If…
If Thor truly had to reschedule his wedding, she’d feel awful.
If General Phillip found them, her life would be over.
If Aiden went back to the SEALs without a second glance after this was over, she’d be devastated.
ChapterFourteen
Aiden took a long shower while Thor and Greer cooked for them. It was nice to let down his guard a bit. The shower enclosure had two walls of glass and overlooked the pool area below, the marble surround only covering the essentials on the window side. This house was insanely gorgeous and unique.
Melene was more insanely gorgeous and unique.
He rested his forehead against the glass wall and stared sightlessly at the view of mountains and trees.
He was so gone over Melene. What was he going to do when this was over and they had to go their separate ways? He’d never felt so torn up inside at the very thought of a person not being by his side every moment. He’d left his family behind to serve his country. It had been rough and had sometimes gouged at him, but he’d survived. He’d been separated from close friends in the military because of assignments. It had stunk, but he’d gotten through it. He’d lost comrades in arms and wished he could’ve died with them. It had been horrific.
Somehow, he thought nothing could be as hard as saying goodbye to Melene.
Finally shutting off the shower, he dressed in a T-shirt and hybrid shorts, brushed his teeth and hair, and splashed on some cologne. He hurried through the third story, listening but not hearing any movement in Melene’s suite. There were four master bedrooms on each of the second and third floors. Thor had amazingly not teased him when Aiden took the suite next to Melene’s and both his brothers had gratefully gone down a flight to take rooms on the second floor.
He pumped down the stairs, picking up a loud male voice and a sweet female voice on the main level. He burst onto the main level, his gaze immediately drawn to the dark-haired beauty chatting with Thor as his brothers finished up what looked to be a taco bar.
She was wearing a pretty floral top and fitted shorts—good job Esther on picking clothes. Her long, dark hair flowed down her back.
Melene turned to him with a beautiful smile. “Hi.” It was such a simple word, but it seemed to have a mountain of possibilities. Hi, let’s spend the rest of the day talking and kissing. Hi, I’m falling in love with you. Hi, let’s spend the rest of eternity together.
The fear of eternity never working out for them pressed in, but he shoved it away as hard as he would Thor coming at him.
“Hey,” he managed, hurrying to her side.
“All the pretty cologne in the world can’t make up for that ugly mug,” Thor teased him as Aiden approached. “Did you think if you showered long enough, it could remedy that face?”
Aiden chuckled and dipped a chip into the homemade guacamole, plunging it into his mouth. It was fabulous, a little salt, lime, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro blended with the savory avocado. He hadn’t been lying about his brothers’ cooking abilities.
“Maybe you could try a shower so we didn’t have to smell or look at your disgustingness for a few minutes.”
“Oh-ho! Maybe if my bossy big brother didn’t demand I cook for him.”
Aiden was only a few minutes older than Thor and usually he was the one who brought it up.
“Since I am the oldest, I have the authority.”
They all laughed and teased as they dished up plates with homemade tortillas, seasoned steak and chicken cooked in thin strips with onions, peppers, and mushrooms, cilantro lime rice, black beans, creamy street corn, and topped it all off with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, homemadepico de galo, and the fabulous guacamole. Aiden could hardly get his mouth around his first bite. It was bursting with flavor and welcome manna after the night they had last night and not eating anything besides a couple of protein bars.
They swapped stories about everything that had happened since Aiden first rescued Melene from General Phillip. Then Melene drew out the story of how Thor broke through Shelly’s walls and got engaged. That story gave Aiden plenty of opportunity to throw jabs at his twin, but he also loved seeing how Thor glowed as he talked about his rodeo queen, the “fastest and most beautiful barrel-racer in the country”. He was desperately in love with Shelly and it made Aiden very happy.
He risked a glance at Melene. How would it be to know they were both going to settle down in Summit Valley, have children together in a home full of love, build a legacy that wouldn’t crumble like those stones at the plantation in Jamaica?
He pushed that away and focused on the conversation as they ate until they were stuffed, then cleaned up lunch and went to lounge by the gorgeous pool. Usually Aiden hated sitting around, but he was exhausted from not sleeping and going so hard last night and all he wanted was to listen to Melene talk and stare at her beautiful face.
The pool area was even prettier than the one in Jamaica, minus the ocean. Aiden didn’t like being away from the ocean. Apparently, La Fortuna was in the “cloud forest” of Costa Rica and several hours from the closest beach. He’d survive for a few days without being in the ocean. His family had never understood why he needed the ocean and not the mountains like their home in Colorado. He’d spent many hours in the lake, but it was freezing cold and inaccessible in the winter. Nothing was like the ocean for Aiden. He stared at Melene as she laughed at something Thor had said. Nothing but Melene.
Melene impressively drew out the story from Greer, with Thor adding in juicy and sometimes false details, about how Greer and Emery fell in love. It was a pretty insane story as Greer had shot and killed Emery’s only brother Travis to save the lives of their cousin Alivia and her now-fiancé Klein. Emery had been tricked by the very man who sent Travis to steal the Delta family secret. She had gone to Greer to avenge her brother’s death. Of course Greer and Thor both omitted any reference to the secret, simply saying Alivia and Klein had been kidnapped.
The story was long and detailed, especially for Greer, and it was incredible to see how in love Greer was with Emery. It made Aiden incredibly happy. And it carried a sting of jealousy and guilt for him. No matter how he wanted to make it work in his head, he and Melene would never have a happily ever after like his brothers and older sister could now claim.
As the conversation settled, Thor decided it was time to swim. Melene went and put a suit on and Aiden couldn’t drag his gaze from her in a white floral two-piece that contrasted beautifully with her smooth brown skin. He would give his sister a big hug and thank you when he saw Esther again.