✿ Reid's POV

I knock back my scotch and wince at the burn of it, sliding down my throat. It had been a week since my last conversation with Aileen, and I was more than a little worse for wear.

I traveled out of town for a few days for work, but I had been back for two days now and staying at Hernan’s place without having contacted my family or anyone else.

Sleeping in an empty bed was now difficult, and I hadn’t been prepared for the keen sense of longing I felt each time I thought about Lee.

Even though I spent just two or so nights with her.

Nor had I been prepared for the white-hot ball of possessive rage I felt each time I heard that hippie artist visited Lee at the bakery. I had wanted to rush downtown, take Geo by the scruff of his puny little neck, and throw him the hell out of my Lee’s life.

“So... you're still at this?”

I look up at Hernan, noting the tentative smile on his face.

“Yup,” I reply, trying to appear nonchalant about the whole thing.

Hernan nods.

“She really said she doesn't want to see you?”

“Yup,” I reply with a shrug. “She's even blocked me everywhere.”

“And so you're drinking yourself to death?”

I chuckle.

“No one said anything about death, dude. This is just my second glass.”

This evening.

“And your last for a long time” he picks up the bottle.

“Dude c'mon.”

“Get a hold of yourself, Reid.”

“I do have more than a hold of myself. Now could you stop getting a hold of my bottle?”

“No. You're going to drink yourself to death because your fake fiancée... dumped you?”

I’m not able to hide my wince over my best friend’s words.

“We had a deal, Hernan.”

“To separate your ex from the man she's engaged to. The same ex you claim you don't have feelings for.”

“It's not a claim, dude. I don't. Nope. Not at all. Not even as a joke. Trust me. Anika and I... incompatible.”

“So what is all this obsessing over separating her from Ethan?”

“She can do better than that bald Aussie” I frown.

“Really?”

“Yes Hernan, really” I quickly reply. “But thanks to my family, Aileen wants nothing to do with me.”

“So hire someone else,” he says with a confused expression, then shakes his head and smiles at me, “Look, I'll help you find someone else to play your...”

“Don't bother, dude. No one can replace Lee” I mutter.

Hernan snorts, making me look at him.

“What was that for?”

“You caught feelings for the baker.”

I narrow my eyes at him.

“Absolutely not.”

“'No one can replace Lee'? What's that about then?”

I shrug noncommittedly, smile a little, and take a sip of my drink.

“I've never met anyone quite like her. And I can assure you it's going to be impossible to find a second Lee.”

“A second Lee?” he asks, “You'd want to replace her with someone just like her?”

“Where is this conversation going exactly, Hernan?”

“You tell me, Mr. 'I haven't caught feelings for my fake ex-fiancée'” he laughs.

“Look, I haven't okay? I don't catch feelings.”

“So what do you call this Lee obsession?”

“I'm not obsessed. I'm just...attached” I whisper.

“Attached huh?” he grins.

I frown.

“You know I don't catch feelings. And Lee is no exception.”

“I thought you said she's special?”

“I said that?”

“It was implied in your 'I've never met anyone like her'.”

I roll my eyes as I chuckle.

“Well, it's true. I have truly never met anyone like Aileen Wilmore.”

Hernan pours himself some Scotch, sips his, and then pins me with an interested gaze.

“What makes Aileen Wilmore stand out?”

I blink at him and then look down at my glass.

“If we’re going to talk about all of this―in any kind of honest and real way—we need a lot more alcohol than just a couple glasses of scotch.”

“Not a problem,” Hernan replies. “How about some tequila and vodka?”

When I give him a look of surprise, he shrugs.

“You're a tight-lipped stubborn bastard unless you’re piss drunk.”

I chuckle and wait for our change of drinks before getting the conversation on track.

“So...” Hernan begins as I sip my drink, “What makes your fake ex-fiancée stand out? Let's start with the obvious reasons... she's gorgeous.”

I nod in agreement.

“And even without makeup, I swear none of the girls I've been with can even ever dream of holding a candle to her.”

“Including Anika?”

“Implied, Hernan” I chuckle, then stop and frown at him, “Wait, you've been eyeing Lee?”

“I wouldn't call it eyeing...”

My frown deepens.

“Woah there, Daddy Alpha” he laughs.

I grimace.

“Never... call me that.”

“Noted. And I don't need to eye Lee to point out she's gorgeous.”

“Well good. Now keep your eyes to yourself and let me do the talking.”

Hernan holds up his hands as if proclaiming his surrender. I sip my drink.

“She's hardworking...” I speak up after swallowing, “... has a good sense of humor, and is an incredible cook.”

