Page 114 of Heating Up (Nugget)
“I can’t do this, Aidan.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t want to be part of this. I’ve been in this position twice before. With you, my heart can’t . . . I’m done.”
“Don’t say that.” Sound traveled in the tiny house, and he didn’t want Sue to hear them. What he wanted was for her to be on the next plane out. “You have my word that I will set her straight.”
“What does that mean, you’ll set her straight? You two have a history together. Three years, Aidan. This isn’t something that can be solved in a day or two, and I don’t want to be collateral damage.”
“What are you saying? You’re dumping me because my ex decided to show up on my doorstep? I didn’t tell her to come here, Dana.”
“I know. You’re a good man and you would never intentionally hurt me. But I know how this is going to wind up. Only an idiot couldn’t see the ending to this story and I’m tired of being an idiot, Aidan.”
“For God’s sake, she’s married.” His voice rose above a whisper. “Look, she’s in the kitchen; let’s not do this now.”
“I’ll stay at the inn tonight.” She stepped around him and went inside her bedroom, shutting the door.
He went inside after her. “What are you doing?”
“Packing a bag.” She took a duffel down from the closet, set it on the bed, and started throwing clothes into it.
“This is crazy. Why would you stay at the inn? She’ll be gone by the time you get home.” He began taking her things out of the bag.
“Stop that.” She swatted at his hand and put her items back in the case. “I want to give you time to think about this. You loved her . . . she hurt you . . . you’ll take her back.”
“No, I won’t. You don’t understand—”
“Aidan?” Sue called.
“Give me a second,” he yelled back. “I’ll call you after I’ve explained to her how it is.” He started to leave and stopped. “Don’t take the duffel.” But she did.
After he watched her walk out and pull away from the driveway, he went to deal with Sue. She was still at the table, her eyes puffy, like she’d been crying. Even teary, with her makeup smeared, her hair mashed, and her clothes rumpled from the long trip, she was ridiculously beautiful.
“Is she the one?” Sue sniffled and reached for a napkin from the holder on the counter.
“Yeah.”
“You’re living with her already?”
“It’s a long story, Sue. And I’d rather talk about us.”
This had her attention. Suddenly, hope blossomed on her face, and Aidan felt like a world-class asshole.
“I’ll leave Sebastian.” She got up and rushed into his arms, but Aidan kept them folded over his chest.
“Where does he think you are, Sue?”
“He thinks I’m caring for a sick friend.”
That was crap, Aidan deplored subterfuge. “You don’t love him?”
“I love you.”
“So you only married him because I wouldn’t marry you, not because you loved him?” He shook his head at the cruelty of it. “Wow, that’s messed up.”
“I . . . I tried.” She began to run her hands up and down his sides. “I’ve missed you . . . us. We were good together.”
After three years, he knew when Sue was initiating sex. The invasion of his personal space, the way her hands moved over him, the heavy-lidded eyes . . . transparent as cellophane. Also not happening.
“Yeah, that’s the thing, Sue; we weren’t good together. We wanted different lives.”
“That’s not true.” She started to cry. “I wanted a life with you, and you suffered from Peter Pan Syndrome.”
