Page 38 of Vain (Tempest #2)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

MATILDA

Both Greyson and Marley had retired for the evening, but as per usual, Marley had made sure the fridge was stocked when we got home.

“Alright, boys. It looks like we’re having chicken and vodka pasta with salad and cheesy garlic bread. Oh, and there’s banoffles for dessert.”

“What the fuck are banoffles?” Kellen asks as he takes a seat next to Aiden at the counter.

“They’re a kind of mashup of my favorite desserts. It’s basically cookie dough waffle sandwiches with banana and caramel toffee cheesecake filling.”

When nobody says anything else, I poke my head around the fridge door to see Kellen wiping away drool. “You always eat like this?” he murmurs to Aiden.

“Every damn day.”

“You lucky fuck. Hey Matilda, how would you feel about me moving in?”

“I’ve got the space, so sure, why not?”

Aiden shakes his head, laughing. “How about I warm up dinner and set the table while you go on up and get changed.”

I walk over and kiss him lightly, pulling back before we can get carried away. “Thank you.”

“No problem. I’ll give Kellen a tour and show him to his room. Want me to put him in my old one?”

I feel myself blush but nod. “Yeah, that works. I won’t be long.”

“Take your time. We’re not going anywhere.”

I take him at his word and leave them both to it as I head upstairs to the bedroom. My hand grabs the knob and I twist, pushing it wide and stepping through before I realize what I did.

I take a moment to center myself before the panic kicks in. Surprisingly, I’m okay and don’t have the urge to rush back and twist the knob three times. I walk to the bedroom with a grin on my face as I strip out of my pinstripe pants and white button-up shirt.

I’m not stupid. I don’t think I’ve magically found the cure to my anxiety, but having good days when I forget about it means I’m on the road of healing the path to despair.

That’s always a win. I’ve had some bad days over the last six weeks.

The chaos surrounding my mom and the media has been brutal and I could feel myself pulling back and wanting to be left alone.

I’m not sure I’d have made it through unscathed if it wasn’t for Aiden.

Deciding I have time for a shower, I pull my hair into a messy bun and climb in once the water is warm.

I let the water pound over me, easing the ache of being on my feet all day.

Once done, I dry off and slip on clean underwear before tugging on a pair of gray buttery-soft leggings and a muted pink slouchy cashmere sweater.

I pull on some cream-colored fluffy socks and leave my hair in a bun, pulling a few tendrils free to frame my face.

I head down to find the boys, not surprised in the least to find them back in the kitchen plating up the food.

“So what happens next?” Kellen asks.

I pause just outside the doorway where they can’t see me.

“What do you mean? With the movie? I think Tilly said something about post-production shit, like cutting parts out and adding music, that kind of thing.”

“No, I mean what happens next with you and Matilda? I can tell you’re gone for the girl and I can’t say I blame you. She’s a sweetheart, but how is this going to play out when you both live in different states?”

“I don’t know. I’d love nothing more than to come home,” Aiden says, ripping my heart to shreds. I cover my mouth with my hand and almost miss the next part. “But I’m not leaving here without her.”

“Would she move to Tempest?”

Aiden sighs. “I guess I hoped she would, but she’s made little comments lately that make me have my doubts. She has a whole life here, a career she’s desperately fought for. I can’t ask her to leave all that behind.”

“It’s her choice to make. You don’t get to decide that for her. You should ask her. She might just surprise you.”

“I don’t want to pressure her. She has enough going on.”

“There is always going to be something going on. It’s time to shit, Aiden, or get off the pot.

Has it ever occurred to you that she hasn’t said anything because she’s not sure what you want?

Make your intentions clear. At least that way you’ll both be on the same page and you can deal with shit together. ”

“Where the fuck is all this useful advice coming from? Did that explosion knock something free?”

“Fuck knows, but I am starting to sound more and more like Yoda.”

“Wise you have become,” I offer, walking into the kitchen.

