Page 88 of Check You Out

Aidan lifts a shoulder. “I asked before we came here, and he said he was fine to stand in the back.” He pulls out his phone. “Mags is watching the live stream online,” he reports.

“Nice.” I let out a sigh. “I’m glad he’s here.”

A nervous smile spreads across his face. “Me too. I hope I won’t regret it.”

I loop my arm through his. “Regardless of what happens I’ll be here.” I squeeze his bicep. “Are you nervous?”

He sucks air through his teeth and grimaces. “Maybe, yes. Definitely nervous.” He pulls at his black tie. “Do I look nervous?”

“A little,” I say, and brush a piece of lint off his shoulder. “You could’ve worn something a little more casual.” I nod to his outfit of a cream-colored shirt and black slacks. “I mean, you look very nice.” I admire his fine figure. He blushes under my gaze. “But what if you start sweating in that thing?”

“Dan always told me to wear business casual at a minimum to events like these,” he replies with a grin. “I don’t care what the others think. Only you.” He presses his lips together. “And the Douglass County Council. Oh fuck, I shouldn’t have worn this shirt.” He lifts an arm to examine his armpit, luckily the fabric is dry. For now.

I let go of his arm and grasp his hand, interlacing his fingers. “You’ll do great. How do you handle talking to a bunch of teenagers all day?”

“I’ve got my Mr. Talbot persona, remember.” But he grimaces. “Teenagers are different. They don’t have fully developed pre-frontal cortexes, and they care about different things. They judge you, but they’re easily distracted by shiny things. And I’m a funny teacher. Or so I’ve been told.”

I ponder his words for a few seconds. “What if you pretended that everyone here is a teenager? Kind of like the whole, imagine everyone naked tip? Except not as gross.”

“Teenagers are gross.” Aidan winces. “Great, now I’m imagining that people have sat here naked, and I’m grossed out that someone’s bare ass have touched this very chair.” He turns to me with a grin. “That did distract me so thanks!” He flashes a smile that reaches his deep brown eyes, and my heart starts to beat faster as those amazing dimples pop.

I reflect on when I first met Aidan, all those months ago when he walked into my bookstore. I remember the first time I looked into those eyes, how he quickly looked away from me and blushed with a slight version of the smile he’s giving me now. I remember how he would come in, say very little, but that there was still some sort of warmth, or draw about him. Like there was a tether linking the two of us.

It amazes me, seeing how close we’ve grown. Part of me wonders if either of us would’ve taken that first step and said something other than “Hi, how are you?” if the library wasn’t under threat. If it wasn’t for this committee and teaming up to write speeches, would either of us gathered the courage to say, “let’s go on a coffee date.”?

A month ago, I was tired, busy, and feeling like I was swimming upriver through rapids. I’m still tired, busy, and swimming upriver. But Aidan is there alongside me in the water, holding my hand and encouraging me to keep pushing forward, keep swimming.

“What?” Aidan asks, his brows knitting. He rubs his free hand along his stubbled chin and picks his glasses off his face. “Is there something on my face?”

A soft chuckle rolls out of me. “Nothing, I just—I-I’m just happy.”

He sets his glasses back on his nose and hinges forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Me too.”

Three little words linger on the tip of my tongue. I want to say them. Aidan has been so supportive. He’s been a comforting presence throughout everything over the last month. I am firmly in love with him. He’s kind. He’s gentle. He’s intelligent. He takes care of me. He makes me laugh. He makes me feel safe and appreciated. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s hot and sexy. It’s been so easy for me to fall in love with him.

I think, I hope there’s a strong possibility that he feels the same. He’s certainly implied that he loves me. From his commitment, to wanting to be near me all the time, to his constant tending to me. He greets me every morning with a kiss and a steaming cup of tea. My theory is he’s waiting for me to say it, because he’s nervous that I won’t say it back. Nicole told me to grow a uterus and say it.

Ah fuck it.

I shift in my seat and bring my mouth close to his ear to whisper the words. Aidan adjusts himself so he can hear me better.

But the words die on my lips right as the meeting begins.

“Welcome to the Douglass County Council Meeting,” the chairperson remarks, banging her gavel and calling the meeting to order. She’s a plump, older woman with graying black hair and dark skin, dressed in a navy pantsuit.

I turn forward, gripping my knees. I’ll wait until after the meeting. Now is not the time to tell Aidan I love him.

The chairwoman continues with the introductions to the meeting, and a roll call of the council is conducted. The crowd sits in a hush, watching her every move.

“Before we go into the Open Comment section of this meeting, there is some news I would like to impart,” she says in a confident voice. “Earlier this morning, I received a letter of resignation from the County Executive, Stephen Gott. Mr. Gott is currently under investigation for potential abuse of power for hiring a contractor without disclosing a conflict of interest.” She pulls out a piece of paper which I assume contains said resignation letter. “His last act as County Executive is to request that the council reconsider his prior submitted budget, and instead pass a fiduciary resolution based on the prior fiscal year.”

I blink and turn to Aidan. His face mirrors mine in a look of happy shock. He swivels in his seat to glance back at his father, who only smiles and shrugs in response.

Stephen Gott resigned this morning.

What in the actual fuck is happening?

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