Just One Chance (Just One. Book 3)

by Lynn Stevens

  Aiden: What if Lily gave us her pleasing? Would you go out with me then? Just a date, no commitment. Nothing beyond hanging out and getting to know each other.

  Lily: OMG Aiden wants to ask you out! But he said you won’t because of me. Are you insane? He’s amazing. If it doesn’t work, we’ll still be friends, silly. Just go for it.

  Aiden: Pick you up at six?

  This was a horrible idea. Terrible. The worst idea on the planet. So why did I say yes?

  Chapter Seven

  Aiden was on time. Nerves shook along my skin from head to toe, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind. This wasn’t a good idea. No matter how many times I told myself that, I didn’t cancel. I’d gotten two tickets to tonight’s show from Dad. He reserved them for the family, but Carly wasn’t going to be here, so I got the other one for Aiden. If he wanted to go. He didn’t tell me what he wanted to do.

  He rang the doorbell, and I pressed my lips together. Not a good idea.

  “Hey,” I said when I opened it. Aiden grinned back at me. He’d changed into a pair of jeans and a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. The simplicity was perfect. And he matched my white scoop neck sleeveless shirt and denim shorts. It was like we had a psychic connection to each other. At least fashion wise. But where he was light, I was dark with thick black lined eyes and dark red lips. Similar, yet totally opposite.

  “Hey back,” he said.

  “I wasn’t sure what you had planned but tonight’s the first show at Mountain View and we usually go but we had an extra ticket since my sister bailed and I thought maybe you’d like to do that, but we can totally do something else if you want.”

  Aiden bent slightly at the waist and offered his hand. “Let’s go then, duchess.”

  I wasn’t sure if I should put my hand in his, but I did. I did and I liked it. None of the guys I’d been with had ever held my hand. Then again, none of them had ever asked me out on an actual date. They had been casual hook ups until Eddie wanted me again. He’d made it clear that he didn’t want me anymore, so I needed to move on. I needed to stop waiting for him to see what he had right in front of him. I needed to walk away. Wish in one hand, shit in the other.

  “This is awkward,” I said as he wove his fingers between mine.

  He tugged our hands, making me stumble closer. “Better?”

  “You’re insane, you know that?” I laughed lightly.

  “Maybe, but you might just be the only other person beside my sister who appreciates that.” He stopped at the passenger side and opened the door. A single lavender rose lay across the passenger seat. Aiden lifted it and offered it to me. “A rose for my lady.”

  “It’s beautiful.” I buried my nose into the soft petals, inhaling the sweet scent. “Thank you.”

  I climbed into the car and he closed my door. Nobody had ever gotten me a flower. I had gone to both proms with friends and bought my own corsage.

  Aiden settled into the driver’s seat and started the engine. We were halfway down my street when he said, “Roses have different meanings.”

  “I’ve heard something about that before.” I rolled the stem between my fingers and the petals tickled my nose. “What does this mean?”

  “Fascination. Splendor, sometimes royalty.” He glanced at me with a grin. “It seemed appropriate.”

  “How so?”

  “I’m fascinated by your splendor, duchess.” His smile widened, and he lifted his shoulders in a mock shrug of innocence. “Your family is Branson royalty, right? I figured you’re too mature to be a princess. That sounds like something for a little girl. But a duchess is grand, she owns the rooms she walks into. You definitely do that even if you don’t realize.”

  I reached toward him and put my hand over his on the gear shift. “Thank you.”

  He turned his hand and wove his fingers through mine.

  “What do other colors mean?”

  “White is friendship, pink is admiration, dark blue is mystery. I almost got that one for you instead.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re a mystery, and I love mysteries.” He squeezed my hand. “Black is death, green is peace, orange is passion, and red is love.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  He laughed as he turned the steering wheel with one hand. “I’m majoring in landscape architecture. Kinda started young with Dad planning landscapes and digging in the dirt. There’s a lot more to it than just planting shit here and there.”

  “That’s actually pretty cool.” I sniffed the rose again. “It’s perfect.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” He stopped at a light and turned to me. “So, what’s your major?”

  I belly laughed and pulled his hand to my lap unintentionally, but I didn’t move it. “Back to the cheesy pick up lines, King?”

  “Nah, I’ve already got you in the car.” He caught the light turning green out of the corner of his eye and drove through. “More like the first date getting to know the basics. Lily said you’re not starting school right away, so what will be your major when you get there?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve never really had a lot of direction.”

  “Your parents didn’t help?”

  “Not at all. I mean they put it in Luke’s head to take over the resort, and Carly figured out she wanted to run the theater eventually. For me it was always ‘you can do whatever you want’ bullshit.” I stared out the windshield as the streetlights blurred by. “I just don’t know what I want.”

  “You’re not alone there.” He pulled into the packed parking lot, finding a spot near the back. I didn’t tell him we could’ve parked VIP in the front. Walking never bothered me, and once the concert started, we wouldn’t be able to talk much. He put the car in park and turned toward me. “I started as a business major like my dad. It wasn’t until this past semester when I officially changed it. I’ve never been happier either. Some people know when they’re kids, others when they’re in college, and a lot never figure it out.”

