Page 55 of Finding Happily Ever After
Defense.
Just like in hockey when he was a kid. The best defense was a strong offense.
He’d seen a crack that meant he could be hurt, so he’d attacked.
He was an idiot.
A full-scale, giant idiot of the worst kind.
He needed to talk to her. He needed to make it all better. This was too much. This distance. Even after only three days, it was too much.
Somewhere beside him, Aiden registered that Nick was there. He was saying something about relationships and his friend Damon and…Aiden tuned him out. Focused only on Natalie.
He was about to go to her, to repair the crack in their new relationship before it could split wide open, when he sawhim. Another man, who looked vaguely familiar to Aiden. He stepped out onto the patio, carrying two beers. He set one in front of Natalie before taking a seat next to her. She turned and smiled at the other man. Shesmiled.Jealousy and hurt and confusion and so much more tumbled through him until Aiden couldn’t see straight. It had only been three days and she’d already moved on?
And after what they’d shared…
It was too much. He stepped backward, needing distance.
“Aiden? Are you—”
“I have to go.” He shook his head and moved to leave. “I can’t be here.”
Aiden didn’t wait for Nick’s response before he tore his gaze away from Natalie’s, shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked away. It was the only thing he could do.
ChapterSixteen
Aiden.
The moment she saw him, everything else faded away. It was as if she’d been waiting three whole days to lay eyes on him again. Like a fix her body and soul needed. And now…
He was walking away.
No.
“Natalie?”
Vaguely, she registered Jason’s voice. She forced herself to look away from Aiden’s retreating form and back to her friend.
“Are you okay?” Jason watched her with a look that, at first glance, she was sure was concern. But then he pressed his lips together and shook his head. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
“What?” She shook her head, confused by the change in him. “What do you mean?”
“That guy.” He shrugged dismissively. “If he can’t see what an amazing woman you are, he doesn’t deserve you.”
Natalie looked back to where Aiden had been standing. Nick Newton and his baby were now also headed in the same direction Aiden had gone. She turned back to Jason, who was sipping his beer with a satisfied smirk on his face.
Jason had no idea what had happened between them. How she’d lied. How she’d discoveredhislie. The way they’d spoken to each other. The hurt. The…passion. There was that, too. She couldn’t allow herself to forget that either. The way he’d made her feel and the connection they had. It was there. It was real. And it was special. She knew that in her heart. “What do you mean?” she asked. “You don’t know what happened.”
Her friend and co-worker’s face softened, the self-satisfied edge gone. “No,” he said much more kindly. “I don’t. And you’re right, I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. But…” Jason sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I might as well just say it.”
“Say what?”
“It can’t be a secret that I have kind of athingfor you, right?”
Natalie remembered the conversation that Jeremy had with her not long ago.He has a crush on you.But ithadcome as a surprise to her, because she was so oblivious to these things. Still, she nodded.
“Well, I’ll be honest,” Jason continued. “I thought I still had a chance, but when I saw you two together at Jeremy’s party, I realized…” He shook his head and let out a low whistle.
