Aiden ~ Melanie Moreland

by Melanie Moreland

  “Not a chance.”

  He picked up his phone, tucking it into his pocket. “Once you figure this out, let me know what’s going on.”

  I picked up the beer and pizza, with no clue as to what I needed to do. “Okay.”

  We separated in the hallway. Outside Maddox’s door, I paused. I couldn’t remember the last time it was shut, and I wasn’t sure if I should knock or just go in. The problem was solved when the door swung open and Maddox froze, clearly surprised to see me. He had on his coat, messenger bag in hand, and he was obviously planning to leave.

  “Hey.”

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  “I was hungry. Thought I’d share.”

  “I was heading home.”

  I held up the beer. “I have Guinness.”

  He pursed his lips. “Sandy sent you, didn’t she?”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “She always orders from DelVecchio’s. When you get pizza, it’s from Santora’s.”

  “I have beer,” I repeated.

  “Fine.” He huffed. “I skipped lunch, so I’m hungry. Is Bent joining us?”

  “No. Emmy had a coupon for Swiss Chalet. It expires today, and she told him they had to use it. He was thrilled.”

  He blinked, then started to laugh. “That girl is fucking priceless.” He shrugged off his coat. “Give me a beer.”

  We devoured the pizza in silence. It wasn’t until we sat back and opened a second beer that I spoke. I kept it simple, because that was how we did things.

  “What the fuck was that earlier?”

  He reclined back, sipping his beer. “Anyone ever tell you you’re like a bulldozer? No tact.”

  “I don’t need tact. I need an answer. What’s going on? Neither Bent nor I understand.” I leaned forward. “We want to understand, so talk to me.”

  “Can we chalk it up to a bad day and leave it at that?”

  “No. We’re not leaving here until you talk.” I took a long drink, then set down the bottle. “It’s a piece of property I want to buy. It’s not the first and won’t be the last. Bentley bought his property from the company. You bought one of our condos. Why is this different?”

  He sighed and scrubbed his face. “It’s not, not really. It just hit me.”

  “What did?”

  “What it represents.” He stood and paced the room. “Fuck, Aiden. So many things have changed in the past few months. Six months ago, we were focused entirely on the business. All of us. It’s all we had. It was ours. Now Bentley spends most of his free time with Emmy, you’re looking at a piece of property miles outside the city—where the fuck does that leave me?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He sat down, grabbed his beer, and took a long pull. “Bentley’s building a life with Emmy. It’s great and how it should be. I’m happy for him. You’re gonna build some cottage and be gone on weekends, and in the summer, probably some nights. Less time here. Once Bentley builds a place, you two will be there, and I’ll be here. We hardly see each other anymore outside the office now. It’ll be even less then.” He laughed without humor. “Wow, saying it out loud, I sound like a whiny little bitch.”

  He was correct. Our lives had changed, and we didn’t see each other as much. Bent was busy, and I seemed to spend most of my time alone. Still, his confession surprised me. “You think we’re leaving you behind or something?”

  He drained his beer. “I suppose. It’s stupid, but I feel left out.”

  “Buy a piece and join us, then.”

  He shook his head. “Bentley was right. I’m not a cottage guy. I’d buy another condo at Ridge Towers before a cottage.”

  “Then you can visit whenever you want. Mad Dog, we’re family. Whether I live one mile or twenty miles away, nothing changes. I don’t plan to live there full time. I just want a place to go to sometimes, somewhere open and peaceful. I remember the odd time my parents would take us to the lake. I loved going—the sounds, the smell of the water, the feel of the sand under my feet. The blue sky and the openness. It was one of the rare times I felt happy as a kid. Something felt right when we were there.”

  I held out my hands, unsure how to explain. “We aren’t leaving you out, Mad. We’re just adding another place to get together.”

  His shoulders slouched. “I know. I fucking know that, but for some reason, it upset me. I can’t explain it.” He leaned back, rubbing his temple. “But I get it. You should have a place you love. Bentley deserves it as well. I’m sorry for my outburst. I’ll call Bent later and apologize.”

