Page 123 of Done with You

Aiden made his way back over to Oona as she stood inside the house picking at various things on the buffet table. All the food was amazing. “You outdid yourself, Big Lassie,” she said, popping a fried wonton into her mouth and humming in delight as the Asian flavors did a happy dance across her tastebuds.

He handed her a glass of red wine. “When I like who I’m cooking for, I try to do my best.”

The symbolism behind him bringing her wine was not lost on her at all. She could see it in his eyes and his whole demeanor, how dedicated he was to mending himself and getting better. To doing the work. Even though he was giving her most of his attention at the reception, he was a lot more social with the other guests than she remembered him being at the bachelor party. He was joking and smiling. Carefree and relaxed.

Everything about the Aiden Lassiter she met in her office a little over a week ago, and the Aiden Lassiter now, was different. And in all the best kinds of ways. Gone were the bags under his eyes, the angry scowl, the harsh lines between his brows. The angry energy that accompanied him like a rock in his shoe, were gone. His dimples were out and attacking everyone, and it was beautiful.

She swallowed the food in her mouth and sipped the wine. “You know, I’m not your therapist, but I am your friend?” She said that last bit with an upward inflection. “Right?”

He nodded and reached for a wonton, which forced his wrist to brush against her arm sending electric zaps coursing through her body. “I’d like to think that we’re at the very least friends, now, yes.”

She sobered herself by taking another sip of wine. “And friends talk about their problems. They help each other. They vent and commiserate. So, if you ever want to talk—as friends—I’m here.”

He finished chewing his wonton, then wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her until her thighs bumped his. Damn, he was a sexy sight in his serge. “Thank you, but I think I’ll see how my therapist and anger management go, first. I don’t want to burden my friend with my problems. Right now, I just want to get to know her because whether she’s Oona or Luna, I happened to think she’s pretty great.”

Oona’s heart wanted to leap out of her chest and wrap itself around Aiden. But she kept her cool and simply met his big dimply smile with a big one of her own as her arms floated up and rested on his shoulders. “I think Aiden and Caden are pretty great, too.”

The next day was Christmas day and even though the snow didn’t let up until the wee hours of the morning, the plows (eventually) went through.

But Aiden, Jordan, Rayma and Oona were still at Jordayma’s apartment that morning, with plans to go to Joy and Grant’s later for the enormous family dinner.

“Little Lassie, you shouldn’t have,” Rayma fake-crooned as she opened the jewelry box from her new husband to reveal a necklace with a pineapple pendant. “But it’s perfect. I love it.”

Aiden and Oona exchanged looks. Though Oona didn’t seem to be nearly as confused as Aiden was. “I gotta ask,” he finally said, “what is with the pineapples?”

Rayma snorted. “It makes your cum taste better.”

Aiden nearly choked on his coffee. “Excuse me?”

“When Little Lassie and I first started dating and we were finally going to sleep together—after he strung me along forever—I told him to eat pineapple or drink pineapple juice as it made his cum taste sweeter. Then, when I showed up at his house that night, he had like forty pineapples on his counter.”

“Not forty,” Jordan said. “You make me sound like some weirdo.”

“You had a lot of pineapples. And you still buy a lot of pineapples.” She shrugged. “It’s just become our thing now. An inside joke. Hence why I walked down the aisle with a pineapple.”

Aiden, still bewildered, nodded. “Okay, then. Probably a bit too much information for me to have about my brother and his wife, and certainly this early in the morning, but educational nonetheless.”

“I’m here to inform,” Rayma said, removing the necklace from its velvet bed, undoing the clasp and fastening it around her neck. “I could make a pearl necklace joke here in some way, but I’m going to take the mature highroad and refrain.”

“I think mentioning that you could make the joke eliminates the maturity of not saying it,” Oona countered before sipping her tea.

Rayma stuck her tongue out at her sister. “Here, Oons, this one has your name on it.”

Oona’s brows bunched. “But I already opened the one from you.”

Rayma lifted one shoulder and handed the gift to Oona. All it said was “Oona” on it.

“It’s from me,” Aiden said, softly.

“What?” Oona exclaimed. “We’re exchanging gifts? I don’t have anything for you. Up until, like, two days ago we didn’t even like each other. I can’t accept this.” She held the brown box with the red ribbon toward him.

“You’ve forgiven me for being a total dick, Oona, that’s worth more than what is in that box, trust me.” He pushed the box toward her again. “Just open it.”

With a weighted sigh and a confused glint in her eyes, she set the box on her lap and pulled at the red ribbon until it unraveled. Then she opened the box and pulled out the matching scarf and gloves. “They’re beautiful,” she said softly, gazing at him with glassy eyes and appreciation. “Thank you.”

Nodding, but not wanting to get too mushy, he reached under the tree and grabbed the two small boxes he had for Rayma and Jordan. “Here. These are for you guys.”

They opened them at the same time.

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