An age gap love story.
A brokenhearted billionaire.
A college girl.
*****
"Nevaeh," Aiden whispers, "can I rest my head on your shoulder?"
I nod, letting him rest his head on my shoulder. He closes his eyes.
"Thank you." He sighs in contentment. "...
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I tell Luna how it happened. I tell her about the incident with security downstairs, about helping Nevaeh out so that she could still stay in Seattle. I tell Luna my intention to protect Nevaeh and how we ended up living together while keeping this secret from her family.
"Is that all?" Luna asks at the end of my story. "Are you sure that there's nothing else you keep away from me?"
I nod, but judging from her expression, my explanation doesn't sound convincing enough.
"Then what about the painting?" Luna looks like she's about to cry. Her question makes me taken aback. "What about it? I saw your painting of her. It was hidden with a cloak, but I found it. You painted her nude. Nude, Aiden. What's that supposed to mean? How could you do that to her?"
Anger, disbelief, and hurt are all mixed in her expression. She stands up from the couch. Her chest heaves up and down as she clenches her fists on her sides.
"You saw that?" My voice comes out like a weak whisper. I'm doomed.
"Just answer me," Luna hisses.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the rare cases where Luna Klein is no doubt furious.
I open my mouth, "Nevaeh and I..."
Luna glares at me, but I'm not losing hope. I know that she'll trust me.
"We are..." the words stick in my throat, and I curse in my heart.
Luna frowns.
"We're more than..." I falter, bracing myself. "We're together," I finally say.
Luna stares at me in shock. "Together?" she echoes. "Like... together?"
The idea of Nevaeh and I being together as a couple seems unbelievable to her. I can see that she's still trying to absorb the truth.
"She means so much to me," I say.
I wait for Luna to say something else, but to my surprise, she cries. She looks down and keeps crying, which makes all the horrible thoughts running through my head.
Oh, God, is she against it?
I'm trying to digest what's happening when Luna finally looks up at me with tears brimming in her eyes.
"I don't know what to say," she whispers. "I just..." She seems to be at a loss for words. "I'm happy for you. For her. For both of you. She's a good person. And she's so nice, and sweet. And... and--"
Luna looks like she's going to burst into tears again.
"You started painting again," she exclaims like it's something surreal. "I was speechless, and confused. But now that you've explained it to me, I feel happy. After all this time..." She wipes a tear under her eye.
Relief washes over me. What happened today almost made me have a heart attack, but I'm now glad that Luna can understand.
She faces me with a proud smile and holds my hands. "I'm so glad that you've finally opened your heart to love someone again."
