Brides and Brothers by Anneka R. Walker
Chapter 38
Aiden
Aiden had had no idea his heart could hurt as much as it did right now. It felt like his parents had died all over again, except this time it was the part of his soul belonging to Camille that seemed to be severed from him. The last thing he wanted to do was let his brothers know he and Camille were fighting. They’d probably side with Camille, which would be like rubbing salt into an already aching wound—he’d waited so long to be with her, to fix the mess he had left her with—no, he couldn’t face anyone. He would avoid them and slip out the door. Quietly putting on his jacket, hat, and gloves, he braced himself for the blast of white-colored cold.
He was halfway to the shed when he heard a distant voice call his name. He turned because he thought it was Camille. He was disappointed to see Benson’s form behind a heavy swirl of flurries.
Ignoring him, Aiden held up his arm to block the snow from his eyes and marched through the thick drifts the rest of the way to the shed. He opened it up and flipped on the light. His father’s snowmobile was sitting dry and ready inside.
Aiden reached for the key hidden under the toolbox on the shelf.
“Where are you planning on going?” Benson asked.
“Home.” Aiden slung his duffel strap across his chest.
Benson put his hand on the snowmobile. “In this weather? You’ve got to be crazy!”
Aiden gritted his teeth. “Yes, now get out of my way.” He swung his leg across the smooth leather seat and checked the fuel level. Full. Perfect. He put the key in and revved up the machine.
“Does Camille know about this?” Benson yelled over the roar of the snowmobile.
A short laugh escaped his mouth. “It was her idea.” Camille’s angry face flashed through his mind. Her words had cut him to the core. Did she really think he didn’t want time with her? Did she know how selfish he would feel if he let himself be happy before his brothers? No, she didn’t care. His love and efforts hadn’t been enough. She thought their marriage was a waste. He had failed her, and the thought threatened to consume him. He reached for his scarf in his pocket, and his gloved hand touched paper. He had forgotten about the surprise he had planned for Camille.
“So she was mad.” Benson put his hand on the handlebar to prevent Aiden from leaving. “I get mad at you all the time. You can’t run out on everyone. What about Thanksgiving?”
“She’ll be extra thankful I’m not there. Trust me.” Aiden glared at him.
“You can’t make it all the way to Cherish on this thing. You can’t even make it down the road in this whiteout!”
Aiden couldn’t look at him. “The Egberts are five miles away. I can sleep there tonight and catch a ride to Cherish with Ross in the morning. He still makes daily deliveries for his shipping company.”
Benson’s eyes narrowed. “You need to rethink this, Aiden. It’s way too dangerous!”
Aiden revved the motor again, and Benson stepped aside just in time as Aiden peeled out into the blurry weather. He knew about how many feet there were before the fence line, and when he got there, he followed it to the van and onto the side of the road. He squinted through the whiteout, knowing how precarious this night ride was going to be. It wasn’t the smartest decision he’d ever made, but much like the time his mind had tried to talk him out of marrying Camille, he was losing this battle too. His pride was hurt, and he wasn’t turning around.