- Aidan and Amanda shared a kiss.
- Bentley proposed to Emily.
- Dizzy informed Adrian that Gail had Gestational Diabetes.
- Marina chose Ian over her promotion at work...
[.....]
[.....]
Scene One:
980 Cutler St., Stone Creek. Faustino Cottages #10
Natalie & Amanda’s Home.
“When can I see you next?” Aidan Jurado asked as he pulled his pants over his naked body. He had spent the night at Amanda’s place since it was closer to The Lakeside Inn and he wouldn’t have much time to spend with her if he travelled all the way to his uncles home where he was staying.
She grinned as he buttoned up his jeans. “I honestly don’t know, with my schedule this week I don’t think I’ll even have enough time to shower.”
“You really should.” Aidan replied.
Amanda pulled him by the front of his jeans and he obliged. Kissing her as she handed him his shirt. “Really should, what? Shower?”
He chuckled. “No, I meant see me. I feel like since our first kiss all we’ve been doing was having sex--which I’m not complaining about by the way! I would just like to add some romance into this sometime. Maybe take you to a nice dinner?”
“I’d prefer fast food.” Amanda snipped.
Aidan hissed. “That’s not romantic.”
Pulling her nightgown over her head, Amanda chuckled. “Depends on who you’re asking. Aidan I work two jobs and sometimes I’ll be out of touch for a couple of days because I have photo shoots overseas. I live off fast food, it’s comforting.”
“So romantic dinners at nice restaurants are what?”
She stared at him, thinking. “You’re going to be late for work.”
Looking at his watch, Aidan agreed. “Tonight, I shall see you again. Maybe this time I can pretend to be a naughty police officer who picks you up at the bar after closing time?”
Amanda chuckled, following him out of her room. “I’ll call you on my break.”
He shook his head, narrowly missing a collision course with Natalie Marlowe as she exited the shower. “Nice to meet you!” Aidan called out, rushing out the door and to his car.
Natalie looked back at her giggling roommate. “Who the hell is that?”
The blonde bit her lip and smiled. “Aidan Jurado.”
[.....]
Scene Two:
2634 W. Parker St., Stone Creek. Callahan Condo’s #8
Emily Roscoe’s Home.
Looking at the emerald diamond engagement ring, Emily Roscoe couldn’t find the right emotions. There was so much of the ring that reminded her of the ring her adoptive mother Trudy Roscoe held so close to her as she suffered through the cancer.
There was definitely excitement in her. She had spent so much time alone dealing with the issues of her past that Emily had given up on finding someone to spend the rest of her life with. Then out of nowhere--well, after a car crash or two--there was Bentley Wilkinson. Her own version of a hero.
Emily smiled at the thought.
The ring made her want to tell someone about her recent endeavor. But Emily didn’t really have much friends inside of Stone Creek. Let alone outside of the city.
That was another thing that bothered her. Bentley had a whole family there around him. There were times when Emily felt like she didn’t know how to interact with other people. At work she was direct, formal and precise. She wouldn’t know how to be a part of a big family like his.
But maybe this was the way to find out. She sighed and leaned against the fridge. Before the sun had caught a glimpse of the rock on her hand, she was going to make herself an organic sandwich. A smile formed on her face. Maybe being married to Bentley would teach her a lot about being a part of a family.
Then she would be more confident in raising a family of her own one day. Opening the fridge to feed her starving stomach Emily agreed to marry Bentley and let him be her hero. To be the man that she spent the rest of her life with, it was what she needed.
[.....]
Scene Three:
Stone Creek Memorial Hospital.
Gail Schmidt’s Hospital Room.
“So if this is true, if I do have Gestational Diabetes,” Gail Schmidt trailed off, slipping a hand to her lips to keep them from shaking. “Does this mean that the baby is in danger? Can I miscarry this baby like I did the first one Dizzy? I-I-I don’t think I can handle that again.”
Dr. Dizzy Roberts shook her head. “There is definitely the possibility of a miscarriage.”
