Alias: The Doyen Series book 1

(6) AMBIENCE FESTIVAL

PICTURE: Aisling's romper

I have been seeing Kayde for a week now and I still haven't told my roommates nor Aiden. But I wasn't planning on telling Aiden anytime soon. He always got so angry and big-brother when I talked to guys. But I figured that since it was Thursday and we left for the festival tomorrow, I should tell my roommates that I invited someone else.

That's what I am in the middle of doing and getting nowhere.  

"You met someone?" Mallory shrieks. She has been dying for me to find a guy even more than my mother. "You turn everyone down Ais! I'm so proud!" 

Kameron is elated too. "Yay! Aisling has a boyfriend!"

"I do not," I laugh at their excitement. "He is just a friend who is going with us to the festival," I repeat for the 5tth time. 

"Well, I am happy that you found someone to bring Ais," Elise says without looking up from her phone. She is currently on a bid war for "a new purse and cannot miss a moment."

Her words, not mine. 

Mallory and Kameron keep on about how Aisling is going to live happily-ever-after with her new sweetheart when I go to bed that night.

By 10 a.m. we have Elise's red Honda Civic crammed to the roof with all our bags and are on our way to the Big Easy. 

Good morning, Kayde texts me when I get into the car. I'll meet you all at the Riverwalk before the festival. Ready to see you again.

Okay... you sure know how to bring a girl to her knees, Casanova.
Kayde (10:04 a.m.): Only for you, beautiful.

Before I even realize it, we are pulling into the small parking lot next to Jax Brewery. I instantly have a smile on my face, as I always do when I am in in La Nouvelle-Orléans. It is beautiful, charismatic, and historical.

A deadly combination for my feeble heart. 

I never want to leave. The city feels like home. 

"She's doing it again," I hear Elise chuckle. 

"Freak," Kameron jokes. "C'mon y'all, let's go meet this mystery man," she says with a wave of her eyebrows.

My gut drops. I am so nervous to see him. What if he changed his mind about me? What if he stood me up? Oh, gosh, what would I do?

I continue the worries until I find myself walking up to Steamboat Natchez, where Kayde said he'd be. And to my shock, he is walking towards us.

He is in a red t-shirt, blue jeans, and aviators. He looks like a model. And he makes me seem impotent in my white lace romper. Mallory tried to talk me into wearing something sluttier—as I called it—like she had. "You need to show a little cleavage. You have the goods, show them," she had said. But slutty is not my style.

Kayde strolls right up and hugs me, spinning me around. I burst out in a fit of laughter. As soon as he touches me, all my insecurities fade. It is only me and him. And we cannot stop smiling at one another.

"You look as lovely as ever Aisling," he says while brushing my chocolate waves behind my ear. 

"You look dashing yourself, Kayde," I say practically out of breath. 

That's when I hear a throat clear behind us. When we turn to look at my roommates, we are met with 3 sets of wide eyes and 2 wide mouths. Mallory is the only one with her mouth closed.