JD and Anna were already sitting on the patio when I got there. The sun was shining and the weather was a little warmer than I had expected. It felt good to be in the light after the night I had. Flashes of Ezra's mouth close to my lips bullied their way into my mind. I shivered when I thought about how close I came to letting him consume me.

I swallowed when I looked at the table where JD was smiling at me lovingly. He would be so disappointed in me if he knew I saw Ezra again and didn't tell him. I couldn't stomach the look on his face when that smile would fade. He had made me promise that I wouldn't ever lie to him again like I did before. It hurt my brother that I didn't confide in him the first time. Was I contemplating keeping Ezra's arrival a secret from him again?

Today was not the right time. This was Anna's day, not pour my heart out to my big brother brunch. That's the excuse I used to justify my behavior.  In reality, I was just being a coward.

"Hey, Lil Bit," JD jumped up and ran over to hug me. He was wearing a sweater and khakis. He was looking less like a guy in a rock band and more like a married guy every day. JD was starting to look like my Dad. Anna looked stunning in her dark navy wrap dress. I suddenly felt extremely underdressed for today.

"You sound better than you did last night?" JD said kindly as he let go of me.

"Yeah, I just had a moment." I said, looking away from him and down to the table.

Lies. I was lying again.

There were four place settings at our table, which confused me. I turned my head and asked anyone listening.

"Is someone else coming to breakfast?" I asked.

"Aiden is on his way. He is stopping by before work this morning." Anna said, smiling.

It was no big surprise to me that JD asked Aiden to be his best man. They had been like brothers most of their lives; it only made sense he would want him by his side when he married Anna.

My heart fluttered a little at the thought of seeing Aiden. I hadn't seen him in a few months, maybe about four to five months ago if I had to guess. We did spend some time texting back and forth, but to keep the peace with Brynn, it really wasn't cool if Aiden and I hung out. It was not like I could bring him back to my apartment to watch movies with me without them running into each other. It was a very awkward situation.

I took a sip of the water sitting on the table while Anna pulled out her forty-pound wedding binder and started running through her checklists. Anna was made to be a bride. She had everything planned down to what color flowers would be in the bathroom pedestals at the venue. She was way over the top and was a borderline bridezilla.

I was never going to get married. I didn't even want to elope. The thought of being with someone for the rest of your life sounded like something in a children's fairytale. The world was not full of love and compassion. There was only heartbreak and suffering. This lovey relationship stuff was too much for me.

"Riley, are you going to dye your hair before the wedding? The color will be a distraction when you walk down the aisle." Anna stated flatly while swirling the lemon in her glass of water with a straw. She had made it more than clear that the teal would not match her theme.

I started to open my mouth to protest and tell her she could kick me out of the wedding party when I heard a familiar voice laugh at her.

"I like it." Aiden was standing behind me.

He placed his hands on my shoulders and squeezed. When I turned to look at him, I was in shock at how amazing he looked. Aiden was dressed in a black button-up shirt and black dress pants. I had to perform a double-take. Instead of the short Auburn spikes he usually sported, he had grown his hair out some and it fell onto his forehead. His normally clean-shaven face was covered in short facial hair that had flecks of blond mixed in with the auburn of his hair. The new look suited him.

I stood up and jumped into Aiden's strong arms. He leaned down into me and I wrapped my arms tightly over his shoulders to pull him into a huge hug.

"I didn't know you were going to be here!" I squealed.

He wrapped his arms around the small of my back and pulled me in closer. His hands tickled the bare skin of my back as my shirt rode up. He felt so gentle and familiar. A little tingle of a memory flickered in the back of my mind causing a flush to spread over my body.  I'm not sure what it was that was taking over me.  It had to be from the lack of physical interaction over the last few months because the closer he pulled me in, the more I wanted him to touch me.

When we finally let go of each other, Anna was giving us the biggest smile. I wasn't sure what she was smiling about, but she seemed obviously pleased about something. She leaned into JD and pushed at him playfully. He had a dopey look on his face. He looked exceptionally uncomfortable.

The waiter came out and grabbed our order once we were all sitting down. Aiden shifted his chair closer to mine and I rested my head on his shoulder. I missed the warm and friendly way Aiden and I were together before everything spiraled out of control. From the way he kept finding ways to touch me, I think he missed me too.

"So, Aiden," JD said with a smile on his face. "Where have you been hiding lately?"

"Just working. Mark is not paying his share of our apartment rent. I am thinking about kicking him out. Then, I remember he's Mark. He'll find a way back in. He's like a cockroach."

"True." JD agreed and we all busted out in laughter.

Aiden gave me a sideways glance and I kicked him under the table. His eyes smiled and he kicked me back. Was I flirting with Aiden? I had to be losing my mind because it felt like he was flirting right back.

Our food came and Anna started rambling about bridesmaid's dresses and tuxedo patterns. Aiden hit my thigh under the table when she mentioned light pink bow ties. I laughed so hard that my drink came up through my nose. Anna gave me a death stare and I had to reign my uncontrollable giggles back in, at least while she was looking.

I stuck my tongue out at Aiden when Anna turned her head away. He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"When did you get that thing." He motioned to my tongue ring.

"It was Brynn's idea."

"Enough said." His eyes were wide as he took a drink out of his glass.

The four of us continued to talk about the wedding plans as Anna laid out her "expectations" for the Maid of Honor and Best Man. She also added that we should find dates to be a balanced group.

"It wouldn't be good for the pictures to have an uneven number if one of you has a date and the other doesn't. You could just decide to go together. It would probably be easier that way." She chirped.

