Page 25 of Detective Daddy Next Door

"Hurry, so the kids won't see us leaving. I don't want Ceci crying or Ethan asking to go with us.”

We're at Sally Beauty walking down the aisles, looking over the different options of face cream, when I decide to ease Aria into the conversation.

"I'm so excited for you, sis. Finally walking down the aisle.”

"I'm excited too. I never thought this would be me." She lifts up a cream. "I've heard a lot of good things about this. What do you think? Should I get it?"

"Umm. No. It made me break out after just a week of using it. It might work differently for you, but I wouldn't risk it before your wedding."

I pick up a night cream. "This, on the other hand, is amazing. It makes your skin silky smooth."

She adds it to the shopping basket.

"Umm. Are you okay if I bring someone to the wedding?"

She stops. "Of course, you can bring someone. You don't even need my permission. But wait, the last time I checked, you didn't have a man. I mean, I already know Ava is coming. So it has to be a man."

"Well, I met him on my trip to Las Vegas.”

“The trip you were on a month ago? Wow. And you didn't tell me about it?”

I wish I could, Aria,I think to myself.

"It wasn't really serious then. But he moved to Long Beach, and we decided to give it a go,” I say, and cringe at my lie.

"That's beautiful. You could have told me, though. I can't wait to meet him. What does he do? How old is he?"

I ignore her first question and answer just the second one. "Forty-nine years old."

She halts. "I thought you told me you don't like older men? You said you aren't running a nursing home."

"He's only forty-nine, not ninety," I say with a grin.

Aria laughs out loud. "It's fun to see you going back on your words. Never say never, sis. Do Amy and Dad know?"

Amy is our stepmom.

I shake my head. "Nope."

"You have to tell them before the wedding."

"I know. I'm going to dinner at their house this Saturday. Dad is going to think we're out to get him by bringing home men who are way older than us.”

Connor is also older than Aria.

Aria laughs. "That's all the more reason why you have to tell him, so he doesn't make a scene at the wedding. But after seeing how well Connor treats me, I think he's more open-minded now.”

I nod. It's Friday, but I'm dreading Sunday evening already. I know I can't opt out of dinner with Dad and my stepmom.

I leave home at 5:30 a.m. to meet Aria at her hotel room. She's staying at a hotel so she can get to the church and reception venue more easily. Ethan and Ceci are with my stepmom and dad, so she isn't distracted. It's no surprise that I am her maid of honor. My dress has been delivered to the hotel along with the bridesmaids’ dresses because we will all be changing there. A couple of her friends from out of town are her bridesmaids. They had to get accommodation at the hotel, too. I chose to stay at home because getting a room would be a waste of money.

After just one knock on the door, Aria opens it.

"Thank God! I've been waiting for you. I couldn't sleep. I'm so excited!"

The makeup artist, hairstylists, and others start trooping in at 6. a.m. and at 8:30 we head for the church. Dad and Amy should be waiting there.

Of course, I invited Myles. He blackmailed me into doing it. I told Dad and Amy about him when I went to dinner at their house. Amy was thrilled until she heard his age. She asked me if I was sure about the relationship. I told her I've never been more sure about anything. When this lie comes crumbling down, I’ll deserve all the heat I get. But for now, I'm only trying to save my ass.

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