  “We don’t need an apology. We need to know you’re okay. Is there, ah, anything you want to talk about?”

  He snorted. “You want me to kick off my shoes, lie back on the sofa, and spill my guts?”

  “I’d rather you didn’t. Your socks freak me out a little.”

  We laughed, and I spoke seriously. “Really, do you need to talk?”

  “About?”

  I bit the bullet. “Is there something going on between you and Dee?”

  “What makes you ask that?”

  “Curious. The two of you seem pretty tight when we’re all together. It made me wonder.”

  “Wonder? How? What are you wondering?”

  I relaxed back, draping my arm over the edge of the chair. “That’s a lot of deflection for a simple question.”

  “Let me ask you something, then. What’s the deal with you and Cami? You spend a lot of time together.”

  “We’re friends,” I replied promptly. “I’m helping her learn self-defense with Emmy because Bent asked me to do a favor for him.”

  “And that’s all?”

  I shot him a look. “That’s all it will ever be.”

  He met my gaze. “Yes. That is all it will ever be.”

  “So you and Dee are just friends?”

  A look of sadness and longing passed over his face, then he cleared his throat. “Yes. She’s helped me with some legal stuff, and I gave her some accounting advice. We enjoy each other’s company on occasion. We’re just like you and Cami. Friends.”

  Our gazes locked. We were both lying, and neither of us would give an inch.

  “Okay, then. Nothing else you want to talk about?”

  “No, nothing.” He was silent for several seconds, then sighed. “I can’t, Aiden. I just can’t.”

  His quiet words said it all. Neither of us could say it out loud.

  I cleared my throat. “Okay. But we’re good?”

  He nodded, looking grateful I didn’t push it. “Yeah. Honestly, I was just in a bad mood, and it caught me off guard. All the changes and unexpected things happening lately. Deals, moves, new people.” He paused and shrugged, appearing sheepish. “You know I need time to adjust.”

  I knew that about him. Maddox needed order, even more than Bentley did. I glanced around his office. Everything was in its place. There were no papers scattered about, no unwashed mugs, and no files waiting to be put away. The exact opposite of my area.

  “Nothing is going to happen right away. We’ll proceed however you think is best.”

  “I drafted up two plans. I think what’s best is to have BAM buy the land, and then we decide. You and Bent can buy or lease what you want, and we can develop the rest once a decision has been made.”

  “Sounds good.” I drained my bottle. “You okay now, Mad Dog?”

  He glanced over my shoulder. “Yeah. It’s all good.”

  Once again, I knew he was lying.

  Aiden

  I WAS UNSETTLED after my conversation with Maddox. He was hiding something—the same way I was. However, I had to respect his right to privacy the way he respected mine. We both had issues we chose to deal with in different ways.

  I offered to go to a movie with him, but he’d asked for a rain check and had headed out a while ago, leaving me alone in the office.

  I stared out the window at the busy sights of the city. Even at seven in the evening, the streets were crowded, the si
dewalks bustling. I was restless and didn’t know what to do. I could go home and work out or hit my local bar and have a drink, but neither appealed to me.

  I picked up my phone, dialing a number I knew by heart.

  Cami’s voice was breathless and surprised when she answered.

  “Hi.”

  “Hey, you busy?”

  “No.”

  “Wanna take a ride with me?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll be there in twenty.” I hung up and grabbed my keys, refusing to listen to the voice in my head that told me it was a slippery slope I was standing on.

  For tonight, I just wanted the voice to shut the fuck up.

  She looked pretty when I picked her up. Her dark hair loose and swinging around her shoulders, the highlights still bright with their rainbow hues. Dressed in leggings and a hoodie, without a trace of makeup on, she was casual and effortlessly sexy.

  Before I realized what I was doing, I leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  “Thanks for coming.”

