Page 11 of Aries Mated

“Okay, so she wants us all to go to dinner tonight. Then we can talk. She’s sent her address. You want me to text the details to all of you?”

We all agreed and gave Atlas our numbers so he could let us know when and where we were going to have our date with Maeve. No, not date. I couldn’t think of it like that or I would get all up in my head about it. Just a meeting. To talk about Sol.

“Well, I am off to yoga,” Matt replied. “See you guys a later.”

“I’ll come with you,” TJ surprised me by replying. “You’re right about the agility. I might want to get a bit more flexible.”

That left Atlas and me. Since he was headed to the gym, I decided that I would go as well. Pumping some iron and working up a sweat was exactly what I needed because I had so much more going on in my head than I knew what to do with. I was hoping that working out would help me to push all thoughts of warm hazel eyes and luscious curly hair away. I didn’t want to think of her gorgeous face, even in the depth of panic, which was highlighted by the morning light shining on her beautiful skin. If I didn’t stop thinking about her, I would go insane.

* * *

I puffedout a breath as I dropped the weights back down on the rack, disappointment flooding me. I kept trying my hardest to forget about Maeve, but it wasn’t happening. She had taken over my brain, like an addiction I couldn’t get rid of. I didn’t evenwantto get rid of her, which made it even harder. Atlas was across the gym from me. The last thing that I wanted was to reveal how interested I was in Maeve, but I needed to know more. It was like an intense compulsion.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked Atlas awkwardly. He nodded, but stared at me with a little bit of confusion. “Um, so I was just wondering…since we’re going to see Maeve later. I was just wondering…well, what’s her deal?”

Atlas sat up on his weight bench and sighed deeply. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “I don’t know that much about her. I did, years ago, when Pi used to talk about here. But that was alongtime ago. I didn’t exactly keep in touch with Maeve after the funeral, so anything I did know about her probably doesn’t line up with who she is now. In fact, the first time I saw her was a few days ago in Pleasures.” He glanced up to meet my eyes. “I didn’t know she was going to be there. I went with a couple of the guys and I spotted her behind the bar. I knew who she was right away, but I didn’t have the confidence to speak to her, just in case she didn’t remember who I was. But I did watch her from a distance, and she was impressive to witness.” A small smile spread across his face. “She was so nice with customers. She drew people in with her easy smile and sparkling eyes. I also noted that every time she was nervous, she flipped her hair over her shoulder, but that never lasted long…”

Atlas liked Maeve. Just like I did. I wanted to know more.

“So, if you didn’t speak to her then, how did you get her number?”

“I caught a robber trying to steal from her last night. It was this whole crazy thing.” It was almost like listening to a love story, like they were meant to be. I wanted to be the one who was meant to be with her. “You know, I do think it’s a good thing she has asked us for help with Sol. Entering that critical part of his development without a guide who has been through it will be really hard.”

I nodded understandingly. “Yeah, I know it was a hard time for me. I found it very erratic and confusing, and I did have help.”

Sol didn’t have a father or brothers to guide him, but maybe we could be that for him. I would like to do that, plus it would give me a chance to get to know Maeve better. How nice would that be?

---