The Holiday Hoax Read Free Page B

perfect opportunity. I will not let you ruin it to babysit me.”
    Aidan became fascinated by the push and pull of female conversation. Lots of stubbornness. Emotion. And heat. His presence didn’t even disarm them, as if they were past such boundaries within their perfect circle of friendship.
    Liz shrugged with fake nonchalance “Big deal. They’ll be other times. I rather watch old movies with you.”
    “Bull. You’re staying.”
    “I’m driving you home. I have four wheel drive.”
    “Liz, there’s no way on the face of this earth I’m letting you out of this house tonight.”
    “I’ll drive you home,” he interrupted.
    The words fell onto sharp silence. Isabella turned and looked at him questioningly. “What about you? Maybe you shouldn’t be driving in this either.”
    Aidan pointed to the line of cars in the winding driveway and off the side of the road. “I have a Hummer. Can cut through anything.”
    Liz’s mouth dropped open. Isabella looked surprised that a man who did odd jobs for a living had a Hummer, but she didn’t pause. “Okay, if it wouldn’t be any trouble.”
    Liz shot out her hand and grabbed her friend’s arm. “Umm, Iz, I don’t feel comfortable with this. Maybe Robert can drive you home?” she suggested. “I know he’s safe.”
    Aidan gave Liz a reassuring smile. “I swear I’m not a serial killer. I’ll give you my cell phone number so you have it. You can write down my license plate number too. And my friend is here who can vouch for me.”
    “But—”
    Isabella squeezed her friend’s arm in reassurance. “He’s okay, Liz. I’ll speak with Robert in a minute and say good-bye.”
    Liz turned to him with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cub. “If you do anything funny, I promise to find you.”
    Aidan laughed. He respected Liz as much as Izzy in that moment, noticing the strong bond of friendship. “I’ll keep her safe. Come on, let me introduce you to my friend, who can vouch for my honor. Then I’ll give you my actual cell phone so you can confirm my number.”
    They spent the last minutes saying good-byes and making sure Liz felt comfortable. Aidan fought back laughter when she dragged over her other girlfriend and he faced more threats on retribution if he touched Izzy out of her comfortable boundaries. The heat on Izzy’s cheeks at the overprotectiveness warmed him. This was a woman who was obviously well loved. Then Aidan finally settled Izzy into the passenger seat, cranked up the heat, and pulled carefully away from the house.
    “How did Robert take it?” he asked.
    Izzy shrugged. “Wasn’t thrilled but I explained you were an old friend. Took the sting out of it. He’s a lovely man.”
    “Hmmm. A dentist, huh?”
    She swung her head around to look at him in surprise. Her silky blonde curls slid over her shoulder. “How did you know?”
    “Word travels.”
    Isabella looked amused. “Yes, a local dentist.”
    “Sounds like a great guy. Stable. Nice. Solid career.” He paused. “So, why are you with me and not him?
    He gave her credit. She took the jab nicely and thrust right back. “Well, that’s right to the point. I’m not crazy about dentists.”
    “They make good money.”
    “Hmm, you seem to be obsessed over the money part. I’m not looking for a man with money. Most rich men I know are too arrogant. I want a man who knows who he is and doesn’t apologize for it. And I don’t like anyone examining my teeth.”
    Aidan burst out laughing. “Looks like you have perfect teeth to me.”
    “I have a junk food habit. He wouldn’t approve.”
    “I knew you were the perfect woman for me.”
    They rode in comfortable silence, easing through snow banks and slick country roads. Her home was located on a small residential block, with a postage stamp lawn and pretty colored yellow shingles. He pulled in her driveway and turned to her. “I can pick you up tomorrow, if you’d like, so you can get your car.”
    “That’d be