Page 94 of Brides and Brothers
Chapter 36
Aiden
Aiden propped his hand onhis knees to balance his phone better for his video chat. The cabin didn’t provide the best service, but it wasn’t the worst either. While Camille napped, Aiden stole upstairs to the loft to check on how things were going back home.
Benson propped his phone up on the counter so Aiden had a clear view of the kitchen table. He chuckled at the menu choice, courtesy of Chef Benson, but a classic meal of baked beans and potatoes beat frozen pizza any night. His brothers poured into the kitchen like dogs following the scent of food to the table.
“Thanks,” Easton said.
Benson nodded. “Aiden’s on video chat.” A few others nodded, but no one verbalized their greeting. Benson pointed to Daegan. “Plates.”
“Got it.” Daegan shuffled by Cade and grabbed the paper plates from the pantry.
With Camille gone, the house was a lot quieter. His brothers could communicate in grunts and one-word syllables and be satisfied. Aiden hadn’t been married long, and already he sensed the difference Camille made.
“Milk?” Flynn asked.
Benson grabbed the milk and passed it to Flynn.
Aiden cleared his throat. “Everyone set to leave after this?” He felt like he was breaking some sort of code speaking six words at a time.
He watched nods pass from one man to the next. They were all a little restless and probably anxious too. Few things could be worse than burning bridges with a person you cared for.
“Were the last of the parents called for permission?”
Everyone around the table nodded, which was a relief because he’d heard about Benson’s lengthy conversation with Daisha’s dad, Marvin. It had been a painful forty-minute conversation in which Marvin had overshared stories of his family’s past.
“Flynn, what did Sage’s dad say?”
“I talked to her mom, and it’s all good,” Flynn said.
Aiden went through a mental list of things he needed to nag about. “What’s been packed?” Their fifteen-seater van didn’t get used very often anymore, but it would be perfect for this trip.
Benson answered. “The coolers and some sleeping bags. And we came up with a way to convince the girls to pack a change of clothes. We told them it was for a surprise game we were going to play. I hope they like our surprise.”
“We’re all hoping,” Aiden said. “Eat quickly and go get your dates so you’re not rushing on the road.” He wished them luck and said goodbye.
Now he’d have to wait in suspense, hoping the roommates of apartment 206 would be swayed by the flowers the guys sent over with their separate apology notes. His brothers were only human, and he hoped the women would generously forgive them. Aiden rubbed his jaw. He hoped Camille would feel the same way when their surprise guests showed up and Aiden explained how he’d patched things up for everyone.
Later that evening Aiden flipped up the blinds in the dark guest bedroom—the room with the best view of the road. He couldn’t see a thing. The whiteout was making him nervous. The van should’ve made it back from the show by now. He pulled out his phone and sent a mass text to his brothers. It was the third he’d sent, but he hadn’t heard back from any of them yet.
He said a silent prayer for his family’s safety and went to the living room. Camille had gone to their bedroom to get a surprise for him, and he wanted the guys to get back so he could have a surprise to give back to her. He had three surprises altogether, but they had to be given in order. It was debatable whether she would like the first two surprises—the arrival of his brothers and their dates and his job offer in California—but the third surprise he knew she’d love.
He slipped back into his seat on the couch and propped up his feet on the ottoman. The sofa was worn and as old as he was. A memory of him as a child on his dad’s lap came to mind. He closed his eyes and tried to remember his mom standing in the doorway, calling them into the kitchen for dinner.
Camille entered the room, reminding him that he had a reason to focus on his future now. She carried a little wrapped box in her hands. “Were you watching the movie without me?”
“To be honest, it’s not my favorite movie,” he said, patting the seat next to him so she’d sit by him. “The woman’s pregnant and irrational. It’s painful.” Camille made a face, and he tried to amend his comment. “I’m sure it’s about to get better.”
She came and snuggled up to him, handing him the box. “This is for you, but you can’t open it until after the movie is over.”
“Shouldn’t I just open it now? You’re going to fall asleep again.”
“Aiden!”
“All right, I’m pushing play.” He held up the remote and turned the movie back on. The story was probably decent, and he might have even enjoyed it had it not been for the late hour and the storm outside. His family could be stuck somewhere in subzero temperatures. He would give them fifteen more minutes before he broke the news to Camille and called out a search party. He had some old friends in the area who would know what to do.
Ten minutes passed, and Aiden could hardly sit still. As predicted, Camille had fallen asleep again, so he turned the movie off, grabbed his coat, and slipped his boots on. He snuck outside and was blasted by wind and a flurry of snow. He could see his hand stretched out in front of his face, but he couldn’t see the end of the porch or beyond that. Their fence led up to the house from the road. If the driveway was snowed in, his brothers could park on the road and follow the fence. The real problem would be the amount of snow on the roads. Aiden knew that if anyone could get them home, it would be Benson. He had to trust his brother... and God.
