"James," she whispered.
"That fucker!" She jumped, looking at me horrified. "So that’s why he has been such a fucking bastard to me! Because of you." Then her facial expression registered. "Oh shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. It’s just James has been so…oh hell…who cares. I’m happy for you."
She gave an unsure smiled.
"I really am sorry, Aidan. You’re a great guy. I don’t understand why you haven’t found someone yet. Or someone who you could make some arrangement or deal." She shrugged, a small sigh leaving her.
I gave a shrug in return, but then what she said sunk in. Why the hell hadn’t I thought of just making a deal with someone? I am such an idiot! But who? Who would be willing or in need of enough that they would agree to this kind of deal?
"Aidan?" Elora pulled me from my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"Good night?" Her brow furrowed and teeth gnawed on her bottom lip.
Clearly, she was unsure of where we were going from here. Taking her hand, I kissed her knuckles.
"Good night, Elora."
With a smile she slipped out of my car and walked back toward her house. When she reached the door, she paused. I thought she would look back, but instead she straightened her spine and shoved through the door.
Pulling away from Elora's house, I flipped open my phone, found the contact and hit the talk button.
"Yeah?" James grumbled.
"I did it!"
"Did what?" Panic choked his words.
"I proposed to Elora," I bit the side of my mouth, "in front of her family. Your father was right, they couldn’t be happier." I almost had to pull over so I didn’t crash.
"Y-you d-did…she said yes?" His anger seeped into his tone.
"Of course," I snorted.
He fell silent.
"James?"
"Yeah," he grunted.
"You stupid ass! I’m kidding! Why didn’t you tell me about Elora?"
"I don’t know…I just…I don’t know. Then my father told me to keep my mouth shut—"
"Your dad knew and he was making you just deal with me dating and possibly proposing to her? That’s really screwed up, James." I was astonished. I knew my Uncle Henry was an asshole but, shit, that was his own son.
"So you and Elora…"
"Good luck with her man. She’s all yours. I wish you would’ve told me beforehand, I wouldn’t have even started this."
"Whatever. So what the hell are you going to do now?"
"I’m not sure." Sitting in deadlocked weekend traffic felt like a metaphor for my current situation.
"Well, what are you doing right now?"
"Probably just heading home, unless you have a better idea."
"I have an extremely better idea, but it does not include you, Cuz." He laughed. I knew where he was heading tonight. I just left her at her parents.
"Well, Dixon’s place is on the way, so maybe I’ll stop there and call Oz." The traffic finally began to move.
"Alright. I’ll call you later."
"Later." With a new destination, I squeezed my car over into the right lane.
Parking in front of Dixon’s building. I headed up to his apartment. When I got to his door, I could hear Dixon’s raised voice.
"Damn it, Lilli, you’re sick, you’re not going to work!"
"I can’t believe you turned off my alarm clock, Dixon! I just needed some sleep. You really crossed a line!" I heard Lilli scream, followed by slamming noises.
"You’re going to kill yourself if you keep up a schedule like this and you know it," he yelled.
"Dixon, look you don’t have to worry about it okay? It’s my problem. I’m gonna drop my classes anyhow and just get the other job that I talked—"
"You can’t do that! Lilli, I know you love your dad and you know I love him too, but it’s time to figure something else out, don’t you think? This isn’t working." He started to get quieter, but I could still hear him through the door.
When it got silent, I hesitantly knocked on the door. The door swung open. Dixon greeted me with a red flushed face and flared nostrils.
"Hey, Aidan, come on in." He opened the door and let me in but walked quickly towards where Lilli stood in the kitchen. "Get back to bed," he ordered.
"You're not my father," she stood defiantly before him.
"Maybe I should just call him and tell him about—"
"Don’t you dare, Dixon! This is my responsibility!" She glared at him.
"To. Bed!"
Lilli stormed off down the hallway and slammed the door.
I watched Dixon sigh heavily, his shoulders hunched over.
"What the hell was that about?" When I didn't get a response, I spoke up one more time. "Should I take off?"
Dixon shook his head."She is just so damn stubborn."
"You are the second person that has said that." He raised a brow to me questioningly. "Phoebe," I answered his unspoken question.
"Well she is. She has taken on way too much and she is just going to collapse, again."