Millie quickly gained the trust and friendship of my father. She was a tough woman who wouldn’t take his crap, but she was also very tender with him.
While I finished dinner, I thought about the day I would be heading back to New York. Everything waiting for me there felt like an alternate universe. My plan was to leave Winter Harbor in three days and, still, I couldn’t believe I be discussing a marriage proposal.
As I walked towards the living room to announce dinner, there was a knock on the door. I stopped Millie just as she was about to get up.
"I got it," I smiled. "Dinner is ready, go grab a plate."
When I opened the door, all the air in my lungs whooshed out. Once I caught my breath, I shook my head clear.
"Ai-Aidan, what are you—?"
A big smile stretched across his face as he walked in the house, brushing by me. I closed the door and turned. "Why are you here?"
"I’ve come to speak to your father," he winked.
Chapter Ten
Fancy Flights
Aidan
After I hung up with Lilli, I called Viola to make sure she was home and left work immediately. I had my secretary make all of the necessary changes to my schedule as well as make other arrangements with Liam and Henry.
On the drive over to Viola and Liam’s, I was still processing the phone call with Lilli. She finally agreed. Well, she hadn’t entirely, but it was a start. I was now starting to feel some of the stress lift from my shoulders. We still had a lot to discuss and agree on, but I was feeling lighter. Arriving to Viola and Liam’s home, I hurried inside.
"Viola?" I called out to the empty entryway.
"Aidan?" She called from somewhere upstairs.
"Where are you?" I called back.
In a pantsuit, she appeared at the top of the stairway which led from the main hall to upstairs. "I’m right here, now are you going to tell me what you are going on about?" she smiled, lovingly.
"I need my mother’s ring," I replied, returning her smile.
"You mean, her ring? You are going to—?" Her eyes lit up.
I nodded. "It’s simply an agreement but I want to use my mother’s—"
Her large hug cut me off.
"Oh, Aidan," she squeezed tighter. "I wish it was for real but I’m still happy for you."
"I’m sure you’ll all be relieved now, at least." I shrugged.
"Oh baby, please don’t do this if you’re going to be miserable," she cupped my face in her hands, just how I thought my mother would have.
I smiled and shook my head.
"I’m not exactly ecstatic or head over heels in love but she’s a nice girl and a good friend."
"A friend?" She questioned with the raise of a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
"Yes, just a friend," I chuckled. "It’s sort of like a business arrangement that she’s agreed to."
"A-a business arrangement? Aidan she isn’t a...?"
I burst into laughter.
"Oh, God, no! Viola, she is a real friend that I know, not a ‘professional’." I chuckled again. "It’s just a simple agreement." I shrugged again, but Viola looked slightly apprehensive.
"Her parents are okay with this?"
I hadn’t even thought about what Lilli’s parents would think of this arrangement.
"Umm…we haven’t really talked about parents just yet." Embarrassment tinged my cheeks.
"You’re sure about this?" Worry creased her face.
"It will be fine," holding both of her hands in mine, I kissed her cheek. "So, where’s that ring?" I winked.
Vi would only give me the ring if I agreed to immediately introduce her to Lilli the moment the ring was on her finger. She warned me not to run off and elope. She was going to start calling around to plan a small family wedding. I quickly agreed to her terms so I could go and make other arrangements.
With the ring in my pocket, I knew there was one more person I needed to talk to. So, on my way to my apartment I called Dixon.
"What up, dog?" he laughed.
"You are positively insane," I laughed.
"You are a tight ass bitch. What do you want?" He joked.
"I wanted to tell you something and I wanted to tell you before anyone else did." I swallowed, slightly nervous about his reaction.
"Well?" He pressed with a little unease in his voice.
I went on to explain what happened with Lilli. Though, I didn’t play up the parts of my manipulation, of course. It was quiet between us for a few and before I could ask if he was still there, he spoke.
I heard him huff.
"Aidan…if you hurt her, so help me God, I will rip your balls off and feed them to you." He didn’t sound pissed off.
"I have no intention of hurting her Dixon. The farthest thing from my mind is hurting her. I only wanted to help and told her she didn’t have to agree to this."
"Yeah, but Lilli doesn’t take well to being a charity case and she would never let you just help," his tone was full of tension. I wondered if he was slowly figuring me out. "Your move was kind of shady."
"Are we okay, man?"
Dixon had become a close friend again and I didn’t want to lose his friendship, but my family was going to come first.