Chapter Thirty
Lexa
I kept busy all weekend, but it wasn’t enough to keep Aiden away. He’d apologized through a text message since I’d avoided all his calls and I had finally sent reassurance to him that I was dealing with a family issue on Sunday. I couldn’t say I was surprised Monday morning when he called just as I was pouring my morning coffee.
“I’m sorry to bother you so early.” His voice was very quiet, and I knew his mood was off because the trial was today. It was only seven in the morning, and he had to be there at nine. My parents were expecting me there, as well.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry I have been so crazy lately.”
“Hey, it’s cool. Whatever you’re going through, I know things get nuts in life sometimes. You can talk to me if you need to.” His offer to comfort me made the guilt burn hotter in my gut.
“Thanks. I know you’ve got a rough day ahead, but remember I’m on your side. I wish there were something I could do. I care about you so much, Aiden.” I wanted to tell him I loved him, but it didn’t seem fair. If he gave me that opportunity after, I’d never hesitate again to say it.
“I know. I care about you, too. When this is all over, maybe you can take a couple of days off. I know it’s a crazy job, and it keeps you busy, but you know if you get some time off, I’d like us to go away together. We could both use a vacation.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I sniffled. “Yeah, that sounds nice.” I was such a coward. “Good luck today, Aiden.”
“I’ll call you after.”
I nodded, but let the phone go dead without another word. I put the phone down on the bar and threw my coffee into the sink, the cup crashing so loud I could have sworn it broke.
Before I could fall apart, my father called. “Yes, Dad?” I sniffled and wiped my eyes.
“Good morning, sweetheart. This is my final plea to get you to show up today.” His voice was so much like Shawn’s, especially on the phone.
“I still don’t agree with any of this. You’re ruining his life. You’re ruining mine, and you don’t even know it. Please drop this suit, Daddy.”
“It’s too late to stop it now. Things are in motion, and we’ve come too far. Our family has already lost so much, and the last thing I want to do is lose you, too. Your mother has been beside herself with grief all weekend, and you’d think that she’d lost Shawn all over again. You really disappointed her. Please show up — even if you don’t support us, come let her know you still love her.”
“Of course, I do.” I didn’t want my mother to suffer any more pain, but I didn’t want that for Aiden, either. I had resigned my fate that I wouldn’t go and I’d slowly break away from Aiden.
But with my dad’s final plea, I knew I had to go. I had to stand with my stupid family and be the child that my brother would have been. He’d always stood beside my mom and dad, no matter how idiotic their schemes were, so now it was my turn.
Not only that, but I knew it was time that Aiden learned the truth. Might as well deliver my blow swiftly and get it all over with. I only prayed that he loved me enough that he could see the spot I was in.
But I knew it was no use. My day of reckoning had come.
“I’ll be there.” I hung up the phone, not waiting to hear my father’s reaction, and then I dragged myself to the bathroom to get ready.
I took my time showering, and though I fixed my hair and makeup, I kept things simple, as if I were going to a funeral. It was, after all, a solemn occasion; the last thing I wanted to do was show up looking like I was going to a party.
I showed up at the courthouse and avoided my parents by staying in the car until the last minute possible and then walked into the courtroom and sat in the back row. I kept my head down, but there weren’t many people to hide behind. I did my best to duck behind an old man who was jotting down notes, but he kept leaning to the seat next to him where he had laid out some papers. I wasn’t sure if he was a reporter, but I didn’t want to ask.
“All rise.” I took to my feet and kept my head down as the judge entered the room and then I saw him over the small crowd up front. Aiden had shaved his beard and was wearing an Armani suit.
God, he’s gorgeous. My heart raced as I looked across and saw my parents facing off with the man I loved.
Shit. I love him.
My nerves were completely shot, but I knew what I had to do. I got to my feet and moved to the front. There was one empty seat on the end just behind the defense, and my ass had it good and warm before my mother glanced over and gave me a strange look. She waved me over as if I had stupidly sat on the wrong side, but I took a deep breath and looked forward. I might be about to out myself to Aiden, but he’d know whose side I was on.
After hearing the evidence, the jury broke and the judge told us he’d have his decision after lunch. It wasn’t until then that Aiden stood and turned around.
