✿ Aileen's POV

“Lee, I'm so sorry. We won't be long. I promise.”

I chuckle.

“For the millionth time, Bon, it's fine. Since when has babysitting Camari been a problem for me?”

“Oh, I don't know... maybe since you moved out.”

I playfully roll my eyes.

“It's fine Bon. Seriously. Take your time. You two deserve the night out. We're good here” I glance over my shoulder at Camari and frown a bit, “Get off the dog” I mouth.

She just grins at me.

“Well okay. But we won't be long, okay?”

“Stop. And just promise me you're going to have some real fun. You know we'll be okay.”

“Alright. I'll call you later to check in okay?”

“Don't” I snicker. “Kiss Papi for me.”

She chuckles and makes kissing noises before hanging up. I hear Sirius' bark and then Camari's laugh.

“Giddy up!”

I groan and turn around.

“Cami! Get off the dog!”

“Nope. He's my pony now.”

I sigh.

“No, he's not. He's a Rottweiler and I don't think it's fair for you to turn him into your pony.”

“Well, can I have a pony for my birthday?”

I cross my arms.

“No.”

“Thought so. And Sirius isn't complaining. He loves being my special pony, right boy?” she grins at him.

I shake my head. The doorbell rings and I shove my phone into my pocket.

“Please don't harass the dog any further, Cami.”

“Okay. We're gonna go swim in the pool now.”

I roll my eyes just as the doorbell rings again.

“I'm coming. Hold your horses!” I call out.

When I open the door, a delivery girl is standing there.

“Hi, can I help you?”

“I've got a delivery for... Armani?”

I chuckle. He was using 'Armani' for almost everything now.

“Is this the right address?”

I nod, blinking twice.

“Yeah, yeah. This is the address” I reply, taking the package from her. “Thank you.”

“Could you please sign here to confirm the delivery?”

“Yeah, sure.”

I tuck the package under an arm, take the pen she offers me, and sign.

“Great! Thank you and have a great day!”

“Yeah, thank you too. Enjoy your day.”

I close the door and turn the package around in my hands.

What is it?

I shake it a little as if that would give me a clue as to what the box holds.

Nothing.

But before I'm tempted to see what's inside, the bedroom door now open ajar catches my attention.

“Camari?” I call out, making a beeline toward the bedroom.

Her giggle causes me to narrow my eyes before I fully step into the room.

“What are you doing?”

“Aroo?” Sirius lets out, catching my attention.

My eyes widen.

“Camari!”

“Okay, okay, relax. It's only makeup.”

“On the dog!”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Why?” she echoes.

“Yes, why?” I frown. “Why would you put makeup on the dog?”

“'Cause I wanted to see how he'd look with makeup on.”

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Please, get it off him.”

“Why? I haven't even begun to contour yet.”

I make a face.

“How on earth do you even know what contouring is?”

“Bailey.”

“Who's Bailey?”

“Natalie's friend.”

I sigh.

“Please get the makeup off the dog. And hang out with kids who aren't three times your age.”

“Because teenagers are problematic and kids my age suck their thumbs?” she cocks her head at me.

“No.”

“Kids my age suck their thumbs, Lee.”

“No, they do not suck their thumbs, Cami. They do not know what problematic or contouring means either.”

“So it's a bad thing I'm mature for my age?”

“No, I didn't—”

“You know, kids my age do interact with makeup.”

“By putting it on their faces not on their dogs, Cami” I sigh, grabbing the makeup kit. “I mean this is probably not pet-safe.”

“It's only makeup. Of course it is.”

“You don't know that.”

“He'll be fine. You worry too much. Just like mom.”

“Cami.”

“What's that?” she points at the package I'm holding.

“None of your business. Now—”

“Is it mine?”

“No. Now will you—”

“Can I see?”

“You are seeing it.”

“Not entirely. But can you at least tell me what's inside?”

“Camari!” I scold.

She lets out an exaggerated groan.

“Get the makeup off the dog, now, please?”

She sighs equally dramatically.

“Fine.”

“Thank you” I let out with relief, “Now I'm gonna go put this away in Reid's office because it's his package. And it better be done by the time I come back, okay?”

“Okay,” she mumbles.

“Good girl.”

She sighs.

“C'mon Sirius.”

