Theresa slouched into her couch trying not to feel sorry for herself. After much internal arguing, she gave in to help decorate. She wasn’t a person who said she’d do something and then not actually do it. She knew seeing Aiden would be difficult, but she refused to look like an untrustworthy person. The minute he asked her to help decorate and she accepted, the entire town knew. And if she didn’t show up, they’d also know that.
It wasn’t so bad last night. She helped Gabby the entire night, while Aiden worked closely with Bentley. She couldn’t help but toss glances his way here and there. Sometimes, their eyes connected. Other times, she soaked up everything she could before he turned her way.
Stringing lights and helping to display the holiday spirit gave her time to think, gave her perspective on their situation. The holidays should bring forth happiness, not sorrow and pain. That’s exactly what she was doing to herself. She didn’t like feeling that way.
So what he didn’t call her the next day. So what he didn’t show up for his normal cup of coffee. It’s not like he had to do those things. They had sex, and that’s it. She just wanted to move on. But she also didn’t want any weird tension between them. That’s why she put the truce out there and asked if they could still be friends.
And he agreed.
Her heart broke a little more when he did. Silly her. She wanted him to profess his love and pull her into his arms and kiss her.
Well, he did the latter. He just didn’t do the first thing. Profess his love.
He probably never would. She needed to accept that.
She had never written a bucket list before, although at times thought of a few things she’d add if she ever wrote one. She could cross one item off.
Sleep with Aiden Crowl.
She could now put her ridiculous crush behind her.
The other thing on her imaginary bucket list would be to get her brother some help.
She tried to refrain as long as she could. She really, really tried. But she couldn’t do it. On her lunch break yesterday, she swung by the jail to pay his bail. To her complete surprise, someone else already paid it. When she asked with the sweetest smile she possessed who did, the officer behind the desk refused to tell her.
Who would pay his bail? She always did. Of course, he wasn’t arrested that often, but the few times he got locked up, she was there for him. Her mother never had any money to do it, and her father, who knew where he was.
She tried to call James, but he didn’t answer. Ignoring her like he enjoyed doing lately. There was no way she’d visit him at Dusty’s house again. So she let it go.
The problem with letting it go was he needed to get help. Because one of these days she would lose her brother entirely, the good man she knew he could be. He was hidden somewhere inside that persona he showed off to the world.
By the time she got back to the diner, her mood was terrible, especially when she couldn’t get rid of the concern about who might’ve bailed her brother out and why he wouldn’t answer her phone call. It didn’t take Bonzo long to increase her mood to disastrous levels when he reminded her about the Christmas decorating. Not that she forgot about it, because it had been on her mind the entire morning, making her sick to her stomach that she told him she wouldn’t be there.
But she did go there and he kissed her and touched her and it all made her wish for things she couldn’t have.
Her eyes glided to her Christmas tree all lit up in its beautiful glory. That happy holiday spirit she had hoped to regain from making amends with Aiden still wasn’t there. Even staring at her lovely tree.
All day, being a Saturday where she didn’t have to work, she did nothing but pine and think and wonder what Aiden was doing. Here, late into the evening, she still couldn’t help but do the same thing.
Was she wrong in offering friends only? Maybe they should just ignore each other. Maybe it would be easier on her heart. He agreed way too quickly for her tastes. Hell, she wished he never agreed at all.
Why couldn’t he love her? Would she ever find a man who loved her as much as he loved Cynthia?
“You’re being pathetic right now, Theresa.”
Standing up, she blew out a large breath and stomped out of the dark living room to the kitchen.
She did the right thing. Nothing would ever work out between her and Aiden. Being friends would have to be okay. He agreed, so she just had to believe she made the right decision.
As best as she could, she had to avoid mistletoes when he was near. Because apparently, even as friends, they would kiss.
Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Maybe she could seduce him—
No. She wasn’t that kind of woman. She didn’t seduce men. If he couldn’t love her on his own, she wouldn’t force the issue.
Grabbing a bag of pretzels to binge on, she walked to her bedroom and situated herself onto the bed. Eating her troubles away couldn’t be a bad thing if she ate something somewhat healthy. Within a few minutes, her mind tried to center on her romance novel as she nibbled on pretzels.
She would stop thinking about Aiden. Nothing good would come from thinking about him anyway. He was working. It’s not like he was thinking about her.
❄
“I am so glad that shit is done. Don’t ever ask me to help you again.”
Aiden chuckled as he walked Bentley to the door. “I hope I never screw up this badly again to ask for your help.” The smile on his face dimmed. “If this even works.”
