"Yep. However, when your father saw Eliza at one of our charity events he was captivated."
My eager expression made him continue.
"That night was the first time your father had seen her and he barely worked up the nerve to speak to her." He chuckled. "I remember, though I was young, that your grandfather saw the way he looked at her and that was when he took Aidan over to Eliza and introduced them."
"But you said that grandfather wanted—"
"I said that if it had been up to him it would have been Penelope; however, if you haven’t realized this yet, Aidan, then you’re blind. Your grandfather was very much a romantic."
It took a moment for me to absorb that information.
"Then why would he force me?"
"I don’t know for sure, only he knows that. What I think is that he figured that maybe all you needed was the push to ‘look’ for the one." He smiled at me before continuing. "He did it to all of us Aidan, though yours is on a more severe level, I will admit."
"So you and Viola?" I raised my brow.
"Father didn’t like my non-interest in women," he chuckled. "I was the opposite of you, no offense. I didn’t really take notice of the females around our family. I was focused on my career. Father made an arrangement for Viola to come and stay at our home for a summer and from the moment she walked down our staircase I was completely hooked." He smiled bright and wide at the memory.
"How did he know that Viola would—?"
"He didn’t. It just made me open my eyes."
"Ahhgggh!" I pushed back in the leather office chair. "I don’t have that kind of feeling toward Elora, not what you explain toward Viola. What is it supposed to feel like?"
"Hmmm. I’m pretty sure it’s different for everyone." He cocked an eyebrow when he saw my desperation. "For me it was like a buzzing that would fill my head whenever she was around me. Her touch, her smell, just the sound of her nearby, would fill my head and chest with a buzzing feeling." He got lost in thought for a moment.
"And if I remember correctly your father once described your mother as his missing piece. That the moment she took his hand to dance, he felt complete and when her touch was gone, he was half a person. He didn’t like that."
"Thank you Liam. I still have no idea what I’m going to do, but thank you."
The next day my family seemed too happy. Uncle Henry was more pleasant than normal, Liam would smile frequently when I saw him in passing, Viola called me to ‘just say hello’, and then there was James. He gave me a death glare when I saw him at work and avoided me all day—dodging my calls and emails. Everyone had gone crazy.
I decided to chalk Liam and Viola’s behavior up to Maggie’s birthday coming up soon. The others, well, I had no damn clue.
I was supposed to pick up Elora tonight and we were going to go to a movie and dinner. When I arrived to her parent’s home, their butler answered the door and showed me in. I waited for fifteen minutes before Elora was finally escorted downstairs by her mother.
Elora’s hair was pinned up off of her shoulders, revealing her long neck. The light blue wrap dress she wore flattered her round curves and the porcelain color of her skin. But as soon as I looked at her face, I knew something was wrong.
Holding the car door open, she slipped into the leather seat without even a glance in my direction. I climbed into the driver’s seat. Before we pulled away she finally spoke.
"Aidan wait," she blurted. Unshed tears shone in her panicked eyes.
"What it is it? What’s going on?"
"I think I know what you…what…what’s going to happen tonight and I need to stop it, now." She spoke so quickly I barely understood.
"Um…what?"
"I need to stop this, even if my parents kill me or disown me. I need to stop this before it goes too far." Tears welled in her green eyes.
"Elora—"
"No, Aidan, I can’t do it," she sobbed.
Chapter Five
Engaged
Aidan
"What’s going on?"
She sniffled.
"Word spread that you may have gone to Tiffany’s and you bought a ring." She sniffled again. "My mother and everyone keep saying tonight is when you plan to….propose. But I just can’t say yes and I don’t want you to—"
My laughter cut her off.
"Elora, I bought a gift for Maggie. The ring I bought was for her, it’s a small birthstone ring." The panic left her face with a flush of her cheeks. "So you’re saying that you want to break this off?"
"I’m so sorry, Aidan. I just can’t. I-I’m in love with someone else." She looked down into her lap, where her fingers twisted nervously.
"I see." I placed my hand on her tangled fingers. "It’s okay Elora, I understand. I’m happy for you. Do I know the guy?" I tried to make the conversation light again.
"Umm…yeah," she mumbled.
"And?" I coaxed.