25: Come With Me
TARA
I can’t say exactly why I blurted out that silly question asking Aidan if he wanted beers, but if I were asked, I guess I would say something along the lines of, “I wanted to redeem myself after chickening out when I saw him earlier.”
We had been sitting together for close to thirty minutes now, and as time went on, the aroma of barbecue already filled the air, causing everyone around to salivate. The party was already in full swing.
Aidan and I fell into an easy conversation about the multipack moon meet that had come to an end, and I was surprised that it wasn’t awkward in any way.
I guess that even after all this time, conversations with Aidan still flowed easily.
Nadia was playing a little distance away, casting mischievous little glances at us, and I couldn’t help but ask.
“Care to share what it is that you both were gossiping about while I was absent? Because it seems to me that you two have something under your sleeves, or at least, just Nadia,” I said.
Aidan put his bottle down on the table, and his eyes drifted to her. To our daughter.
The way he stared at her like she was one of the wonders of the world made me swallow repeatedly because I was at a loss for
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words too.
When he turned back to me, he cleared his throat. “She was just expressing how happy you both were about the flowers.”
I averted my eyes to hide my blush. My little rascal must have caught me sniffing the roses once. Or ten times. Sue me!
“I mean, they were flowers. What else is one supposed to do with them if not to admire it?” I asked in defense.
Aidan smiled, revealing his perfect dentition and his dimpled cheek. “You don’t see me complaining about it, ma’am. I’m actually pleased to know doing it again.”
that that was the case. I wouldn’t mind
“You don’t have to. I didn’t want to be rude to not accept it the first time, but it doesn’t have to become an occurrence,” I said.
Aidan didn’t say anything about that. He just subtly changed the topic.
“How are things at the diner? Looking good yet?”
I nodded. “Uh–huh. The event brought in a lot of traffic with it, and since the diner was just around the corner, that meant automatic advertisement for me.
“That’s a good thing, right?” He asked with a swig of the beer.
“Yeah. Now that everyone’s returning, the sales will slow down, but I’ve gotten what I wanted out of it. Eyes are on the diner. now, and it’s only a matter of time before we make a name for ourselves.”
“You’ve done well here. I can’t imagine it would have been easy
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to do this all on your own. I respect that,” Aidan said, causing different feelings to arise in my mind.
I didn’t want him to be nice to me because, at the end of the day, it didn’t change the things that he did to me and my unborn baby.
Changing the topic again, I spoke. “Speaking about people returning… have you decided when you’ll be returning to Attica pack?”
Saying the name of my home pack out loud brought up hidden emotions that I fought to keep down.
I couldn’t remember the last time I thought of that pack or the people I left behind in it.
Aidan answered. “If I said tomorrow, would you come with me?”
My head snapped to his face. “Are you serious right now, Aidan?”
“Woah, I’m kidding,” he said, lifting his hands in surrender, and I took a beat back, realizing that I may have acted out of character by snapping at him. “I’m sorry, Tara, I took the joke too far… I–I shouldn’t have said that,” he apologized.
“No,” I said. “I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
I realized that I hadn’t once given Aidan a break to be free since he stepped foot here, and I didn’t like that. “I should go,” I said, stepping down from the high stool I sat on.
Aidan held me by my palm, causing me to stiffen. My body still reacted to his touch after all this time.
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“Don’t leave because of that, Tara, please. I was having a good time before I ruined it with my inconsiderate statement, and I’m sorry. Weren’t you?” He asked, but I didn’t answer.
Aidan spoke again softly. “Don’t leave now, please. Take your seat.”
“It’s getting late, so I should get Nadia home. I wouldn’t want to have to walk when it’s so dark,” I argued.
“Then I’ll make sure I drop you both off. I drove,” he said. “Come on, we were finally having a nice chat.”
Taking a deep breath, I finally took my seat again.
My fingers still tingled from his touch, and I found myself rubbing the spot under the table with my free hand.
Aidan broke the silence again. “So, Nadia, huh?” He asked with a knowing smile.
“Oh, shut up. You must be over the moon to know she has your name,” I said as the tension left the room. “If I could do it, I’d change the name just to spite you,” I said, but there was a hint of playfulness in my eyes.
“Please, don’t,” he begged, causing me to laugh. “I deserve it, but have mercy on me. I’m grateful that you thought of that though. Your beauty and personality are beyond me, Tara.”
I scoffed. “Now you mock me.”
“About what?” He asked with a frown, and I averted my eyes, looking everywhere else but at him. “You don’t think I’m telling the truth?”
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My eyes finally met his hazel ones, and he attempted to continue speaking when a loud bang shook the table, spilling our drinks all over.
“What the hell?” I yelled as I turned to meet Alpha Collin who had banged his fists on our table.
“Look who decided to wait for the party,” Collin sneered, referring to Aidan. “Too bad that party time’s over. Hit the road, bucko!”
I took my head in my palm, exhausted at Collin’s constant. bugging. What was his deal?
Aidan looked ready to rip him in half, and Collin on the other hand, also looked ready to throw a punch.
I had to look for a way to quench whatever this was because the last thing I wanted was to allow two hot–headed Alphas to exchange words or sheath claws in front of my daughter.
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