Chapter 10

Aidan

The three months were up. It was my thirtieth birthday and Abandon was having a party in my honor. Eli, H and Amelia were coming along to the first part of the evening to meet me and Lori, and have a few drinks to celebrate. Then the charade would all be over. To say it was my birthday a low mood had descended over me. I’d sat in my bed staring around me and focusing on the fact that I was all alone as my thirties appeared. A few months ago this hadn’t bothered me at all. Why was it bothering me now? My mind flashed to Lori holding Lewis, her making cooing noises, and my heart thudded a little. Oh, for fuck’s sake. Now I wanted children? I needed to change the coffee I was drinking as it was obviously laced with something that altered brain chemicals.

Ridiculous presents had arrived from friends and relatives - new cars, designer watches and none of it meant anything. I found myself going to the gym to pump weights and take my mind off it all. I’d arranged to meet Ember tomorrow night, making out that I would be busy with my male friends at the club tonight having a guy’s night, but that I would see her tomorrow for dinner. To be honest, I wasn’t sure she bought what I was saying but neither did I particularly care.

So it was with a resigned and heavy heart that I arrived at the club. My assistant, Ashley, had refused to tell me the theme, and I arrived to find everyone decorated like The Moulin Rouge with cancan girls and people walking around on stilts, etc. It looked amazing, and I was truly touched by the efforts my assistant had gone to. There was a huge Moulin Rouge cake in the corner of the room. Because my birthday was near Christmas, I’d been worried that it would just end up a Christmas party. I’d underestimated Ashley, and I realized I took my assistant a little for granted. I’d need to change that in the new year.

Lori had insisted on meeting me here. When she walked in, she took my breath away. She wore a white dress with glittering jewels around the neckline and a matching headband. Her long legs were on show and her calves emphasized by the white high heeled shoes she wore. They had a staggeringly high heel, and I really did question how women walked around in such things. Her long, brown hair hung curly and loose. She looked at me and smiled. It was at that point I realized for real that tonight was goodbye, so I vowed to have the best time I could.

I walked over to her and leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You look exquisite.”

“Happy birthday, Aidan.” She said to me. “Your present is coming later.”

“You didn’t need to do that.” I told her. “Listen, I know I made things awkward for us but I’m aware that this is our last date and I’m not sure where we go from here.”

“I’m going to New Jersey, to study.” She told me.

“Right.” I replied. My heart had dropped through to my shoes. “Well, I hope that tonight we can enjoy ourselves as friends and make it a fantastic goodbye.” I said, a question in my voice.

“I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time surrounded by your friends.” She said. “Now what does the birthday boy want to drink?”

Henry and Amelia arrived, and they were closely followed by Eli, who sat at the side of Lori and ask a million questions, all of which she answered without hesitation. She really had got to know me. Then she leaned over and whispered something in Eli’s ear and he guffawed with laughter.

“Okay, I admit I’m beaten, Aidan.” He yelled after me. “Looks like I will have to ask my assistant if she’ll accompany me to the dragon’s wedding.”

Lori laughed. “So you have fond memories of your ex then?”

They launched into a further conversation where Eli was no doubt bringing her up to speed with his dragon ex and demon daughter. I kept watching, Lori’s face glowed under the lights, sparkles being emitted from the jewelry around her.

“You’ve got it bad, haven’t you?” Amelia whispered in my ear. “Don’t worry, I can tell she feels the same.”

I smiled at Amelia. If only she knew the truth.

“Hey, I’ve not shown you these photos of Lewis yet.” H leaned over with his phone and when he saw me reach for the phone he went. “Ha, just joking. I remembered my side of the bet. Birthdays and Christmas only, though you’ve only ten days to Christmas so be prepared.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I totally get why you are so proud, my friend, and I apologize for being an ass. Show me the photos though maybe you could trim the forty down to twenty maybe for future reference?”

I sat and looked through H’s photos, aware of Lori’s stare burning through me the whole time.

When I gave the cell back to H, I stood up. “Dance?” I addressed Lori.

“Sure.” She smiled and headed to the floor with me where we threw some shapes. Lori laughed at my style of dancing, calling it Dad Dancing and I stuck my tongue out at her and exaggerated my moves making her laugh.

“So, I meant to ask you this the other day,” she whispered in my ear. “Why do you guys call Henry, H? I’m not sure what to call him, I’ve done both.”

“It’s a long story, but he lost his wife and then introduced himself to everyone as H. Then he met Amelia again, who was his deceased wife’s younger sister, and Henry came back to life. So, call him Henry.”

She nodded but then her face looked sad. “I guess it doesn’t really matter after tonight does it?”

“So tonight we party, remember?” I told her and we carried on dancing for hours.

Lori

It was getting close to midnight, and it was time for the cake to be ceremoniously cut and for us all to wish Aidan a happy birthday. Now I truly wished I hadn’t done what he would now find out, but I’d been insulted at the time and had wanted to deliver a message to him. There was nothing I could do about it now so I went up towards the cake where Ashley handed me a microphone.

