Page 61 of Wreck Me
When Amelia recovered, she turned a mock accusing glare to Megan. “And you. What happened to chicks before dicks and all that?”
Megan’s eyes widened. “I know, but he’s got this huge—”
Aidan covered her mouth with his hand before she could finish. “That’s enough for now,” he said, the rest of the group laughing.
“You got a live one there, Aidan,” Noah said.
Didn’t he know it. And he wouldn’t change it for anything.
They joinedhis siblings and walked over to the center of town to watch the pumpkin reveal. With the roads around the historic courthouse closed for the festival, people filled the road, walking around to look at the small tent displays of various sponsors for the festival or artsy and crafty people selling their wares. Others were setting out their camping chairs to settle in to watch the reveal.
It was more than revealing the winner of the pumpkin displays. It was also the official kickoff of the holiday season in town. It was where they reminded everyone about the Halloween parade and all of the upcoming Thanksgiving—another parade, because this little town loved their parades—and Christmas festivities that turned the town into a Hallmark movie.
Most of the stores made their annual revenue in just these few months, and with the crowd made up of locals as well as tourists, it was information that everyone wanted to know.
The Reynolds clan had found a stretch of curb to sit on where they could see matriarch Stella on the small, makeshift stage.
Shane, Emma’s fiancé, joined them a few minutes later, and Aidan made the introduction to Megan.
As most women were when they met Shane, Megan was slightly tongue-tied. The man looked like he stepped straight out of the pages of a magazine and was a certified billionaire as the CEO of his family’s vineyard and winery company, with the local Gold Mountain Winery being part of his company’s portfolio.
If Shane wasn’t such a great guy, Aidan might be a little jealous. As it was, Shane was like a brother to him now and took care of his cousin, who was like another pesky sister to Aidan. And for that, after all Emma had been through, Aidan would forever be grateful to the man.
“Who’s the blonde with Stella? She looks familiar.” Megan pursed her lips, and Aidan could see the wheels turning in her brain.
“That’s Addison Davenport, Del’s fiancée.”
“No wonder she looked familiar.” She paused a minute. “Good Lord. They are a stunning couple. It must be like looking into the sun when they stand together.”
“Eh,” he shrugged, “to me it’s just Del and Addie.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leaned in closer to her ear. “Addie’s beautiful, but she doesn’t hold a candle to you, Megan. I’ve never met a sexier woman in my entire life.”
She blushed to the roots of that rich, chocolate-brown hair, and before she could respond, the mayor tapped on the microphone. A whine went through the speakers, and a collective groan rose from the crowd.
“Sorry about that, folks. Let’s get started so y’all can get back to enjoying the festival.” He cleared his throat. “First up…”
Thirty minutes later, Stella and Addison were headed toward them, and as much as he was ready to get his girl back home so he could do all the things he longed to do, he wasn’t getting away without talking to his mom. She talked with his brothers and sisters for a moment before making her way to him and Megan.
Stella’s eyes lit up when she saw him. “Baby,”—she cupped his face and kissed his cheeks—“you made it tonight. Are you on call?”
“Nope, off for the whole night.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and inhaled Chanel No5 and the same perfumed shampoo that was his mom’s trademark. Whenever the world went sideways, he could always get set back to true north after a hug from her.
“That’s great. And never happens.”
Aidan chuckled. “Yeah, I’m going to owe Landon big time.”
Her smile grew when she turned her head and her gaze landed on Megan, who was standing behind him chatting with Addison and Del. “I’m sure it’ll be worth it,” she said. She studied him with her sharp gaze that saw everything. “She makes you happy.”
He looked down and shifted his feet, and even though he stood head and shoulders taller than her, Aidan felt like a kid again under her steady gaze. “Yeah, I mean we’re having a good time while she’s here. But it’s just temporary.”
Stella tilted her head. “She doesn’t act like someone who’s here temporarily.” She looked back at her son. “You make her happy too.”
Aidan watched her interact with his siblings and cousin, a funny feeling in his chest that he couldn’t explain. For the second time that night, he thought how well she fit into the most important circle in his life. His family. The people who knew him best and loved him anyway.
Somehow or another, Megan had wormed her way into that circle as well.
“Maybe.” He cleared his throat, trying to get the sudden strangling feeling out of it.
Stella laughed. “Oh baby, you do. It’s in the way she sneaks glances over here when you aren’t looking and the look in your eyes right now because you’re thinking about her. You don’t even have to be looking at her.”
