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“Yes. This is real,” he whispers as he gently kisses my forehead.
I’m buzzing all over as I close my eyes and revel in his touch. Aiden lets me go and sits back in his seat, takes hold of my hand once more, and we spend the rest of the trip in easy silence.
A little later, we’re driving down a dirt road, through a gate, and edge up a steep hill. Once at the top, Mike pulls the car to a stop. I look around, and there’s nothing but an open field and a beautiful night sky surrounding us. Stars twinkle brightly in the onyx-lit night, making this seem like the most beautiful place in all of Mornington Vale.
Though, I still haven’t a clue as to what we’re doing here as Mike opens the car door.
“Thank you, Mike,” I acknowledge.
Mike tips his hat as a reply while I step out of the car and walk around to meet Aiden. He reaches out, and takes my hand. As we walk further into the field, I smell the lush, green lawn. Cicadas chirp, filling the silence with gentle music. Other than their night song, no other noise penetrates the clear night air.
We walk hand in hand to the edge of the field where the cliff ends. There’s a huge drop, and at the bottom, the city lights glisten below in their tiny splendor. A telescope and picnic blanket sprawl out on the freshly cut lawn, making me all too aware that Aiden had this part of our date planned out from the beginning of the night. I look up at him with a thrill of excitement. The dark night sky is riddled with millions of tiny sparkling stars shining down their brilliance over us. And with the telescope we can search them all.
“I love looking at the stars,” Aiden breaks the silence.
“Me, too, they’re beautiful,” I reply, looking up at them in awe.
“When I was young, I used to spend hours watching the sky. It was a form of escape for me. My father was demanding, so it was a way for me to relax from all the pressure.” He takes the telescope and leans it toward me. “Tell me what you think.” He motions for me to look.
I lean in and see distant stars magnified. I close my other eye, and the sheer beauty takes my breath away.
“This is mystifying,” I boast while still looking through the telescope.
Aiden lays back on the blanket on his back, pats a spot next to him, and looks up at the stars. I swallow and lie down, so we’re barely touching, and stare up at the stars with him. This is nice, peaceful, and I don’t feel intimidated or afraid or any of the things I thought I might feel.
There’s a slight breeze wafting the smell of his aftershave over me. Taking in a deep breath, the scent sends a calmness over my entire soul. He turns on his side to face me, propping his head on his hand, and I turn my head to look at him.
“Thank you for this. It’s… beautiful,” I gush, mimicking his position, propping my head up with my hand. “Why did you really choose ADF to get your car fixed?” I ask, breaking the staring contest.
“Really?” he asks.
“Yes, really.”
He inhales. “You gave me your details after the accident on a ‘with compliments’ from ADF Automotive Repairs. I thought, with a bit of luck, that it might be your mechanic, and I was hoping to run into you there, so I called to set up an appointment. When you answered the phone with your name, I put two and two together and hoped it was you. I made the appointment, and here we are.”
My mouth drops in shock. “Are you making that up?”
He laughs. “No, I still have the ‘with compliments’ slip if you want to see it.”
My heart races in my chest. I’m stunned. “You came to my work just to see me again? Why? I was so mean to you.”
He grins a crooked smile like he’s reminiscing. “Yes, you were. But you’re fiery and feisty and so cute when you are angry… I had to see you again.”
Amusement fills me as I stare at him. “I can’t believe you’ve done all this for me. I mean, getting your car fixed where I work, sending me flowers, dinner at that gorgeous waterfall, and now lying here under the stars with you…” I shake my head. “It’s more than I deserve.”
Aiden looks deeply into my eyes, sending a shiver up my spine. “You deserve so much more than this.” He leans over gently, kissing me.
I exhale and roll over onto my back with my hands under my head gazing up at the beauty surrounding me with Aiden by my side and above me the starry night.
“Do you think all men are the same?” I ask, though the question is directed more to me than him.
He tilts his head. “No. I think most men give us good guys a bad name.”
I purse my lips. “Isn’t that something a bad guy would say?”
He frowns. “Yeah… I guess it could be seen that way.”
I sit up and point at him jokingly. “Ha! So, you are a bad boy, then?” I tease.
