Page 56 of Done with You

“Do you need help?” Aiden finally asked. “I’m literally sitting here twiddling my thumbs while everyone is at work. If you need me to call around and make reservations or do something, I can.”

Jace exhaled loudly into the phone. “Oh, fuck man, that would be great. I’m training for E.R.T try outs right now and am fucking exhausted. I can barely lift my arms or see straight. I wanted to start planning this ages ago, then lost track of time.”

E.R.T or Emergency Response Team was the Canadian version of S.W.A.T. The training was rigorous and intense. Aiden knew of a couple of guys who tried out and made it, but he knew even more guys who tried out and didn’t make the cut.

Jace’s behavior was beginning to make more sense now. The guy had stretched himself too thin and was running on fumes.

“Text me what you have so far and I’ll see what I can do,” Aiden said, his respect for Jace growing, now that he knew how beat and sore the guy probably was. It wasn’t his fault he was shitty at planning Jordan’s bachelor party, he was just terrible at time management and organizing.

“Thanks, man. I really appreciate it. When I’m not working, I’m training. And even days I work, I still fucking train for a minimum of three hours a day. My girlfriend broke up with me because she said I was never around, that training and work were consuming my life.”

“Jeez. Sorry about that.”

“Thanks.” Jace stifled a yawn over the phone. “Okay, I just sent you everything.”

Aiden’s phone vibrated several times to indicate new text messages. “Got ‘em.”

“So, the invite list is: you, me, Brock, Chase, Rex, Heath—those are the Harty Boys if you didn’t know—and like three other guys from the precinct. All cops. All good guys. And besides you and me, the rest are married or engaged. I don’t anticipate this getting too wild.”

“Got it.”

“I’ve sent you all their contact info, too.”

“Okay.”

Jace yawned again. “Okay, I took a fifteen-minute break, now it’s time for the kettlebell. Text me if you have any questions.”

“Will do.”

The call disconnected and Aiden brought up his text messages. Turned out Jace was more organized that Aiden gave him credit for, the guy was just exhausted and over-scheduled. He sent Aiden all the phone numbers, the plan and the websites for the restaurant, climbing gym and billiards hall.

Then Aiden got to work.

It was great having a task and not feeling like an imposing guest just sitting around with his finger up his ass waiting for everyone to get home.

By ten-thirty, he had the entire party planned, everything booked and everyone but Jordan notified of the changes.

It wasn’t even noon, though, and as much as he enjoyed wandering around downtown yesterday, he wasn’t keen on doing it again.

He had a couple of the cranberry orange muffins on the counter and two cups of coffee. That only brought him to ten forty-five.

What the fuck was he going to do with the rest of the day?

He could beat off again, but that just seemed excessive. He also had no idea where Oona was or when she would be back, so he didn’t want to risk it.

He checked the fridge, and found it on the south end of empty. There was still food in it, but nothing substantial to make a decent dinner.

That’s when the lightbulb in his head finally turned on.

He was going to make dinner for Rayma and Jordan. And Oona, he supposed …

Finding a few cloth grocery bags, he set out back to the same shopping complex that had the Starbucks he visited yesterday. There was a grocery store, a drug store, and a health food store in the shopping center, so he figured for sure he could find everything he would need.

Hope and purpose added buoyancy to his steps as he made his way up the hill, the wind chilly but not icy enough to make him shove his hands in his pockets. The rain was abstaining for now—because it all pelted his face that morning when he was out for his run—so he needed to make haste.

Yes, he was going to make a delicious dinner of Caesar salad, a creamy leek and potato soup, fried oyster mushrooms, and bacon wrapped scallops. Since being suspended from work, Aiden had diverted his attention to the kitchen, taking online knife-skill classes, spending way too much money on decent knives, and even more money on primo ingredients for some pretty epic dishes. He found joy in cooking that he’d never had before. It was as rewarding as it was therapeutic, and when he perfected his first savory soufflé, he actually teared up a little.

Yes, this would be how he would show his appreciation to Rayma and Jordan for hosting him. He would cook them dinner … and Oona, too.

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