Page 3 of Aiden & Lily

Mathew’s brows rose with admiration. “That’s awesome.”

“Yeah, it is.” Reese grinned. “But it sure makes it hard to settle down where I grew up. It’ll be a couple years before I have a chance to put down roots again. I want to get this product out there.”

“Knowing you, you’ll end up falling in love with a gal across the country, and you won’t think twice about coming back.” Aiden smirked. “Your heart is too big. And that applies to both of you.” He gave Mathew a pointed look.

Reese snorted. “And wouldn’t it be hilarious if you finally found a girl who made your head spin and your heart skip a beat? You wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. I bet you’d run for the hills.”

Mathew lifted his glass. “I’d take that bet. Aiden is never going to settle down. He’s going to be a bachelor until his dying days.”

“Hey,” Aiden argued, “I’m not going to be single forever.”

“Sure you are, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be alone. You’ll be cool Uncle Aiden.”

That gave him pause. He actually liked the sound of that.

He leaned forward and pointed at Mathew. “I’m gonna be the best uncle your kids will ever meet. Better than your own blood. Tell Jason I’m coming for his job.”

Mathew snickered. “Jason isn’t fun enough to be the cool uncle.”

“And what about Penny?”

Mathew shrugged. “Who knows? She’s always working. I can’t see her getting married, and if she does, it’ll probably be with some stick-in-the-mud like her.” His eyes slid to Reese. “Hey, man, you interested in getting set up on a date?”

Aiden’s mouth fell open. He jabbed a finger in Mathew’s direction. “You said I couldn’t ask your sister out.”

Mathew’s grin said it all. “Yeah, because you can’t. I speak with my sister every day. And I see you at work nearly that much. If you two didn’t work out, then I’d have to deal with that awkwardness, and that’s just not worth it.”

Reese nodded, completely at ease. “Yeah, there are just some lines you can’t cross. Dating a friend’s sister? Not gonna happen.”

Aiden wagged a finger between them. “You’re friends.”

Mathew chuckled. “Not quite. This is Reese’s window of opportunity.”

A breath of exasperation burst from Aiden’s chest. “You never gave me that courtesy. I swear, I’m beginning to think this is just prejudice against me.” When Mathew didn’t say anything, Aiden huffed out an annoyed laugh. “I see where your loyalties lie.”

All three of them laughed then.

Aiden wasn’t entirely upset. He could see where Mathew was coming from. The guy was a big family man. He was close with his cousins who lived in town, too. Aiden hadn’t met all of them, but he’d heard enough to know their family dynamic was tight.

He settled back in his chair and turned to Reese. “Since you’re in town, you coming to the rodeo tonight? I’m competing.”

Reese nodded. “Planned on meeting up with my friend. She’s going with her sister.” Before Aiden could utter a word, Reese held up a hand. “No. I’m not introducing you. She’s too sweet of a girl for you. One look from you, and her heart would get broken.”

“I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or not,” Aiden mused.

Mathew shook his head with a laugh but didn’t comment.

They parted ways, and a few hours later, Aiden was gearing up to get on the back of a bronco.

It was a strange talent he’d come across. One night, on a dare, he’d signed up for the amateur bronc riding competition and he’d placed. He hadn’t won, but he’d beaten some of the men who’d been riding for a couple years.

Since that night, he liked to sign up now and then just for the adrenaline rush of it. The crowd. The noise. The seconds before the gate opened, when everything in him went quiet.

And true, the girls who flocked around him afterward weren’t a bad perk either. He tightened his helmet as his gaze swept through the crowd gathering for the competition.

Then his eyes landed on an angel.

Sure, the overhead lights shining down on the outdoor arena could have contributed to her glowing look, but he chose to believe otherwise.