I rub my temple, sighing deeply, before turning away.

When did she even become such a handful?

I shake my head and make my way to Reid's home office. When I reach the door, I turn the knob and push it open a little, peeking inside.

“What are you doing, Lee? You know he's not home” I mutter to myself.

I take a step into the office, my hand searching the wall for the light switch. I flick on the switch even though it's broad daylight, and set the box on his desk.

“Does he ever arrange these?” I mutter at the misarranged folders on a table in the corner of the office.

My feet start moving toward the table before my mind can process it and I busy myself with arranging more than just the files on the table. And if my phone hadn't pinged with a text from Sophie about our karaoke night, I would have been tempted to rotate the light bulbs.

I chuckle at my response to my best friend as I type it and finally step out of Reid's office. Her reply is instant and I chuckle again and text her my response.

“Hey!”

The sudden sound of a voice behind me makes me gasp and I scream as a hand grabs my shoulder, forcing me to turn around.

The feeling of being sneaked up on sends a hard jolt into my gut. When I finally registered the person before me, my eyes widened in surprise.

“H-Hernan!” I cry at the same time he lets out, “Lee!”

“What are you doing here?” I ask, once again speaking simultaneously as he says, “Why are you here?”

We both stare at each other suspiciously.

“You first,” we chorus.

Gah!

“Sorry,” Hernan chuckles a little.

I take a few steps back.

“Lee?!” I hear Camari call out, “I heard you scream. Are you okay? Is it a creepy crawly?!”

Hernan's lips curl into a small smirk and I sigh.

“Creepy crawly?”

“Hold that thought, let me just get that,” I squeak before hurrying off to the bedroom.

When I open the door, Camari is about to cross over to the door with a stiletto in one hand.

“Lee” she lets out with relief.

“And what exactly were you going to do with that?” I gesture to the shoe.

“Defend you.”

I chuckle and shake my head.

“I'm alright okay? Someone just startled me.”

“Reid?”

“No. And it's none of your business.”

She folds her arms.

“Where's Sirius?”

Upon hearing his name, he comes trotting out of the walk-in closet with my other stiletto in his mouth.

“Cami” I sigh exasperatedly.

“What? It wasn't my fault” she pouts as Sirius sets my half-chewed stiletto at my feet.

God help me.

“Fine. Just stay here, okay?” I instruct.

She nods.

“Okay.”

I nod back and lower myself to kiss her temple and give the dog a little scratch before walking back out of the bedroom.

By the time I get back, Hernan has moved into the living room. I slowly move into the living room, unsure why he is here in the first place. I clear my throat as I approach him.

“Sorry about that.”

“I'm sorry too. We startled each other pretty good,” he responds, his gaze meeting mine. “I thought you might have been a robber.”

“In an apron?” I say skeptically.

His cheeks tint pink.

“I wasn't expecting anyone to be here.”

I live here.

“At this hour” he quickly adds.

Ahh...

“Does Reid know you're here?”

“No. I didn't think I had to tell him.”

I arch a brow.

“Oh?”

He shifts in his seat.

“Yeah. We have a habit of sneaking into each other's homes to escape the real world... the real world being our families of course,” he tells me sheepishly. “Strange, I know” he chuckles.

“Wasn't the door locked?”

“It was. But I made a copy of the key. I do this a couple of times a week.”

You sneak into people's homes a couple of times a week.

I simply hum.

“Hey, this isn't meant to be rude, but why are you home this early?”

I push my hair behind my ears.

“I got off work early to babysit Camari. Her parents are spending time together.”

“And Camari being your... sister-cousin?”

I chuckle.

“Yeah.”

Hernan nodded.

“Cool.”

Hm.

“So... I hear you two are back together” he smiles.

“Yep.”

“Congrats” he chuckles.

And that gets me to narrow my eyes a bit.

“Tell me Hernan” I start, “And this isn't meant to be rude either but, why are you really here?”

He arches a brow my way.

“Why the sudden change of tone?” he counters.

I shrug.

“Oh you know... to let you know this is a safe place to let your true colors show.”

“Ooh, a stab right to my ego” he chuckles and I fold my arms.

“I'm waiting.”

“For what?”

I shrug again.

