Page 30 of Crazy in Love

“Tell me about your day?”

I pull away from him. “Nothing you can help with, so now that I’ve said no to dinner and sex, you may leave now.” I’m not sure which part of fun he doesn't understand. Leaning my hands on the kitchen counter, I shake my head. I’ve had a messed up day, and Anika said his day hasn’t been pleasant either, but he's not taking out his anger on me. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day, if you want to eat, we can order something.”

I’m the one that said this was just fun and nothing more, but this fun is two ways. I have fun, he has fun. I can’t just tell him to go when I don’t want to see him.

I feel his hand on my waist. “Can I stay over?” He turns me around, and I lean my head on his chest, just for a moment, just long enough to get myself together, before I really lose myself and burst out crying.

I glimpse up at him and see the tiredness in his eyes. “What’s been keeping you up all night?” I ask with a humor in my voice.

“Not you, and before you think it’s someone else, it’s not. I’m all yours.” He leans down and gives me a kiss. “But now that I’m here, I feel more awake than I’ve been all day.”

I hear the laptop beeping, and I run over and hit the answer button, and the moment the screen lights up, my heart drops.

“Uncle Ryan, where... Where is my dad?” I look over at Anika and Jason standing on the other side of the counter, as I wipe the tears from my cheeks.

“Saylor, nothing to worry about-”

“Nothing to worry about? Dad said one day, and it’s been two,” I snap at my uncle. I quickly put my hand up to stop Aiden from getting closer to me. This is the worst thing that can happen right now.

“I’ve just spoken to him, and he will be here within the next five hours. He wanted me to call you.”

“Is he hurt?”

“No, he’s fine, he’s all good.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Saylor, smile, you know I hate it when you’re upset.” I give him a smile, but he shakes his head. “If your new boyfriend is around, tell him your godfather is in the army, and I will hurt him if he makes you cry.”

I start laughing for the first time today, and this time when I smile, I want to smile. “Just some fun, nothing serious. But I will mention it to him.” Uncle Ryan has always been there when I need to talk to him about Hayley, even though I have Jason and Anika here with me. Uncle Ryan just knows what to say to me, to make me feel like I can still do this.

“I will tell your dad to call as soon as he gets in, and I will talk to soon. I love you, Saylor.”

“I love you too.” The screen goes blank, and I just stare at it for a moment, then look at my watch, it’s going to be a long night.

“I will order the pizza,” Jason tells us.

“Andi is here, I’m just going to talk to her,” Anika tells me.

“Thank you,” I tell her as I close the laptop, and my eyes move to Aiden as he just watches me.

The silence between us isn't one of the uncomfortable ones, it’s one that makes me feel like he's taking all the crap from my day onto himself. He’s trying to make me feel better without even saying a word.

“Pizza will be here soon, so shall I open another bottle?”

“You know me so well.” I give Jason a half smile as I’m just so tired to even talk at the moment, but I need to stay awake. I need to talk to my dad. “Whiskey?” I ask Aiden, as I walk over to Anika.

“Andi said she’s taking Hayley to the cinema and will stay over. After today, you need a break.” I look over my shoulder and Jason and Aiden are talking, but he's still watching me. He does that all the time. Doesn’t matter whoever he is talking to, if I’m around, he always looks at me.

“The day I’ve had, one thing is for sure, without you two being here, I don’t think I could have done it.” I’m never going to be able to say how thankful I am for them both, the things they’ve helped me with, the things they’ve done for me, just to give me a day's break.

“We will always be here when you need us.” She pulls me in for a hug, and I hug her back. I know they will always be there for me, and they will no matter what time it is.

I turn around and look at Aiden standing in my kitchen. This was fun, this was meant to me forgetting everything while being with him, but here he is in my kitchen, about to eat dinner with me. When did this move from fun to a relationship? Is this a relationship? Do I want a relationship? Does he want one?

* * *

I pace back and forth in my room as I look at my watch for what feels like the millionth time.

“It’s been more than five hours, right?” I turn to face Aiden stretched out on my bed, on his phone, sending another email to David is my guess.

He throws his phone on the bed and looks up at me. “It’s not been five hours, come here.” He gives me a small nod, and I walk over to him, sitting on top of him with my legs either side of his hips.

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