Gail began to cry into Adrian’s side. “You saw how I was last time Dizzy, I was destroyed when I miscarried our first baby. If I lost this one.” She looked up at Adrian with apologetic eyes. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what has gotten into me. What I did to this baby!”
“You didn’t do anything.” Adrian pleaded, kissing his girlfriend.
They both looked at Dizzy. “Gail, last time was a terrible accident and nothing could have saved that baby. But this time you have doctors here, myself included, we will monitor you until you’re ready to deliver a healthy child. There are definite dangers of early Gestational Diabetes. But we have detected it now and are doing everything in our power here.”
Gail shook her head. She was defeated. Leaning her tired head against the pillow, she tried to keep herself calm to reduce the stress to her child but the scenario kept smacking her in the face.
“I suggest the two of you put a pause on moving into the new house.” Dizzy informed the two of them, Adrian agreed insisting that they stay at the Loft for a couple more months until they can get someone to move their things into the new home.
“No.” Gail protested. “We need to move into that house before the baby comes. I can’t bring it home to an unfinished bedroom. Adrian we barely even finished the living room. It will take months before we get the other rooms done and with a baby-”
Dizzy cut her friend off. “Gail, I understand but the added stress of moving into a new home can cause you to go into early labor and on top of everything else that is straining your body you don’t need that. For the baby’s safety and yours as well. I’d advise you stay at the loft.”
“Kirsten will love that.” Gail spat.
“This has nothing to do with Kirsten.” Adrian replied. “We need to make sure that our family is safe Gail and if that means we put a hold on moving, then I agree with Dizzy.”
Gail chuckled angrily through tears. “You never agree with Dizzy.”
“Yeah well, this time she’s our doctor.” Adrian responded, he looked at Dizzy and locked eyes with her. “She’s the one who is going to get our child through this because she knows she owes us at least that.”
“I didn’t kill your baby.” Dizzy seethed.
“No, but you led me to believe I never had one.” Adrian spat.
The awkwardness in the room intensified until Dizzy excused herself from the room and found herself trying to keep her body from collapsing from exhaustion. Leaning against a wall, she looked back at her two dearest friends and was angry that they were put in this situation.
---
Our love. Our fights. Our friendships.
On Concrete Shelves.
Forever, they shall be remembered.
---
Scene Four:
HEAT Magazine Headquarters.
Floor 3. Photo Shooting Studio.
“I think you look stunning in that bikini.” Oliver Cuthbert flirted, he then placed his hand on the strap and moved it closer to her shoulder, slipping it off the shoulder entirely. “Now you look even better. How about you meet me later so we can discuss head shots?”
Natalie Marlowe walked in, her heels clanking against the tiled floor in annoyance. “Please, I’m going to barf up my lunch from earlier if you keep that up.” She placed her manicured hands on her hips and looked to the model. “Lizzie, don’t let this sleaze fool you. You know better than that.”
The model nodded her head and scampered off.
“Jealous?” Oliver asked with a devious smile.
She threw him a look of disgust. “I’m just trying to keep you focused on the task at hand. Besides you don’t want to sleep with her. She has a drug habit and unless her supplier has been giving her pity bags she hasn’t had a fix in days. Which for you means she’s completely useless.”
“Or the best type of fuck.”
“You really are a sleaze.” Natalie slithered, she stepped next to Oliver and looked at the set they were working with today. It was supposed to be some kind of sunny day in Miami shoot. But the studio was freezing cold and Natalie couldn’t help but pull her cardigan close to her body.
Oliver turned to face the set. “And you really are jealous.”
“Not.” She spat.
“That’s a shame because I really did enjoy the other day.” Oliver admitted, he smiled. “I’d love another chance to get in between your legs.”
She shot him a look of disgust and then walked away. “I’m going to check on our models.”
[.....]
Scene Five:
2121 Mason St., Stone Creek. Hoffman Village Apartment #34
Ian Kiefer’s Home.
