Chapter 232 - Don't Let Me Down, Keeley
Aaron spent much of the morning in a daze. