Wild Chance (Wild Irish Universe)(25)

As she sat there in his arms, Mona realized just how much truth was in his words. At that point in time, he was even more handsome than she originally thought. Aedan had showed her that he wasn’t only good to look at, great in bed, and hard under her body, but that he had a brain inside his head. She kissed him, pressing her paint covered palms to his back to get him even closer.

That was a beautiful moment to spend with him. Right then, he wasn’t an amputee and life hadn’t been a total shit-storm for both. They were in a better place. Together, Mona knew the two of them could do so many amazing things. With Aedan, ideas for new art filled her mind, propelling her to that happy place. That wonderful warmth of the first time her dad placed a brush in her hand. His voice had been soft and filled with love—paint what’s in your heart.

She moved through her day, texting Aedan back and forth. Eventually, she had to tell him she needed to spend some quality time with Esme. Her friend was beginning to feel a little abandoned and Mona couldn’t blame her. Aedan sent her kisses through text and she giggled and turned off her cell as she pulled into the parking lot for Esme’s place. Finding a spot in the guest lot, she hurried over to the gatehouse to check her car in. Once she’d placed the authorization on the dash board, so she wouldn’t get ticketed and or towed, she made her way into the luxury condo building.

Esme admitted her immediately and Mona waited patiently for the elevator to reach the penthouse. She was welcomed into Esme’s unit with Lisa Stansfield playing loud enough to wake the dead and a tight hug from her best friend.

“Omigawd!” Mona cried. “You’re gonna go deaf!”

“Don’t you like this song?” Esme screamed.

“Of course, I do. But does it have to be this loud? I swear the place is shaking right now.”

Thankfully, Esme turned it down to a regular person’s hearing and after Mona carried her bag into the bedroom. Her and Esme then delved into cooking.

“So? How are things with your vet?” Esme asked.

“Come on, Es. I know we haven’t been spending time together. Do you really wanna talk about Aedan right now?”

“Of course!” Esme said. “This, sexy-as-sin man, adores you! I want to know everything. And, before you say anything. Know that you can’t say no. You’re my BFF. You signed up for this.”

Mona laughed. As they continued cooking, she regaled her friend with stories of Aedan. They chatted like school girls, excitedly, words punctuated with giggles and gasps with a mixture of good food, wine and cheesecake.

Though they’d turned on a movie but neither really watched any of it. They were busy talking about everything under the sun. By the time morning came, neither had gotten much sleep but neither seemed to care. Mona was excited to be with her best friend again—a sister she’d always wanted. She snuck out of bed to make them breakfast—scrambled eggs, fruit smoothies and toast with kiwi slices. They ate with their fingers, sitting on the living room floor.

“Are we still on for our trip this year?” Esme asked. “You have a man now. You can’t just take off on a whim anymore.”

“He doesn’t own me, Es. I’ll tell him I’m going away with you.”

“What if he wants to come?”

“Jack wasn’t allowed to come when you were dating him. This is the same thing. Girl’s only. If he wants to go away with us, it will have to be later on.”

Esme giggled. “So, where do you wanna go this year?”

“I don’t know—Barcelona was nice last year. Maybe somewhere French or Italian?”

“I was hoping you would say that.” Esme leaned over to pull something off her coffee table. “I hear Provence is nice at this time of year.”




The last day of school came faster than she thought it would. Even with looking forward to helping Aedan hunt for a job and going away with Esme, the time hadn’t dragged on.

After her last class of the day, she hurried into the lunchroom to hug Esme then jetted across town to Pat’s. She found Aedan sitting in Sunday’s, the diner beside Pat’s, eating from a bowl of French fries with a man sitting across from him. This one wasn’t Killian, but he resembled Killian.

“Hi,” Mona said.

Aedan looked up and a smile flashed across his face. “Mona!” He pushed up and reached in for a hug but didn’t pull back until he’d kissed her cheek. Once he’d done that, he hopped out of the way, so she could get into the booth before he fell into the seat.

“You’re not wearing your…”

“No. I wanted to give it a little bit of a break today,” Aedan said.

The other man cleared his throat and Mona and Aedan glanced toward him.

“Sorry,” Aedan said. “Mona Lisa Frye, this is Tristan Collins. Tristan—my girl, Mona Lisa.”

She tried hiding the proud smile that swam to her face at hearing him call her that. Somehow, she managed to extend a hand to Tristan who smiled warmly at her.

“Ah yes.” Tristan said. “You’re the woman who has Aedan so spun around. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Her cheeks warmed. “Nice to meet you too—how many more of you are there?”

Aedan laughed. “There are seven of them.”

“Wow—your parents were busy.” Mona giggled.