He laughed and shook his head.
“But I’m more than that, you know,” I continued, feeling like it was imperative that he know that.
He peered over at me in silence, like he was going to take my word for it.
As we neared the edge of the dance floor, the DJ caught sight of us and made his announcement about couples joining the bride and groom. Aiden didn’t even wait for me to give him a final approval, just stepped out and swept me up into his arms.
We were a good fit. At 5’6”, I didn’t feel totally eclipsed by him, just partially.
He wrapped one hand around my waist and held my hand in the other. He led me around the floor with confident grace, asking me if I wanted to spin before unfurling me out so only our fingers touched and then looping me back into him. I laughed with glee and asked him to do it again. He did, and then we settled back into a rhythm. My chest brushed his and I flicked my eyes up to find him looking down at me.
Did he recognize how easily we moved together? How fun this was?
Then I thought of Darren stuffing toilet paper up his nose in the bathroom and got ahold of myself.
After clearing my throat, I asked, “So what do you do?”
He told me he was a journalist.
“Really? That’s awesome!”
He smiled wryly. “Could you mention that to my parents? They keep pleading with me to go back to grad school for a second time and get a ‘normal’ job.”
“Pfft. What’s a normal job, anyway?”
“Probably something like what James does.”
He tilted his head to where he and my sister were dancing, moving slowly, gazing into each other’s eyes. Unlike them, we’d covered the dance floor twice over thanks to Aiden leading me.
“Doesn’t he work in corporate law? What a snooze,” I teased.
Aiden smiled, assessing me.
“You know I really had you pegged wrong yesterday.”
“Oh yeah?”
He nodded, studying me. “I guess it was the way you looked. It reminded me a lot of your sister.” His smile dropped as if he realized he might have offended me. “That came out wrong. There’s nothing wrong with her. I’m happy she and James found each other.”
“You don’t have to explain it,” I said with a smile that hopefully assuaged his guilt. “Let’s just say she and my mom are a lot alike, and it makes sense that you got the wrong impression. I don’t exactly feel like myself this weekend. The hair and makeup…it’s not me—”
“May I cut in?”
It was Darren. Darren, the nice guy I’d been seeing for two months. Darren, the guy I’d felt wishy-washy about even before meeting Aiden. What a deflating moment to have to step out of Aiden’s arms and let Darren take over. Did Aiden have to be such a gentleman? Couldn’t he threaten bodily harm while refusing to unhand me?
The rest of the night was boring. I swore I saw Aiden leave with a beautiful girl from Jolie’s sorority days, but I couldn’t be sure. After that, I ate two slices of cake and sat in a corner listening to my aunt ramble about conspiracy theories she’d read on the internet.
You really shouldn’t be using microwaves! And for heaven’s sake, if you do, make sure you stand clear across the room. Those waves will nuke your brain!
Sunday morning, after the send-off breakfast, I stood outside the hotel, waiting for Darren to bring his car around, trying to work out a way to break things off with him gently. Not because of Aiden per se, but because things had been slowly going downhill for a while and I didn’t really see a future with him.
I heard someone call my name, and when I turned back, I was surprised to see Aiden coming out of the lobby, rolling his suitcase toward me, eclipsing the early morning sun at his back.
“Headed out?” he asked, like we were old friends.
“Yup. Back home.”
I was terribly excited to see him again, especially because I’d resigned myself to the alternative. Now we had another chance! Couldn’t we be friends? Exchange numbers? Fall in love forever and ever?
“Where’s home?”
“Here—Dallas. Though I’m not sure how much longer I’ll stay here. I just graduated from TCU and I’m interviewing for jobs in Austin.”
His brows shot up. “Really? That’s where I live.”
“No way! That’s awesome.”
He grinned. “Yeah, if you end up coming down and need a place to stay, let me know. My roommate just moved out, actually.”
A few weeks later, I called him.Chapter TwoMaddieThe morning after Pillowgate, I’m eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch at our table and doing the maze on the back of the cereal box when Aiden walks out of his room shirtless.
I hate that he does this.
It’s loathsome having to take in his hulking male physique. It’s like, Enough already! We get it! You have ABDOMINAL MUSCLES. Some of us don’t, so please stop rubbing it in.