ODDS OF LOVE - SEASON 14

Episode 82

" Hey , Dead Boy ," Scott said with a knowing smirk from his own desk as he was finishing up an article on a recent string of bank robberies. " You got a delivery. It's on your desk. I think you have a secret admirer. " He laughed. "They must be desperate. "

Aiden ignored the crime beat reporter as well as the editor's office where his ex husband sat doing whatever editors did on the daily. He collapsed his tall lean body into his chair behind his slightly cluttered and messy desk to look with confusion at the large bouquet of roses on his desk. Nobody had ever gotten him flowers before. Not that he had dated that many men before Gary but his boyfriends generally weren't that romantic. And , yes , even before he opened the card in the attached little white envelope he knew who the flowers were from. He flushed slightly in the face. It was from Paul.

The card read ," Just thinking about you. Hope you're well , Sunshine. Paul".

His lips lifted in a pleased smile. Since meeting Paul his spirits had definitely gone up. He wasn't thinking as much about Spencer and could just consider him to be a new friend. He also wasn't mooning about Gary anymore. How could he when his dreams were filled with the handsome, smart and sexy - sensitive prosecutor who occupied a good deal of his physical time as well ? Of course even Paul Paterson could not distract him from the thought of Maeve Glover..... his mother..... his supposedly dead mother ? He had hit a dead end with Matilda Swan and Nigel knew nothing about his aunt. He had even done a Google search on the woman but it hadn't picked up much which he guessed was reasonable considering that she had apparently died at seventeen. Of course he also couldn't find a death certificate in Ireland or the UK in general...... He actually considered asking his father about the young woman, his mother , but quickly disregarded it. The less contact he had with Daniel Norris the better. It was bad enough he had to deal with his ex who most likely would not approve of his using newspaper resources to do a search on information about his mother. He had found a listing of the woman's siblings. There was one more in Maryland. Margaret Glover Reilly who worked as co editor at that new agey magazine The Aura. He didn't like the thought of invading her privacy but he had printed out the contact information he found for her online. Maybe if he gave her a call it would go better than with her sister? Then again maybe not , he mused as his cell phone rang to disturb his thoughts and his typing up on his laptop the death notice for a ninety nine year old librarian with many books , cats and great grand children. Aiden thought that the old lady had lived a good life. He hoped he would be as lucky.

" Hello," he said as he answered the phone. Then he smiled widely as he heard that deep melodic voice on the other end of the line. Paul.

Paul said," Did you get the flowers? "

" I did. Thank you so much. I do like flowers. " It was one thing he had in common with Spencer. Their love of flowers. Especially roses. Spencer was going to let him transplant some of his prize winning roses to his own front yard. " I hope you didn't spend too much money. Roses are expensive. "

Paul laughed. " Nonsense. I'm not rich but I'm not poverty stricken either. Besides you are worth it. I wanted to also ask you a question. Would you and your son like to come over tomorrow night for dinner at my house? "

Aidan hesitated slightly. He would love to say yes from the get go but A.J. was in some type of foul mood lately in the aftermath of Alice Rose marrying Bernard to the point they  were stomping around the house giving him the silent treatment because he hadn't stopped the old couple from getting married so quickly. Like he could really. His grandmother was a grown woman who still knew her mind very well. And , who was Aiden to stand between their golden years happiness? A.J. was too young to understand such things. And, then there was the boy's lackluster reaction to Aiden dating again. Aiden sensed that his son was worried he would get hurt again. " Are you sure ? A.J. can be a picky eater. He's on a vegetarian kick now which makes meal prepping time difficult. "

Paul replied," Why not? I want to see you again. And I want to get to know your son better. He seems.... interesting. I don't know much about kids though. " He paused briefly. "I was also planning on inviting someone else tomorrow......"

Aiden's natural curiosity was activated. " Really? ," he asked as Scott turned his head slightly to look at him. " Who ? Friends from the courthouse? " He was slightly worried about meeting the man's friends. What if they didn't like him? Gary's friends had been very macho man in their personalities and tended to patronize him and made fun of his more studious nerdy interests.

Paul coughed in embarrassment. " I know it's soon but.... I ..... I invited my parents. I was hoping you would meet them. Will you come? "

Aiden was dumbfounded and even more nervous now. His own father acted like he hated him. What would Paul's parents think of him ? " Ummm , well , yes. We'll come tomorrow. To meet your parents. "