Bentley’s hand stalled on the door handle. “It will. She’ll love it. Just don’t ask me to do something like this ever again. It just ain’t right.” He chuckled.
“Maybe you should make a big grand gesture to Daphne. Show her what man she should be with. Fair is fair. I’ll help you.”
Bentley’s lips twisted in frustration and angst. “I think I should just start to move on from thinking about her anymore. If she’s happy, then I’m happy for her.” His brows dipped low. “I just don’t get her boyfriend. If it was me, I would’ve had a ring on her finger already. Two years, man. Way too long.”
Aiden hated when Bentley said that. Because it made him think of Cynthia and how long he waited—for everything.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to marry her. Maybe there’s a reason he hasn’t asked.”
“She’s amazing. Why wouldn’t he want to marry her? He’s an idiot. Any man who waits that long is one.”
It’s as if Bentley punched him hard in the face. He couldn’t dispute the words. He was an idiot. He should’ve ended his relationship with Cynthia long before it got as far as it did.
“I waited…a long time. In fact, I didn’t even ask Cynthia. She just said we were getting married and that was that.”
Bentley’s hand dropped from the door. “Yeah, she had a way about her sometimes.”
“She…uh…”
Although Bentley was his best friend, he didn’t always share every little thing with him. Especially about Cynthia. He didn’t want to appear like a wimp, or a loser, or someone who was controlled easily, even though he felt like all three of those things when he was with her.
A sigh escaped as Bentley shrugged. “Cynthia was…”
“Controlling. I let her control me. I let her plan my life when it wasn’t something I wanted. I never asked her to marry me because I didn’t want to. I never let her set a wedding date because I dreaded marrying her. I…I broke our engagement the night of her accident. That’s why…”
A hand grasped his shoulder in a comforting embrace. A signal of understanding. “That’s why you’ve struggled so much with her death. I had a feeling you weren’t happy with her. Then…you seemed so torn up, I figured I imagined it. It’s because you feel guilty, isn’t it?”
“She would’ve never been driving that night if we hadn’t been fighting. You know her when she got in a mood. She was hysterical and crying and she just rushed out of the house…” He shook his head in agony as he lowered his gaze to the floor. It was so difficult to say. But strangely, he felt lighter each time he said it, which made it a little easier every time he opened his mouth. He just might have to thank Chief Duncan for making him talk, because the more he talked about it, the lighter he felt inside. The darkness was slowly ebbing away.
“That shit isn’t your fault, man. She made her own choices.” Bentley squeezed his shoulder hard to get his point across. “And now you found a woman that makes you happy. I know she does because I can see my friend coming back from the dead. For a while there, I didn’t think I’d ever see the real you again. I’m almost tempted to buy Theresa the best Christmas present ever for giving me back my best friend.”
His head shot up. “I have been horrible. But no more. I promise. I still feel responsible for her death, but—”
“Don’t.” Bentley shook his head. “Don’t let her control you even in death, man. That’s what’s happening. Just let it all go. Focus on Theresa. Focus on you, for once.”
No truer words were ever spoken. He even tried to tell himself not to let Cynthia control him beyond the grave. It wasn’t something he could just stop at a moment’s notice. It’d take time. But time wasn’t on his side right now. He needed to shove those thoughts away. Far away. He needed to win Theresa’s heart. His plan had to work.
“I’d ask if you want to hang out tomorrow since we both have off, but…I hope your plan for Theresa works.”
“Me, too. Wish me luck.”
Bentley glanced down the hallway to everything they set up and smiled. “I don’t think you’re going to need any luck. Who knew you were such a romantic? I guess only Theresa knows how to pull that out of you.”
So much truth in those words. He never did romantic gestures with Cynthia. Ever. Everything he did today, everything he planned to do, was new to him. So he hoped he was doing the right thing. What the hell did him, or even Bentley, know about romance?
“Are you going to call her tonight?”
Aiden pulled his phone out of his pocket and cringed. “It’s kind of late. She might not appreciate me knocking on her door at ten o’clock. What do you think?”
“Wait until tomorrow. Plan a whole day for her. Women like sweet shit like that.”
Bentley turned toward the door, opened it, then paused in the doorway when his phone beeped a loud siren.
“What the hell is that?”
“A text message from the station. That only goes off when there’s a big fire to handle.” Bentley pulled his phone out of his pocket, swiping a finger across the screen. The frown that pierced his lips concerned Aiden.
“Do they need you? Where’s the fire at?”
Bentley’s eyes turned from the phone to him, an air of panic written in the depths. “Shit, man. I think it’s Theresa’s house.”