Marina Thurlow slipped her fingers into Ian Kiefer’s hands and noticed how perfectly they fit together. It was such a childish thing to do, but it felt right. A smile erupted on her face, the last couple of days that she had spent with Ryan as friends had been intense. Especially when he touched her hand the other day.
She snuggled into Ian’s chest. “What are we going to do now?”
It was a question that Marina had spent the last couple of hours asking herself and to find it forming with her voice attached to it seemed confusing. Ian looked down at his girlfriend. There was confusion in his eyes as well, so Marina scooted up towards him and leaned against her arm.
“With your father skipping town.” She recalled Jared Marlowe leaving Stone Creek for a business venture. “I don’t understand why that asshole would jet out of town as soon as he found out that you were his child. That conversation I had with him, I didn’t mean-”
Ian shook his head. “Don’t take responsibility for that man.”
“I wrote the article.”
“But you didn’t make him leave town because of it. Jared Marlowe chose to leave Stone Creek with whatever excuse he could think of. Now that I know the real man that my father is, I sort of feel sorry for Natalie and her mother. Sure Kelly was a bitch to me before she found out the news, but think of what him leaving has done to them.”
The brunette snuggled back closer to her boyfriend. She hated that Ian always played Natalie to be some sort of casualty to war. But Marina knew that fighting with Ian about his half-sister wasn't going to do any good. A part of her was glad that he cared that much about another person.
It made Ian less like Jared.
“Why are you smiling?”
She looked back up at him. “How do you know that I’m smiling.”
Ian slid onto his side and looked at Marina. “I could feel you smiling through my chest.”
“You’re nothing like him.”
There was so much goodness in Ian that at times, it was overwhelming for Marina. She could remember the lighthearted man that she was intrigued with at the park. The first day that she had met Ian Kiefer. That man was still there after everything that had happened to him in the last year.
“You need to take the promotion.”
Marina shot Ian a look. “What?”
He sighed, which was something she was used to him doing while he was thinking of something. Then he entwined their fingers once again and Marina couldn’t help but look down and smile once again. “You need to take the promotion that your boss offered you Marina. Things between us had been shaky lately and the only way I know I could trust you again is for you to take that promotion.”
“If I take that promotion Ian, you do know what that means right?” Marina asked, it took her a moment to process what he was telling her. She knew that they still had a lot to think about and that them taking it slow seemed to be working for them. “I won’t accept accomplishment in hurting you the way I did.”
“You’re a good reporter Marina. I cannot deny the talent that you posses and although you did hurt me by writing that article, at the same time you were doing your job.” Ian licked his lips. “I need you to be happy and I know that promotion will make you happy.”
“You make me happy.” She protested.
He smiled. “Although that is true. One day you will look back and regret not taking the promotion and that day you will start to hate me for it. I can’t explain it Marina, but it just fits. I need to trust you again and you need to take this promotion.”
Looking at their hands, Marina felt the weight of her decisions weighing her down.
[.....]
Scene Six:
507 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. “Wilkinson Cottage”
Gideon, Daphne & Penelope’s Home.
“Has she said anything about the call?” Miles Fowler asked as he set the table in the dining room, he scooted closer to Greta who shrugged. “Have you even talked to your grandmother about her tests that she just had?”
“Every time I try to even talk to her about it, she just brushes me off.” Greta admitted, she bite her lip. “I could ask Bentley when he gets here if grandma said anything to him. She has always had a closer relationship with Bentley than she has had with me. I’m too serious for them.”
Miles smirked. “They do seem like they were cut from the same cloth.”
“Bentley has definitely bonded with her on a separate level than I have.” Greta Wilkinson looked at the table she was setting. The family was getting together for two reasons, one because Bentley had called them all together because he had something to tell them and two being Penelope was to be getting her results from her final tests today.
She looked at Miles. “Maybe if I were to just loosen up a little?”
“You are perfect to me.” Miles responded. “But taking a breather every once in awhile isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Besides you are working all the time, how can you be here to check-up on Penelope and keep up with your workload, huh?”
