Page 91 of Aiden & Lily

Reese nodded slowly. “That sounds more honest.”

Aiden glanced toward the ground. “Maybe I’m not a good man.”

“Don’t go there.”

Aiden looked up. “Go where?”

“To the place where you turn what you did into a reason to give up on yourself.” Reese’s voice remained firm. “You made a bad choice. More than once. That doesn’t mean Lily needs you standing here deciding you’re too awful to make things right.”

Aiden’s scowl deepened. “I’m not to do that.”

“Good. Then don’t.” Reese pinched the bridge of his nose. “You hurt her. Own it. Apologize. Listen to what she needs. But don’t make her comfort you because you feel guilty.”

Aiden flinched.

Reese’s expression softened slightly. “Look, clearly you love her. No one could deny that. I’m not saying what you did was right. It wasn’t. But sitting here telling yourself you don’t deserve her isn’t going to fix anything.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Fight for her. Show her that you can be honest. And when she’s ready to finish this conversation, don’t run from it.”

“But she’s so far out of my league?—”

“Have you considered that your opinion of yourself isn’t shared by the general public? No one thinks you’re a bad guy. No one thinks you deserve to be miserable.”

“Mathew…”

“Mathew was being protective of his family, and he was angry. That doesn’t mean he thinks you should be miserable forever.” Reese glanced toward the yard. “It seemed like he was okay with you today…” His voice trailed off, and he narrowed his eyes. “Or does he not know?”

“Oh, he knows. And he gave me the cold shoulder for nearly a month,” Aiden admitted.

Reese chuckled. “Man, remind me never to get on his bad side.” He bumped his closed fist against his leg a few times and glanced away.

Aiden glanced at Reese, but he wasn’t meeting his gaze. Thankfully, Reese didn’t make him wait long.

“I grew up with you. I know what it was like living in your younger brother’s shadow. I think…” He blew out a breath and met Aiden’s eyes once more. “I think that might have shaped the way you see yourself. Unfair comparisons have been made about you your whole life, and they sank in. Maybe you need to cut yourself some slack. Stop assuming everyone sees you the way you see yourself.”

Aiden released a dry chuckle. “Easier said than done.”

“Well, I’ll help remind you if you need it,” Reese offered. “In high school, you were always the fun guy. The person who made others feel welcome. You flitted from group to group. You were everyone’s friend. That’s a talent not many people have. Believeme. I wish I could walk into a room and make friends that easily.”

Aiden nearly reminded him that being the social butterfly meant people didn’t take him seriously, but he refrained.

Reese clapped him on the shoulder. “Lean into that talent. Show people who you are. And the rest will follow.” His smile was warm, though some of the hurt remained in his eyes.

“Does this mean you forgive me?” Aiden asked.

Reese’s hand dropped from his shoulder. “Not completely.”

Aiden’s stomach tightened.

“I want to,” Reese continued. “But I’m not going to pretend none of this mattered. You didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth, and Lily got hurt because of it.”

“You’re right.”

Reese nodded. “For what it’s worth, I do think you can be good for her. She always needed someone to make her feel important. And you have a way of making the person you’re talking to feel like they’re the only one in the world.”

Those words hit Aiden in the chest. Hard. Reese had just put something about his life into a perspective Aiden hadn’t considered.