“Look what the cat dragged in,” Aiden’s voice cuts through the moment.
Zoey approaches, her arms overflowing with fair treats and oversized lemonades, clearly having used Aiden as her personal shopping assistant all day.
“I told you they’d come,” Zoey exclaims, rushing to hug Eden.
Zoey’s gaze lingers on Eden, her expression shifting to concern. “Why are you so warm?” She asks, her voice tinged with worry. “Your skin is burning up.”
“I’m fine, Zo,” Eden reassures her, brushing off the obvious signs of the booth’s activities.
I tuck the photos deep into my pocket, the memory of the moment etched vividly in my mind.
I love you too, Roman. So do one thing for me. Don’t leave.
The way she looked at me when she said it was haunting. All her life, people had come and gone, leaving without a word. When I told Eden I loved her, it wasn’t mere words; it was the essence of my being.
“I could really go for one of those,” Eden says with a wide grin, eyeing the large lemonade.
I pull out a five and hand it to her, nudging toward the stand. “Go. You earned it,” I joke, watching her cheeks flush with pleasure.
Zoey grabs her hand, leading her to the stand, leaving me and Aiden to converse alone.
“How long do you plan on playing the loving boyfriend act behind closed doors before you shatter my sister’s heart?” Aiden asks, his gaze steady as he watches the girls.
“It’s not an act. Once the kids are safe, I’m done with my priesthood,” I say, meeting his gaze. “I’ll take your sister far away from here. And if you and Zoey choose to come with us, you’re welcome to.”
Aiden raises his brows, confusion evident. “You dedicated so much to becoming a priest. Why give it up formy sister?”
“I love your sister, Aiden,” I admit, his confusion deepening. “A life without her is a life I can’t bear. If I’m to see Heaven’s gates, I intend for her to be there with me. I once viewed our relationship as sinful, but now I see she’s the reason I believe in an afterlife.”
“You were skeptical?”
“I can don the clerical robes and preach to the masses, but the world’s cruelty often makes it hard to believe in a loving God,” I confess.
“I suppose that’s why he gave us free will,” Aiden muses. “The ability to sin—and to love.”
“If loving Eden is a gift from Him, then I will cherish it.”
“Are you not afraid of the repercussions of being so entangled with the church’s secrets once they discover you’re the mole?” Aiden asks.
Terrified. I’m fucking terrified.
“They won’t know until it’s too late,” I sigh. “My priority today is ensuring your sister experiences a moment of joy.”
Aiden’s scoff catches my attention. “I used to think you were incapable of smiling, Father. Seems I was mistaken.”
I touch the corner of my mouth, feeling the curve of my lips.
Eden Faulkner. Look at the life you’ve breathed into me.
Eden
“This is definitely going to make me piss myself,” I joke, marveling at the oversized lemonade.
Between Roman’s recent advances and this 32oz drink, I might as well be inviting a UTI to join the party.
“Isn’t that part of the thrill?” Zoey laughs. “Walking around these fairs, always having to sprint across the grounds to find a bathroom?”
That, or riding my priest in the photo booth. I guess our ideas of thrill differ.