Hernan lifts his drink as if to toast to her.

“That lunch she prepared had me dreaming for days.”

I chuckle.

“Now the not-so-obvious reasons” he tips his glass at me.

I exhale and get comfortable.

“She's kind, and honest... gentle, she's got the biggest heart, and tolerating everything my family threw at her for days proves just that. She's forgiving... she did forgive me after everything... just wants nothing to do with me” I take more than a sip of my drink this time. “Sensitive” I let out, “Underneath all that tough exterior she tries to have going on, I just know she's sensitive.”

Hernan maintains a confused yet amused look on his face as he looks at me.

“What?” I ask.

“Kind, gentle... sensitive?” he questions, “Since when did you start finding these qualities attractive?”

“Since Lee” I tipped my glass at him before tossing the liquid back. “And I swear that girl can make anything attractive.”

Hernan pins me with a shrewd look this time.

“You're sure you haven't caught feelings for this girl?”

I force a cocky grin onto my face.

“I'm sure, dude. I just hate how everything ended between us. And you'd understand how horrible this feels if you got to know her like I did. I mean... I did give her her first kiss. I seriously wasn't expecting it to end so soon.”

Hernan laughs and picks up his glass, swirling his drink around a little before bringing it up to his lips to take a sip.

“Yeah well, even you can't always get what you want. Hey, but at least she did forgive you, right? She just doesn't want anything to do with you so I suggest you just forget about her and try to—” he pauses abruptly and blinks at me.

I arch a brow at him.

“I'm sorry... did I just hear you say her first kiss?”

I chortle.

“You heard right, bro.”

He sets his glass down.

“She's never been kissed before?”

“Before me, no.”

“What? How? Wait, how old even is she?”

“Twenty-five... pushing six.”

“And she's never been kissed until you?”

“Among other things” I pour myself another drink.

Hernan's mouth drops.

“She's a...”

“Yup,” I reply, “Framed white rose and everything.”

The Hernan begins to laugh. I turn to look at him.

“What's funny?”

“I see where this sudden attachment is coming from.”

“Please don't theorize this situation, Nielsen.”

“Oh I am, Dalton” he scoffs.

I roll my eyes.

“You're attached to this girl not because of her heart... but because you don't remember the last time you had a virgin in your bed.”

I scoff.

“False.”

“False?”

“False” I frown.

“Really now?” he laughs. “So you're telling me this isn't about the fact that she's a virgin and you're just this way because you're itching to get into her pants.”

“Dude, no. It's not about the sex, okay?”

He gives me a look.

“It's not? Seriously?”

“No” I reply, then look into my glass before releasing my grip on it. “I mean there's the attraction, and I have thought of it more than once—”

“Aha!”

I shoot my hyena laughing best friend a look.

“But it's not because I haven't had a virgin in my bed since the summer before freshman year in high school.”

“And he remembers” Hernan laughs before reeling the rest in.

“Of course, I remember” I roll my eyes then scrub a hand across my face. “But Lee is different okay? She makes me laugh and smile and I hate it, yes, but at the same time love it. Then she calls out my bullshit and I don't get mad. I actually listen. She... doesn't make the idea of commitment unbearable or even torturing to think about. I actually wouldn't mind being shackled with her.”

“Usually people who haven't caught feelings go with the 'I actually wouldn't mind being shackled with someone like her' not 'with her' bro.”

“Whatever, love guru. But again, I haven't caught feelings for Lee. I'm just—”

“Attracted, got it.”

I narrow my eyes his way and he swallows his laughter for a second.

“Attached... right, sorry” he clears his throat, gives me a stiff nod, and then laughs.

I shake my head.

“For what it's worth bro, it's good you haven't caught feelings for her.”

“Why's that?”

“It'd make this rejection even harder on you.”

“Very funny, Nielsen.”

“What?” he laughs, “I mean this was all fake, and yet her rejection has left you... dare I say... brokenhearted?”

“No, angry” I frown. “I apologized, she's forgiven me, but doesn't want to get back together with me.”

Hernan sighs.

“And she's blocked me everywhere.”

“Look, I think you should just accept that your plan to separate Anika and Ethan didn't go as expected. Stop dwelling on this girl and move on with your life. You've got more important things to occupy your mind than your fake ex-fiancée.”

“And let Anika, my parents, and everyone else who's against this get even more of a field day than they have? No way” I finish my drink and push my glass away before standing.

I look around for my jacket.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for my...” I spot it on the loveseat, “Found it” I pick it up and throw it on, then grab my car keys.

“Wait, wait, where are you going?”

