Page 60 of Almost True
And based on what I knew about Aidan, he’d made it. A pang of longing and affection for that part of him—thatcan do, take control, and make it happenpiece—made my ribs ache. He’d taken such good care of me, and if I hadn’t been sitting, it would’ve taken me to my knees to think about just how thoroughly he’d managed things.
“Did you make this?” I asked after taking a spoonful and finding it soothed rather than excoriated my throat.Wait, he just said he did.Ugh, my brain was still fogged.
“I did. Well, I had some frozen from when Luca was sick a few weeks ago, so I warmed it up. It’s just so much better when it’s homemade.” He gave me a soft smile and set a thick slice of bread slathered with butter on a plate next to my bowl.
I continued taking small bites of the soup while he delivered ice water, a small glass of orange juice, and a little bowl of pills. Each delivery he made cinched my throat tighter, and by the time he came to check my temperature, I had tears in my eyes.
“Oh, hey, if you need to go back to bed, I’ll help you. You’re almost through the worst, I’m sure of it.”
He ran a hand over my hair in a gesture so familiar and affectionate, it made the tears track down my face when I shut my eyes to savor the touch.
“It’s not that. You’re just…” How did I explain it? How could he know how seldomly people treated me this way? They deferred to me, yes. Catered. Made sure my needs were met. But it was done because of the name, the status, the wealth, and not because they genuinely cared. Even Anthony, who was an amazing assistant and friend, couldn’t be like this. Frankly, it wouldn’t be appropriate. Aidan’s tenderness nearly gutted me. “You’re being so sweet.”
He chuckled quietly, and I opened my eyes just in time to see his soft smile. My heart swooned at the flash of teeth against his dark beard. Goodness, he was handsome. And if I wasn’t disgusting and ill, I’d kiss him.
“I’m glad I can help. Eat up and you can get back to bed.” He squeezed my shoulder gently and went to putter around the kitchen.
After a few more bites, I took the pills and started feeling a little better mentally but a bit worse physically. “I think I need to lie down again.”
He abandoned whatever he was doing at the sink and came directly to me, hooking his arm around my back as I stood. “I’ll help you back upstairs. Need anything?”
“You really don’t have to. I should be fine—”
“I’m here, and I’m helping you.”
I grabbed the railing, and he guided me from the other side. “This is overkill. I’m sure you have to get back to Luca, and I—”
“I know you can out-stubborn me ten days a week, but you’re not getting rid of me tonight, Maddie. Luca’s with his grandparents and I’m here with you. I’ve got you.”
We reached the top of the stairs, and the need to cry hit me again. I didn’t want to feel so emotional, like I’d never been cared for in my life. I had. But it’d been a long time since I’d been sick and felt so pathetic physically that it gave me this puny feeling emotionally. I’d only just recovered from the stalker nonsense, and for some reason, Aidan’s insistence on being here for me made me want to curl up and sob.
After I slid back under the covers and he sat on the edge of the bed and felt my forehead, I tried again. “You really don’t have to stay. I appreciate it, but you don’t have to.”
He pinned me with those dark eyes and nodded. “I know I don’t have to. I nearly had to kick Anthony out earlier when he stopped by after I texted. Juliet offered to fly herself here.”
“From South Africa?” I’d texted her yesterday that I felt terrible. I hadn’t realized she knew how to get ahold of Aidan, but it didn’t surprise me that she had. She was like that when she wanted to be.
He dipped his head. “Yep. And I’m sure if I’d given your mother even a hint that you were sick, she could’ve made it out here in minutes by the sheer force of her will.”
A scratchy laugh escaped me.
“But I’m here. I want to be here. I’ve honed my skills of taking care of sick patients in the last eleven years of parenting, and I’m not going anywhere.”
I slumped back against the pillow to show my defeat, which only made his smile widen.Ugh.Too handsome for his own good, or maybe more accurately, formyown good. I wanted to say something meaningful, something that would convey how much this meant to me without it seeming like a love confession.
But more than anything, I wanted that last statement to be true. I wanted him to stay with me, to not leave. And the desperate grasping for that reality I felt deep in my chest told me just how much.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE
Aidan
Afew days later, John eyed me with that squinty, suspicious gaze I knew all too well. How many times had I seen it over the years? Countless.
“You’re good? Really?”
I nodded. “You know I am. I’m just doing my usual. I appreciate you taking Luca and letting him have a fun night.”
My cousin’s small smile showed his understanding. He knew I wasn’t a wreck over the day, but I think, as much as he could, he understood I needed the space. I never asked my in-laws because I didn’t want to draw attention to the day for them. Maybe that was stupid, but we had other benchmarks we made a big deal of—birthdays, special events she would’ve loved.
