Page 106 of One Time in Paris
But he’d sworn he’d never become like his father. Stiff. Detached. So busy working that he rarely made time for his family. He couldn’t name a single hobby his father had maintained while he’d been growing up. He was always just working. Not that he was as ruthless as other businessmen around him—which, thank goodness, he hadn’t been—but just wholly consumed by his work.
And now...with these lies to his closest friend, he felt as though he’d morphed into something else, too. God knew enough people saw him as a callous, unfeeling arsehole. His own brother had so little faith in him that when the time had come to choose between Callum and Aiden, he’d chosen Callum.
Mason, too.
It didn’t matter what he did. How hard he’d tried to recoup his reputation or the countless hours he spent working. They all still saw him the same way—the unredeemable black sheep.
And he was so damn tired of trying.
Within minutes, the car picked him up from in front of the building, and he was on his way home, crawling through the London traffic. He pulled out his mobile, dreading the thought of telling Isla what he’d done.
God, what if I lose her, too?She’d said she loved him, but she was also the one who wanted a commitment-free relationship. To figure it out as they went. The risk felt more enormous than ever now that he was facing reality.
Thumbs hovering over his mobile, he tapped out a message.
Aiden:Liddy knows about us. I fouled up and let it slip.
The “Read” message popped up almost immediately, followed by dots showing she was typing.
With each passing second, Aiden felt the pressure around his chest increasing.
At last, the mobile buzzed in his hand.
Isla:I’m on my way over.
Bollocks.
What did that mean? Was she angry?
She was staying with Liddy and Callum. What if Liddy had already told Callum?
By the time he arrived at the terraced house he’d bought when he’d first become head of the company, nausea gripped him thoroughly. He stepped out of the car, then waited on the pavement for Isla despite the light mist of rain that had started on the drive over.
At last, he saw her walking toward him, coming from the direction of Callum and Liddy’s.
Her eyes met his, and a slow smile spread across her lips.
Isla took off at a sprint toward him, closing the gap between them. When she reached him, she threw her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes as she lifted her face for him. “Hi, lover,” she whispered, breathless.
Aiden’s arms went tight around her waist. “You’re not angry? I thought maybe you’d come to have it out with me.”
“No, I came because I thought you might be having a full-blown freak-out. And I was right, wasn’t I?”
The pressure around his chest eased, and his lips met hers, the connection between them powerful and passionate, as though they’d been apart for months rather than a few days. As though they weren’t standing in the middle of the footpath in front of his house, kissing in the rain, where anyone who passed could see.
Liddy, Callum—everyone else—could accuse him all they wanted.
He would never apologize for loving Isla.
He could only hope that Isla shared his determination...and could also see forever with him.
33
ISLA
Standingin the middle of Aiden’s kitchen wearing the dress shirt he’d discarded on the floor earlier, Isla lifted the kettle from the counter and poured the boiling water into her teacup. Steam warmed her face, the fragrant scent of tea leaves filling her lungs. She smiled as she heard Aiden’s footsteps approach from behind her.
Aiden slid his arms around her waist, smelling of soap and aftershave, and then he nuzzled her neck. “I could get used to the sight of you in my kitchen wearing nothing but my shirt.”
