Page 69 of Almost True
Maddie
At half past nine, the crowd dispersed from the brewery. Fireworks started at ten, so everyone left with well wishes and slices of pie on paper plates to go watch from wherever they’d planned to view.
Aidan tugged me out the door and down the stairs, then craned his neck up to view the night sky. Seeing the stars on almost any night was just one more thing I liked about Silverton. We were high up enough that even the lights from the parking lot didn’t obscure the brightest ones.
“I’m hoping you’ll come back to my house and watch from the back yard, unless you’d rather go to the garden?”
John had told me Aidan wouldn’t want to be anywhere but alone with me—John had assured me with a wink and nod that he’d absolutely want to go to my house. But I didn’t want to pull him away from his friends, and though Aidan was quiet about it, the crammed room made it clear he had a lot of them.
He was quiet about it, but he engendered a kind of devotion in the people he interacted with. I felt it myself, and even if I hadn’t been in love with him, I’d admire and regard him highly.
He gave me a perplexed look. “You think I’d say no to that?”
I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling obnoxiously big. “I don’t want to take you away from the party. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to—”
“The only thing I want tonight is more of you.”
My stomach flipped. “Good. Me, too.”
The drive to my house was tense, but in a delicious, anticipatory way I didn’t mind. When he pulled into the driveway and parked, nerves fizzed through my body. He held out a hand when he opened my door, and I took it. Warm, slightly rough from the work he did, even with gloves, and large enough to make mine feel delicate.
Once inside, I dumped my purse on the kitchen counter and rustled around in the fridge to find what I needed. I set them on a small tray I’d positioned earlier and held it up with a raised brow.
He grinned and looked adorably bashful. “You really didn’t have to.”
He had to be referring to the small chocolate cake I’d gotten for him. The party had been fun and the food and beer and even the pie were delicious. But at some point in the last month and a half, we’d talked about favorite desserts and he’d said chocolate cake from the Silver Ridge Resort’s restaurant had become his dream dessert since the time he’d had it the year before. I couldn’t resist the chance to give him something I knew he’d enjoy.
Aidan was a man who didn’t need things. He didn’t have a running list ofstuffthat seemed like good presents. He didn’t want luxury travel or a fancy car. These were things I could give him, if I wanted, but I suspected it’d make him uncomfortable more than excited. I had yet to date a man for whom that was true, and though I wished there were things I could give him, it was a relief.
Everyone wanted something from me. Except him.
“I hope you have room for it,” I said, lifting the tray and heading for the door to the back deck.
He gave me a mock disappointed look and took the tray from me, so I held the door for him and followed him out.
“I’m thinking the deck is the best option for a good view. They won’t be above us this far out, but we should see them that way, right?” I pointed toward the horizon where the sun had slipped away in the last hour.
“Yep. We should see them pretty well.”
We spent a few minutes opening champagne, filling flutes, and slicing cake. His ecstatic groan when he tasted his first bite had me grinning like a maniac.
“I don’t know why this is making me so happy,” I said, shaking my head at the absolute, fizzing joy slipping through me. And it wasn’t the champagne.
He flashed his eyebrows as he finished swallowing. “I think you delight in things that make other people happy.”
I thought about that before responding. “I’m not sure I’m that selfless.”
He shook his head. “Maddie, you’re incredible. And you don’t have to be selfless. I love that you’re a strong, determined woman. But you’re also extremely mindful of others, even with all that hulking ambition.” He nudged my elbow with his.
I chuckled. “I think you’re getting confused. I’m mindful ofyouand always have been.”Because I’m in love with you.“It’s not like that for everyone.”
His eyes bore into mine. “You’re like that with Luca. And Dahlia. I know for a fact you are with Juliet and Anthony. I suspect you are with most people who are close to you.”
I gripped his upper arm, enjoying the curve of his bicep under my fingertips. “Well, maybe. But I can easily say I’ve never met anyone who does as much for the people he loves and his community like you do. You’re an amazing man, Aidan, and I’m so glad to know you.”
He bent and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “Thank you for being a part of tonight. It was a dream to start my fortieth year with you.” He took another giant bite of cake to punctuate the thought.
“I’m glad I could be there.” I felt the tremor in my words, so I cleared my throat. I didn’t want to break down and sob over his birthday cake.Thatwouldn’t be much of a memory for him, nor for me. “Is it as good as you remember?”
