2. Meredith

Chapter 2

Meredith

I wasn't sure if it was because I was bored with my own love life, that I truly wanted to help Claire's brother, or if an alien came down and lobotomized me without my being conscious it, but for whatever reason, I was excited about the little tutoring gig. I'd known the Hart clan for ages, ever since Claire and I had become friends freshman year at Kent State. I loved that crazy crew, from her yuppie turned hippie parents all the way down to the twins, a pair of twenty-three-year-old boys who could not be more different. It was at those big get-togethers with the whole lot that I wished I was born into a family like theirs instead of a family like mine.

Maybe that's why I scooted out from behind the table and nodded for Aiden to follow me to the bar, where I could begin my lessons and entwine myself more firmly into the Hart family. Aiden, in his overly-large polo shirt and awful khaki pants, stood next to me with his elbow on the bar top, eyeing me behind his glasses. "So, teach, what d'ya got for me?"

Flipping through my mental Rolodex of information, I catalogued what I knew about him. Aiden was two years younger than Claire and me; he worked as a CPA; loved video games and helping out on the Hart Family Farm; and apparently wanted a girlfriend. Underneath the somewhat dorky exterior, I knew he was full of wit and had a heart of gold, which was why he had no problem picking up girls. I simply needed to figure out why he couldn't keep them.

"That's your girl there, right?" I asked, vaguely tipping my head to the brunette across from us.

Aiden's eyes flickered that way, and he nodded before clearing his throat. "Yup."

"I'm gonna help myself to a drink here and hang out while you go talk to her. She's with two friends, so you need to make sure you ingratiate yourself with them."

He shrugged like it was no problem. He had three older sisters and sincere eyes, so I was sure it wasn't an issue either.

I winked at him. "Lemme see what you got, big guy."

He huffed a laugh, absently tugging at his shirt before scooting around the other end of the bar to approach the trio of young twenty-somethings.

Like all the Hart men, Aiden was tall, a little over six feet. They also all had broad shoulders and a good build, probably due partly to genetics and partly to the manual labor required of them from growing up on the farm, although no one would know with his clothes. We'd cover fashion in unit two. But I figured we'd start easy for unit one: flirting.

I ordered a whiskey and soda with lots of ice and tapped my hot pink nails on the scratched bar top, attempting to drown out the juicy conversation happening to my left between two women, one of them being Debra. Debra was telling her friend about her husband's new penis pills. Evidently, they were working out, and Go, Debra!

Instead of getting side-tracked, I slowly made my way to the other side of the bar so I could eavesdrop on Aiden. When Jimmy first pointed her out, I didn't think anything of Aiden's girl, but watching her laugh at something he said, I could admit she was really pretty with dusky brown skin and dimples when she smiled. A real girl next-door type. Perfect for Aiden.

"Hey, gorgeous," some rando said from my right, and I slanted my head back to meet the dark gaze of the hipster. I wasn't super particular with my bedmates, and from the way this guy licked his lips, it was clear he wanted in my pants and under my sheets, but I just wasn't into it. Even if his beard would feel good between my thighs.

"Hey handsome, I'm here with friends," I said, gesturing to Claire and Jimmy in the booth, canoodling.

He hit me with a crooked smile. "They look busy."

"For the moment." I glanced over my shoulder toward Aiden. As if he knew I was looking, he met my gaze briefly, offered a quick tip of his chin, then bent, reaching between his girl and one of her friends, to touch a cell phone. I focused my attention on the device covered in stickers and then on how his girl lit up, flapping her hands back and forth. Whatever it was, Aiden found something she loved, and he worked it.

Satisfied that he was doing well, I stood with my drink in hand, and smiled at the hipster still by my shoulder. "Enjoy your night."

He turned. "I'd enjoy it more if we could share a drink and chat."

"Another time, my friend." Raising my drink up above me, I crossed back over to the other side of the bar, settling into the booth once again. I pulled my phone out of my purse to open my camera app to snap a photo of my best friend and future best friend-in-law, then held it up for them to see. "For your photo wall."

Claire smiled. "Cute."

They were getting married in July, only a few months away now, at the farm, of course. Claire and I shared a Pinterest board of wedding ideas. We planned to stick framed photos up on the wall of the barn. While Claire's sisters were her bridesmaids, I was the maid of honor, and I was determined to give the happy couple whatever they wanted.

And what they wanted was a photo wall, cupcake bar, and playlist of mostly Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Hootie and the Blowfish… I didn't get it either.

