Nobody Like You

Chapter 12 Gabriella: Secret Love Problems

Over the next few weeks, I snuck down to the guest house every night after I was sure that everyone had gone to bed. Whenever I got there, Aiden always had a spot on the couch ready for me because he never wanted to pressure me into going into his bedroom. Usually, we'd spend the night talking and getting to know each other better with the occasional make-out happening in between conversations.

Being with Aiden felt like something out of a fairy tale I never could've imagined for myself. I never thought that I would attract someone like him since my piano was my main friend most of the time but now that I had him, I didn't want to lose this feeling.

"So, I realized something," I said as we laid together on the couch, watching television. With my parents deep into their work, we thought it'd be nice to spend part of the afternoon together since they wouldn't notice I was gone. "You never talk about your dad. What's he like?"

He went silent for a moment before speaking. "He's just someone I don't like to think about. After he and my mom split up, I just prefer to keep my distance from him."

"What about your brother? Does he talk to him?"

"Sometimes but I stay out of it. Just because I have a fucked-up relationship with him doesn't mean that he has to." When he saw my questioning expression, he hesitated before speaking. "It's complicated."

I placed a comforting hand on his cheek. "I won't judge."

After a moment, he sighed and nodded. "Okay. My parents' split was intense. Apparently, he had been having an affair with some woman from his job for over a year."

My eyes widened. "Seriously? A year?"

He nodded. "My mom was devastated and I was pissed. I had never seen my mother cry the way she did, and I hated that my dad was the reason. When he told her he was leaving to be with the other woman, my mom had her first panic attack. After I managed to get her calm, I went and started beating the crap out of my dad. I just wanted him to feel just a fraction of the hurt he was putting my mother through. He almost pressed charges against me for it."

"Against his own son?" I asked, disbelievingly. "That's insane. But you said 'almost' so he didn't?"

"Nope. My mom begged him not to because I would've been charged as an adult. She told him she would agree to the terms of the divorce as long as he wouldn't press charges. Of course, he agreed and just packed up and left. I haven't seen him since. Not too long after he left, I went to work for the firm overseas and stayed there for a year until I realized my mom was struggling. That's why I came back, to help take care of her and my brother."

I stared at Aiden in amazement. I couldn't believe that he went through all of that and still only cared about taking care of the people he loves. It made sense that he was so focused on being here to do his job because he needed the money for his family. It made him even more attractive in my eyes and I wanted nothing more than to care for him the way he cared for others.

Without another word, I leaned in and kissed him, showing him that I appreciated him opening up to me. He kissed me back with his hands on my waist to pull me closer to him. Just as the kiss was getting deeper, there was a knock at the door that sprung us apart from each other.

"Go to my room," Aiden whispered. As I ran quickly to the bedroom, he straightened himself out before walking towards the door. When he opened it, Alexis was standing in front of him. "Well this is a surprise. What are you doing down here?"

"I need someone to play tennis with me so I can get some practice in but my mom and dad are busy and I can't find Gabby. Would you do it?"

Aiden thought for a moment and just when I thought he was going to say no, he smiled at her. "Of course. Give me fifteen minutes to finish up what I was doing in here and then we'll do it."