“Hey all,” I said to the assembled guests. “If you could all gather around, it’s time to raise a glass to the birthday boy.”

People gathered around the cake and I cleared my throat.

“Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Aidan for three very happy months together.” There was a round of applause. “And to show my appreciation, I have rather special gift for you. If you’d like to come forward,” I gestured to him. He moved closer and standing at my side he waited, looking genuinely excited to see what I’d bought him. I knew then as I looked at him that he was waiting for a genuine gift from me and if I’d only bought him a keyring, he would have valued it. Alas, Ashley was already handing him the photograph of his gift - a motor boat. A boat that had cost exactly two hundred thousand dollars. His drop in the ocean. Looking at his face now I guessed that money had hurt a lot more than he’d expected.

I’d got my money for college without his. My savings hadn’t been far off my total and then I’d received an amount of compensation relating to the injuries I’d sustained at the hands of my ex. I’d need to work alongside college but I was used to it. I’d decided I wasn’t going back to the movie industry. Since sleeping with Aidan I’d realized that from now on I wanted one man only to sleep with. My movie days were over. I’d never regret doing them though. It had been a short fun career and when I was old and wrinkled, I’d be able to look back on just how fantastically toned I’d been and what a great rack I’d had.

I was pulled back to the present by Aidan speaking.

“Lori, this gift conveys to me so much, how much thought you put into things. The message within this gift is humbling. I’m a very lucky man to know you and I thank you for being such a special friend.” He kissed my cheek, and I knew this was his goodbye. Then Ashley announced that Aidan was cutting the cake and everyone erupted into a round of Happy Birthday.

“Come on, we’re going to have a walk around.” Amelia pulled on my arm and dragged me towards the bar. “What was that all about? I could see the tension there and he called you his friend. I would have expected a full on smooch at the very least if not virtually you fucking on stage after that gift.”

“Come with me.” I said, and I pulled her in the direction of the stock room. As the girlfriend of the boss no one blinked an eye when they saw tears in my own, about us going in there.

In there I told Amelia everything.

“Oh my God. What a mess. Why don’t you just tell him?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I just want to leave quietly and go and do my course. I’ve given up so much for relationships before. So, I can’t put myself out there again. I just can’t. Amelia, I’m emotionally battered. I need time out from men.”

She sighed. “Please stay in touch with me, Lori, I think we could be good friends.”

“I will, I promise.” I told her. “Please don’t tell Henry, or if you do, don’t let Eli find out. Aidan wants him to ask his assistant out. He says he knows it would be good for him.”

“He’s just a softie at heart, isn’t he?” She smiled. “You know, he helped get me and Henry together? Made him jealous.”

“He’s a great guy.” I admitted.

“So why not try?” Amelia pleaded. “What have you got to lose?”

We walked back out to the bar area, and I looked over at Aidan. We’d both done some ridiculous things, but could we actually try? Would he be willing to take things slow while I did my college course?

“I’ll give it a shot.” I told her and she emitted a shriek.

With a hand squeeze from Amelia and a “Go get your man,” I walked over to him.

He turned to me, those eyes filled with confusion. “Do you have a minute?” I asked him.

“Sure?”

“I think this is how I want to deliver my message,” I told him and I leaned up, my heels having made me almost as tall as he was and I kissed him on the mouth.

“This is a very peculiar boy’s night, unless she’s hiding a dick down there and I don’t think that’s the case with that tight dress.” I spun around to see Ember standing beside us.

“Mr. Hall. The movie got stuck.” A panic-stricken employee yelled, surprising us all.

“So put another one on and in future ask Ashley about anything like that.” Aidan rolled his eyes as the young guy left. “Jesus. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing anymore.” He looked at me. “Lori. Could you just give me a minute while I speak with Ember?”

I nodded and walked back over to Amelia. I brought her up to date and then we watched for almost fifteen minutes while Aidan and Ember talked. At times it became heated but eventually she left. I noticed the upset in her eyes as she gave me a glance on her way out.

Aidan came walking back over towards me.

“I don’t understand what you were getting at before.” He said. “Shall we sit down somewhere?”

“It’s her. I told you it’s her.” A voice yelled and people started to stare.

“It’s Lorenza LaBelle.”

What the hell?

“God, I love your movies.” The middle-aged guy in front of me said. “The one I just saw in the theater with you taking that massive dick in your mouth. God, that’s hot. Any chance I could pay to get mine in your mouth?”

The numbers all added up. My movie was playing in the theater. I had no idea how the fuck that had happened. All I knew was that Aidan was looking at me in horror and Amelia was looking stunned. So I did the only thing I could think of. I threw the stupid high heels off and ran out of the club, pushing people away from me. I slipped inside a staff bathroom until I could be sure that Aidan was convinced I’d left, and then I left through the back entrance, the ones the celebrities used and I went home.