Aiden: I’ll give you my chalet in the Alps.
Benedict: the actual deed?
Aiden: Yes, yours to keep.
Benedict: Bloody hell, now she’s even more mad.
Aiden: Tell her about the chalet
Benedict: I tried! She’s too angry to see reason.
Aiden: And did she answer the question?
Benedict: She did not. She told you where you can go and what you can do to yourself.
Aiden: Worth a try.
Benedict: Jury is still out if that was worth it for me. If I don’t get the chalet deed priority mail in the next few business days, you’re a dead man.
Aiden: Understood.
_____
Lily: Wait. Manipulate you to what?
Harper: Stop avoiding him.
Lily: WHAT!
Lily: He bought you a fully restored $250K+ car, and limited edition surf board, so you would talk to him?
Harper: Technically, he said nothing about talking.
Lily: You know what this sounds like?
Harper: Like a rich guy love-bombing some girl he thinks he likes?
Lily: Okay, yes. It does sound like that.
Harper: I know.
CHAPTER 23
Aiden
It’s her dream car. I picked her dream car for her. I could bloody dance on a table top right now. Hell, I’m so smiley right now I’d probably annoy Benedict.
I don’t understand this feeling but it’ll pass. Probably.
I bought Marion plenty of gifts. Jewelry, trinkets, an obscenely priced handbag at one point. Things I think she wanted her friends to see her wearing. She was excited about them, but giving them, seeing her receive it all, it never felt like this. Like…triumph?
I didn’t even get to see Harper’s reaction. With any of the gifts. Or the meals. All the different ways I’ve tried to make her life a little easier, her load a little lighter. I assume it’s not all good.
She’s been shocked, probably. And still angry with me about the town. I get the feeling she’s generally confused about me, a feeling I understand about myself as of late.
Still.
It’s her dream car. And yes, I googled and researched and asked the chat bots, but I knew the questions to ask. I described Harper, apparently very well, and asked what kind of car shewould love. Not something dependable and useful for a bakery. A car she wouldlove.