“To see Lee. She can't block me from seeing her.”

“Yes, she can. Ever heard of a restraining order?”

“It won't be necessary. She's going to have to listen to me.”

“And you're sure this isn't about the sex?!” he calls out after me.

I shake my head and get into my car.

“Because I'm sure we can find you a nice girl to get this madness out of your system” he pants when he reaches my side just as I shut my door.

“No thanks. It's Lee I want and Lee I shall get back” I smile and turn on the engine.

✯✯✯✯✯✯

My eyes roam over the lady in the Cookie Monster T-shirt.

Mildred? Freda? Jaime yes! That's it.

The aroma of freshly baked bread, butter, and sweet spices ensconces me as soon as I step inside. It's lively without being loud and full of people without feeling crowded. Whether they're engrossed in a book or guffawing at someone’s joke, the customers look completely at ease, like they're hanging out at their best friend’s house.

Lee now, appreciating the atmosphere later.

I approach the counter.

“Jaime” I call out.

She looks up and her eyes widen before she even stands up.

“Mr. Dalton.”

“Hi. Is Lee here?”

She just stares... for close to a minute... without a word, before I call out her name again.

“Jaime. I asked a question.”

She blinks.

“You did, you did. Wait, you did?”

I exhale.

“I asked if Lee was here. I need to talk to her.”

“Oh um...”

“You don't have to say anything if you feel it'll get you into trouble with her, okay? Just nod if yes and shake your head if no.”

Please nod.

“Actually I can talk” she laughs a little.

“Good, so she's here? In her office or the eatery?” I ask, already stepping away from the counter.

“Oh no, no. She's gone out.”

I pause.

“What?”

“Yes. It's Thursday. And she always goes karaokeing with her friends.”

She does?

I clear my throat.

“Right, right. I err... it slipped my mind” I mutter. “Where it's that place again? I keep forgetting.”

She smiles at me.

“Oh, I'll get you the address. Lemme just grab my phone...”

“Jaime? Did you see where Miss Lee put the list for the change of desserts for tomorrow?” a lady slipped beside her to ask.

“I told you, Vee, it's in her office. Go check there” another lady joins her.

“It's in the back room” Jaime replies. “Now has anybody seen my phone? I need to write down the address of Miss Lee's karaoke place so Mr. Dalton here can go win her back.”

That gets the two ladies to notice me for the first time.

“Err Jaime? I'm not sure Miss Lee would appreciate you sharing the location of her whereabouts.”

“Oh stop it, Veronica. This is important. It's for love” Jaime rolls her eyes.

“Love?” the other lady asks. “Well in case you've forgotten, love here turned our boss into the Grinch for a week.”

I did?

“You, sir, messed up, big time!” she angrily points a finger at me.

“Lyra” Veronica pushes her hand down.

I sigh.

“No, she's right. I did mess up... big time. That's why even though she doesn't want to see me, I need to see her. I must talk to her.”

“Found it!” Jaime chirps, scribbling something down on a Post-it note. “Here's the address, Mr. Dalton.”

I take the note from her.

“Thank you so much. I owe you” I smile at her.

“Wait, didn't she say she had a party to go to tonight?” Veronica asks.

I pause.

“What?”

“Oh yeah,” Jaime chuckles, hitting the side of her head. “She's at a party. And she doesn't know, but Sophie is trying to set her up with Geo from across the street again.”

“And Tracy has set her up on a blind date” Lyra chuckles. “Miss Lee's in for quite the night.”

I frown.

“Girls!” Veronica scolds, then reminds them that I'm still standing with them.

Jaime smiles sheepishly at me.

“I'll get you the address for the party.”

✯✯✯✯✯✯

The moment I turn off my engine and open the car door, I hear the loud and obnoxious music from the house where the party is being held. Couples are kissing and mingling; others running around, trying to keep the damage to the front yard at a minimum, and drunk girls carefully walk by hand in hand, in tiny hops, trying to get across the soft grass without sinking their stilettos.

I sigh and shake my head, heading straight into the house. Thankfully, it's not as crowded as it is outside and it takes me less than two minutes to spot my girl.

I mean she's obviously the prettiest girl here.

“Aileen!” I call out before crossing over to her.

She whips her head around and her eyes widen. Then they narrow, and then two seconds later she's suspiciously eyeing the red cup in her hand.

“Lee, we need to talk” I speak out, almost at her side.

She scoffs.

“Great. I can't even pretend to be having a good with thinking about this idiot” She doesn't do a good job muttering.

She throws back whatever is in her cup and rubs her palm on her hip.

