted to help and told her she didn’t have to agree to this."
"Yeah, but Lilli doesn’t take well to being a charity case and she would never let you just help," his tone was full of tension. I wondered if he was slowly figuring me out. "Your move was kind of shady."
"Are we okay, man?"
Dixon had become a close friend again and I didn’t want to lose his friendship, but my family was going to come first.
"For now," he warned. We said our goodbyes and I made two more calls from my car, James and Oscar.
Once I arrived to my apartment, I started to make calls to Devlin as well as to the mansion staff. Devlin was going to draw up some preliminary marriage paperwork, prepare to release my inheritance and establish personal accounts with Lilli listed. The staff at my grandfather’s — well, at my house — was going to begin preparations for Lilli and me to arrive there after the wedding. With so much going through my mind, I thought I’d never fall asleep.
It wasn’t until I woke the next morning that I thought back to Viola’s question regarding Lilli’s family. Would she tell them about the arrangement or pretend that it was a real marriage for their sake? Prepared to simply call her, a better idea came to mind.
After speaking to my secretary and Liam, I made arrangements to clear my schedule after today. I went to work and handled some meetings and pressing obligations. Devlin delivered the preliminary paperwork before I caught a flight to Maine.
During the flight, I thought back over the conversation with Lilli. She was dead serious about me getting a mistress and her helping me. The fact she thought that up on the spot didn’t go unnoticed by me. She was very quick and pretty fucking smart, or diabolical. I didn’t want to admit she’d slightly bruised my ego by not wanting to have sex with me. She didn’t seem to be even slightly interested in me physically.
Having a child was going to be a hard discussion. I wasn’t kidding when I told her the idea of it scared the hell out of me. It did. However, without an heir, I would lose the company. I couldn’t let that happen. Devlin read over the fine details to see what our options would be but it turns out that infertility is the only situation that would get us out of a biological heir. So unless one of us ended up infertile, we would either have to bribe a doctor or comply with a pregnancy. This was going to be rough.
Once I touched down in Maine, I drove the remaining hour and a half to Winter Harbor. It was an extremely small town but it was charming; full of docks, fisherman boats and a lighthouse in the distance, the drive was scenic. I found the small, cottage style home easily. Taking a deep breath, I parked outside the white house with a green door and shutters. There was a chance I was going to piss her off by showing up.
I knocked on the door and heard her muffled voice on the other side. When she opened the door it looked as if she were going to pass out.
"Ai-Aidan, what are you...?"
I smiled large at her confusion and walked into the house.
"I’ve come to speak to your father." I winked and her mouth fell open.
She pulled me back to a corner.
"What the hell are you doing?" She said in a hushed voice.
"I told you. I want to talk to your father." I whispered back.
"For what?" Then it dawned on her and I smiled. "No. He doesn’t know about any of this and I don’t want him to."
"So, what, your parents aren’t going to know that you’re married for four years?"
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was fucking adorable.
"Are you kidding me, right now?" She was still using her hushed tone.
"Just play along." I headed toward a doorway and she grabbed my arm trying to pull me back. She wasn’t strong enough to stop me but I halted and turned to her. "We can make this look real for your benefit or your parents."
She sighed heavily.
"No! I’ll eventually just tell my mother about it, but I won’t lie to Donald." I could read the irritation all over her face.
"Fine, but shouldn’t he at least meet me?"
She furrowed her brow and motioned for me to follow her as she led me into the living room. A very pale dark haired man with deep purple circles under his eyes watched Lilli as she approached. Fire and love lit up his eyes. Her father loved her tremendously. Looking to Lilli, the same love reflected in her eyes.
"Dad, this is Aidan," she motioned to me. "Aidan, this is my father, Donald."
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Snowe." Reaching out, I took his hand and shook.
He smiled and replied between breaths.
"Good o…meet…you…son".
I nodded and turned back to Lilli.
"Could you give your father and I a moment alone?" She furrowed her brow, aggravated, before turning back to her father. Donald nodded and she started to walked out of the room, turning back around before she left.
"I’ll be back in five minutes," she narrowed her eyes on me.
Once she was out of the room, I moved to sit near Donald.
"Sir, I’m Aidan Iverson and I have to admit that I am completely taken with your daughter," I smiled.
He let out a breathless chuckle and then whispered out, "Good luck…you will need it" then he winked. I chuckled.
"Yes, she is quite stubborn isn’t she?" He nodded and then motioned to himself. "She get’s that from you?" I asked for clarification on his motion. He nodded and I chuckled again. "Well it’s not a horrible quality," I smiled. "Sir, I would—"
"Call…me…Donald."
I nodded. "Okay, Donald," I smiled.
"So," he rasped out "What…brings you…here?" He cocked his eyebrow, clearly examining the man who had shown up to see his daughter.