My mouth dropped open and Aiden's face was purple. JD didn't even react to Anna's insane statement. He was sitting there quietly sipping an Arnold Palmer like an old man on the harbor watching as fishing vessels floated past. He looked up at us when we remained quiet without responding to Anna.

"Well, that kind of makes sense. You both are single. You have known each other forever." JD took another sip of his drink without looking back up.

What alternate dimension was I in where JD just suggested Aiden and I go as each other's dates to a wedding? I started to speak, and Aiden looked at me, shaking his head. He knew my temper was about to get the best of me.

"We will find our own dates. She doesn't need to take me on a sympathy date when she can have any guy she wants. I will make sure I don't screw up your pictures." Aiden used a much calmer tone than I would have used. I would probably have added a few colorful words. "Riley is gorgeous. Any guy would be lucky to have her on his arm."

I couldn't help the blush that spread across my cheeks when he finished. I did not expect him to comment on my appearance. Aiden was extremely attractive; he would have a date in seconds. I knew Anna was more concerned about me going solo in her pictures. I had not gone on a date even once since Ezra.  She was well aware that I struggled with even the thought of letting someone in. Aiden had read the whole conversation wrong. I was the problem here.

"Don't worry, Anna, you will be the only unbalanced one at the wedding." He added.

I laughed and covered my mouth with my hand.

"It was just an idea." Anna said sourly.

We finished our delicious breakfast filled with laughter. Anna and JD had finally stopped bringing up the idea of Aiden and me together as dates. This was one of the best mornings that I could remember having in a long time. Aiden was the first to get up to leave. He had to run off to work at his job at the bank. The dress clothes made much more sense to me now. Aiden was a banker now, Mr. 9 to 5.

"I'll walk you out." I got up and yawned. "I need to head out too. I worked last night and I am exhausted."

Anna passed a look to JD, the same stupid look she always gave him when she was right about something. I knew the look from years of her putting him in his place. He smiled back at her this time, in the "oh, we're a happy, engaged couple" way. They were almost too perfect together. It was gross.

Aiden and I both waved at them before turning to walk out. When we got to the little patio gate, Aiden held it open for me and motioned me through.

We reached Aiden's car first in the parking lot. He caught me off guard when he lightly grabbed my wrist and brought me into another hug. He surprised me even further when he leaned me back into his car. I melted into him. This was the first time I had felt safe since I saw Ezra last night. It had been forever since I had let anyone touch me this way.

"I missed you." He held me to him.

"I missed you too." I said, squeezing him tightly.

"Hey, Ry." Aiden's warm breath was in my hair. He smelled like fresh laundry and cinnamon.

"Yeah," I said, having to pull away from him too soon to look into his hazel eyes. He looked troubled and it started to make me nervous. What did Aiden need to worry about? He looked so polished and put together.

"I'm not sure how to tell you this. I just wanted to let you know that Mark said some of the guys saw Ezra back in town. I told JD and Anna when I heard, but I thought you needed to know too."

"He showed up at my work last night." I said honestly to Aiden. I was glad to be able to say it out loud instead of having to keep it bottled up inside me.

His eyes filled with concern.  He knew how bad it was for me after Ezra left and I lost the baby. Aiden held me multiple times when I was at my worst. Aiden was the best type of friend anyone could ask for. I was lucky he had chosen to be my friend too.

I wished the Brynn situation was different so we could be close again. Maybe I should suggest a roommate swap to him. Brynn could go live with Mark and he could come live with me. I bet that Aiden didn't run around the apartment naked. If he did, I might enjoy being home more.

What the hell? Did I just think about Aiden naked? I was seriously losing my mind. Aiden pulled me out of my random scrambled brain when he looked deep into my eyes.

"Are you serious? Did he say anything to you?" Aiden's body tensed. I had already forgotten he was still pressed against me.

"He's Ezra, of course, he said something. He doesn't have boundaries." I looked down at my feet instead of into his hazel eyes.

Aiden pulled me back into a tight hug and kissed the top of my head. I felt the little confused butterflies in my stomach from his sweet gesture. "Please call me if he comes around again. That asshole deserves to suffer for what he put you through."

"Aiden, I don't think he'll be back. I was clear I have moved on and don't want him to come around anymore."

I reached up and swiped the hair from his forehead, pushing it back from his face gently. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. I could feel his body responding to my soft touch. It didn't stop me from wanting him to stay with me instead of letting him go to work. In fact, it made me want him to stay that much more.

"Ugh. Riley, I have to go." He said, clearing his throat. I could hear his voice break. "Can we talk later?"

My hands went to his chest and played with the buttons on his shirt. He watched me trace the small black circles with my fingertips. He pressed his hips a little harder into me. I wasn't sure if it was an involuntary response or if he was feeling the same pull to me that I was to him. I was not ready to let go of him. I needed him to stay with me. I felt like I could be me again.

He pulled me in one last time and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He placed one of his hands on the small of my back and the other on the back of my head. He lingered, breathing in my cherry blossom and peach shampoo.

He released me and grabbed my hand for one last little bit of contact before he pulled away to go to the driver's side of his car. He sent me a small wave and climbed in. I waved back at him and blew a small kiss, which sent a smile to his face immediately.

I walked back to my junky old car and plopped in. I placed my head against the steering wheel for a few minutes before turning the ignition to drive. My life was just starting to become less complicated. Why did I keep getting dragged back into this? First, Ezra showed back up and was acting like nothing had changed between us, and then the strange feelings I was having for Aiden started to surface. I needed to talk to Brynn and let her know what was going on. She had been a good friend. She deserved better than what I was giving her right now.