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“I think enough time has passed that he’s over it.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Miles was head over heels in love with Bridget, so Aiden knew he didn’t really give a fuck about being hated for getting the girl.
They walked out of the locker room together and paused in the hall before parting ways.
“Enjoy yourself,” Miles told him.
“Thanks. Hopefully I get out of here on time. I’m trying to be a better friend this year.”
Miles snorted as he walked backwards, away from Aiden. “Good luck with that. I’m obviously not the guy to call if you need any pointers, since I have a three-week-old baby at home and my dumb ass is here.”
Aiden laughed. “It’s why they pay you the big bucks.”
He turned and called over his shoulder, “Yeah, yeah. Later.”
**
As the day wore on, Aiden began having second thoughts about going to the Dragonfly after all. There were going to be too many reminders of Dakota. The pep talk from last night seemed to have been long forgotten.
He still fucking missed her every damn second.
Why did he think he needed a commitment from her? They could just hang out…
He shook his head, as if that would dislodge the thought from his brain and chastised himself.
Knock it off! Quit being a little bitch.
I’m going to James and Yvette’s reception, I’m going to support my friend, and I’m not going to think about Dakota.
Okay, so two out of three isn’t bad.
**
It turned out the ambulance with the patient in cardiac arrest arriving fifteen minutes before he was scheduled to leave took the decision to go to the reception out of his hands.
As he stood at the scrub sink prepping for surgery, Miles walked in. His friend took one look at him and made a point of looking at the clock on the wall before shaking his head and breaking out in a grin.
“You can’t escape the dark side, my friend.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Aiden
On Valentine’s Day, he walked into the locker room carrying the garment bag he hadn’t bothered to unpack since missing James’s wedding.
Miles was sitting on the bench in the middle of the room and looked up at him with a smile when Aiden hung the black bag in his locker.
“This looks familiar. Whose wedding you missing tonight?”
“Ha ha. I have a date.”
The other man’s eyes widened. “A first date on Valentine’s Day—you’re brave. That’s dangerous.”
“Dangerous? How do you mean?”
“Well, you’re taking her out on a night when couples celebrate being a couple, so that could send the wrong message right off the bat. And, romance will be in the air everywhere you go, so even if it’s just a mediocre date, she’s probably going to think it was a great night. So, if you end up not wanting a second date, she won’t understand why. Then you have a potential stalker situation.”
