Page 140 of Playing For Keeps
“Yeah, I’m starting to see that.” He glances around, then brings his gaze back to me. “Hunter told me about everything he did to you to keep you away from her. It sounds like you had a tough year.”
My shoulders tense at the thought of it all. “What all did he say?”
“He told me you had an ex and a son you lost. I’m sorry you didn’t feel like you could talk to me about it.”
My heart constricts. “I didn’t talk to anyone about it.”
“I figured that much. Anyway, if you ever need to kick it around with someone, I hope you’ll consider me. I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m not heartless.”
“I never thought you were. A controlling asshole, yes. Heartless, never.”
He laughs under his breath. “Well deserved.”
“In all seriousness, if I ever need an ear to bend, you’ll be the first one I call.” I rub the ache in my chest.
The loss of my son will never be easy.
“Jami, that’s considerate of you after all I’ve done.”
“You’re trying to set it straight now, and that’s all that matters.”
“There’s one other thing.” His tone tells me the next issue will be weighted.
I brace myself. “What’s that?”
“Hunter told me Dori and you lost one too.”
Fuck me.
Why in the hell would Hunter tell Aiden that?
The muscles over my ribs tighten. “Hunter has a big mouth.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Then how was it?”
Aiden brings the screen closer. “I asked him to explain your relationship with Dori to me. I was trying to see it from another perspective. He was defending you two to me, and we fell into a conversation about it.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Hunter was defending us? Wow, now I’ve heard everything.”
Aiden stares at me with a serious expression. “How’s Dori? I mean, with the loss. I know how hard her first miscarriage was on her, and I’m worried about her now.”
“She’s doing all right, but I think that’s a conversation she needs to have with you. It’s not my place to share.”
“Fair enough, but how areyoudoing? You’ve lost a lot too.”
I take a moment to consider how much I want to tell him. We’re still not in a place where I trust him one hundred percent, so I’m not sure I’m comfortable going into the details just yet.
I rake my teeth over my bottom lip. “Some days are better than others.”
He nods. “Couldn’t agree more.”
He drops the subject, and we move on to his line of work.He’s slowly gaining more clients and seems to be adjusting well to his new lifestyle.
In the end, I think he’s doing better than I hoped for, but the true test is coming up. I prepare to learn Aiden’s true motivations.
I study him through the screen. “Dori’s going to be wondering what’s taking me so long, so I need to let you go. But there’s one more thing I need to know.”
