Page 45 of Aiden & Lily

The panic in his eyes returned. “No.”

“No?”

He cleared his throat again and shifted where he stood. “Can we just… would you mind if we kept this our secret for the time being?”

“Why?” she demanded. “I don’t care what Mathew thinks?—”

“But I do. He’s my closest friend. I don’t want him to…” He swallowed hard, then moistened his lips. “I think I need to be the one to tell him. I don’t want it to get to him through the gossip mill. And I don’t want you to be the one who has to deal with his frustration. I have to figure out the right time and place and the best way to say it.”

The pleading in his tone tugged at her heart, but she didn’t want to agree too quickly.

“How long?”

Aiden hesitated. “A few days.”

Lily studied him. “I’m serious. I don’t want this becoming another secret that keeps getting harder to tell.”

His face tightened. “I know. A few days. I promise.”

She sighed, her thoughts shifting to Penny and Royce. “There’s a lot going on with my family’s drama right now. And Mathew has had his hands full with Penny.”

Aiden chuckled. “That’s just what I was thinking.”

They both laughed. Then Lily sobered.

“Okay. We’ll keep this under wraps for now—from my family. But can we at least start hanging out with your brother? Reese, maybe?”

He flinched.

The reaction was small, but she noticed it.

“Only if you’re comfortable,” she added, watching him closely.

Aiden nodded. “I’ll talk to Parker and see what he’s up for. I’m sure he’ll jump at the chance.”

She gave a faint giggle at his sarcasm, though the uneasiness didn’t fully leave her.

“Good.”

Then she pulled him into a hug.

Aiden held her carefully, almost like he understood that the embrace didn’t mean everything had been repaired.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“For what?”

“For giving me a chance to do better.”

13

AIDEN

“I’m so sorry, man.”

Aiden sat facing forward, ignoring the look his brother was likely drilling into the side of his head. “It’s fine.”

“I mean, I know I can’t exactly be blamed because I never met the girl, but still. I’m sorry it came out like that.”