“She shouldn’t.” Penelope snapped, walking into the room. She eye’d the two as they turned to greet her, with a sly grin Penelope walked up to the table. “Go on, keep talking about me.”
“I just want to know that you’re okay.” Greta spoke up.
“I’m walking, aren’t I?” Penelope asked, she took a deep sigh. “I don’t want everyone worrying about me twenty-four seven. Do you know how much stress that puts on me? Having to make sure that nothing is wrong and that my health is at top notch? I’d be better off shitting in a glass house.”
Greta furrowed her brow in confusion. “Well I’m glad that you are alright. I’ll just go and get dinner started.”
After Greta disappeared into the next room, Miles turned to the older woman. “She’s just trying to bond with you Penelope.”
“I respect her for having a mind of her own and not subjecting herself to some crazed party girl lifestyle.” Penelope admitted. “But sometimes I wish that Greta went to Spring Break in Cancun instead of the library, then we’d have something to bond about.”
“Is everybody here?” Bentley called out from the Living Room.
Miles was grateful for his presence, he followed Penelope to where Bentley was. Both finding that Greta had migrated there as well, wiping her hands on her apron and greeting her brother. “I have something to tell the family! But I want everyone to be here.”
“That’s why we are having dinner.” Greta acknowledged. “How about I get everything started and after mom, dad and Emily arrive we can sit down and hav-”
“Or you can just tell us and we can fake surprised faces when you tell everyone else.” Penelope butted in, she looked apologetically at Greta who felt embarrassed by her grandmother interrupting her. “God knows how I hate surprises. Think about how the last one went. ‘Surprise! You have cancer.’ I’d rather just stick with the flat-out truth.”
Bentley shrugged. “Emily said yes!”
“To what?” Miles asked.
Penelope slapped his arm. “They’re tying the knot!”
[.....]
Scene Seven:
Sage Gardens.
Alice’s Haven Cafe.
“That’s fine Adrian, I’m just glad to hear that Gail’s condition is better than before.” Kirsten Sutton spoke into the phone as she moved around the Cafe. Unbeknownst to Kirsten, her mother had entered the Cafe just in time to hear the conversation.
Kirsten smirked. “Don’t worry about the rent, I’d rather you not stress out about something as little as money. Especially since you have to worry about Gail right now. Alright, I’ll let you get back to her and I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up the phone.
“Did that thief decide to tell his wife-”
“Girlfriend.” Kirsten corrected, turning to her mother. “What are you doing here?”
Helen eye’d her daughter carefully and with a sly grin she chuckled. “Girlfriend,” she corrected. “did they finally tell my step-daughter about the diabetes?”
“Why don’t you ask your husband?” Kirsten asked, clutching the phone to her chest. Her eyes glued to her mother’s presence. “From what I heard the two of you have been fighting a lot these days. I asked myself why that was but then I realized I really don’t care.”
Turning away from Helen, Kirsten went behind the counter and placed the phone on it’s charger. This gave Helen enough time to gather her thoughts and lean against the counter, facing Kirsten. “You do know wether Gail is his girlfriend or wife he will never leave her for some fling you had in the past, right?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t get so defensive.” Helen replied. “Adrian Stone is a very handsome man and I could see why you like him. Although the fact that he stole money from David still doesn’t sit right with me. I wouldn’t judge you for still having feelings for him.”
Kirsten gulped. “Adrian and Gail already apologized for that. Besides I don’t know where you get off trying to warn me about flirting with Adrian. You don’t have a clean track record yourself. Jumping into David’s bed before the ink on your divorce papers had time to dry. You really should stay out of my business Helen.”
“I try to reach out to you and this is what I get?”
“You took my daughter to a business meeting while you were supposed to be babysitting her!” Kirsten scoffed, she looked around the Cafe to make sure she wasn’t making a scene and then turned back to Helen. “Do you not understand the gravity of that choice?”
