“She’s in the bedroom.”
I hesitated. “Is she decent?”
I had to ask. Aideen was engaged to a Slater brother, after all, and that meant if you didn’t announce your presence whenever you entered a house, you were sure to get an eyeful of sweaty bodies humping one another. I’d learned that the hard way a few too many times before.
Kane snorted. “She is.”
“Thanks,” I said, and without another word, I walked away from Kane and in the direction of his and Aideen’s bedroom.
I knocked on the door when I was close enough to do so.
“It’s me,” I said, though I wasn’t sure why I was announcing myself. She knew it was me because Kane sure as hell wouldn’t knock on his own bedroom door and sound his name.
“Come in,” Aideen called.
I took a breath, exhaled, then opened the door. I jumped with fright when a scream sounded, then I laughed. Jax, who was lying on the bed, looked up when he heard the door open and screamed with delight when he saw me.
“Hey, little man,” I beamed.
I stepped into the room and held my arms out to him as he was already reaching for me, his baby language in full swing. Picking him up when I was close enough to do so, I busied myself with him for a few moments. When I peeked up at Aideen, she was staring at me as Locke slept in her arms.
“How long?”
I didn’t even try to play dumb about what she was asking.
“Four months.”
Aideen absorbed this. “Not since Damien came home then?”
I shook my head. “Just the past four months.”
“Are you both together?”
“No,” I answered. “We decided we’re better at bein’ friends. I love your brother but not in a romantic way. He has been me rock these past few months, and to be honest, without the relationship we shared, I may have had a meltdown sooner than a week ago. Damien bein’ back has messed with me head this past year and a half, and Dante kept me sane just when I thought I might implode.”
“Then I’m glad,” Aideen said, surprising the hell out of me. “I’m glad he and the relationship you both shared helped you.”
She didn’t look all that glad, and it worried me.
“Do you hate me?”
Aideen balked. “I should smack you for even askin’ that.”
I leaned back just in case she got slap happy.
“No,” she continued. “I do not hate you, and I will never hate you.”
My shoulders sagged with relief.
“I thought you might, given who Dante is to you.”
“Alannah.” Aideen sighed. “I’m not jumpin’ for joy that you had this secret relationship with me brother. If you had a relationship with ’im, without the secret part, I’d be delighted for you both. I just ... it’s just ... we’re friends. Since I got pregnant with Jax, we have both become really close. We’re a big part of the other’s life, and I truly love you. It just caught me off guard that you’d keep this from me. I know it was your decision, and you had your reasons, but I can’t help but feel upset.”
“I know, and I’m so sorry. I could just never pluck up the courage to tell you about it. To tell anyone about it, to be honest.”
“I know,” Aideen said, “and that’s me own fault for makin’ you feel that you couldn’t talk to me about it, so I’m sorry.”
I blinked and didn’t know what to say, so I stayed mute.
“How are you doin’?” she asked me. “Really?”
I exhaled a deep breath and sat on the bed, letting Jax sit beside me. I kept my hand on his back for balance.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Me head is so messed up, and when I think of why, it pisses me off. I don’t understand why Damien and I even argued. We aren’t a couple, and we’ve never been a couple, so it was all over nothin’ when you think about it.”
Aideen clicked her tongue. “You both have history, you share an attraction, and dare I say you even care for one another. You’re both just utterly shite at communicatin’.”
Unexpected laughter spilled free, and it felt good to relax and shoot the shit.
“It’s all just a big mess.”
“Do you plan on cleanin’ it up?”
I gnawed on my lower lip. “I’m goin’ to talk to ’im, but God only knows how that will turn out.”
“I don’t think it’ll be as bad as you think it will.”
“You’re right; it’ll probably be worse.”
Aideen chuckled. “You never usually talk this negatively.”
“I know,” I acknowledged. “I’m just a bit down lately.”
“Everythin’ will work out,” Aideen said with confidence. “What’s meant to be will be.”
I kissed Jax on the crown of his head.
“You’re so mellow since you had the kids.”
Aideen grinned. “Only when they’re quiet.”
I snorted and looked down at Jax as he grabbed and played with my fingers.