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“How did you two meet?” Stephanie asks.
“We’ve known each other since high school,” Aiden answers.
“Oh, is this some type of second chance romance thing? Giving your love another try even though you failed the first time.” Snarky Stephanie has arrived at the party. I don’t remember inviting her.
Aiden chuckles, oblivious to Stephanie’s cruel intentions. “Nope. It’s taken me a decade to get her to say yes to going out with me.”
Oooh, what a good answer. The best.
“How about you, Steph? How long have you and Ronald been married?”
“It’s Stephanie, not Steph,” she insists. I kind of figured as much, which is why I called her Steph.
Our drinks arrive before she can answer my question. We order our food with the waitress and then Ronald grabs his drink and takes a sip. He sighs. “This is the best damn Bloody Mary I’ve ever had. Tell Pops he’s a genius.”
“Pops!” I shout across the bar. “You’re a genius.”
“You know it, baby girl,” he answers without pausing in his task of making more drinks.
“Pops is her father. I’m sure she insisted we come here to help him get some business.”
I bite my tongue to stop the giggle ready to erupt. If she’s going to make a dig, she should at least make it plausible. I let my eyes rove around the room. The room which is packed as it is every Friday night.
“Does he look like he needs our help,” Aiden growls.
Stephanie immediately starts to backpedal. She even has the audacity to reach across the table for Aiden’s hand. Lucky for him, he snatches it away before she can touch him.
“I like the place,” Ronald says as he places his arm around his wife and tries to pull her close. She shakes him off and puts as much space as possible between them considering they’re sitting in a booth.
Our food arrives before she can make another stupid comment. I watch her face as the plates with burgers and fries are placed in front of Ronald, Aiden, and I. She’s practically drooling and then a salad is set in front of her and a frown appears on her face. She’s the idiot who ordered a salad.
I take a big bite of my hamburger and moan. Carol can make a mean hamburger. Aiden nips my ear. “Do not make that sound in public.”
I widen my eyes and bat my eyelashes at him. “Whatever do you mean?”
He growls and grabs my hand to place it in his lap where his manhood is making an appearance. I smirk and bite my lip. “You’re deliberately trying to drive me crazy, aren’t you?”
I shrug, because saying no would be a lie. He’s the one who got all hot and heavy when he picked me up and then told me I had to wait until after our date with his ex-girlfriend. Rookie mistake.
“Please tell me you aren’t one of those women who gorge herself on food and then purge,” Stephanie says in an obvious attempt to ruin our moment.
Aiden opens his mouth to answer, but before he gets the chance, I speak up. “No, Steph. I eat whatever I want.”
“And yet you manage to keep your boyish figure.” Oh boy, the claws are out now.
I shrug. “Aiden doesn’t seem to mind my figure. In fact, he said—”
Aiden places a hand over my mouth to shut me up and growls, “Enough.” He glares at Stephanie. “Stop trying to provoke her.” He turns his attention on me. “And you, stop enjoying yourself so much.”
My eyes widen. “What? I’m not supposed to enjoy myself?”
Aiden shakes his head at me. “Just eat your burger.”
We eat in silence. Well, nearly in silence. Ronald moans and groans as he enjoys his hamburger and Bloody Mary. I think I like him. Too bad he’s stuck with Stephanie. When we’re finished eating, Stephanie claims she has some prior engagement and drags Ronald, who’s looking confused, out of the place.
I’m bummed. I was planning to count how many times I could call her Steph before her head exploded. Aiden kneads my neck with his fingers, and I moan. What was I thinking? I’ve got way better things to do than tease some bitchy ex-girlfriend.
