Page 57 of 27 Kisses

I knock on my office door. Nothing.

Should I just go in?

I start to knock again when the door flies open, and Aidyn is there, glaring at me. He rubs his eyes. “Sorry, love. I thought you were Jane. You don’t have to knock. It’s your office.”

I follow him into the room and shut the door. “Jane said you were upset.”

He faces my bookcase as if he’s reading the titles. Similar to the way he did in my office at work. “It’s nothing.”

Obviously, it’s something. He won’t look at me, and his eyes are red. “Aidyn…”

He shakes his head, and I want to wrap my arms around him or scream in frustration. Something about the set of his shoulders warns me he wouldn’t welcome either of those.

“Are you upset I went into work?”

His laugh is harsh. His voice is rough. “Christ. I told you to go.”

I choose my words carefully. “You did.” I reach to touch him, but drop my hand. I hate not knowing how to help him. “But that doesn’t mean you want me to.”

He turns abruptly, and I step back. “It’s not that, okay?”

“Okay.” I shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for him. The ring is there. But the possibility he’d say yes seems further away. “Then why are you upset?”

“Just leave it, would you?” His voice isn’t loud, but it’s harsh. Like a slap. And it stings just as much.

When we’ve fought—and it’s been a lot—it has never felt like this. I’m losing him, and the thought terrifies me.

Some of that must show on my face because his eyes soften just a fraction. “You don’t have to fix everything, love. I’ll be fine.”

I nod, not trusting my voice, and take his hand. I desperately need a connection with him.

The tension in the air isn’t any less as he squeezes my hand and releases it. “Let’s get this done so we’re ready for tomorrow.” He walks out the door, not once checking to see if I follow him.

This is just a blip. Holidays are emotional. Stressful. Hell, my very capable, highly motivated assistant just had an emotional breakdown.

Buckle up, Garrett. This is what you’re good at. Stripping away the emotional aspects and getting shit done.

As the afternoon progresses, Aidyn seems more like himself. Though it’s the guy everyone knows, not the Aidyn I usually get to see. But I give him the space he needs and focus on our task.

My house is transformed into an ad forHome and Garden: Christmas Edition. It’s almost too beautiful.

The only thing real is the tree.

Because of Aidyn. If I’d decorated the tree my way, it would look like something out of a magazine. Gorgeous but flat. No depth. No love.

The ornament with Ireland on it. Emily’s dragonfly. Lanie’s over the years. I add the ornament I didn’t buy at first but later changed my mind. It’s a stained-glass dragon ornament, and it reminds me of the books I read as a kid.

“That ornament is fire.” Lanie smiles at me, but her eyes are sad.

“And that’s a good thing?” I ask.

She rolls her eyes, but then glances back at her dad. He’s storing the empty boxes in totes for when we take down the tree. “I don’t know how to help my da,” she says in a low voice. “He’s sad.”

“The holidays can be hard.”

She shrugs. “He’s been wearing his wedding ring.” Her eyes are tinged with worry.

I try to keep my voice even. “I haven’t seen it on him.”