  She smiled. Cami was one of those people whose happiness poured out of her. Her smile was wide, lighting her face and making her captivating green eyes sparkle. Bentley described it once as beaming. He was right. She was like a sunbeam. My own sunshine.

  Reaching over, she squeezed my hand. “Anytime.”

  Her one word somehow made things right in my world.

  We stopped and got coffee, then headed to the highway. She never asked where we were going; she just seemed happy to be going with me. I felt the same way about having her in the car.

  “How are your classes going?”

  Cami went to the same design school as Emmy, except she was taking fashion design, while Emmy took graphic design. I had seen some of Cami’s work, and I knew she was talented and loved the creative process.

  “They’re good. Finals are soon, and I’m looking forward to the break.”

  “Are you working all summer at Glad Rags?”

  I had first met Cami at the high-end boutique when Bentley had been looking for a birthday gift for Emmy.

  “Yes.” She sighed.

  “You don’t like it?”

  “It’s fine. I make good commission, and my boss is great. It’s just a lot of demanding women at times.” She proceeded to do a few imitations of a few encounters that occurred at the store, which made me laugh. “But it’s not forever. Once I graduate, I hope to get hired on with a clothing company and work my way up.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “I don’t come in this direction often,” she said, changing the subject. “I didn’t realize how many wineries there are out this way.”

  “I know. There’s a whole bunch. Lots of great ones.”

  “I should tell Emmy. We could do a tour or something. That would be fun.”

  “Bent likes wine. I’ll talk to him, and we’ll arrange a trip for all of us. Sandy will handle the details. She loves that sort of thing.”

  She looked over, her expression delighted. “Really?”

  “Yeah.” I chuckled. “Bentley can spring for the limo to take us.”

  She giggled and looked away. I glanced down at her hand resting on the seat, the urge to cover it with mine strong. I cleared my throat and focused on the road, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter.

  She reached over and turned the satellite radio to a classical station, the lush music filling the cabin of the car.

  “I like this car,” she mused.

  “Me too. It’s a Lincoln MKZ. Roomy and quiet.” I laughed. “Unlike my motorcycle.”

  Her eyes widened. “You drive a motorcycle? Aiden, that’s dangerous!”

  “No, I’m careful. I have it parked at a friend’s garage in Grimsby. I hate driving it in Toronto traffic. It’s so congested, and there’s a ton of assholes on the roads. It takes away all the fun of driving something so powerful. So I leave it there, and I drive it on less traveled roads.” I paused. “I love the exhilaration and the power. Have you ever been on one?”

  “No.”

  The thought of her behind me, her arms around my waist, and her breasts pressed to my back filled my head. “I’ll take you one day.”

  “Is it scary?”

  “No, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  She smiled and looked away. “Okay.”

  “Until then, you can relax in this car. It’s very safe.”

  She trailed her fingers along the luxuriant leather of the upholstery. “Decadent.”

  “Not as decadent as Bentley’s Jaguar.”

  “I’ve never been in a Jaguar.”

  “It’s awesome. I tried to convince him to buy a Bentley because I thought that would be funny saying Bentley’s Bentley, but he wasn’t as amused by it as I was at the time.”

  She chuckled. “You are a nut.”

  “He used another word.”

  “I bet he did.” She was quiet, taking a sip of her coffee. “He likes expensive things.”

  I shrugged. “He’s used to them. He came from money. I’m still adjusting.”

  “Do you ever resent him?”

  Her question surprised me. “Resent Bentley? The guy who took a chance and shared a house with me, accepted me the way I was, and did everything he could to make my life easier? Gave me a job I love and made me very rich while doing so? Why would I?”

  “He’s your boss. Always at the top. Always in control.”

  I changed lanes, thinking about her question. “BAM is Bentley’s. His concept, his passion, his ideas. He offered us equal shares, but we refused.”

  “Oh?”

