Page 66 of One Moment in Time
‘Okay, I’ve made a decision and feel free to tell me I’m an idiot, but I’m going to go along to this thing today,’ Aiden had announced.
‘You’re going to go to some second wedding thing, for the parents of the girl you’re crushing on, even though she’s not taking your calls and the whole reunion with your parents plan was a bust?’
‘Yeah, that’s about it. Wanna come?’
Trevon had laughed, shaking his head. ‘Man, I love you, but not that much.’
Aiden had got dressed, shaved, fully aware that this was probably a bad idea, but Zara was leaving tomorrow and this could be the last chance he’d have to speak to her, even if it was only to say goodbye. And sorry. If nothing else, he definitely owed her an apology for putting her in that position the other night.
He’d been about to leave when his mom had texted to say she was heading there too.
‘Okay, I don’t feel like so much of a loser now turning up on my own. My mom is going, so at least it’ll look like I’m just there to keep her company. Last chance to change your mind. You may get to see me make a complete dick of myself, for the second time in a month.’
To his surprise, Trevon had pushed himself up from the bed. ‘You know what? I don’t think I want to miss that. You being a dick makes me feel better about myself.’
Ten minutes later, Trevon was out of the shower, pale grey shirt and black trousers on, ready to come support them. Or bear witness to his idiocy. Either way, Aiden was glad he was here now to see all this, because re-telling the story of what had just happened in this chapel could never quite capture the surprise of it all.
His mom had left her chair and gone over to hug Zara’s parents, leaving the seat at the aisle empty and a clear route to slip out without causing a fuss. Aiden took it.
Outside the chapel, he scanned the street searching for Zara. He’d almost given up, figuring she’d bolted, when he spotted her. Looking like some kind of gorgeous paradox in a Banksy painting, she was sitting on the grubby sidewalk beside the run-down pawn shop along the street, her head resting on the knees that were pulled up to the chest of her beautiful mint green dress. Feeling a relief that he could barely explain or justify, he wandered over.
‘Hey,’ he began softly, so that he didn’t startle her. ‘You waiting for someone or can anyone sit here?’
She lifted her head and brought her hand up to her eyes, shielding them as she squinted against the afternoon sun.
‘To be honest, I’m kinda hoping for a serial killer to put me out of my misery, but there’s no sign of one.’
Aiden cast his gaze around the street. ‘In this part of town, one could show up at any minute.’
He watched her gorgeous face find a way to a half-smile and took that as an acceptance of his offer. He slid down the wall, not caring that he was about to wreck a five hundred dollar pair of Tom Ford pants by sitting on a sidewalk that hadn’t been cleaned since the beginning of time. He rolled up the sleeves on his black shirt and pulled his sunglasses out of his pants pocket. He offered them to her first, but she declined.
‘I’m Scottish. I see the sun about three times a year so I could do with the Vitamin D. But thanks.’
He slipped one of the arms of the sunglasses into his mouth, figuring that if he chewed it, it might cover up the fact that he had no idea what to say. Nothing. He spent half his life discussing cases with clients, taking depositions, arguing in court. He practically spoke for a living. Yet here he was, on a Vegas sidewalk, with no idea how to formulate a decent sentence.
‘Tough gig in there.’
‘Yep,’ she replied, sighing with weariness. ‘I told you I was a jinx. I don’t even know where to start with what they just did. I guess they had another whole thing going on that we didn’t understand. I’m pleased for them though, truly. Whatever makes them happy is cool with me, because it’s their lives to live, not mine. But I’m now officially done with surprises for any kind of celebration. From now on, everyone is getting wine for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries and every other special occasion. At least if it all goes tits up, we can drown our sorrows.’
Another silence. That’s when the universe threw him a break and he spotted the phone in her hand. Okay, he could work with that.
‘Waiting for a call?’ It wasn’t exactly oratory genius, but it would do.
‘Just made one,’ she replied, obviously finding this as awkward as him. ‘Wasn’t great.’
He had no idea what the call was about, but her monosyllabic attitude was making it pretty clear she didn’t want him here. He took the hint. Fuck-up made. Time to apologise and get out of there and hope the memory faded real fast. He felt his palms begin to sweat and it wasn’t just down to the heat. Nor was the dry throat, the swirling guts or the inability to make his thoughts turn into anything more than basic words.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Not your fault.’
‘No, I mean, about the other night. I’m so sorry. I put you in a position and I shouldn’t have done that. It’s not my usual style and I apologise.’
Okay, he’d finally managed to plead his case. He’d thought maybe she’d shrug his apology off, and then, crushed but still breathing, he could go and do something unusual but therapeutic with the rest of his day. Maybe drink until he fell down and forgot about this.
‘Did you mean it?’
‘Mean what?’