"Umm…"
A small smirk on his lips made me realize he was playing with me.
"I’m actually here to see how Lilli is doing. She left so quickly and has been away for some time, just trying to be a good friend." I responded in a partial truth.
"Friend?" He rasped. Amusement filled his eyes. All I could do was grin.
Lilli emerged back into the living room with a plate. A large dark skinned woman, who also held a plate, followed. The food smelled great and my stomach growled. Lilli walked toward me and put the plate in front of me.
"You don’t have—"
"Are you not hungry?" She raised one eyebrow.
"
Uhh…"
"Exactly, just eat." She gave me a stern look and then headed back toward the kitchen.
Donald shook silently and I turned to him, he grinned weakly.
We ate; pleasant conversation filled the room keeping dinner light and friendly. Lilli was so at ease, yet so stressed at the same time. Watching her look at her father with sadness and adoration, I couldn’t imagine watching someone dear to me get sick like this.
"Oh wow," Lilli stretched and yawned. "I didn’t realize how late it had gotten." She turned to me. "You have a bag, I assume?" I nodded. "Go grab it," she ushered me out of the living room.
"What did you say to my dad?" she whispered.
"That’s between your dad and I," I grinned and walked out the door laughing. Bag in hand, I headed back to the front door. I reached for the knob but it wouldn’t turn. I knocked.
"Are you ready to tell me now?" Lilli shouted from the other side.
Unbelievable."Are you kidding me?"
"Nope," she shouted through the door.
"Fine, just open the door," I chuckled.
She pulled the door open. I started to take a step but she stopped me. "Well?" she raised her brow.
I shook my head and mumbled, "Diabolical."
"I told you not to forget it," she winked and smiled.
"I introduced myself to him and then he asked me why I was here."
"What did you say?" I couldn’t tell if she was pissed or worried. I prayed she didn’t slam the door in my face.
"I told him you left so quickly and have been gone so long I was just being a good friend and checking up on you." I shrugged.
She crinkled up her face.
"You really shouldn’t lie to him. He’s like a human lie detector, ya know?" Then she got an evil smile. "Did he say anything else?"
"Actually you interrupted us, so that's as far as it got." I pushed through the door and passed her.
"Up the stairs, go right, door at the end of the hall," she ordered.
"Is that your room?" I grinned.
She shook her head and smacked my arm.
"It’s my father’s room, pervert." She laughed. "Do you think I would actually let you rummage through my old things?"
Laughing, I headed up the stairs. Once in his room, I took a quick glance around. I found a small picture frame that held a photo of a woman about Lilli’s age; it was an older photograph. After a few more minutes of examination, I realized this must be Lilli’s mother. Another photo taped to the large dresser mirror was of a younger Donald. His arms wound around a scrawny little brown haired girl. Immediately, I knew that this was Lilli; it was all in the eyes. I could only assume that the older woman was a grandmother or aunt.
Moving to the other side of the room, I found photos of Lilli and Donald on fishing boats. However, Lilli is always in the background with a book or cringing away from a fish that Donald was holding. I put my hand over my mouth to hide the laugh. Once I started to feel like a creeper for going through her father’s room I quickly changed into a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt.
Heading back toward the stairs I saw Lilli standing in the living room with gray cotton pants and a t-shirt; her hair pulled into a ponytail. She looked amazing. I shook that off and headed toward her and Donald.
"Do you need anything?" I overheard Lilli ask Donald. He was now in a hospital style bed that was in the corner of the living room. He shook his head. "Well, I’m going to get you some water for next to your bed." She turned around, evidently having not heard me enter the room, and ran directly into my chest. Instinctively my arms went around her to keep her from falling. She blushed and pulled away. "Sorry," she mumbled.
I didn't want to let her go.
"No problem," I grinned.
She headed toward the kitchen, turning around before reaching her destination.
"Did you need anything?"
I shook my head."No, why?"
"I just figured that you were going to go to bed," she shrugged.
"Oh…uh…are you headed up too?"
"Um…that’s my bed right there," she pointed to the couch.
"You’re going to sleep on the couch?" I asked.
"Yeah, that’s—"
"Lilli, I’ll sleep on the couch." I offered and meant it.
"Aidan, go to bed. I sleep near dad," she turned away but then turned back. "But thanks." She smiled softly and continued on to the kitchen.
I turned to Donald.
"Goodnight, Donald." He waved me over to him and I walked to the side of his bed. "Yes, sir?"
"You care….for her?" he breathed out raggedly. I was sort of dumbstruck. I didn’t know how to answer.
"Um...yeah." I smiled.
He nodded.
"You know…Dixon?"
I nodded before he could answer. "Yes, I know Dixon, very well actually."
"Hurt her…I’ll…have…him—"
I hated to make him speak more than he had to.
