Page 22 of Trashed to Treasured
All I knew about his apartment was that it was located above the shop-slash-salvage yard he owned. He said it wasn’t fancy, and he worried it was a little too industrial for me, which was why we hadn’t spent any time there in the past.
But as our relationship progressed, I wore him down. It was important to me that I knew more about Aaron in his own space, and going to his apartment was one way to do that.
Our dinner was even more special than I expected because Aaron had planned some foods to feed my little side. “There’s no pressure to use it at all,” he said as he showed me the shelf he had cleared out for me in his kitchen. “They’re here if you want to use them, and if you don’t, that’s okay too.”
He was unusually cautious about showing me what he had, which was both sweet and intriguing. “Can I see them?”
Aaron pulled out a matching dinnerware set of a divided plate, a plastic bowl, and a small juice cup decorated with puppies. They were absolutely adorable. “I love them.”
“There’s this too, but only if you want to use it.” He pulled a matching sippy cup from the shelf and showed it to me. “Or…” He reached back and grabbed a no-drip water bottle with the same print. “There’s this too. Lots of options, for whatever mood you’re in.”
I threw my arms around his neck and bounced against him. “I love them, Daddy. Thank you. Can we use them tonight?”
“Of course, sweetheart.” He held me close, resting his cheek against my temple. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you today.”
I gave him an extra-hard squeeze and then pulled back, looking at him with a smirk. “You left my house ten hours ago. It hasn’t been that long.”
He pretended to check his watch. “Are you sure? It felt like a month.” Aaron grinned and gave me a soft kiss. “But you’re here now, and I need to get dinner started. Would you like to watch some cartoons while I get it ready?”
“Yes, please.” I nodded, and he got me set up on the sofa with a cozy blanket and the remote. Cartoons were one of the things we liked to do together when we were just chilling out.
Sometimes, we watched a regular movie, but for quick distractions, cartoons were always a good choice.
Just as I was about to nod off on the couch, Aaron appeared with two TV trays and set them up in front of the sofa. “I didn’t have time to bring up a kitchen table. There’s one down in the shop that I think will work in here, but I need to move a few things around first for it to fit.”
I shook my head to stop him. “No problem. This is perfect.
Aaron disappeared again and came back with a tray carrying all our stuff. He placed my divided plate in front of me with dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, some french fries he’d made in the air fryer, and a couple pieces of broccoli. “Here you go. And I have a special dessert planned for after dinner.”
I clapped my hands together and looked up at him. “What is it? I need to know how much room to save for it.”
He cocked his head and considered my request. “It’s a surprise, but I would recommend leaving a pie-shaped amount of space in your tummy.”
“I love pie-shaped spaces.” I patted my belly.
I waited until Aaron was seated beside me with an identical meal to mine, though he had three times as much food piled onto his large plate.
I let out a low whistle. “You sure look hungry.”
He bit the head off a dinosaur and quickly chewed and swallowed before waggling his eyebrows at me. “I need a lot of energy for what I’ve got planned for tonight.”
I reached for a nugget and shoved the whole thing in my mouth, saying around it, “Me too.”
Aaron chuckled and placed his hand on my thigh as we continued to eat.
I loved that he was willing to make me a playful meal just because I’d like it. Not because it was what he wanted but because Aaron always put me first.
I continued to be in awe of how selfless he was.
It was just after 8 o’clock, and we were about to watch a movie on his bed. We both knew we wouldn’t get very far into the movie before things progressed, but that was our nightly ritual after dinner. He helped me get cozy in a pair of lightweight footie pajamas he bought for me and then went to the bathroom.
I heard the doorbell app on my phone ring, and I planned to ignore it, assuming a package was being delivered. But then it rang again, so I picked up my phone and checked the camera.
My stomach dropped when I saw Geo‘s face staring into it. “I know you’re in there, Brody. Just open the door. I’ve decided to give you another chance, so let me in. My key isn’t working anymore.”
I glanced down the hall to make sure Aaron wasn’t about to come back in and hit the response button. “Go away, Geo. It’s over between us. Forever. I’m not even home right now, but if you come back, I’ll call the police.”
He laughed at that, but the anger on his face couldn’t be masked. “It’s not over until I say it’s over. And I say we’re back. So get your ass over here and let me in the fucking house.”
