“Fantastic. You?”
“Same. I’m very excited for this campaign.”
“Surprised you are doing this days before your own wedding, but then, you don’t ever stop working,” he says, though his eyes never meet mine. I think that was one of my biggest pet peeves about Nico. Eye contact. Aiden doesn’t look anywhere but my eyes, never has, even when we were kids. I love that connection. I crave it. Jesus, even when I don’t want to think of Aiden, I do.
I always do.
“I want this to hit before the season starts, so we had to do it now. I’m managing.”
“You always do.”
“Evan and Owen said the same,” Aviva adds with a smile. “We had dinner with your brothers this weekend. They told us all about the wedding and how you don’t even sleep.”
I grin. “I sleep. They just don’t see it. I’m sure everyone is ready for it to be over except me.” I laugh as I cross my arms. “How are my knucklehead brothers doing up there?”
Nico nods as we head toward the dressing area. “I feel they’re a shoo-in. If Evan can get his head out of his ass. He overthinks everything.”
That worries me. That was one of my mom’s biggest fears about sending Evan off to the NHL instead of having him go to college first. “He’s known to do that. He’ll figure it out. He’s a great player.”
“He is,” Nico agrees. “But then, I hear all Adlers are forces to be reckoned with.”
I flash him a grin. “We sure are.”
Before I can direct Aviva and Callie to hair and makeup, I see Aiden standing only feet from me. He looks a mess, his hair in a bun, but it’s leaning to the side as if he’s run his fingers through his hair despite his bun. My heart falls at the sight of him. I can tell he’s upset, and I hate that I caused that. I watch as his eyes move between Nico and me.
Easy to say, Aiden’s not a fan of my past lover.
I clear my throat and say, “Oh. Hey. I thought you were playing golf?”
He shrugs. “I wanted to see you.”
My heart flutters. “Okay, give me a second,” I say, turning to Aviva and Callie. “Hey, so these are the dressing rooms. Your rooms are labeled with your names, and your outfits are waiting for you. First, though, hair and makeup are waiting for you. It’s right through there.”
“Thanks, Shelli,” Aviva says, patting my arm as she walks by, Callie and Nico in tow.
I lick my lips as I turn to Aiden. “Um, let’s go into the hall,” I say, and I don’t wait for him as I head toward the corridor. We’re in one of the large conference rooms at the Luther Arena, the perks of working for the Assassins organization. I go out the back where I know no one is. When I turn, Aiden is there, shutting the door behind us. I cross my arms over my chest as I look up at him. He matches my stance, clearing his throat when our eyes meet. We stare at each other for what seems like hours, though it’s only seconds.
“I should have told you,” I finally say, and he slowly nods. “I just wanted to get through the wedding first so you couldn’t leave me at the altar,” I joke, and his lip curves at the side.
“I couldn’t if I tried,” he says, almost as a vow. “I’m sorry for what I said. I know I’m more than enough in your life.”
“You’re everything,” I promise as tears fill my eyes.
“Same here,” he promises back. “Our dads say I’m spoiled,” he says with a small smile. “That I’ve been privileged with your constant presence.”
I nod. “You have, but I didn’t want it any other way. I love being with you.”
“Right? I just enjoy us.”
He’s blurry since my eyes are wet with tears. “I do too, and I don’t want to leave you, Aiden. I miss you so much when we’re apart, but I can’t deny my need for the stage.”
“I know,” he says softly. “You belong on it, and you’re going to be an incredible Eliza.”
My heart stops. “So, I can do it?”
He brings in his brows. “Shelli, you can do whatever you want—”
“But I don’t want to do it unless you support me.”
His eyes soften. “Shelli, I’ll support you until my dying day,” he whispers, and I immediately fall into him, my chin landing on his chest as he readjusts his arms to hold me. With his lips in my hair, he says, “Will it suck being away from you? Absolutely. Am I struggling with the upcoming distance? I sure am. Which is why I lashed out—also the fact that you kept this all from me.”
“I’m sorry.” I close my eyes, and the tears leak out. “I never truly felt right about retiring, but I did it for us, so we could be together. And I’m not saying that this, us, isn’t enough. It’s more than enough, and if you don’t want me to go, I won’t. But I really miss performing.”