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She jumped into my arms and kissed me almost as soon as I emerged. Being the polite guy I am, I kissed her back thoroughly so she wouldn’t think I was being rude. Someone shouted, “Save it for the wedding!” bringing me out of my Anna-induced stupor and making Anna giggle.
She untangled her legs from around my waist and then used the pad of her thumb to wipe her lips—lips I wanted to continue tasting. She lifted up on her tiptoes and nipped at my ear before saying, “I think we gave everyone a good show tonight. Blowing kisses was a nice touch.”
I didn’t say anything as we walked down the corridor, hand in hand. The entire time, all I could think was that none of what I did tonight was fake or me putting on a show. I meant every wave, smile, and kiss I bestowed upon her.
Chapter thirty
Savannah
Today is the big day, and Aiden looks amazing in his suit and tie when he comes downstairs. He was up early this morning and spent time on his inline rink to get in some training since he would be missing the official practice today.
I approach him, adjusting his tie with a gentle touch, my hand lingering over his heart. “You look impeccable, Aiden. You’re the pride and joy of Savannah, and I can’t believe that there is a judge in this city who would dare to rule against you without facing a political backlash. I know that I certainly wouldn’t.”
He takes hold of the hand I have on his chest and stares deeply into my eyes. “Thank you for agreeing to come with me today. Having you in my corner means the world to me.” He reaches down to take my left hand in his as well, gently tracing the ring on my finger. “I know that our engagement isn’t real, Anna, but my feelings for you are. I have come to care for you in a way I never expected, and I’m falling more in love with you with every day that passes.
A small tear leaks from my eye, trailing a path down my cheek. I’ve never been loved by a man who sees beyond the surface into the heart of me. When I arrived on his doorstep a few weeks ago, I was afraid my emotional scars made me ugly on the inside. Aiden makes me feel like they are a symbol of strength and fortitude. He makes me feel beautiful and desired, but for who I am deep down, and not just by what he sees on the outside.
“I’m falling in love with you, too, Aiden, and it scares me.”
“Why does it scare you?”
“I’ve never loved a man before, and I’m afraid I’ll mess it up. What if I get it wrong?”
Aiden’s lips tenderly press against mine. “Savannah, listen to me very carefully. Love isn’t always easy. In fact, it can get downright messy at times. What it should be is unconditional. Are you going to mess up? Absolutely. Am I going to mess up? There’s no doubt about it. We are imperfect beings in an imperfect world, and we will make mistakes. The question is, are we perfect for each other?”
He doesn’t give me time to answer but shows me how much he loves me by kissing me again, this time the tip of his tongue lightly caressing my bottom lip. His hands tangle in the hair at the nape of my neck as he deepens the kiss, pulling my body flush against his.
I hear a soft giggling and pull away to see where it’s coming from. Penny and Martha stand at the base of the stairs, each wearing a ten-mile smile. Martha clears her throat, “We didn’t mean to interrupt, but you guys need to get going if you plan on making it on time. Jerry and Jessie are waiting out front for you.”
The Shaw Squad will remain here at the house today with Penny and Martha. Reggie is currently at the courthouse with Aiden’s team of lawyers. I wanted Jerry and Jessie with Aiden and me because they’ll be monitoring and surveilling rather than providing protection. It doesn’t hurt that they can blend in a little easier since they aren’t as recognizable as four muscle-bound men in suits.
Aiden hugs his mother before picking up Penny and providing words of comfort. “Everything is going to work out just as it should. I love you, Pumpkin.”
“I love you, too, Dad. I want to live with you forever.” Penny hugs Aiden and runs over to me once he lowers her to the ground. Wrapping her arms around my thighs, she looks up at me and says, “I love you, Anna.”
I hug her back. “You have my heart, Penny. Now and forever.”
Jerry and Jessie ride in their rented Suburban while Aiden drives us to the courthouse in his vehicle. I’ve never been much of a “truck” girl, but I could be convinced after riding in his Sierra.
Traffic is light, and we end up arriving almost half an hour ahead of schedule, giving us plenty of time to touch base with his legal team before the proceedings. Jessie and Jerry park down the street, where they will monitor the feed from the recording device embedded in my necklace.
“Testing. Testing. One. Two. Three,” Jessie says as she runs through a quick comms check.
“I read you loud and clear. How about me?” I respond.
Jerry’s deep voice comes over the line, “I’ve got you five by five. Watch your back in there and stay alert. We’ve got your six, and we’ll have the cameras plastered to the exterior of the building in short order so we can monitor all the clock positions.”
I chuckle. “Roger that. We’re parking on level three of the garage. Make sure to get a visual on our vehicle. You don’t have much time.”
I hear a door opening and closing and the sound of cars passing by. “I’m already on it. We’ll be fully up and running in less than ten minutes,” Jessie says.
I trust them to get the job done, and then I face Aiden, “Are you ready to do this?”
“Not really. I’m going to have to trust that God knows what He’s doing.”
I’m new in my relationship with God, and trust has never come easy for me. It’s difficult for me to comprehend how Aiden can have such blind faith. “What if God’s will is that Patricia will gain custody?”
Aiden sighs deeply. “It might be, and I’m sure it will test me in ways that I have yet to imagine. But then I remember the story of Job, where God allowed Satan to attack Job and take everything away from him. God knew that Job was strong, faithful, and devoted. I’m no Job, but I believe good will triumph over evil in the end.”