“Lexa!” He pulled me into his arms and held me tight, but my parents were already on their way over.
“Alexandra!” My mother’s voice cut through the crowd, and she pushed past Aiden’s lawyer, who seemed just as confused as everyone else and stood waiting for an explanation.
Aiden pulled away, and I glanced down to the floor unable to meet any of their eyes. “Mom. Dad.”
I glanced up in time for Aiden’s reaction. His face had gone ghost white, and he stood stone still, searching my eyes.
“What are you doing with our daughter?” My father’s temper was so bad the words sounded like they’d been mixed with molten lava and poured from his mouth.
“No doubt you’re the one whose been filling her head, villainizing us so she’d talk us into dropping this case.” My mother looked at me like I was a piece of trash — and like Aiden was much lower.
“Daughter? These are your parents? The assholes who are suing me?” The courtroom had cleared out all but for the lawyers and us, and they were trying to get us to take it into a private office.
“Like you didn’t know,” my mother hissed.
“He didn’t. I never told him who I was.” I trembled, rocked with emotions so overwhelming that I could hardly stand.
“How could you lie to me? They put you up to this?”
I shook my head and fell against his chest. “No, Aiden, I swear. It was a fluke, and I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“I fell in love with you.” He grabbed my arms and pushed me back. “I don’t even fucking know you.” He pushed past me, and his lawyer held my dad off as Aiden hurried out. The man glared at me with wide eyes and then shook his head and hurried after Aiden.
My mother and father walked away, as well, and I was left standing alone with a very confused bailiff.
I ran out to the bathroom and called Bre, but she wasn’t answering. On my way out, I ran right into Aiden who looked at me like I was a stranger before walking away. His lawyer stayed back and once Aiden was away, he pulled me to the side.
“You need to give my client some space. I’m begging you to stop whatever game you’ve got going on with him, and you two can work things out another time.”
“I just want to explain things to him. My parents didn’t know. I swear it. I met him when he crashed his bike, and I let my curiosity get the best of me.” He gave me a pitiful look, but then his face softened.
“Today isn’t the day to work this out. If there’s anything to salvage, it will wait. I heard what your parents said. They think he put you up to trying to talk them out of this. Was that because you wanted his money all to yourself? Is this some sick twisted revenge of your own?”
The idea that Aiden might think that knocked the wind out of me. “No, I don’t want anything. I just didn’t think it was fair.”
“Lying to him is fair? Making him fall in love with you is fair? And just so you know, I wanted to throw you under the bus. I wanted to out this little scam in court and let the judge chew on that, but Aiden said no. He didn’t want to put you through it. You’re a piece of work.” He shook his head and walked away, and I couldn’t even argue with his parting words.
I hung around long enough to catch the verdict. At least I could rest easy that my parents hadn’t gotten what they were asking for. The judge thought it was a gross amount, and the proof of negligence was not as solid as they had hoped because there was no way to know that when the plane went down that it was Mr. Walker in control. The jury did find my parents’ case favorable enough for a settlement, and Mom would have enough to redecorate the beach home and buy a new one if she wanted.
Aiden looked like a shell of himself the entire time and any trace of light that had been in his eyes before the trial was good and gone as he walked past me and hurried out. My parents approached me, to my surprise, and let me know that they wanted to hear me out whenever they let this all sink in. In the end, nobody won — and I was the biggest loser of all.
I walked out to see Aiden and his lawyer standing in the courtyard, the sun shining down on his smooth face and the wind gently blowing his hair. Maybe it was the nurse in me, that need to fix and tend and care, but I wanted to run to him and make it all better. They walked across the yard to the parking lot, and Aiden stopped again beside the Shelby. He shook hands with the other man and then he got into his car and sped away. I watched until I could no longer see her taillights.
I decided to try Bre one more time, and when she didn’t answer, I realized that for the first time in a long time, I was completely alone.
It would take time, but I was going to try and explain myself to Aiden. He deserved that much, and I couldn’t live with him not knowing the truth or thinking something horrible of me. Not that what I’d done wasn’t terrible, but I needed him to know there was no hidden agenda. That my parents hadn’t put me up to it and that my feelings, despite it all, had been sincere.