Page 35 of Her Big Fat Dreamy Billionaire Ex

“Hey, I can’t find my key card anywhere. It must have fallen out of my pocket. I’m going to go retrace my steps.” He motioned back toward Aiden’s villa.

“All right.”

He handed her the tickets. “You should have these in case I’m late.”

“Thanks.” She watched him walk away before she shut the door.

Felicity packed her camera in her backpack with a couple of lenses and headed to the shop to grab a sandwich before the excursion. As she sat on the bench at the waiting area, she was relieved to see other people gathering around. At least it wasn’t going to be like yesterday. Maybe Grams was done scheming.

Not that yesterday had been all terrible. She’d kind of enjoyed talking with Aiden like old times. But it was also hard on her, knowing he was the way he was, and that nothing could happen between them. And this morning proved it. Yes, he had a good excuse, but he could have called her.

She checked the time and scanned the sidewalks. Harold only had a few minutes left before the tour started. Movement came from the shadows and Aiden stepped out. He didn’t look at her as he walked to the pavilion. His movements were stiff and she wondered what was up.

He stepped beside her and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Harold isn’t coming.”

“Why not?”

“Grams took his key card then ambushed him when he came looking for it. She stalled him for a while, but Harold finally gave up and left. He’s at the office getting another card made.”

Felicity had no words. Her mouth popped open, but she felt stupid and closed it. Grams did...what?

“I know. Grams can be kind of headstrong sometimes. I’m sorry.”

He looked embarrassed, and Felicity didn’t want to make him feel even worse, even though she was still upset with him about this morning. She rubbed her forehead. “It’s not your fault.”

“I’ll talk with her about it. She’s taking this matchmaking thing too far. If you want to date men while you’re here, that’s your business. You should go out with Harold.”

She opened her mouth to protest, to tell him she didn’t want to date Harold, but stopped herself. Why shouldn’t she go out with a man who was interested in her? One who took vacations and wasn’t obsessed with work? She fished around in her backpack for her bottle of water. “I’m glad you see it that way.”

He clenched his jaw and scanned the tree line. “Well, I just wanted to tell you Harold wasn’t coming. I’d better get back. I need to talk to Grams about this obsession she has.”

Aiden’s phone rang and he dug in his pocket and pulled it out. He swiped the screen and answered it. “This is Aiden.”

Felicity unscrewed the cap from her water bottle and took a long drink. The water wasn’t cold, but it tasted good on her tongue.

“You’re kidding me,” Aiden said. She looked up at him, annoyance clearly written on his face. “How did that happen?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Was Grams seen in the area? You know what, never mind. I don’t want to know.”

He hung up and pocketed his phone. “She’s gone mad.”

“What happened?”

“Juan accidently locked himself in the supply shed. He was supposed to lead this tour. No one can find the key. They’re calling in a locksmith to get him out, so Derrick asked if I could lead this tour.”

Felicity couldn’t believe it. “You think that was Grams?”

“Who else?” Aiden raked his hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “She’s insane. I’m going to have to put her in a mental institution.”

Felicity bit her lip, trying not to laugh. The thought of Grams stealing Harold’s key card and then locking poor Juan in the shed, all to get them together, was kind of hilarious. Grams always was a quirky person. “She’s just determined.”

“Oh, no. Don’t you defend her.” Aiden glared, although she could see a tiny twitch to his lips. “She is interfering where she shouldn’t be.”

“I know. But the only way to make her stop is to just do what she wants.” Felicity stood. “Do the tour. I’ll go with you. I don’t want to get locked out of my villa or anything. Harold and I can eat dinner together when we get back.”

Aiden made a face but finally conceded and led the group to the white van. Felicity sat in the front passenger seat and fiddled with her camera as Aiden drove and talked on the loud speaker. She’d heard some of the same things the previous day, so she tuned him out and stared out of the window, watching the trees speed by.

An image of her father taking her hiking as a child flashed through her mind, and she swallowed down the guilt. She really should go see her father when she was done with this trip. Her father had been asking her to come for a while now. She just had a hard time scraping together the funds. And, if she were being honest with herself, it was hard to be in Chicago with all the memories it held.

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