My phone buzzed on the kitchen counter and I hurried to answer it so it wouldn’t wake Aidan. It was Seonaid. “Hey,” I whispered.

“Nora? Why are you whispering?”

“Aidan’s sleeping.”

“Oh.” She sounded sly.

I flinched. “No. Not oh. Something happened.”

“Aye, I popped around Apple Butter to see if you wanted to grab a quick lunch and your nutty boss said you were sick?”

I felt tears choke me and I found I couldn’t quite get the words out.

“Nora? What’s going on?”

“You know how I told you Sylvie’s dad wanted full custody.”

“Yeah.”

“He came and took her this morning. No warning, nothing. Him and his witch of a fiancée barged in here and literally ripped her out of Aidan’s arms. There was nothing he could do.” I sniffled, swiping angrily at my tears. “There was nothing I could do for him.”

“Jesus fuck,” Seonaid bit out. “That’s bloody awful.”

“They’re taking her to the States and they couldn’t even give him a day. One goddamn day to spend with her. What is wrong with these people? And they’re going to be responsible for raising her. I’m so worried for her, Seonaid.”

“Oh, babe, I’m sure her dad will take good care of her. He’s a prick but he’s her dad. And he hasn’t been horrible to her, has he?”

“Other than today? No,” I admitted reluctantly. “He loves her. But he’s so selfish.”

“I’m so sorry, Nora. I’m so sorry for Aidan. Is there anything I can do?”

“Thank you, but no. I’m going to stick around here today, make sure he’s okay.”

“Well, call me if you need me.”

I told her I would and we hung up. Aidan shifted on the couch and I tensed, hoping I hadn’t woken him. He didn’t move again, though, and I continued preparing lunch so it would be ready when he did wake.

A little while later, I was sitting at the counter with a hot mug of tea to warm the chill deep in my bones when Aidan groaned and sat up slowly. I watched him, pretty sure my heart was in my eyes, as he raked his hands through his disheveled hair. Then he rubbed them over his face, his shoulders slumping as if he’d just remembered what he was waking up to.

Sensing my gaze, he glanced over and I tensed at the dull sadness in his eyes.

“I made some lunch for you, if you’re hungry,” I said, my voice sounding small in the large space.

He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Aidan …” I bit back tears and he looked away, the muscle in his jaw flexing. “Maybe we should call someone or … I don’t know.”

“There’s nothing to be done,” he said, his tone flat, empty. “Whether it happened today, tomorrow, or a week from now, it wouldn’t have been any easier.”

Anger flashed through me. “But you would have known it was coming. It was despicable the way he did that! For you and Sylvie. God—”

“Nora, please,” he snapped, eyes burning with feeling now. “I was there, for fuck’s sake. I don’t need to relive it.”

Hurt, I clamped my lips closed and reminded myself this man was going through hell. I could forgive him for a bad attitude today of all days.

“What can I do?”

“There’s nothing to do.”

And he meant it.

For the next few hours, Aidan sat looking out his patio door window, his thoughts a million miles away. His body might as well have been too because he was giving off serious stay-back vibes. So I did. A few times his phone beeped and he replied to whoever it was, yet he never said a word.

But I wasn’t leaving him.

Toward dinnertime, I somehow managed to get him to agree to eat the pasta salad I’d whipped up. He was sitting at the counter, eating and staring sullenly at the same kitchen cupboard door when there was a knock at the door. It was a warning knock, not a request for entry, because the next sound was heels on the hardwood floor, and suddenly Laine was standing looking at Aidan.

What was she doing here?

And then I saw her tortured expression and I knew. She was the one he’d texted earlier. My stomach sank as I wondered if he’d asked her to come. I looked at him and he stared back at Laine with the same empty chill in his eyes he’d given me, which shouldn’t have reassured me but did.

“I know you said not to come,” Laine said softly. “But I had to make sure you were okay. Are you? Okay?”

She didn’t look at me.

Not once.

“Stupid fucking question, no?”

Laine winced. “You know what I meant.” She took off the gray winter coat she had on and walked over to the couch to lay it and her handbag on it. Then to my annoyance, she unzipped her boots and placed them neatly behind the couch. Turning to face us in skinny jeans and a stylish cream sweater that probably cost more than what I made in a month, I felt my insides twist with petty jealousy.

It was wrong, when all that should have mattered was that Aidan was surrounded by people who loved him, but I didn’t like her. Maybe if she hadn’t insulted me in every way possible, I might have grown to get over my jealousy.

Laine looked at Aidan’s back with longing she didn’t even bother to hide.

Yeah … even if she hadn’t been a bitch to me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get over the fact that she was in love with him. Because clearly, she was. Right?

Finally, unable to avoid my gaze any longer, she looked at me. “You look tired, Nora. Have you been here all day?”

“The three of us fell asleep last night watching movies,” I told her, wanting her to know how close I’d grown to Sylvie and Aidan. “I was here when Cal and Sally came for Sylvie.”

At my visible distress, Laine’s eyes widened with concern. “How is Sylvie?”

Aidan tensed beside me and I placed a comforting hand on his arm. He ignored it. I squeezed him anyway and let go. “We don’t know. She wasn’t good when she left.”

“No, I bloody imagine not. I could kill Cal!” Laine marched past us and into the kitchen. I watched warily as she reached up and pulled open one of the cupboards. Grabbing a bottle of barely touched Macallan whisky, Laine shut the doors, opened the glasses cabinet, pulled out two glasses, and placed them in front of Aidan. He pushed his plate out of the way and waited patiently as Laine poured out two glasses.

He took the one she offered and she kept the other for herself. Then she looked at me. “You should go home, Nora. Get some rest. I can take it from here.”

Oh, I bet you can!

I tried my best to mask my reaction because now was definitely not the time for a jealous hissy fit. “I can stay.”

“You look like you haven’t slept in days,” Laine said, like she actually cared about my well-being. “Aidan, tell her to get some sleep.”

Aidan took a swig of whisky and shot me a look out of his deadened eyes. “It’s fine, Pixie. Go home, get some rest.”

Confused, I could only stare at him as he reached for the bottle to pour himself a fresh glass. Was I being politely dismissed by him too? Did he really not want me here? Was I an idiot to think he’d need me over a woman he’d been friends with for years?

I wanted to make sure Aidan was okay, but I also didn’t want to stay where I wasn’t wanted. “I can stay if you need me. I’m fine, really.”

“I plan on drinking this fucking miserable day to an end,” he said, his voice hoarse. “You don’t need to see that. Go home.”

My pride pricked, I immediately slipped off the stool beside him. Fine. If he didn’t need me, if he felt like he could unravel with Laine but not with me, let him. Whatever he needed. I wasn’t sticking around, feeling like an unwanted little girl.

She didn’t even offer me a glass of whisky. Like I wasn’t legal.

So I gathered my things, put on my coat and boots, and left his apartment without giving Laine the satisfaction of looking back.

Just as I stepped out of his building and tears of frustration threatened to escape, my phone rang. It was Seonaid again. I cleared my throat, not wanting her to hear I was upset. “Everything okay?”