“Puppies?” I ask, and she nods.
“Women love hockey players and puppies. The calendars will sell out. I guarantee it.”
Mom taps Shelli’s forehead. “You’re one smart cookie, Shelli Adler.”
“Thanks, Fallon, I’ve learned from the best.”
Mom gives her an indulgent smile.
“You’re too sweet.” But then Mom cocks her head to the side before she lowers her voice. “Honey, you do realize you look like you just rolled out of bed?”
I didn’t know Shelli could turn another shade of red. Huh. Learn something new every day about her. I love that. “I worked out before I came over. I’m getting lazy.”
Mom laughs. “Doubt that. Okay, I’ll see you two later,” she says, heading for the door. She then looks to Shelli. “Bye, honey.”
“Bye, Fallon,” she calls, and as the door shuts, she drops her head to the table.
“Well, that was fun,” she groans, and I push Asher away and flip him the bird.
“You like fucking with me, huh?”
“Oh yeah, that was a blast.”
“I might kill you.”
“Eh, won’t be the first time,” he says, and I shake my head.
“Babe, your mom called,” I say, and I dig Shelli’s phone out of my pocket. I head toward her with it, but then I notice she has a text.
From Nico.
I pause in the middle of passing it to her, and she looks at me in question. “What’s wrong?”
I lick my lips and try to keep the rage inside. “Nico doesn’t like how you guys ended things and wants to meet up to talk about it because he doesn’t believe you two are done.”
She takes her phone from me and looks down at it, shaking her head. “He’s so dumb.”
“So you’re still talking to him?”
She looks up at me. “I told him he and I were done and I thought it was shitty how he handled the situation.”
“So why are you answering him?” I ask as she types back quickly.
She looks up at me, her brows meeting in the middle. “Aiden, I can’t just cut him out. He’s my cousin’s fiancé’s best friend.”
“Whom you’ll never see.”
“But when I do, I don’t want it to be weird. He is a nice guy.”
“Who wants you.”
“So? I don’t want him.”
“Whatever. I don’t want you talking to him.”
“That’s ridiculous. Do you not trust me?”
“That’s not the point. I don’t trust that fucker.”
“Again, do you not trust me?”
I shake my head. “Whatever, Shelli.”
I should have known better than to say that. She gets up, throwing her phone down and going toe-to-toe with me. “No, tell me. Do you not trust me?”
“Of course, I fucking trust you, Shelli. But what if you decide you want him over me?”
“Aiden, abort! Disembark the crazy train!” Asher hollers at me, but Shelli’s voice fills the room.
“Ash, shut up,” she yells at him, and somehow, my brother’s mouth snaps shut. “Get out.”
But of course, needing the last word, he mutters, “Jeez, you’re scary when you’re mad.”
I don’t even see him go into my room because Shelli’s eyes have locked in on mine. “Why would you say that?”
“It doesn’t matt—”
“It does,” she stresses.
“I don’t like the guy.”
“No, please tell me something I don’t know,” she says, her eyes searching mine. “Aiden, am I your girlfriend?”
I hold her gaze, but I don’t answer.
“Last time I checked, I was. I’m yours. Not Nico’s. Not anyone else’s. I’m with you. I don’t cheat, I don’t lie, and what you see is what you get. You can either trust me or let me go. So you need to decide right now.”
“I hate that guy,” I say, and she nods.
“Again, I’m aware. But he isn’t even on my radar.” She slowly moves into my arms. “You are. Only you.”
“Okay,” I say softly. I hate how vulnerable I feel.
“Believe me, this jealousy stuff is really cute, but don’t let it become a habit. I’m not going to hurt you, Aiden. I’m totally—” She wants to say more, but she shakes her head. “I’m not going to hurt you,” she repeats, and then she rises onto her toes to touch her lips to mine. As I hold her, I want to believe her. I want to know she wouldn’t, but it freaks me out. It’s all so uncertain, and I hate that. But I’d rather be with her than without, so I fall into the kiss, ignoring all the warning bells and vulnerable feelings.
Because I want her.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Aiden
“So.”
I don’t spare Asher a look as we drive to our parents’. For one, I’m still pissed at him for what he said to my mom about Shelli and me. For two, he gets on my ever-loving nerves. I just want to get this dinner done and go home so I can call Shelli. She had tasks to do for the fundraiser and forgot some things at her house. I promised to call when I got done at my parents’.