“Oh yeah. I worked on a case that helped get a man out of prison. Was there for over twenty-years and wrongfully convicted. I’m making a difference.”
He smiles, and nods. “That’s how I feel. Fighting fires and helping keep the community safe is what I was brought up to do.”
His family goes back generations for being firemen and to carry on that legacy from his father is amazing. He always talked about it when we were younger, and I know it meant a lot to him.
“So, are you seeing anyone?” he asks, after taking another sip and setting it back on the table.
“Divorced. Not sure I’m up for anything after that douchebag.”
His brows furrow. “What idiot didn’t want to be married to you?”
My eyes fall to the table. “He cheated on me. So, at that point it was mutual.”
It’s weird to talk about my ex-husband with Aiden, but it also makes me feel good to know he still thinks highly of me after everything.
“What a fucking moron. Men never notice a good thing when they have it. He’ll regret it.”
The waitress brings me my drink, and I start to chug it. He’s wrong. Aiden always made me feel wanted and needed, and my dumbass is the one that walked away from that. So, he might sleep around, but at least he would never cheat on me.
“Enough about me. So, what’s going on with you?” I ask, the straw still in my mouth.
He runs his fingers through his hair and looks around the room. “Nothing really. Single. Oh, I bought a house and traveled a little bit. That’s pretty much it.”
Is he leaving around his risqué lifestyle on purpose? Maybe he’s scared of what I might think, but he shouldn’t be. It’s not like it matters.
“Dating anyone?”
“Nope. To be honest, I never quite got over you,” he starts to backtrack, “but that’s not why we are here. I’m not like expecting anything to happen between us or anything.”
I try to keep my excitement inside, but a smile takes over my face. “Listen, we left things pretty tainted after graduation and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t feel horribly for that.”
He gets the bartender's attention again to get another round of drinks, or maybe to change the subject.
“Let’s not talk about that, okay. We can’t change the past. All I care about is my present and future. No more harping on that.”
He changes the subject by telling me about some duplexes he and his brothers purchased to help out Grapevine. Apparently, they are all saints, and every time I think they can’t surprise me anymore, they do. Who knows how much they spent to get those, and they aren’t even charging rent or anything? That’s noble.
Aiden has always been a good guy, but no one ever noticed. They always thought about him as the stuck-up jock, but they never gave him a chance. Matter of fact, we officially met while volunteering at the homeless shelter. He probably didn’t announce to the world he was doing it, but still. It’s there that we started hanging out, and then blossomed into more than friends. So, Aiden wanting to do something nice for the community isn’t surprising to me at all.
“You know, I still don’t understand why some woman hasn’t snatched you up yet. It’s insane.”
And then he opens his mouth but stops.
“What?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing. When do you head out?”
“Not sure yet. Got some things to take care of first.”
“Like what?”
My hands fall into my lap, as I start to play with my fingers. This is a good of a time as any.
“There have been some things that I need to take care of while in town...”
“Well, don’t let me keep you. Go get that done, and we can meet up another time before you leave,” he says, getting up from the table.
“Oh, no. I mean, you.”