“Oh you know... for you to threaten me or try to offer me money to leave your friend alone,” I say. “Or maybe yours will be different. Whatever is it... I'm all ears.”

Hernan is smiling the whole time. Then he seems to debate for a moment before he slowly nods.

“You're all ears?” he echoes.

“Yeah.”

He smiles softly.

“Well, I've got no other colors to show, Lee. And I'm not going to threaten or bribe you” he says, “I mean do I think you two fooling everyone is a great idea? No. Do I think this could end badly? Yeah. But I'm not going to stoop so low as to do something that awful, Lee. I haven't known you for long but I can tell you're a good person and I wouldn't do that to you. Plus Reid's my best friend. I've got his back. But if this whole ruse... or you, are going to hurt him in any way, then I'm not just going to sit and watch. Just putting that out there.”

I can't help but smile a bit at his defensiveness. He catches this and gives me a doubtful look.

“It's nothing. I was just thinking that you're a good friend,” I explain before he can comment.

He smiles a bit and shrugs.

“Yeah. But I mean it. I won't watch my best friend get hurt.”

I simply hum, unsure of how to react to that.

“But hey, I'm really curious though.”

“About what?” I ask.

“You two getting back together. I've seen how close you've gotten. What's going on between you two? Are you really dating?”

The quick intake of breath I take to deny the fact causes me to choke and I turn away from Hernan, covering my mouth.

What gives him that idea?

“We're not in a relationship, I promise,” I finally mutter.

Hernab doesn’t seem satisfied with my answer.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah of course. We're just... friends. And the closeness is all part of the ruse”

“Hmm” he hums, “You should be careful then, Lee.”

“Careful?”

“Reid doesn’t realize it, but I think he is scared to get too close to people,” he tells me, his eyes soft. “If he didn't think anyone else could play this fake fiancée part, and blatantly refused to replace you, it means he trusts you. He just met you and this is all a lie but he put this house in your name.”

Wait, what?

“And I'm worried that when your together time is up he might not want to let you go and you'll want to leave. I don’t want him to lose someone he cares this much about.”

I take his words in carefully, cupping my right elbow with my left hand. Hernan was overthinking this. Reid was helping me out because we were friends. There was no way he had any ulterior motives. There was no way he liked me. He'd made it clear on multiple occasions that I wasn't his type.

And instead of worrying about Reid not wanting to leave, I was more worried about myself not wanting to leave.

“Hey, I didn't mean to bring the mood down, Lee,” Hernan speaks, pulling me from my thoughts. He offers me a kind smile. “I'm just doing the whole best friend thing.”

I chuckle.

“Ah, no, it's fine! I get it.”

“Do you wanna see something cool?”

I tilt my head to the side.

“What?”

“I still have Reid's photo albums in the back of my trunk. And you wouldn't believe how big his head was when he was little.”

“Oh, I bet it was smaller than it is now,” I comment wryly, causing Hernan to chuckle.

He then gestures for me to follow him back outside.

“Come on, Reid might show up at any time to check up on his lovely fiancée so let's take a look while we can.”

“Ha, ha” I let out with a playful eye roll and follow behind him.

✯✯✯✯✯✯

“Okay. She's down for her nap. So prepare to go down” I announce as I step into the kitchen with Sirius trotting after me.

“Oh, I don't so, Missy” he chuckles. “I'm the top hat. So the only person going down is you.”

“Ahh the loser's speech” I tsk, “Kicking your ass is going to be fun.”

Hernan laughs in return.

We are currently seated in the kitchen playing Monopoly with a pot of freshly brewed coffee and oven-hot chocolate chip cookies at our disposal.

“Community Chest” I grin when my horse settles on that spot on the board.

I catch Hernan groan a little as I draw a card.

“What does it say? If it says to collect money from me because it's your birthday, I'm not doing it.”

I chuckle and clear my throat to read what my card says.

“Just when you think you can’t go another step, you finish that foot race – and raise money for your local hospital! ADVANCE TO GO. COLLECT $200” it reads.

I grin.

“Sweet.”

Hernan makes a face, pulls out a two hundred Monopoly dollar bill from the bank, and slides it across the table and over to me.

“Your turn” I smile.

He rolls the dice and ends up picking a Chance Card.

“What'd you get? Go back three spaces?” I tease.

He smiles.

