Flirting With Destiny(38)

I must have been crazy, or tipsy, and I concluded I really did have a death wish because another beer later, I was leaning into his arm, blabbering about old times, talking about my life and when I moved to Granger. I could easily blame this reaction as a side effect of the concussion, but in my heart I knew better.

“How old were you then?” Aedyn asked.

“Um… it was about a year after I moved here, so close to seventeen I think.”

I sat, pitched forward on my bar stool, holding onto his arm for stability, feeling relaxed both from the beers and his warm personality. For the time being, my engagement was just an alcohol-induced lost memory and it was a relief to put it out of my mind for a while. It shouldn’t have been, but it was.

“If you think about it, we’ve known each other a long time. We were friends in high school and now, after all these years, we’re still friends. I feel just as close now as I did back then, maybe even closer.”

“I guess you’re right.” He made a good point and now I knew he felt something too. I’d known Chip for just as many years and I’d been with him every day. Why didn’t I feel all fluttery in my stomach and excited to see him anymore?

Oh yeah, I remembered, because Chip was a dick! I laughed at my internal joke while Aedyn just stared at me, a curious tilt to his head.

I had to pull myself together, people were turning to look my way. My emotions were getting the better of me and I felt a warm flush rise to my cheeks. “You know what, Aedyn?” We’d been talking for quite a while and I felt safe in saying, “I’m not sure if Chip makes me happy anymore.” I rubbed the moisture from my beer glass into the surface of the bar. “I’ve had all the plans laid out for years. I bought one of those wedding planner books years ago, not long after Chip and I started dating, just waiting for the time to use it. I was so excited, I couldn’t wait for the day when I’d start filling out the pages of the book. Now that the time has come… I just don’t know... maybe I’m not as sure as I thought I was.”

I reached for my upper arm, rubbing where the purple bruises from Chip’s angry hands had faded to a pale yellow. Maybe, just like those bruises had faded, my sadness would fade once we were finally married. I could only hope. Tears stung at my eyes, but I didn’t want Aedyn to see. I pinched my finger and thumb to the bridge of my nose to squeeze the tears away.

“Hey now,” Aedyn said in a gentle voice. He reached over to wipe my tears. Feeling like a fool, I tried to bury my chin in my chest, but he lifted my face, forcing my gaze to his. My hands were trembling and all I wanted was for his lips to consume mine and for me to melt into his arms. He looked into my eyes, then down at my ring and said, “Maybe you need a break.”

I blinked. A break from lunch? I laughed and the emotional diversion felt good.

“I think you need a time-out from all this. You should get away from here, this town, and all the pressures. Go somewhere you can have some time to yourself to think things over.”

I pulled away from his gaze and grabbed a cocktail napkin off the bar to dab at my eyes. I could’ve easily let myself go, given in to my raging emotions right now and have a total breakdown. But instead, I pulled myself together, wondering how he understood me so well… and how I hadn’t noticed such an amazing guy years ago?

“What you need is a relaxing get away. Why don’t you come with me to Chicago for a weekend? It’ll be my treat.”

I perked up, brought back by the hope that he was right, but then I immediately thought of all the reasons I shouldn’t and followed with, “But I can’t…”

“Strictly as friends,” he interrupted, hands in the air. “I’ll show you around Chicago, we can go out for a nice steak dinner and just relax and have fun… as friends. I promise.” His whole face spread into a dazzling smile. It was a tempting invitation.

“Fun? Um… define fun.”

“Seriously. I won’t touch you. I would never take advantage of you like that.”

It was difficult to say no; Aedyn was so handsome and charming. I swore he was confusing me with those piercing blue eyes on purpose.

I wanted to scream, “Yes, yes! That’s exactly what I need right now.” Instead, I said, “That’s very sweet of you Aedyn, but I’m afraid I’ll have to say no. What would I tell Chip?”

“Say you went to visit friends. That wouldn’t be completely wrong; I am a friend.”

I bit my lip, pondering the tempting possibility. “I don’t know…”

“Or say you need a couple days rest after the accident, after all, you did just have a head injury.”