“I don’t trust you.”
If heartbreak could be an expression, Aiden wears it.
I don’t want to hurt him, but I am. I just don’t know how to protect myselfandhim.
I can barely take care ofmyselfright now; I can’t carryhisburdens as well. I did that for so many years, and the result is that we sit across from each other with an abyss between us.
“I’ll show you that you can.” His voice is hoarse, heavy with tears. My stupid heart flutters.
I think about the ache of wanting something so badly and the fear of being broken by it again. I do believe he’s telling me the truth right now. But the past makes me doubt the longevity of his truth.
“You kissed her.” I close my eyes, and lean back against my seat. “You kissed her, Aiden.”
He covers his hand with mine. “I’m going to work to be the man you deserve.”
I open my eyes, and he smiles at me. There’s no arrogance in it, just hope.
“I don’t know what I deserve,” I confess. “I’m lost, too, Aiden, without you. But I was lostwith youas well.”
“Give us a chance,” he repeats.
I give him a watery smile. “Well, you did get me to sign a contract for eight dates, didn’t you?”
He grins, and some of the sad leaves his eyes. “I did.”
I don’t want to give him false hope—because, honestly, I still can’t see how I could ever fully forgive him, how we could ever fit back together without breaking in the same places.
But I also know Iwantto forgive him. I want there to be anus.
So I’ll walk into these eight legally-binding dates with as open a mind as I can manage.
Thatisn’t going to be easy.
CHAPTER 22
Aiden
“What’s so interesting on your screen?” Huxley strolls into my office, dressed like the only man in Vermont who would and could wear Balenciaga flip-flops in a corporate setting. “Bad news or porn?”
I glance up from my screen, sigh. “Board meeting. End of August. Dad’s stepping in to defend Diana. Wants a full hearing before any termination goes through.”
Huxley sprawls on one of the leather chairs across from me. “You mean you haven’t fired her yet? After she lied to your wife—sorry, your ex-wait-maybe-wife—and nearly blew your second chance? What the hell, man?”
“My hands are tied.” I push my laptop away in frustration. “My father is still chairman of the board. He invoked the bylaw about ‘executive-level dismissals requiring board review.’”
“Of course, he did.” Huxley leans back in hischair, lounges. “God forbid he let you do your job without micromanaging your soul into oblivion.”
There’s a knock on the door, and Jolene peeks in. She’s holding a tablet and has that glint in her eye that means she knows something I don’t.
“Am I interrupting your bromance?” she asks.
“Darling,younever could,” Huxley flirts.
Jolene rolls her eyes. “You know I play for the other team, don’t you?”
“Ignore him, Jo.” I gesture.
Huxley raises his espresso. “We’re just talking about how his father’s a parasite.”
