I look away, hiding my face from his scrutinizing gaze. “I’m fine.” Then I remember what the hell just happened. “Where’d that person go?” I lean over the steering wheel to get a good look through my front window, but there’s no one there. “Someone ran out onto the road,” I mumble mostly to myself, as I’m partially trying to convince myself it really happened.
Aidan leans his head further into the window to get a better look at me. “You saw someone in the road?”
“Yes,” I bark. “Didn’t you?”
He pauses a moment before answering bluntly. “No.”
My mouth hangs open. “I’m not crazy.”
“I didn’t say you are.”
Aidan clearly has no idea what he just walked into, but for some reason knowing this just makes me angrier. “Why would I slam on my brakes if I didn’t see something in the road?”
“Are you asking me, or yourself?”
“I don’t know!”
He gives me a slow, bemused grin. “Maybe you should clear that conundrum up first.”
I let out a cry of frustration. “Argggh.Why is every conversation with you so difficult!?”
Aidan steps away from my car, his hands up in surrender, realizing his presence is not going to help the situation. I cradle my face in my hands and take a deep breath. Then I take hold of the steering wheel and hit the gas. I drive around the block looking for a parking spot, but everything is full. Either there are a lot of people planning to attend this speed dating event, or everyone decided to go shopping for milk at seven p.m.
Aidan is still standing on the edge of the curb watching me make embarrassing circles. I cut through the roundabout again and stop beside him.
“It’s been a shitty day,” I say.
Aidan looks around then gestures behind him. “You can park at my place.” He points to the vacant movie theater lot down the road.
Instead of arguing further, I take his advice and pull into the parking lot. By the time I turn the engine off, Aidan has walked over to my car. I get out holding my dress carefully in place, so I don’t flash him by accident. When I close the door and meet his gaze, he looks dazed.
Did my boob pop out? I check my neckline and see that the girls are still secure.
If I’m not mistaken, I think he’s flustered.
That’ll do, dress. That’ll do.
I give him a smug smile. “See something you like,Nosferatu?”
He shakes his head, clearing away any hint of appreciation that once showed, his signature frown back in place. He doesn’t even register my name-calling.
“Not in the slightest,” he finally says.
“Mmmhmm.” I nod with a tight expression, not believing him for one second.
He doesn’t look too bad himself. He’s still perfectly put together with a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt, but he’s abandoned the fancy jacket. It’s a cool evening, but he appears unfazed as the sun drops behind the buildings of Main Street. Meanwhile, I rush past him at a brisk walk to make it inside to a comfortable temperature.
The speed dating event has been set up inside Kiki’s Cafe. It’s not until we both enter through the glass double doors that I realize Aidan is headed to the same place I am. I do a double take as he holds the door open for me. I knew he was single, but this is not his typical scene. In fact, Aidan rarely participates in anything town-related, but truthfully, neither do I.
Inside, Kiki and her sister Kendra are finishing the final touches on the decor. The lingering smell of meat and fried starches hangs in the air, but they’ve done their best to set the scene. There are little paper doves placed on each table and the napkins have been folded to look like Valentine envelopes. A few pop-over centerpieces are displayed on the counter next to the snacks, but my stomach is too knotted to even think about eating.
I’ve lost sight of Aidan, but I assume he split off in a different direction without me noticing. Regardless, he’s not my concern. I’m here to do my part for Raegan and thenfinallyhave that bath I’ve been longing for.
There aren’t too many people here yet. I check the time on my phone to make sure I’m not early, but I’m right on time. I recognize a handful of men I’ve seen around town, but as I take a headcount, I realize there are no other women besides the banshee sisters, myself, and Raegan.
I head straight toward the leader of this circle where she’s sitting at one of the tables writing something on a notepad.
I lean over her shoulder and speak right into her ear. “Please tell me I’m not the only woman here.”