“Au contraire” he flips his card over to show me.

“The get out of jail card?”

“Yep,” he pops the 'p'.

“No fair.”

“You just earned two hundred dollars for free and this isn't fair?” he chuckles.

I laugh and sip my coffee before playing again.

“Community chest again?” Hernan groans.

“Ha, ha” I rejoice and draw a card.

But then my face falls and Hernan cracks up.

“Oh I know that look” he laughs, “You got the 'Go to Jail' card, didn't you Lee?”

I groan and toss the card away, moving my horse to jail on the board.

“Oh don't be sad” he chuckles, making me playfully roll my eyes. “Tell you what, I'll sell you my get-out-of-jail card. What do you say?”

I chuckle.

“Really?”

“Yeah, yeah” he smiles, “For just two thousand.”

I let out a laugh.

“You crook. The card is worth fifty dollars, dude.”

He shrugs.

“You're the one in jail, Lee.”

I roll my eyes with a smile.

“Let's keep it under a thousand.”

“You're not going to get anything good under a thousand.”

“Should we clarify both our definitions of good?”

He laughs.

“I'm starting to see why you fascinate my friend so much” he smiles softly.

I fight myself not to blush.

“Do you also live with your parents?” I ask, changing the topic.

Hernan smiles.

“No. They're insufferable” he replies. “I have my own place.”

“Nice. What do your parents do?”

I'm sticking to the subject change.

“Well, my father runs a law office.”

“Ouu a lawyer. Nice, nice” I smile.

“A great lawyer” he starts. “He wins over ninety percent of his cases. Last year he took a probono case and defended a farmhand who'd been accused of molesting his employer's wife and daughters. My dad managed to get him a clear name and a huge compensation fee.”

“Aye, I would have loved to be in that courtroom” I grin.

“You and me both” he laughs.

“I bet your mom's so proud of him.”

“Oh, she is. Won't stop gloating about 'the man she married'. Some first love” he chuckles.

I can't help but smile.

“What does she do?”

“She runs a few resorts. If you're ever in Maldives, ask around for JuJu Nielsen. She owns Papillion.”

Maldives huh?

“My mom and Reid's mom even own a resort together.”

I stiffed a bit at this.

Is she as horrible as Portia Dalton?

“Is that how you two became friends?”

“Yes... and no.”

Story time.

I gesture for him to elaborate and he laughs.

“The two of us have known each other since he punched a kid for picking on me at the playground in kindergarten.”

I nearly spit out my coffee.

“You're joking.”

“Nope.”

“Wait, he can throw a punch?”

“And he doesn't miss” Hernan tips his mug at me.

I laugh.

Armani can fight?

“You have got to tell me what happened, Hernan.”

He chuckles.

“So kindergarten. We were there one day, and some little shit thought he would declare himself king of the playground by bullying me” he shakes his head as he remembers the story. “Before college, I was really small, and I was so quiet and sweet that bigger kids would try to pick on me. Usually, my cousin managed to scare them off, but she was in trouble that day and grounded at home. Reid saw the kid push me and he drop-kicked his little ass into next week. Knocked the kid’s tooth out and everything.”

“No” I gasped.

“Oh yeah. You should ask Asha the next time you see her” he takes another gulp of coffee and puts his mug back down.

“She was there?”

“Yeah. She fought too.”

“Wait what?” I laugh.

“Mm hm. People underestimate her because she's a bit younger, but I’m more scared of Asha Dalton because I've seen how she fights.”

No way.

“Spill” I giggle.

“So, this kid gets drop-kicked by Reid, and his friend goes to help, but Asha intervenes and headbutts him right in the nose and he goes down. Asha was in a frilly, pink dress and pigtails, but she struck the Superman pose and then cursed them out before their nanny pulled them away” he chuckles. “So that's how Reid and I become best friends. Well, that and our mutual annoyance of our families” he joked.

I laugh.

“Now that's a moment I'd willingly spend two thousand to witness” I smile, making Hernan throw a tissue paper at me.

“We somehow managed to schedule all our classes together in college too,” he continues, “And you didn't hear this from me but...” he leans forward, “... sometimes we cheated off each other's tests.”

I laugh into my coffee mug.

“You went to Melbourne University too?”

He nods.