  “Cami always knew she wanted to sing,” I said thinking about my former friend. She left Branson sometime in April, or so I heard, for the country lights of Nashville. Her dad passed away in March, and she had a chance at a contract. I knew the heartbreak of her father would never leave her. Cami was devoted to him, loyal to a fault. She’d stayed in Branson to help care for him. “It wasn’t until she met Dylan that she realized she wanted to sing country music.”

  “What did you want to be when you were younger?” he asked softly.

  I couldn’t answer that honestly, because it was stupid and childish and … not going to happen. “I guess I never really thought about it. Not really.”

  “You’ll figure it out, Miranda.” He let go of my hand and opened his door. “You ready?”

  I nodded and climbed out, meeting him at the trunk. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me against him.

  “Is this okay?” he asked, his lips brushing my hair.

  “Yeah.” I turned my head. We were so close; it only would’ve taken a breath to kiss him. Instead I turned away. “This is really nice, actually.”

  “Favorite color?” he asked with an added huskiness to his voice.

  “Most people would expect me to say black, but it’s silver. You?” I relished this conversation. As much as I wanted to kiss him, this felt more like a real date. I’d never had one.

  “Silver? That’s interesting.” His voice was back to normal, as if the almost kiss hadn’t almost happened. “I’m a typical guy who likes blue.”

  “Blue is a great color.”

  “It goes perfectly with silver,” he whispered into my hair again. Shivers went down my spine. “Favorite season?”

  “Spring. I love the newness of everything, like a fresh start for nature.” I looked up at him. “You?”

  “Not to be a repeat or copycat, but I agree with spring. I love digging in the dirt, planting seeds and watching them sprout. It’s not too hot, not too
cold.” He smiled down at me, then tripped over his own feet. We fell together, but Aiden managed to turn so I landed on him. He grunted on impact. “You okay?”

  “Me? Are you okay? You hit the ground hard with me on top of you,” I practically shrieked and put my hand on the side of his face. “Seriously, are you okay?”

  “Totally worth it,” he said as he leaned into my touch. We stayed like that for far too long.

  “Jesus, get a room,” someone said.

  “It’s just Miranda. Like she needs a room.” They started laughing.

  I pressed my lips together and pushed myself up. Anger radiated from every pore in my body. I searched the crowd, but there were too many people who could’ve said such horrible things. Closing my eyes, I tried to calm myself down, but it was damn near impossible. I’d had casual sex with guys. Big deal. They didn’t need to say it like what I’d done was wrong.

  “What was that about?” Aiden asked as he stood beside me.

  “Just people being assholes.” I turned to face him. His eyebrows furrowed into a deep V. “What?”

  He opened his mouth then slammed it shut. I knew that expression. It meant one thing and one thing only.

  “Look, I’m not some innocent virgin looking for a knight in shining armor to save her.” I crossed my arms. “So if that’s a problem, you can take me home. Or better yet, I’ll stay here and call a ride then you don’t have to deal with it again.”

  Aiden stared at me, irritation filling his face. He leaned down so I wouldn’t miss a word. “I don’t care if you’ve fucked ten people or a hundred, Miranda. I do care that people say shit about it. That’s the kind of thing that pisses me off. You know why? I’ll tell you. Because those are the type of people who are so busy being followers that they have no thoughts of their own. They don’t care if they hurt other people as long as it gives them a sense of superiority.”

  I stepped toward him and kissed him hard. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me tight against his body. I sunk into him, into the kiss. He pulled back and stared at me with a heated gaze.

  “What?” I asked wishing he was kissing me again.

  “I wasn’t expecting that.” His voice was back to that husky tone, and I liked it. “What did I do to deserve that?”

  “You really don’t care about my previous liaisons?” I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

  “Liaisons? What are you, forty?” Aiden smiled and pressed his lips gently to my forehead. “No, I don’t care that you’ve been with other guys. Probably boys is more accurate. It’s none of my business unless you want to tell me. Even then, it’s not my place to judge. Does it bother you that I’ve had a few partners?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Define a few.”

  “Seriously?”

  “No, not seriously. I’m not one to judge either.” I tilted my head. “Will you kiss me again though?”

  Aiden leaned back, twisting in lips in contemplation. “I think I’m going to make you wait. My plan was to treat you like a lady, hold your hand or put my arm around you, then kiss you on the cheek at the end of the night. Woo you. Charm you. Leave you wanting to see me again.”

  “That sounds boring,” I said with a shy smile.

  “And what do you want?” he asked.

  “Well, right now, I want you to kiss me. Then I want to go inside and dance with you in the aisles.” I raised up on my toes until my lips were near his. “Then after, we can go to the lake for a while.”

  Aiden pressed his lips to mine gently, chastely at first, then his tongue slid along dipping and teasing me. I sighed into his embrace. “Miranda, I’m not going to have sex with you tonight. Not that I don’t want to, but that’s not … I want something more than a hook up, and I think you do to. We can go to the lake, but the pants stay on, okay?”

  I was taken back by his declaration. “I wasn’t thinking… I mean…” I stepped away, slapping my forehead. “I didn’t mean sex at the lake not that I’m opposed, but I meant just hang out. I kinda like hanging out with you.”

