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He shot her a look. “Don’t start.”

“I’m not starting anything,” she said, raising her hands and putting on an innocent expression that he didn’t believe for a second. The way her eyes sparkled let him know she wasn’t done with the direction the conversation had gone in. “I’m just wondering if fine is really the word to use. I want to make sure you’re being gentlemanly. That’s all.”

Aiden frowned at her soft accusation. “Of course, I’m being gentlemanly. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because of your little crush,” Vini continued as she dropped her arms by her sides. “When I mentioned you being handy, I didn’t think she would invite you to move in with her. Though, I really should have expected it, given your . . . well, given your everything.”

Aiden frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Vini rolled her eyes and gestured at him. “It means you give off the Disney princess vibes where people want to protect you even if you are a big buff man-baby. So, I just wanted to check in and make sure things are going well. And not just for her, but for you too.”

That made him pause, and though he wanted to avert his eyes, he stared at her. “I’m not a man-baby. And what do you mean about a crush? I’m not a teenager.” Of course, he knew what she was talking about. But he had been trying very hard to ignore the fact that he was now sharing a house with a woman he found more than a little attractive. Still, he was a grown-ass man. He could handle himself. He wasn’t a creep.

“Oh, come on,” she said, waving a hand at him. “You’ve had a thing for her for months.”

He let out a slow breath, half amused and half exasperated at having his feelings brought so close to the light. “I don’t think any of this is relevant right now. Things are going fine.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes,” he said simply and firmly. After a moment, he had a thought. “Wait a minute . . . Vini.”

She grinned wide at him. “Yes?”

“Did you . . .” He trailed off as he thought quickly. She was devious, for sure, but was she the type of devious that would truly do what he was now thinking? “Why did you suggest me for helping out Janae? Was it truly just because you wanted to help her or . . . ?”

Vini tilted her head and tapped a finger against her bottom lip. “Maybe.” When he narrowed his eyes, her mouth curved into a grin that had his pulse racing. “The thought might have crossed my mind that perhaps there could be something between you if you spent more time together. I just wanted Janae to see the Aiden we all know and love.”

“Vini,” he breathed out, sighing in exasperation.

“What?” she asked with a shrug. “She’s hot. You’re hot. Grace always talks about how nice she is, and you know I love you like the brother I never asked for. It’s not like you would have ever approached her on your own, so don’t even try to say you would.”

Aiden blew out a breath. He knew she wasn’t wrong. Not exactly anyway. He’d like to think that maybe one day he would have approached Janae and asked her to dinner or a movie. Then again, he hadn’t known that she had a house she was fixing up to move into. He might have gotten the courage to do that before she moved, but there was a possibility that she might have left before he ever got the chance. Then what would he have done?

“Regardless, I can’t say I’m upset about the way things turned out. You moving all the way to another town was absolutely unacceptable,” Vini continued before he could say anything. “You not being in Peach Blossom is just not an option. I’m not letting you go.”

Aiden cracked a smile. “Aw, you do love me.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

He laughed and shook his head. “So, instead of leaving well enough alone, you decide to play matchmaker? What if Janae had been dating someone?”

“I wasn’t explicitly trying to play matchmaker,” she replied. “And besides, I knew she wasn’t.

“And how did you know what?”

“I asked Grace, of course.” When he snorted softly, she smiled, not looking the least bit bad for prying. “She has an ex-husband back wherever she’s from, but from what Grace was saying, she hasn’t even gone on a date in months. You’re good.”

He looked at her, not quite believing that he ever thought she was sweet and innocent. Vini was conniving in all the best ways. “So, the answer is yes. You decided to play matchmaker. That’s cute. Maybe for Valentine’s Day, you can put wings on and flutter around town throwing heart arrows at people.”

“Maybe I’ll take one of them and shove it up your ass,” she countered with a sharp smile.

Aiden snorted and gave her a sharp smile of his own. “Jokes on you, I might like that.” The disgusted face she made had him cackling and he ducked away when she swatted in his direction. “But seriously. Were you really trying to play matchmaker?”

“Maybe I was.” She put her hands back on her hips. “Maybe I thought Janae could use someone dependable and kind, who I know wouldn’t take advantage, and who also deserves some good in his life.”

There was silence between them then, only broken up by the faint hum of the shop fan. Aiden couldn’t help the way his chest warmed at Vini’s words. He tried to be a good person, and he thought he did an okay job of it. He was no saint, and he never tried to be. He could be as pigheaded as the next guy, but hearing Vini praise him so bluntly made him feel good, especially given the past couple weeks he’d had.

“Thanks, Vin,” he said finally. “I really do appreciate you having my back.”