Helen sat down at the counter. “I have no idea how that is worse than what Caitlyn did. I mean, she is the woman who lost your daughter at the park! I kept track of Megan throughout the whole meeting! If anything I did you a favor by not letting Caitlyn’s grimy claws lose her a second time.”
“Stop trying to make Caitlyn look like the bad person here. I don’t need you meddling in my personal business and I don’t need you bad mouthing Caitlyn, especially around Megan. My daughter idolizes that woman and quite frankly, I can see exactly why; she’s nothing like you!” Kirsten shook her head and walked away from the conversation.
[.....]
Scene Eight:
Stone Creek Memorial Hospital.
Outside Gail Schmidt’s Hospital Room.
Walking back to Gail’s hospital room, Adrian Stone paused as he found David standing outside.
“When she was a little girl I brought her here to the hospital because her mother couldn’t be alone with her. Monica was a beautiful woman and at times she was the most caring mother in the world.” David said, it was a conversation that Adrian knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid so he listened.
“But when Monica would get sick she was a different person.” David told him. “My wife suffered from schizophrenia. When we first started dating her condition wasn’t as severe as it was after she gave birth to Gail. On this specific day I let Gail tag-a-long with me here.”
Adrian looked into the hospital room, Gail was sound a sleep. He then turned to David and began to take the information into consideration.
“Gail asked me if Monica was ever going to get any better and I lied to her and told her that her mother would be better in the morning.” David took a deep breath as he relied the information onto the father of his future grandchild. It was never a situation that David wanted to find himself in, but he found it necessary to explain their past to him.
David looked up at Adrian. “I can’t believe that I forgot how disappointed Gail looked when she realized that Monica never would get better. How I thought that we could lie to Gail about her diabetes until she was better.”
“She is going to get better.” Adrian assured him.
“You need to take care of my daughter after she has this child.” David told Adrian, he shook his head in anger. “I tried my hardest to take care of Gail her whole life and when you two ran away it sent me into panic. I can’t lose her and I’ve realized that it means you have to be apart of her life.”
He thought back to when they took Monica away to the hospital after her first suicide attempt. Closing his eyes David tried to keep his tears in. It was a moment that he had always repressed because he felt it made him weak as a human being.
David felt like he had failed her.
“I’m going to take care of Gail Mr. Schmidt, no matter what happens.” Adrian told him, he leaned against the wall alongside the older man. “I was thinking, maybe if you would allow her to. I was thinking that maybe Gail could stay at your place until I get the house ready for her.”
“I’d like that.”
Adrian smiled. “I’m really sorry that we left town with all that money.”
David sighed. “Money was never the issue.”
[.....]
Scene Nine:
Stone Creek Police Station.
Gideon Wilkinson’s Office.
Although it was nice to see his old friend, Gideon Wilkinson was on his way out. “I didn’t think I’d see you here James, what could I do for you?”
“Are you on your way out?” James asked, noticing his friend on the verge of bolting from his seat.
Gideon chuckled, placing his things on the desk and offering James a seat at his desk. “Well truth be told I was on my way out. It seems that Bentley has something to tell the family tonight over dinner. But I can spare a few minutes for you James if it is urgent.”
“I don’t want to keep you.” James admitted. “But I really want to ask you something.”
“What is it?” Gideon asked, intrigued.
“Is there anyway that you can file a restraining order against Damien Crenshaw without Caitlyn knowing? I know! I know that it’s probably a bad idea to even think about it but I don’t think that Caitlyn will ever file one against him and I just want to protect her.”
Gideon looked at his friend. He had always been there for him through everything and there was nothing that Gideon wanted more than to help James out but he knew there wasn’t a way around it. “I can’t do it.”
“I just can’t watch her fall apart like this Gideon.”
“Caitlyn is a very strong woman, after everything that she has been through in the last year and a half with Damien? James normal person would start to fall apart, I understand that. But unless Caitlyn comes forward we can’t do anything about it.”
James smirked.
“No.” Gideon spoke up. “I’m not letting you put a restraining order on yourself. That’s just silly James! Going through all that trouble just to protect Caitlyn is noble of you, but you have to understand that Damien will get to Caitlyn if he truly wants to.”
