Aiden isn’t going to find out about this. He can’t.
“Perfect. It starts right away, right?”
“Yes.”
I rub my forehead as I lean my elbows on the table.
“I’ll book you a flight right now. The earlier, the better. We’re expecting to get some snow in the next couple of days and I don’t want your flight getting cancelled,” Aiden explains. “If I can find a flight today, will you have enough time to go home and get your clothes?”
“No.”
“No?”
I know he is bunching his eyebrows up right now. It’s been over five years since I’ve seen him, but he is the same… Always the same.
“What do you mean you can’t?” he asks. “Will tomorrow morning be fine? I see a flight leaving at six in the morning.”
“No.” My voice shakes this time.
“Mila, what’s wrong?” he asks. “When can you leave?”
“I can’t.” Tears flow down my cheeks now.
“Are you still afraid of flying?” he asks.
I can’t find it in me to say yes. Just the thought of flying has me shaking like a leaf.
“I don’t want you driving twelve hours to get here. It’s not safe, and I know you would do it in one trip without takingbreaks,” he says slightly scolding me. “Can you fly for me this one time?”
“I can’t.” I shake my head.
“Mila,” he gently says. “I need you to work with me here. I can buy you a first-class ticket so you don’t have to be near anyone. If you want, I can buy all the plane tickets so no one else but the pilots and stewardesses are there.”
“Aiden, I can’t,” I repeat. “I won’t even make it to the airport before I pass out.”
He sighs, and the guilt inside of me forms a tight ball in my stomach, growing bigger and bigger with each passing minute.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t come,” I say quickly. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be fine here at my apartment.”
“No, I don’t want you in the same city as your work. You’ll be tempted to work or find another job to work while you take time off. It’s not happening.” His voice is hard. “Give me one second. Let me ask Thorin something.”
I know who Thorin was: the owner of Whiskey River Mountain Lodge. Aiden had sent a picture with him before, and he looked just like his name would suggest.
Massive. Muscular. A beard. Scary.
“Are you still there?” Aiden asks.
“Yes,” I reply. “Aiden, I really can drive there. You don’t need to worry about me. I can make sure that I take breaks. You can even call me to make sure that I do.”
“That won’t do because you could just pull off to the side of the road while I’m on the phone with you. I want you to take proper breaks and stop somewhere for the night.”
I hold in a groan. Of course, he would know what I planned on doing.
“You wouldn’t be able to hide it anyway when you arrived hours and hours earlier.” He chuckles. “I need to talk to someonereal quick, but I’ll give you a call in a minute when I get some things figured out. Stay where you are.”
“What if I wanted to leave?” I ask.
“I’ll transfer you some money so you can get another drink,” he says. “Be a good girl and stay at your usual coffee shop.”