"He's doing well," Jimmy said, throwing his arm around Claire's shoulder as he gestured to where Aiden now sat next to his girl. Her two friends had their heads bent together in their own conversation. Good sign. Isolated his girl with approval from the friends.

"Yeah." I shrugged. "Who'd have thought?"

"Oh, come on." Jimmy frowned. "He's not bad."

I glanced to Claire so she'd know I meant no harm, and she nodded.

"I just…" I waved my hand, unable to articulate why my joke had come out harsher than I meant it. I liked Aiden. He was a nice guy, handsome and smart. Guess the girl thought so too. Since she leaned her head to his shoulder as she laughed at whatever he said.

Honestly, though, I didn't know he was that funny.

"If he can't close the deal, there has to be something wrong," I said, as if it was his problem, and the fault didn't land squarely in the laps of the women.

Claire, in all her quiet wisdom, lifted her shoulder. "He needs to find someone who appreciates him."

I set my elbow on the table to sip through the straw in my whiskey soda as I observed Aiden. This time it was the girl—she couldn't have been more than twenty-four—who said something to make him laugh, and he placed his hand on her shoulder as he grinned, his eyes all bright and crinkly in the corners.

He wasn't my type—too buttoned up and timid—but I did wonder who his type was. Probably someone who waited until the third date to kiss and then, like, weeks or months after that to have sex. I bet he liked quirky girls with unusual hobbies like making tiny replicas of food and shit, who were sweet and never raised their voices.

The opposite of me, basically. Not that I would ever be an option. I didn't date, and I didn't do boyfriends. Especially ones related to Claire. Her older brother, Evan, was super-hot in that rugged farm-hand way, but he was married with kids, and the twins lived in Cleveland. So, they were completely out of the question.

And no matter how well I thought Aiden did that move of licking his bottom lip while half-smiling, I was his tutor, firmly goal-oriented to get him out of his friend-zone. I would simply have to find someone else to enjoy a good bottom lip lick with.

Maybe the hipster.

I sat up straight, extending my neck to search for him, but I couldn't find him.

Of course. Should've struck while the iron was hot.

Most of the time, that was the problem. Timing. When a person wanted something, they had to go for it. Don't think about it. Do it.

That was my entire philosophy in life. Want something? Go after it.

That's why I was about to enter a PhD program. Yes, it would be tough to complete while also still working full-time in as a speech therapist in an elementary school, but I wanted that degree. Not only because it would further my education and career, but because it'd finally prove to everyone—see: my family—that I'm not a dumb blonde.

Claire, Jimmy, and I shot the shit for a while before Aiden made his way back over to us, grinning like an absolute love-sick fool.

"It went well?" Claire guessed.

"Of course it went well. Look at him," I said, laughing, and his cheeks pinked adorably.

"Nice." Jimmy raised his fist for a pound from him, which Aiden returned awkwardly.

He peeked over his shoulder, waving to her, as she and her friends gathered up their belongings to leave. The girl grinned and waved back at him, mouthing what looked like "text me."

Wow. Love at first sight for these two.

"So, tell me about her," I directed, as I pat the spot next to me for him to sit down.

He inhaled deeply and shook his hands out. "She's perfect."

Jimmy clapped his hands twice as he laughed. "Man, I love that I was here to witness the meeting. Can I be the best man at your wedding?"

Aiden chuckled, and I elbowed his side impatiently. "So… What's she like?"

"Her name's Celeste, and she graduated from Ohio State last year in graphic design." He leaned in close to the table. "She does graphics for video games."

"Oh, no shit?" I jerked my head back while Jimmy hooted.

Claire smiled. "She really is perfect for you."

"Yeah." He nodded, doing the lip licking half-smile thing, and I was interested to know where and when he picked that up. I'd have to try it.

"Can't friend-zone this one," Jimmy said, and I agreed with a slap of my palm to the table.

"Won't happen. Don't worry, I got you."

Aiden tapped the edge of his glasses as he asked me, "What's next, teach?"

"Unit two." I deliberately dragged my gaze over him from top to bottom. "Fashion."

He frowned. "What's wrong what my fashion?"

"You have none," I said, making Claire and Jimmy break up in a fit of laughter. "You want to be her friend? Because that's what you look like now. But if you want to look like her hot boyfriend, who knows how to fuck, we need to go shopping."

He picked up his beer, mumbling something into it that sounded like, "I know how to fuck," but I merely patted his thigh.

"Clear your schedule this weekend. You're all mine, Aiden Hart."