By the time he got to the front, I’d made his drink and was just waiting. We had plans to meet his father and Loretta out for dinner that night and he’d promised me a walk through the park on the way there. Aiden had made great strides in rebuilding the relationship with his father, though they’d taken it really slow. I had no doubt the sessions with his therapist had helped Aiden both accept his father back into his life, and to finally let Danny go for good. It had taken a couple of months, but Aiden had finally started sleeping through the night. Additionally, it had been more than three months since he’d last had the nightmare about Danny’s death, so we were both hopeful that his mind was finally allowing the past to be put to rest where it belonged.
Thankfully, Aiden wasn’t solely focused on me as he got closer to the register, because he spied the red leather journal on the small table beside where he stood in line. He glanced at it before looking back up at me. I pretended not to notice and kept working. I’d already asked my co-worker, Jeff, to flip the sign on the door and lock up after the last customer. By the time it was Aiden’s turn to pay, I leaned across the counter to hand him his drink.
“On the house, beautiful,” I said to him with a kiss on the lips.
He held up the red journal. “You’ve had this for less than a day and you’re already leaving it sitting around?” He looked like his feelings were a little hurt. He’d surprised me with the journal the day before. His fingers skimmed over my initials on the front, which he’d had engraved for me as a special gift. He’d also had the phrase Don’t Let Go embossed into the cover of the beautiful leather.
“Oh, did you find it? Thanks, babe,” I said, closing out the register after helping the final customer. “Hey Jeff, you can go ahead and clock out. I’ll finish up. Just lock the door behind you, okay?”
“Awesome. Thanks, Ash,” Jeff said.
“No problem.” I turned to Aiden. “Give me a minute to clean some of this stuff up, okay? In the meantime, you can sit and have your drink. If you’re very well-behaved, I might even let you read some of my journal.”
“Will you sing me something from it?” he asked as he brushed his mouth over mine.
“Can’t,” I murmured. “Guitar’s at home,” I reminded him. My dad’s guitar was another amazing gift I’d be forever grateful to Aiden for, because he’d somehow managed to track the instrument down even after the pawn shop owner had already sold it.
“At home, then,” he said softly.
I nodded and then gave him a little shove to get him moving so I could get my work done.
He sat and watched me as I cleaned. The final customers wandered out and Jeff locked the door behind him after he left. I took my time closing the blinds and mopping the floor before going over to join him on the oversized sofa in the corner.
“Go ahead,” I said, snuggling up beside him. “Read it.”
Aiden lifted an eyebrow at me. “You sure? It’s okay if you—”
“Yes, I’m sure. Please.”
He opened the little red book and turned to the first page. There was a handwritten dedication to me from Aiden that mentioned loving me and never letting me go. I treasured the book and would be sure to tell him later that I’d had an eagle eye on it the entire time I’d purposely left it on that table for him to find.
He turned the page.
For Aiden
Giant smiles light up my face,
Instead of worry
Fears are long gone-
Dried up by the sheer number of times
You’ve held on.
The truth:
It isn’t a rescue.
It never was.
It is a friend, a lover.
A coming together.
Settling into one another.
Finally,
Into the bright shining future
We stride.
How I remember-
We go to the shore in the sunshine.
Happy, easy, free.
Having remembered what brought us here.
That when our toes reach the edge-
Clouds will part.
Warm sun will shine.
We will kiss.
Wild and free.
The happiness always there-
Reminding me.
Aiden Vale, will you marry me?
By the time he got to the last part, his entire body was shaking. I crawled into his lap and cupped his cheeks in my hands.
“Is this real?” he asked in a small voice.
“You bet your ass,” I said with a giant smile. “And you’re going to say yes, so go ahead and spit it out.”
“What makes you think I’m that easy?” he asked, looking up at me with shining eyes and more love than I thought possible.
“Resistance is futile,” I said with a cheeky grin.
Aiden tackled me then, repeating the word yes until I was naked and begging beneath him on the sofa. His lips were all over my skin, and I could barely catch my breath from wanting him.