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7
Aiden
I’d only been in her presence for two-and-a-half hours and she already tugged at my heartstrings.
“Mr. Grizzly, have you calmed down? Am I allowed to learn more about the man who saved my life?”
I chuckled and glanced back at her over the rim of my mug. “Yes… I am from Atlanta, GA. My mother was strung out on drugs and lost me in to the family courts. I was placed in the foster care system. After a couple of years, my last foster family, Barry and Mary-Anne Wilder, adopted me. Their son Valen was a year older than me. My birth last name was Fuller.”
“Does my past abuse of drugs make you hold animosity toward me?”
My eyebrows wrinkled. “No, actually, I respect you for cleaning up your life. That was something my mother couldn’t or wouldn’t do.”
“Was it hard changing your last name? Did you feel you were losing a part of your mother?”
“It was weird at first but, I wanted the same name as my new family. I made the decision a year after living with them. They were loving people. Only wanted the best for Valen and I. We lived in Blue Ridge Mountain, GA. A small town known for camping. Maybe that’s why I was drawn to this cabin. It’s a little piece of home. I miss my parents and my brother. He and I were close. I shook my head. We are still close.”
“Why did you two join the military?”
“We wanted to fight the war on terror.”
“Is your brother married?”
I stared into the dark cup. “Divorced.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, they were high school sweethearts. She said she would always be by his side. Instead of his wife greeting him when he returned home from active duty, he found divorce papers on the kitchen table.”
I sighed. “I thought she would remain by his side no matter what. Like I said every person isn’t built for military life.”
I peeked at her. She removed the baseball cap from her head and slid her fingers through her wavy locks.
Shit, stop staring asshole.
My eyes peered into the darkened night.
“It all makes sense now. You are afraid you’ll meet a woman who will break your heart the same way.”
“Would you like another cup of coffee?”
“Yes.”
I swiped up her mug and strolled into the kitchen.
“Aiden, do you plan to avoid the elephant in the room?”
I felt her eyes on me.
“Nadia, it doesn’t matter. I am comfortable being alone.”
I prepared a fresh pot of coffee after filling our mugs.
“Forever?”
My eyebrows rustled together. She reached for her mug as I approached. I sat beside her.
“Yes, Nadia, forever.”