  “Sorry, I just wanted to make my intentions clear.” He kissed me again quickly. “You’re more than a one-night stand.”

  He took my hand and started toward the front, but I stood my ground forcing him to turn back to me. “Why?”

  Aiden smiled, and my knees weakened. “I like you. When we were in that orientation, you were easy to talk to. Not to mention hot. And I know you felt that instant attraction we had since you tried to lead me away for closet fun. I want to get to know you better, duchess. And I don’t want to ruin it by just having sex when we can have more. Sound good?”

  “Sounds interesting,” I said without any hesitation whatsoever.

  Aiden smiled, pulling me toward him. “I’ll take that. Now let’s dance.”

  Chapter Eight

  I clocked out at noon the next day, still on the first date high from last night. At least, that’s what I thought it was. I’d never actually experienced it before.

  Graduation loomed at two, but Dad still had me on the schedule. Cleaning rooms bored me, but I ignored the rules about headphones and kept one AirPod in all day. R.E.M, Imagine Dragons, Pearl Jam, Bastille, Machine Gun Kelly, and other bands helped with my sanity. I just had to be careful not to sing out loud and blow my cover.

  Aiden had the day off. I was kind of sad I didn’t see him at work though. The night before had been amazing. We danced, laughed, talked about nothing. After the show, he took me home, kissed me once, and said he’d call.

  Why hadn’t he called?

  I shook that out of my head. He knew I was working for one. For another, it’s not like we’re a couple. It was one date. I still wanted to squeal and clap my hands like a cheerleader because a guy asked me out on a real date. I’d see him in a few hours at graduation anyway.

  The drive home was uneventful, until my phone rang. I was practically giddy when I answered it.

  “Hey, Meerkat,” my sister said on the other end. She sounded exhausted.

  “I’m not twelve, bug, stop calling me that.” I let the disappointment sound off in my voice. She was one of the last people I wanted to talk to.

  “Whatever. I just wanted to call and apologize for today.” She yawned in the speaker, which was totally unnecessary to sell the bullshit that she had to work.

  “Uh-huh, sure.” I didn’t care if I sounded like I didn’t believe her. “We were all at your graduation a few weeks ago. You can’t be at mine. No biggie. I won’t invite you to the next one.”

  “Don’t be like that, Miranda. I want to be there for you. I really do. Things are just crazy with this theater. They have a summer theater program for adults and kids kicking off next week. This weekend is the last major production until fall. It’s my job.”

  “Whatever, it’s fine.” I parked in the driveway. “I have to go. You know, take a shower and get ready for the only time I’ll ever graduate high school.”

  “I get that you’re pissed. Just get over it. The world doesn’t revolve around you.”

  “But it does you. Bye.” I hung up and turned off my phone. I didn’t want to accidentally answer if she called back.

  My sister was self-centered and spoiled. She was also my best friend next to Lily. Not coming to my graduation, that was like a big kick in the ass. I’d struggled with abandonment issues. That’s what Dr. Hale called it anyway. I didn’t understand why. Carly left because she went to college, not because she ran away. Then there was Cami and Iris. And Eddie. It always came back to Eddie Blake.

  After a long shower, I sat on a stool at the kitchen counter with Mom. She painted my nails a bright red that I hated, but I wasn’t going to take this from her. She’d planned on getting mani-pedis today. My scheduled didn’t allow time for that. The fact that she cared more about my nails than getting polish on her white granite countertops said enough.

  Mom loved to look good. She enjoyed the primping and prepping. She loved the way men looked at her when she let a little cleavage show. And she
was hopelessly in love with my father. We all strived for that level of affection. Carly was the only one who’d found it so far.

  “Who was that boy last night?” she asked as she slowly pulled the brush down my fingernail. “I’ve never seen him before.”

  “Aiden King. Lily’s older brother.” I smiled at the mere memory of his hands on my hips as we danced and the way his voice cracked in my ear as he sang along. Aiden didn’t have a good singing voice, but it was still sexy as hell that he sang into my ear.

  “Really?” She glanced up at me with furrowed brows. “What about Lily? Won’t that bother her?”

  “I thought it would, but she gave us her blessing, I guess you’d say. She told me to go out with him.” I pressed my lips together and stared over her head at the white cabinets. Mom loved the white in the kitchen. It was clean, innocent, hopeful. Or maybe that was how I felt. But about Aiden, not the kitchen. “I hope she meant it.”

  “You like him?” Mom asked. She finished the second coat of color and inspected her work, blowing lightly to speed up the dry time.

  “Yeah, I think so.” I spread my fingers, admiring the job she did. The color wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. “I had fun last night, I mean. I’d like to see him again if he wants to go out.”

  Mom took my left hand gently and put it under the air dryer. “Please be careful, Miranda. I don’t… last summer… Wasn’t that over a boy?”

  I closed my eyes to avoid her fear-filled eyes. “Yes.”

  “But you’re over that, right?” she asked.

  I’ll never be over him. The truth would hurt her too much. “I haven’t done anything… I’m still clean, Mom. I haven’t even smoked a cigarette.”