Page 57 of One Moment in Time
‘And after we were married?’
‘Then you were my wife, and I couldn’t bring myself to hurt your feelings. I just figured his loss was my gain. I’ve never changed my mind about that.’
Brenda’s throat tightened as she watched her quiet, dignified husband show her his heart. The truth was, she’d changed her mind about him. Now she wondered if it was too late to change it back.
28
AIDEN
Aiden hadn’t been able to hear what Layla was saying on the phone. The noise in the casino was too loud, then, when he’d got out in the street, it was even busier, with car horns beeping and sirens blaring. Besides, this wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have in a chaotic environment while he was straining to catch what she had to say. This was one he wanted to have when he was sitting down, when he was prepared and could think reasonably and logically and not be swayed by the fact that he’d just wanted to kiss another woman – one who wasn’t the ex-fiancée on the other end of the phone right now.
‘Layla, I can’t hear you,’ he shouted. ‘Let me call you back in ten minutes when I get back to my room.’
‘Your room? What are you talking about? Where are you?’
She was shouting too, so he couldn’t be clear on the tone of her voice or get any sense of the reason for her call. This was why he needed to be somewhere quiet where he could concentrate on what she was saying.
‘I’m in Vegas.’
The line went dead, and he couldn’t be sure if she’d hung up or if he’d lost signal. Damn it.
He crossed the road, and made his way up the sloping drive, past the crowds outside the Valentino store and into the lobby, which was so busy that he had to swerve to avoid cliques of tourists who were either checking in or gazing in wonder at the stained-glass sculpture on the ceiling. Was it really only a couple of days ago that he’d arrived and seen that for the first time? How could so much have changed since then?
‘Hey, buddy, got a spare couple of dollars for the slots?’
At first, Aiden barely registered the words, because he knew that they couldn’t be directed at him, but then something clicked. The voice. It was as familiar as his own, yet it couldn’t be…
‘Trevon?’ He said it aloud as he turned, and then immediately lost at least fifty per cent of his stress, because there, right in front of him, was his best mate.
‘What the hell are you doing here, bud?’ he exclaimed, pulling him into a hug.
‘Ah, you know… just passing, thought I’d drop in. You sounded wired when you texted. Just wanted to check you were good, and an acquaintance of mine was headed this way, so I hitched a lift.’
Aiden shook his head, still laughing. ‘You came on a private jet, didn’t you? With some big shot client? You know, sometimes you’re pretty hard to like.’
It was a source of much ribbing that Trevon and Aiden had been so skint when they met that Aiden used to take him to Eileen’s on a Monday night, because she filled them with wings while they watched the football. Even then, he’d looked good though. Now he’d turned his love of fitness and the charisma of a born leader into a company and a lifestyle that those two younger dudes could only have dreamt about. Thing was, Trevon deserved every dollar of it, especially the ones that he funnelled into a non-profit that provided scholarships for inner-city kids. This was, hands down, the best guy Aiden knew. In a world of Gary Greggs, he’d much rather be a Trevon Anderson.
‘How long are you here for? Are you staying?’
‘Tonight anyway. Maybe a couple of nights.’
Aiden hugged him again. ‘Man, you’ve no idea how much I needed to hear that. My dad packed up and left so there’s a spare bed in my room if you’re interested…’
‘Sounds good. And what about your mom? Still here.’
‘Yeah. Bud, I’ve got so much to tell you, but listen… Layla just called.’
It was Trevon’s turn to be shocked. ‘You’re kidding.’
‘Nope, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying, so I need to call her back. Give me your bag and I’ll take it up to my room, then I’ll come back down and meet you at the bar when I’m done. That okay?’
‘Sounds good. If I’m putting everything I own on red when you find me, save me, okay?’
Aiden nodded, laughing. ‘I got you, don’t worry.’
He picked up his buddy’s bag and made his way to the elevator that took him up to his room. There he grabbed a bottle of water, opened it, and ten minutes later than he’d promised, he called Layla back. He almost choked with relief when she answered on the first ring.
‘Sorry. I met Trevon in the lobby and got held up.’
