Chapter 201: Too Nice For Your Own Good

The rehearsal was painless enough. The end was awkward though—holding onto Aaron's arm like she had so many times as his wife was near torture for Keeley. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

historical

She did notice something while holding onto him though. He was shaking. That wasn't normal at all.

"Aaron? You okay?"

"I kind of feel like I'm going to pass out, actually," he admitted faintly.

She ran around him like a chicken with its head cut off. "Sit down, you idiot! Is it because of your eye? Does anything else hurt? I'll go get you ice right now! STAY THERE."

She scampered into the kitchen area of the venue and asked for an ice pack. They didn't have one but they did have a partially used bag of frozen peas they offered her. Well, it couldn't be that much different.

Wrapping it in a towel, she thanked the kitchen staff and dashed back out to where Aaron was lying across a row of pushed-together chairs. It didn't look comfortable at all.

"I have a makeshift ice pack for you."

He glanced up. "Peas?"

"It was the best they had."

He accepted it without further complaint and sighed in relief as the coolness hit his swollen eye. He seemed absolutely miserable but what else could she do? She already brought him ice.

There wasn't much that could be done about black eyes. They pretty much had to be waited out.

Keeley hovered over him like a worried gnat. "Is it helping? Do you feel any better?"

"A little. But now I understand why you told me to stop being nice to you."

Huh? What did he—oh. She told him to stop being nice to her because it made her feel worse. Which meant she was doing the same thing to him.

She tried to keep things light despite how heavy that statement weighed on her. "I'm sorry. I can be mean if you like."

"I think I've had enough of that from you."

Wow. He wasn't pulling his punches today. Someone was bitter. She couldn't blame him though; her emotions had been all over the place and he was the one who had to deal with the whiplash.

All they ever did was hurt each other. Moving away really was the best option at this point.

"What are you doing over here?" Valentina asked curiously.

"My partner here injured himself yesterday and it's still bothering him," Keeley explained.

"You're Cameron's best friend, yeah?"

"Not for much longer," Aaron said flatly. "He's the one who shot me in the eye."

She tried and failed to muffle her laughter. "Sorry, that's pretty funny."

He exhaled heavily and closed his good eye. "I know. At least Keeley didn't laugh at me; I thought she would."

Keeley didn't appreciate being talked about like she wasn't there. "I still can if you try me."

"Please don't. I've already lost all semblance of dignity."

He had a point. He looked ridiculous lying across a bunch of chairs with his feet dangling off into space while a bag of peas was on his face. For someone who cared so much about appearances, this whole ordeal must be a deathblow to his ego.

Feeling unusually sympathetic, she patted his hand holding up the makeshift ice pack. There, there.

"You're funny," Valentina noted with a giggle. "What's your name again?"

"Aaron."

She grew excited. "Oh! Like Keeley's—"

Keeley slapped a hand over her mouth to prevent her from finishing that sentence. Aaron could never know about that telenovela. He was the only other person on earth who would realize it was based on her life. It would be a nightmare if he found out.

"Like Keeley's what?"

"Nothing!" she said unconvincingly once she freed her mouth, catching onto her friend's desperation. "Nothing at all. Please excuse me. We're about to go to the rehearsal luncheon though. Are you guys coming?"

"Did you drive here?" Keeley asked the inert man behind her.

"Yes."

"I'll drive him over once he's done icing his eye," she told her friend. "Go on without us but if you dare eat all the appetizers without me I'll stand over you in your sleep like that ghost from that movie you hate."

Valentina rolled her eyes in response. "I'll remember that."

"..that's a rather interesting threat," Aaron said with a hint of amusement in his tone.

She flushed. It just slipped out; she sort of forgot he was listening. They had watched this really scary ghost movie one Halloween during college and Valentina had nightmares for weeks. She still used the ghost as a threat now and then to keep things interesting.

"Well, it worked, that's what matters. I'm starving."

"You know, you really don't have to stay with me. Why are you?"

He seemed confused and it made her feel even worse. He really did think she hated him.

"You take care of me. Why can't I take care of you too?"

No one had ever taken care of Aaron other than her that she knew of. His own parents never had. He was always alone.

She tried to show him as much love as possible when they were together but that stopped when he began ignoring her because she was hurt. After a while she ignored him right back. He probably hadn't experienced any affection from anyone since.

The thought made her heart clench. He deserved better than that. Everyone deserved to have someone take care of them when they needed it.

"That's different," he said dismissively.

"How so?"

"I take care of you because I love you. You obviously don't love me anymore."

Keeley's jaw dropped. All three times he had said this were completely random and in the last few months when they were nothing to each other, as opposed to during all of their years as a couple.

He couldn't actually mean it. If he did, he would have said it even once when they were actually together. How had she ever believed he loved her back then when he never even said the words? Now that she knew he was a habitual liar they didn't hold much weight.

She ignored the first part of what he said and addressed the second.

"True but everyone needs to be taken care of sometimes. Even someone as unflappable as you. No one else is going to do it so it may as well be me. You're in no condition to drive."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're too nice for your own good?" Aaron mumbled.

"Yep."

He had, actually. Many years ago.

She helped him to his feet and let him lean on her in case he was still dizzy. "Come on; let's get you to the car. I think you've iced it long enough."