Until May (Until Her/Him #11)(5)

“Come on.” I turn my head when an arm is draped around my shoulders that smells like soap and cedar, and bite my lip when I find Aiden or whoever he is at my side, his eyes on the cop and firemen. “If you guys’ve got this covered, I’m going to take her to her place so she can change. She’s the one who jumped in to save the kid.”

“I’m fine,” I lie, because the truth is, I’m so cold I feel as though I might shatter like glass, but more than anything, I want to make sure the kid is going to be okay.

He dips his chin to look at me. “You’ll be better when you’re not soaking wet and standing outside in thirty-degree weather.”

“He’s right. You should go get changed. We’ll be here for a while longer,” one of the firemen says, then adds, “There is an ambulance a ways out right now, and when you get back, it might be good to check you over.”

I nod, giving in, then turn on my heels, dislodging the arm still around my shoulders, and head down the snow-covered sidewalk toward my house, hearing boots crunch in the snow behind me. When I reach my yard, I grab the mug I tossed and then head up the steps to the front door. I step inside and pick up Cooper before he can get out, then turn to the man still following me, feeling awkward as heck. He looks just like the man I spent weeks talking to every single day, but I know it’s not him, and I’m not even sure he’s Aiden, the man Mike was pretending to be.

Clearing my throat, I hold the door open and do the polite thing. “Do you want to wait in here?”

At my question, he steps inside with his eyes locked on mine and I take a step back. He’s tall, really tall, and instantly makes my home feel like a dollhouse. “I’ll wait for you to change, then walk you back down there.”

“Sure, make yourself comfortable. I shouldn’t be long.” Carrying Cooper, I lead the man down the short hall, past my office, and to the kitchen and living room area. “There’s coffee on, and mugs are in the cupboard next to the stove,” I tell him over my shoulder as I head for the hallway that leads to my bedroom.

He doesn’t say a word, and I don’t turn to check if he heard me. Instead, I rush to my room and head right for the closet, where I strip out of my wet clothes. My skin burns as I put on a pair of sweats, a T-shirt, a hoodie, and a thick pair of socks, and then I dig out my UGG boots from the back of my closet. Once I’m dressed, I put my wet clothes in the bathtub so I can deal with them later, then tie my hair up and leave my room. As soon as I clear the hallway, a pair of eyes meets mine, then proceed to scan over me from head to toe, making me shift on the balls of my feet.

“You have a beautiful house.”

“Thanks.” I stop at the coat closet to grab my jacket and watch him angle off the barstool he was sitting on, then bend down to rub the top of Cooper’s head.

“I’m Aiden, by the way.” He stands and walks toward me, and I swear the room spins. I mean, yes, he looks exactly like that soccer player guy April found, but I didn’t really think it was him, because what are the chances he’d ever be here? And if he’s here, was it him using the name Mike, and had I been talking to him all along? “You okay? You look a little pale.”

“I’m okay, just still trying to warm up.” I put on my jacket. “I’m May.”

“May?” he repeats, and Lord my name sounds really good when he says it in his deep, rumbly voice. “What you did for that kid was really brave. I pulled up just as you were dragging him out of the water. I thought both of you were going to go under.”

“Anyone who saw what was happening would have done the same.”

“Maybe.” He lifts his shoulders ever so slightly. “But it wasn’t anyone else who did it. It was you.”

“I’m just glad he’s going to be okay.” I shut the closet door and walk with him down the hall. When we step outside, I look down the block, and my stomach plummets when I see what looks like the entire neighborhood gathered around his truck and the ambulance that is now parked on the street with the back doors open.

“Umm…” I bite my lip, and Aiden turns to face me. “I think I’m just going to stay. It looks like they have it covered.” I take a step back toward my door. Really, the idea of being around so many people is too much for me, especially if they hear I’m the one who helped the kid. I don’t want or need that much attention. “Will you let the officer know where I live if he needs any information?”

Aiden’s gaze pings between me and the group of people down the block a couple of times before he focuses fully on me. “I’ll stick by your side if you’re worried about the attention.”

“No,” I blurt, feeling panicked, because that will for sure not help. I mean, I’m on edge being around him. Add to that the crowd of people, and I might just hyperventilate and pass out. “Sorry, I just mean....” My words taper off when sirens start up, and I look back down the street just in time to catch the ambulance doors closing right after the mom of the little boy gets into the back of it.

When my gaze moves back to Aiden, his expression is soft but filled with concern. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m sure.” I nod, and he lifts his chin ever so slightly.

“All right, then I guess I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah,” I lie, then whisper, “Thank you for helping today.”