Kellen looks up at me grinning. “Ah, young Padawan has arrived.”

“And just in time. The food is ready. Here, grab the salad. I’ll bring the pasta and garlic bread, and Kellen will grab some drinks.”

“Just water for me please,” I call out as I grab the bowl of salad and head to the dining room. I place the bowl on the table and step back as Aiden puts the pasta and bread down.

He slides a hand around my waist and pulls me to him. “You good?”

I nod, lifting on tiptoes to kiss him. He pulls back when Kellen enters, but only to pull out a chair for me. I sit and watch bemused as he and Kellen dish up my food, moving in tandem like a couple that’s been married for years. It kind of reminds me of Greyson and Marley.

“So you want to tell us what the super spy mission is all about, or is it classified?” I ask, twirling the linguine around my fork.

“Actually, you guys are the mission.”

I chew the food, frowning.

“I’m scared to ask,” Aiden mutters.

“Fuck, this is good.” Kellen dives in, forgetting about the conversation altogether until Aiden kicks him.

“Focus, Kellen. The mission.”

“Oh yeah, right. My mission is to get you two to fly back with me tomorrow for a big surprise.”

“What kind of surprise?” I ask warily. I’m probably one of the few people that loathes them.

“Blake and Callie are getting married.”

I gasp in delight. Even though I’ve never met either of them, I feel like I know them from how much Aiden has talked about them.

“Wow that’s awesome, but who are we supposed to be keeping it a secret from?” Aiden questions.

“Oh, that would be Callie.”

With the fork in front of my face, I stop and turn to look at Kellen. “Huh?”

He laughs. “It’s all a big surprise. Don’t worry, Callie has agreed to marry him, she just hasn’t realized what an impatient fucker Blake is.

He wants them to marry before the baby arrives, so he’s been organizing it all without her knowing.

Plus, he’s worried that June might take another turn for the worse. ”

“Whose June?”

“Blake’s grandmother.” Aiden answers.

“Ah, I remember now. She had a stroke, right?”

Kellen nods. “She’s strong though. I personally think she’ll outlive all of us. She sure as fuck won’t be going anywhere before she meets her great-grandbaby. But Blake’s…well, Blake.”

“He loves her. I think it’s sweet. I’d be the same way if my grandmother were still alive.”

“Yeah, me too,” Kellen says softly. I see it then, the acute loneliness in his eyes. It’s gone in a second, but I know what I saw.

I change the subject. “Okay, so what’s the plan?”

Kellen gives me a grateful look before diving in. “We fly out and head to Old Man Jenkins’s place.”

“Wait, what?” Aiden questions.

“Hotel is already booked with other guests flying in. Plus we have the town fair this weekend, and you know how that pulls the tourists in. Jenkins has a fuck-ton of space and he knows how much you love it up there.”

I look at Aiden in question. “His house is on the bluffs, surrounded by lavender fields. As a kid, I dreamed of one day living in a house just like it. It’s been in his family for generations.

But his wife, daughter, and two kids were killed in a car accident last May, so now he lives up there alone. ”

“Oh god, that’s so sad.”

“I know. The town pulled together for him. We all try to look after ourselves, but he mostly keeps to himself.”

“And he’s letting us stay there? Are you sure he’s okay with that?”

“It was his idea. Maybe he’s a fan,” Kellen waggles his eyebrows.

“As long as he’s not another stalker. I’m at my limit with them.”

“Still no closer to finding the guy?”

“No. I don’t know what to believe anymore. If it’s not Daniel, it really could be anyone. And that thought is a terrifying one.”

“Well, it sounds to me like a break is just what you need. So what do you say we get your bags packed—after dessert, of course—and book some flights out of here? Blake’s paying, so we should probably just fly first class.”

Aiden laughs and I join him. “Don’t worry, Kellen, I’ve got the flights covered. Now, tell me what else I need to know.”