Page 63 of Reclaimed

Aiden’s been doing just that, hasn’t he? When was the last time I had to go out of my way to ask for something? I mean, he even has water waiting for me when I finish my set. Nobody’s ever done that. I don’t even do that for myself.

“He really loves you.” Her statement shocks me out of my inner thoughts.

“We haven’t been together long enough for him to love me.”

Whitney looks at the door, then swings her gaze back to mine. “I’ve seen a couple of these boys fall and I’m telling you, the way he looked at you after he got done kissing you in the doorway went beyond a basic crush.”

“I think he could find better.” The vulnerable words fall out in a mumbled rush.

She crosses her arms and rests them on her bump. “Aiden doesn’t. Why don’t you let him tell you what he wants?”

I raise an eyebrow. “That easy, huh?”

“More times than not. Come on, let’s get back. Before they start to worry I went into labor and break the door down.”

I manage a short laugh. “Please don’t. I’m not equipped to deliver a baby in a bathroom.”

“I could walk you through it,” she winks. “Besides having done it twice myself, I also work at the hospital emergency department.”

I hold the door open for her to precede me to the table. “I take it you’re not squeamish?”

“Once you start dealing with diaper blowouts and baby vomit, that tends to disappear.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Good to know.”

Aiden’s attention is fixated on the mouth of the hall we emerge from. Even at a distance, I can see the tension ease from his shoulders. He runs his index finger absentmindedly along his mouth, nodding at something Lee says.

“Seems like someone missed you,” Whitney gloats, bumping my hip with hers.

“Yeah well the feeling is mutual,” I admit. She quietly squeals.

As I sit, rather than taking my hand, Aiden lays his arm across the back of my chair. The heat of his chest entices me closer.

“Everything okay?” He studies my face and tucks a loose lock of hair behind my ear.

“Everything’s great.” I lean into him.

He drops his chin and touches his mouth to mine. “Good,” he murmurs against my lips. Way too soon for my liking he’s pulling away and answering a question from Lee, completely unaffected. He’s way too good at faking this. Unless Whitney is right and he isn’t.

“I’m really happy you’re with him,” Juniper says quietly from my other side.

“Me too.” There’s nothing fake about my answer. Even though our time together has an expiration date, I’ll never, ever forget these last several weeks with him.

There’s a commotion at the other end of the table. Aiden straightens in his chair, taking me with him.

“Slow down, Ma,” Sutton orders into his phone. Silas to his left looks on with concern. Sutton’s head snaps to his brother. “We’ll be right there.”

“Is it the kids?” Silas stands to throw on his leather jacket and shove his cell into his pocket.

Sutton shakes his head, and a pause lingers. “It’s Spencer.”

Spencer? Spencer… I flit through dusty memories. “Who’s Spencer?” I ask Juniper.

“I’m not sure,” she whispers back.

A quick glance around the other women shows similar confusion on their faces. All except Cortney. Her expression is a careful blank mask.

“What happened to Spencer?” She asks, slowly rising from her chair to see the Stone brothers better.

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