“And we both did our masters together in Manoa” he adds, “He can't live without me.”

“True. Your bromance wouldn't even survive” I humor him.

Hernan claps.

“Thank you! Finally. Someone who actually gets it!”

My chest shakes with laughter and we keep playing the game till Hernan stops stealing glances at me and speaks whatever's on his mind.

“Reid's a good man, Lee,” he says, his voice warm. “I know it's hard to see— given the way he speaks to you or behaves sometimes. But he's got a good heart. I'm not excusing him of his behavior sometimes, trust me.”

I smile a little.

“I don't think he’s a bad person, Hernan” I respond.

I didn’t think he was a pristine little angel either but recently I was starting to see the good side of him.

Sort of.

“Why are you talking him up anyway, if I may ask?”

Hernan pauses a bit, looking a little sheepish.

“It's the bromance talking” he jokes. “Well, that and the fact that Reid only has one real friend in this world. That's me if you're wondering. And if possible, I'd like to make that number into two” he sighs. “You've proven to have the patience needed to befriend him.” 

I make a face.

“You're joking.”

“About what?”

“Being Reid's only friend.”

Hernan shakes his head.

“I am not. Sure his line of work exposes him to people but he has contacts and connections. Not friends. But if you consider people that like to use him for his money as friends, then he's got many,” Hernan adds offhandedly.

Woah.

“I think that's why he's extremely fascinated by you. You're not begging him to spend money on you.”

I scrunch up my face.

That's embarrassing.

“People actually do that?”

“You would be surprised,” he tells me solemnly.

I prop my elbow up onto the table and place my chin on my hand, staring at Hernan quizzically.

“Has Reid really dated a lot of girls?”

He chuckles.

“Yes and no.”

“Yes being the magazine articles?”

“Partly true. But what they failed to add was, when he's not into the girls, he'll let them just cling to him until they get bored because he won't make a move on them” he says in a serious tone. “There’s only one person he's ever dated seriously... aside from Anika.”

I arch a brow.

Aside Anika?

“Really? There was someone aside Anika?”

“You didn't know?”

“No. Who was it? What was she like?”

Hernan leans forward a little, a grin on his face.

“You want to know?"

“Of course, I wanna know. I mean what kind of girl could put up with Reid for more than a few hours?”

“Well, then you'll have to ask him.”

I groan, falling back.

“Why can't you just tell me?”

“Why do you want to know? Do you like him?”

“No!” I deny it immediately. “Me? Like Reid? No way” I scoff. “I mean... sure, he could be kind of cute. But no! No. He’s not even cute. I don't like him. I mean I do like him. But as a friend. Kind of. As a friend,” I end firmly.

Hernan raises his eyebrows.

“Mm, I see.”

But I don't like the expression on his face. So I narrow my eyes.

“What? What's that look for?”

“Nothing.”

“That's not a nothing look.”

He holds up his hands.

“It's really nothing. Why do you think it's something?”

“Are you trying to use some kind of trick on me right now?” I ask, “If you are then save your breath because I'll have you know reverse psychology does not work on me.”

This causes him to chuckle.

“No. I’m just—”

He's cut off by the sound of a door slamming shut. I jump at the loud bang and frown as I turn my head toward the direction of the front door.

Armani's home already?

“Now he's slamming doors?” I frown even deeper, attempting to get up.

That's when I hear the unmistakable sound of high heels and pause.

Unless his Alexander McQueen loafers now come with heels, Armani does not wear high heels to work.

Sebastian and | exchange bewildered looks before I turn back toward the direction of the front door where Portia Dalton appears, freshly manicured hands on her hips, glaring at us.

You have got to be kidding me.

“Lee, let me lead” Hernan quickly murmurs just as I'm rolling my eyes.

He doesn't wait for me to respond and just cuts in front of me.

“Mrs. Dalton!” he smiles, “What a lovely surprise.”

She doesn't respond as she makes her into the kitchen, her eyes on me the entire time. I eye her three-inch heels as she approaches. Her black pencil skirt, dark blue blazer, and crimson red lips complement her skin. Her hair, as usual, was perfectly curled, not a strand out of place. As infuriating as she is, I can't deny the fact that she's gorgeous.

She ignores Hernan and comes to a stop in front of me, emerald eyes in slits.