  “Bentley has what we need as a leader. He’s decisive. Clearheaded. Fair. Yeah, he’s the majority shareholder, but with that comes a tremendous amount of responsibility and stress. Neither Maddox nor I was interested in that sort of pressure. We both love what we do, but Bentley is the heart and soul of the company. Mad Dog and I talked about it, and we gave him a counter offer. I own twenty-five percent, Maddox owns twenty-four. Neither of us can outvote Bent, and that’s how we wanted it. To show him how much we trust him. He trusted us enough to know if we accepted his offer, we could outvote him, if we ever chose to do so. I think, once he thought about it more, he realized our idea was the right way to go.”

  “Wow.”

  “I trust Bentley completely. With business decisions, with everything. The three of us have a weird relationship that works. My job description for a VP is the oddest ever written, I think.”

  “Yes, I don’t know many VPs who do security detail as well.”

  I shrugged. “It’s what we both wanted. Like I said, weird, but we just mesh.” I chuckled.

  “Do you ever disagree?”

  I thought about this morning and grimaced. “Rarely.”

  “What? Your face looked funny.”

  I pulled into the driveway at Mrs. C’s and parked the car. I winked at Cami. “My face always looks funny, Sunshine. In answer to your question, no, I don’t resent Bent. I admire him, respect the hell out of him, and I love him like a brother. I’m happy to follow his lead because he never makes me feel as if I’m anything but equal in his decisions.”

  Then I was curious. “Do you resent Emmy?”

  I wasn’t sure which shocked her more—my question or my sudden nickname for her. She blinked, then spoke. “What?”

  I shrugged. “Her life has changed drastically since she met Bentley. She’s living in a great place, and she’ll never worry about money again.”

  She frowned. “First off, she’d live with Bentley over Al’s or anywhere else. She loves him, not his money. And second, she deserves the happiness.”

  “You don’t see her as often. Do you resent that?”

  “No. I miss her, but I understand. People’s lives change. We’re still close, and that won’t change. We’ll figure it all out.”

  “You approve of Bentley, then.”

  “He’s amazing. The whole package. Sweet and sexy, strong and caring. He
’s so good to her—how can I not approve?”

  A strange feeling rippled through my chest. For the first time ever, I was jealous of Bentley. But not for his money. It was because Cami held him in such high esteem.

  “I see. Sounds as if you’re a big fan.”

  “I am. Because he’s made my best friend happy. He’s not my type, though.” She peeked across the seat at me with a wink.

  “Oh?” I asked, meeting her gaze, needing to hear what she had to say.

  “No. I like muscles and tattoos. Beautiful eyes. And men who pick me up and drive me to the lake.” She slid out of the car. “Especially when they have funny faces.”

  I was laughing as I pushed open my door.

  I suddenly felt ten feet tall.

  Bentley who?

  “This is beautiful,” Cami declared and turned to look at me, delighted. “No wonder you want to keep this place!”

  I grinned at her enthusiasm and squeezed her fingers. Somehow, our hands had become clasped together as we walked around and I showed her the property. Mrs. C. wasn’t home, but she had given me permission to come out and look around. She had told me to feel free to sit on the porch and that she had left me something on the table. First, I was pointing out all the things I loved about the place to Cami, who listened, enraptured. Like me, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the vast expanse of water or the way the sun looked reflected on the surface of the lake.

  “Can you imagine what this looks like during a storm?” she asked. “I bet it’s mesmerizing with the water kicking up on the sand and the sky looming over it.”

  “I know.”

  “And those apple trees. I bet they would make awesome jelly and pies.”

  “There are peach trees on the property Bent likes over there. Jed says he has strawberry and raspberry bushes. They share all the fruit between the three neighbors.”

  “That’s awesome.”

  “They all bought at the same time years ago. Raised their families here, lost their spouses. None of them wants to stay on without the others.”

  “Wow.” She met my eyes. “Sort of like the three of you.”

  “Yeah, I suppose.”

  “You need to buy this place, Aiden. No matter what Maddox thinks. He’ll come around.”