“I know that.” James grumbled. “How do I protect Caitlyn?”
Gideon knew that James wanted only the best for his wife, he remembered a time in their past when the duo had tried to protect Shannon from Patrick. He sighed. “How about you just worry about that company of yours and I will see what I can do about getting a unit to tag Damien?”
“Wouldn’t that be costly?” James asked.
“Well, he is in the running to be our future Mayor. Wouldn’t we want to make sure that he is safe at all times? I can have a couple of my guys tag him during the day just to make sure that he isn’t getting into too much trouble and you can sleep better at night.”
“Thank you.”
Gideon nodded, getting up. “You’re my best friend. Now I have to get over to the house and see what my crazy son has to tell us tonight! I’m actually glad that he is dating your secretary, Emily. She’s been a good influence on him with work and everything.”
“I’m glad.” James responded, following Gideon out of the office.
[.....]
Scene Ten:
Stone Creek Ledger.
Seth Keeler’s Office.
“Wait.” Marina back-tracked, she placed a hand to her forehead as she tried to calm herself down. Had she just heard her boss correctly? “What do you mean that it is already too late? Seth you told me that I could take my time to figure it out. I thought I still had time.”
He looked at her, placing a couple files away. “You did have time Marina, I was willing to work with you especially since you were very close to the fallout from the article. I’m still deeply sorry about it and what happened but you must understand that things move quickly and ideas come up.”
She placed a hand on her hip. “Who did you give the promotion to?”
“I can’t tell you that.” Seth admitted.
“You don’t get to do that to me!” She whined, stomping her feet. Marina looked around the office, taking a moment to bite her lip and keep herself from crying. “I just really wanted this and when Ian told me that I should go for it I couldn’t believe he would let me.”
“Let you?” Seth asked, he chuckled. “Didn’t think you were the type to do as people told you, Thurlow. You writing that article about Jared Marlowe was one of your greatest accomplishments and you hid behind a rock because it affected your boyfriend. That’s not the type of personality I want in control of members of my staff.”
Marina turned to Seth.
She didn’t think he was right. There was never a time in Marina’s life when someone told her what to do and she listened. Frowning, Marina looked at Seth. “What can I do?”
“Now you want to listen to me?” Seth asked. “Listen Marina, there’s nothing you can do. All I can say is wait for another opportunity to come up and maybe next time don’t pass on it because it’s going to hurt your boyfriend’s feelings.”
“Who is it?” She begged.
Seth eye’d her for a moment. “I can’t tell you who it is, but I’ll let you in on a secret. It’s a blast from your past. Someone that is actually from Stone Creek and has recently returned to town. Don’t get yourself down over this, you’ll get your chance to shine Marina.”
“Right.” She grumbled.
[.....]
Scene Eleven:
507 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. “Wilkinson Cottage”
Gideon, Daphne & Penelope’s Home.
“I was just telling James how happy I am that Emily Roscoe has put your life on track!” Gideon chuckled, although he was completely unaware how much the comment annoyed his son. “I cannot believe that the two of you are getting married! It’s amazing news.”
Greta kissed her brothers cheek as she went around the table collecting the empty dishes. They had spent the last forty minutes eating as a family and celebrating the future marriage of Bentley and Emily. “Who would have thought that my little brother would be settling down.”
Miles jumped up from his seat. “Let me help you with those dishes.”
“I’m not that bad!” Bentley interjected.
“Of course you’re not.” Daphne chimed in.
“I think it is a blessing to have Emily in this family.” Penelope spoke up, she turned to her grandson. “Having Emily as your wife will not only make you a better person but it will make her a better person as well. I’ve never met anyone who could keep up with you.”
“If only she would keep up with dinner plans.” Daphne snipped, she sighed. “Did Emily say when she would arrive?”
Bentley shook his head. “She was running late, I think she might have had a couple of things to do at the office today and they must have ran long.”
“James wasn’t at the office.”
