Page 34 of My Irresistible Enemy

“Jesus, Mom.” I shook my head in wonder. “This whole time, I’ve been worrying there was something wrong that you just didn’t want to tell me—”

“Itoldyou there was nothing wrong!”

“Yeah, but you also do that wholeI’m so independent, the thought of leaning on other people makes me sick, so I hate admitting I have a problemthing. I thought you’d get around to explaining the real issue if I gave you enough time.”

“Who taught you to psychoanalyze your family this much?”

“Doyouwant the real answer to that?”

“Good point. No, I don’t think I do. Now, to get back to the topic at hand—”

“Must we?”

“That Aiden kid iscute, and I bet he’s only mean because you make him nervous. You can be intimidating sometimes, sweetie. But you did promise me you wouldn’t shut things down if you met someone you were interested in.”

“I promised you I’dthinkabout it. But I’m not interested. So the point is moot.”

“Is it, really? Because I think, maybe, if you got to know him a bit better—”

“Mom, I’m gonna hang up on you if you don’t start talking about something else,” I threatened. “Literallyanythingother than Aiden Fucking Hastings.”

“You mean youdon’twanna talk about how he keeps sneaking glances at you whenever he thinks you’re not looking, and how adorable he is when he smiles, and how I think he really just wants your approval?”

“I mean it. I’m hanging up.”

“But he looked genuinely upset when he knocked your cake over, honey. And not for nothing, but those shorts he was wearing last episode? Can we just talk for a second about how nice they made his—”

“I love you, call me back if it’s important, goodbye.”

I hung up and collapsed back onto the bed, facedown this time so I could scream into a pillow. Aiden was the last thing I wanted to think about right now. Aiden was the reason I was going home next week. Aiden was—

“Hey, Nolan? Are you there?”

Aiden was at my door?

“Nolan, come on, open up. I need to talk to you.”

I didn’t move. I didn’twantto move. I didn’t want to talkabouthim, and I didn’t want to talktohim, and I wasn’t going to—

“Nolan, I swear to God, I will make a giant scene and make things even more embarrassing unless you open this door right—”

“What?” I said, springing off the bed and opening the door with a jerk. “What do you want?”

Aiden was standing so close to the door that he almost fell into my room when I yanked it open. His chest was heaving and he sounded out of breath. I took one look at those eyes of his, almost obnoxiously blue, and changed my mind.

“No.” I shut the door before he could speak.

Or tried to, anyway. But Aiden stuck his foot in against the frame, and I couldn’t actually close it without taking off a couple of his toes. I seriously considered it for a moment.

“I just need a minute,” he said.

“Pretty sure I’ve given you all the minutes I ever wanted to, and more.”

Just the sight of him set my heart pounding. In anger, obviously.

“Come on, Nolan. Please?”

“Please what?” I groaned. “Haven’t you done enough? Honestly, I’m not sure there’s anything left for you to mess up, but I don’t want to take my chances.”

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