"Donald, Dixon already told me that he would rip off my balls and feed them to me," I chuckled.
"Good," he croaked and smiled large. "Take…care…of…her," he rasped.
Lilli entered the room looking at Donald and then at me, questions written all over her face.
"Goodnight," I said quickly then headed toward the stairs.
"What was that about?" I heard Lilli ask Donald in a hushed voice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lilli
Donald gave me an innocent look.
"Oh, I am so not buying that!" I smirked at him. "Spill it!"
"Just…a…warning."
I shook my head.
"There's nothing to warn him about, he’s just a friend," I shrugged.
Dad raised his eyebrow at me in question. I sighed and sat down next to him.
"Can we wait till you are stronger to talk about this?" I gave my best puppy dog eyes.
He shook his head and gave me the now eyes.
"Fine," I breathed.
I spared him the gory details of the arrangement, however, I gave him the gist of Aidan and I marrying for financial reasons for both of us. I could tell as I spoke that he was getting angry.
"Don’t….do this…for…" I stopped him.
"I'm doing this for both of us, for Aidan and his family and for the people that work for him," I sighed and stood up. I leaned over Donald and kissed his forehead. "It will be fine," I spoke to his forehead so that he wouldn’t be able to read my face as I said it. He would see that I didn’t believe what I just said.
"Lilli…" he rasped.
"Dad, please don’t speak anymore today," I brushed the hair from his face. "Get some sleep." I smiled and then went to the couch and got comfortable. "Goodnight, Dad."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next morning, snug in my flannel pajama pants and long sleeved tee, I headed to the kitchen to make coffee. With the coffee started, I began to make breakfast; French toast, turkey bacon and strawberries. With everyone else still asleep, I placed the ear buds from my iPod in my ears and turned it on while cutting up strawberries.
Thinking I was alone, I began to sway to the sound of Maroon 5. Spinning with the strawberries to place on Donald’s tray, I came face to face with Aidan.
"Jesus!" I put the bowl down and grabbed my chest, pulling out the ear buds. "Can you not scare the shit out of me, please?" A laugh, mostly at myself, bubbled out of my chest.
"I didn’t mean to," he shrugged. He stood in the doorway leaning on the frame, arms crossed over his chest. His hair was freshly mussed from sleeping but, if I hadn’t know better, I would say he just went a few rounds in bed with some lucky girl.
"Hungry?" I asked quickly, before he realized I was checking him out.
"A little, you need any help?"
"Ummm…no, no help needed." I turned toward the cabinet, grabbed a couple of coffee mugs and sat them on the counter. "Coffee?" I motioned to the mugs going back to finishing the French toast.
"Thanks," he walked over and poured some
into a mug.
"Sugar is on table, milk in the fridge if you need them."
"Is this where you grew up?" The chair squeaked as he sat down to the kitchen table.
I shook my head.
"My mother left with me when I was five. We moved across the country to Nevada until I was fifteen. I decided to move in with Donald when my mother got divorced from John – husband number two. Besides, it was around that time he started to get sick." Putting a plate in front of him, I sat down across the table with mine.
"So, your mother is in Nevada?"
I shook my head, again.
"No, not anymore; after the divorce she decided to move to Canada and start over. She wanted to take me with her but I came here." Leaning over my plate, I took a bite. While chewing, I noticed he hadn’t touched his food yet. "You not hungry now?" I covered my full mouth as I spoke.
"Oh, no…I mean, yeah, I’m hungry. I was just thinking…sorry." He picked up his fork and began eating.
I swallowed. "Thinking about what?"
"I just don’t know if you mind answering my questions, that’s all. You’re very difficult for me to figure out." His brow furrowed.
"You can ask just about anything you want." I shrugged. "So, what else do you want to know?" I placed another bite into my mouth.
"Do you have any other relatives, like—?”
"Nope," A sip of my coffee washed the food down. "I had a grandmother. She passed away shortly after I moved back to Winter Harbor."
"I’m sorry," he mumbled then took another mouthful of French toast.
"It’s okay," I smiled and then took another bite.
"So, um…should we discuss…"
"Good morning, Millie." I exclaimed over his shoulder, relieved for the opportunity to change the conversation.
"Morning, dear." She patted my back, on her way to the coffee. "Did your father wake at all last night?"
"No, he slept straight through."
"Good," Millie sat down with a plate and began to eat. We finished in silence.
Pushing away from the table, I stepped to the sink and placed my plate in the basin. Loading up dad’s tray, I headed to the living room. He was lying awake. Millie came in behind me and we started getting dad out of bed. I didn’t even realize Aidan was next to me until I felt his body against my side, scooting me out of the way. He wrapped dad’s arm over his shoulder and helped him to his lounge chair.