“You.”

I straighten my back and maintain the eye contact.

“Hello, again” I greet with a bright smile.

“Who are you?”

And I can't help but chuckle. Hernan clears his throat.

“Mrs. Dalton, why don't you take a seat and have a cup of coffee—”

“Keep your coffee, Horatio” she cuts him off, her eyes still on me.

His name is Hernan.

“Why are you at my son’s house?” she demands.

“Mrs. Dalton—”

She turns to him and places a hand on her hip.

“Do me a favor and shut up will you? This is none of your business. And shouldn't you be working for my son? You still work for him, don't you? Or did he finally fire you?”

I frown.

“Hey, you can't talk to him that way” I jump in to defend.

“Ha, ha, she doesn't mean it like that,” Hernan says lightheartedly, coming closer to put an arm around my shoulders to draw me back from the woman.

I shoot him an annoyed look but he looks on at Portia.

“I still work for your son, Mrs. Dalton. I'm only here just to keep Lee company, isn't that right?” Hernan shakes me to speak.

I don't.

“I don't care what you're here for” Portia scowls and lifts a finger to point at me, “It's her I don't want in my son's house or his life.”

“Well too bad, ma'am. But I live here. And you people are going to have to try harder to get me out of your son's life because I'm... not going anywhere. Capeesh?”

She frowns.

“You little tramp!”

“Now, now, Mrs. Dalton—”

“I will never recognize you as part of my son's life. You're worthless. We have a reputation to uphold. Do you understand that? Our businesses need to keep growing and evolving. Ben needs to be with someone who will help us reach our goals. No matter how much you think he cares about you, you're not the girl for my son. And I'm only telling you this so you don't get your heart broken. It takes a lot to become a Dalton. And people like you just aren't cut out for it” she eyes me, “There are so many pretty faces out there. I mean when was the last time you went to the spa or even had a haircut?” 

My jaw twitches.

“What if it's what your son wants huh?” I ask, “Do you think about what Reid wants? Do you even have any idea who your son really is?”

Hernan shook his head vigorously and gave me an 'x' signal.

Portia Dalton's eyes steel and her lips flatten into a straight line.

“Don't play that card with me, little girl” she says. “I am a very good mother and of course, I know what my son wants. And it's not you.”

But it's Anika?

“Get my son on the phone right now, Herbert. He doesn't answer when I call” She snaps her finger at Hernan.

“It's Hernan” I let out.

“Mm,” she responds. “I'm not going to let my son throw his whole life away with a woman who looks like she came from the slums. I mean who dresses like this?” she eyes my outfit, “I doubt you own a single piece of clothing made out of a hundred percent pure cashmere. No parent will stand and watch their child go down the wrong path. I can't say the same thing for you though. No wonder your parents died. They must have seen the person their daughter would grow up into and they just couldn't take it.”

I feel my lips curl up and the next thing I know I'm swinging my hand toward Portia Dalton. Luckily, Hernan acts fast and holds me back, my hand only connecting with her pearl necklace and sending the beads flying across the room. She gasped and took several steps back.

“How dare you—?”

“Say one more word and I swear to God I'll—”

“No, no, no, Lee” Hernan wraps his arms around my waist and carries me out of the kitchen.

“No, put me down!”

“I can't do that, Lee.”

And he doesn't till we're on the porch.

“Calm down.”

“Calm down?” I echo. “Calm down? Did you not hear what she said?!”

“I did but you shouldn't let her get to you.”

“Oh I will let her get to me so I can give her a befitting reply” I frown and attempt to go back but he stops me.

“Lee.”

“No!”

And I'm on the verge of tears.

“I won't let it go, Hernan. Forget me. But I'm not going to let her disrespect my parents like that. She never even met them... and...”

“Hey, hey, it's okay,” he says softly and moves closer to side hug me. “You shouldn't allow her to get to you. Then she'll know she's won... and none of us want that.”

“She can't have the last laugh, Hernan. I just...”

“It's okay, Lee” he sighs, rubbing my shoulder.

I exhale and he lets go of me.

“Just relax. I'll go make sure she leaves. Don't move.”

And with that, he walks back into the house. Still fuming, I toss a large throw pillow onto the floor and drop into it.

“God, I hate this.”

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~the_atticwriter