What The Heart Needs - The Heart #3 (Sample)

Chapter 5 - Part 1

The entire car drive to my house was in a heavy silence.

It was only when we arrived outside my house and Aiden turned his car off did he turn to me.

"Home safe and sound," he murmured.

I reached for the door and unexpectedly he got out. I gave him a puzzled look when I slid out the car and closed the door.

"Walking you to the door," he mumbled, like it was the most obvious explanation for his action. "You know that chivalrous trait gentlemen have." It was dark but he could have just watched me from his car while I walked the short distance to my front door.

Feeling a little out of sorts I mumbled a thank you before searching my bag for my house keys.

Just thinking about what happened at the party with Lacey and Adonis agitated my already volatile anger.

Quietly Aidan walked in step beside me to the door.

I was still searching my bag for my keys. Where the hell were they? I muttered something eligible as frustration set it. With everything going on with Lacey and her tumor I hadn't been sleeping well. And now I couldn't even complete simple task of locating my keys in my bag.

I swore under my breath. My actions more hurried as I continued to look inside the inner pockets.

Then my throat burned. No. Now wasn't the time for that. I just needed a few more minutes to get inside my house and then I could give into the emotions I'd been trying to suppress since I'd discovered the seriousness of Lacey's situation.

But no amount of control I exerted stopped the tears from silently running down my face. My eyes blurred.

Aiden's hand touched my arm.

"I can't find my keys," I whispered afraid the dam of turmoil was going to break so I refused to look at him. My hands stopped.

"It's okay." The calmness in his voice blanketed me.

I swallowed before I looked up to him. The light on the porch sparkles in the reflection in his eyes as he gazed down at me.

"I can't find my keys," I repeated. Another tear escaped. It was inconsequential compared to my best friend having a tumour and only a thirty percent chance of survival.

A stranger would have thought I was drunk or crazy. But Aiden reached for my bag. "May I?

I nodded as I handed it over to him. He looked inside and within a few moments he gave me my keys. "See they're here."

I stared at them feeling dumbfounded. He gave me back my bag.

The way in which he handled me broke through my inner wall and the brave exterior I had been wearing crumbled. Pretending I was strong when I wasn't.

"I'm scared," I whispered out loud, giving a voice to the fear that had been eating away at me. My throat tightened and I swallowed. My keys still held tight in my right hand and my bag in my left hand.

"We all are." This time he spoke. He didn't sound so altogether and for the first time I didn't feel so alone. Trying to be supportive for my best friend while facing the frightening odds she'd been given for survival.

Under the dimly lit porch light we stared at each other. Aiden lifted his hand and brush the wet tears from my face.

His touch was soft and light. I swallowed. His eyes continued to hold my lost stare as his hand dropped to his side.

"We have to believe she'll be okay." He tried to explain. "We have to be strong for her."

My hands gripped my bag and keys tighter while I nodded trying to gain my composure.