“It doesn't mean Emily automatically can leave whenever she wants!” The doorbell rang before Bentley could go any further. “That’s probably her right now. I’ll go get it.”
“Maybe you guys should take it easy on Bentley?” Miles asked as he went to Greta’s side. “We can fetch Emily a plate so that she can at least eat something? Do you care to join me in the kitchen?”
“Alright.” Greta replied, leaving the dining room.
Penelope turned towards Gideon and Daphne. “The boy is right, give Bentley a break. Emily is as lucky to have your son in her life as he is her. Maybe the two of you should start acting that way?”
“I’m so sorry that I’m late!” Emily apologized.
“Nonsense!” Penelope snipped, she walked over to Emily’s side. “We were just in the middle of celebrating your engagement to my wonderful grandson my dear!”
Emily’s mouth dropped. In that moment she realized that being a part of the Wilkinson family was a bigger deal than she thought.
[.....]
Scene Twelve:
Cuttlebone Lake.
Lakeside Inn; Lobby.
“Excuse me!” Taylor called out as he saw Aidan Jurado rush through the Lobby. It was the first person he had seen that seemed to know where he was going for awhile so he needed to flag him down. “Excuse me can I please talk to you for a second?”
Aidan turned to him, stopping in his tracks. “What is it? I actually have to go somewhere right now.”
“I won’t take too much of your time.” Taylor admitted, although he couldn’t help but gawk at how stunning Aidan was, trying to keep it under wraps he went on. “I know you from somewhere? You’re the one who put together that Fundraiser the other day right?”
“Yes. My name is Aidan Jurado.”
Taylor smirked. “It’s really nice to meet you, I’m Taylor and I was wondering if I could have a couple more minutes to talk to you. I have been looking for a place to hold a book signing and after hearing about how great your work is I think I’d like to have it here in the Hall.”
“You should talk to Charlie Sutton about that.”
“But I want to talk to you.” Taylor spoke.
Aidan felt an awkwardness in the man’s presence and stepped back. “Look, I don’t mean any disrespect to you but I really do have somewhere to go and I can’t waste my time on your request. You can come back tomorrow morning and talk to Charlie and get everything sorted out.”
“I could but then I wouldn’t really be talking to the person that I wanted to.” Taylor replied, he locked eyes with Aidan and found his face turning red. “I really respect the way you’ve helped turn this place around and since I’m new to town I feel like we have something in common.”
“I don’t know what you are asking.” Aidan admitted, he gulped when he felt a tinge of flirtation in Taylor’s tone.
Taylor looked away. “Just asking if you would consider helping me with my book signing?”
Aidan sighed. “Sure. But not right now.”
“I know.” Taylor smirked. “You have some place to be. I’m terribly sorry for keeping you I should have at least called or something. If only I knew what I really wanted. I’ll let you go and I’ll come back tomorrow to talk to Charlie, if you’re available tomorrow maybe we can go over ideas?”
“Sure.” Aidan eye’d him. “But a book signing is pretty basic.”
Feeling as though he had just been punched in his stomach, Taylor shrugged. “I suppose so.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything.” Looking at Taylor’s hands he didn’t know why he hadn’t realized it before. “Is that the book you wrote?”
“Yeah.” Taylor replied, holding it up. “You can actually keep it if you’d like. I have other copies. I mean, of course I have other copies I wrote it!” He chuckled nervously. “You can have this copy. I wont waste anymore of your time, I should go!”
Taking the book, Aidan looked at the man before him. “Thank you.”
Aidan couldn’t help but feel that he had more in common with Taylor than either was willing to admit. Looking down at the book he had to admit that he was a good-looking guy. He then tucked it under his shoulder and proceeded to pick Amanda up at Shenanigan’s Nightclub.
[.....]
Next Time, On Concrete Shelves
- Emily gets some advice from an old friend.
- Charlene struggles with not being around her children.
- Greta decides to make a choice about Miles.
- Stone Creek celebrates Thanksgiving...
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