Don't look.

Don't look.

Don't look!

But my eyes rake down her body a strange amount of relief hits me.

“We need to talk,” I repeat , grabbing her arm the second I reach her side.

Her eyes widen and she blinks twice before looking up at me.

“Reid?” she calls out, as if now realizing I'm here. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you.”

“Wait, how did you even know I'd be...” she stops, “Jaime” she exhales.

“Lee, we gotta talk.”

She jerks her arm away from my hold.

“We've talked the talk, Armani. We've had many talks. And it's all going to end in the same way.”

“But I don't accept that, Freshie” I frown. “I said I'm sorry.”

“And I said I forgive you.”

“So let's do this, then.”

“I don't want to, Armani. Don't you get it?” she groans. “I don't hate you. I'm not mad at you. But I don't want to do this with you anymore. I just don't. It's not me” she exhales.

I thread a hand through my hair.

“I'm going to go get a drink.”

I follow her to a stack of red cups sitting on the kitchen counter beside a keg.

“Do you want a beer? I'm getting water.”

“Why are you even here?”

“Because according to everyone around me, I need to let my hair down even more now that I'm 'single' Armani” she air quotes.

“I like your hair up” I mutter loud enough for her to catch it.

“Go home, Armani” She finishes her drink and pushes past me.

I follow her into a hallway by a flight of stairs, trying to pretend everything's fine.

“Lee, please. Talk to me.”

“I already did and I'm not going ahead with this deal anymore.”

I exhale.

“Aileen, please. This is important.”

She whirls around on me.

“Of course it's important. Because it's about getting Ethan away from your precious Anika. You've made sure to not let me forget that for one second!” she snaps and folds her arms.

Well...

I do my best to reel my threatening-to-break cocky grin in.

“Wanna dance?” I ask instead, tugging on her hand.

“No thank you, Armani,” she says. “I'm not doing that with you again either.”

Her thin, elegant fingers slip away from my hold.

“Look, I’m very tired, Armani. And in no mood to argue with you. My mind has been made up. I'm sorry, but I really don't want to do this again.”

I take her hand, ready to apologize again, to tell her that I hated myself for what I’d done, for what had happened, but her eyes drift away from mine to someone behind me.

“Hey, Lee! You made it!”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

And who the fuck is this?!

Aileen’s eyes light up, and she pulls her hand away from mine in one quick movement.

“Yeah, we’ve been here for an hour or so.”

“You look incredible!” he yells over the suddenly loud music.

I make a face at the man, but he's so preoccupied with Lee, that he doesn’t notice.

“Thanks!” She smiles.

Then it occurs to me that I’m not the only one who can make her smile that way, and suddenly I'm working to keep my temper in check.

The man nods toward the living room and smiles.

“You wanna dance?”

Aileen shakes her head.

“Nah, I’m kinda tired.”

A tiny bit of relief dulls my anger a bit. It wasn’t me; she really was just too tired to dance, but the anger didn’t take long to return.

She should be asleep then. Not at this hell of a party being set up by her friends.

The man looks at me, then back at Lee.

“Are you two...”

“Nope,” Aileen quickly replies.

I look at her and the man looks at me again.

“Wait, I know you” he chuckles. “Reid Dalton, right? Hi. I'm Parker Walker” he holds out his hand.

I keep my hands at my sides and he slowly retreats his hand. Aileen rolls her eyes a little.

“You came together?” he asks again.

I open my mouth to answer but Aileen beats me to it.

“Again, no. We just... bumped into each other here.”

I frown and the man looks at me, unfazed by my expression.

“Does this mean you two are getting back together?”

“Yes,” I reply, the same time Aileen lets out a, “No.”

We look at each other.

“I'm almost sure I'm changing your mind,” I say.

“I'm almost sure you're not” she counters.

“I was getting there... until we were rudely interrupted,” I say, trying very hard not to punch Parker Walker and obliterate probably four years of orthodontic work.

“Well sorry about that,” Parker says, looking to Aileen. “You wanna get some air?”

What the fuck?!

“I'd love to, Parker” Aileen smiles and loops her arm through his and I feel like someone has knocked the air out of me.

She goes with Parker up the stairs and I watch as he says something when they climb to the second floor, making Aileen laugh. When they reach the top, Parker opens the doors to the balcony.

Aileen disappears, and I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the screaming in my head. Everything in me was saying to go up there and take her back. But pretending or not, we weren't exactly together together right now so she was technically 'single'.

I groan, gripping the banister to hold myself back.

Boy, I hate this.

Thank you for reading!
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Ciao
~the_atticwriter