Page 13 of Falling With You

Cameron gave me a look, his brows raised. “Wow, are you sure you’re okay? I’ve never actually seen you defend Aiden like that.”

I froze, blinking. “I’m not mean to him.” Everyone gave me a look. “Am I?”

Harmony cleared her throat. “You’re not the sweetest to him. But he’s not the sweetest to you either. You both are very…”

“Caustic towards one another,” Violet said. “But not mean. Just…you guys like to rile each other up.”

“Well, he has a broken hand. He shouldn’t even be in the kitchen right now.”

“We kept him out as long as we could,” Cameron said softly. “But he knows what he’s doing. He’s not overdoing it.”

I met Cameron’s gaze and nodded, hoping he didn’t actually see what was behind my thoughts.

Aiden had been hurt because of me. He wasn’t doing what he loved right now, what he was amazing at, all because of me. And I didn’t really know what to do about that.

“Okay,” Violet said, clapping her hands. “We’re going to eat all of this food. I don’t care that Cameron’s probably going to have to roll me home.”

Cameron leaned down and pressed a hard kiss to her lips. “Don’t worry about it, babe. Eat all you want. I’ll carry you out of here.”

“Even if it takes a forklift?” Violet asked.

“Even then.”

She elbowed him in the gut, and he just laughed before kissing her again and walking away.

The place was busy tonight, and I was grateful for it. That meant that Cameron and Brendon were off doing their own things and not at our table. And that also meant they weren’t going to be too overprotective with me and bothering me.

I loved the guys. I loved the fact that they were back in my life, but every time I looked at them, I was reminded that Aiden had been hurt. That he wasn’t here. Yes, it was his first time back in the kitchen since the attack, but it still hurt to think about.

Everything hurt to think about.

“This is amazing,” Meadow said, moaning. “Like how does he make this sauce?” she said after biting into one of the wings.

I took one from the plate and blew on it since it was still hot. As I took a bite, I held back a moan of my own. It was a perfect mix of crunch and sweetness and spiciness. I didn’t know how he did it, but I was in love.

Not with Aiden.

But with his food.

I couldn’t be in love with Aiden. Just because I had been when I was younger, didn’t mean I wasstillin love with him.

Aiden had fallen for Allison back when we were in school, and I had been the perpetual third wheel. Yes, I’d had other dates and boyfriends along the way, but I had always been invited into their relationship. Not in a sexual way or even an emotional way, but more in the idea that they never pushed me away if I ended up spending too much time with them. I loved Allison, loved her with everything I had. She was my best friend. Yes, Violet was my sister and a good friend to me, and Harmony was another best friend, but Allison was special.

Out of the four of us, I had always spent the most time with Allison. We were the two closest in age, and we just clicked.

Back in the day, Aiden and I had clicked as well, but he had fallen in love with my best friend.

So, I had watched the two of them get all lovey-dovey and lose their virginities to each other. Well, not actuallywatchedthem, but I had been there for the aftermath when they’d both been all awkward and then not so awkward.

I held back a smile at that memory, eating more of my wing. They had been amazing to each other, and then they hadn’t. They’d drifted apart yet remained friends and still kept me in their friendship circle. But I’d always had a thing for Aiden, even when I shouldn’t have.

And when everybody went their separate ways—at least the guys—I’d still had a slight crush on him, even though he hadn’t been in my life.

Now, he was back, and Allison was gone. Just the idea that I could still have a crush on him made my stomach revolt slightly.

Because it didn’t matter that it had been almost a decade since Allison and Aiden were together. He had been hers.

He wasn’t mine. He couldn’t be mine.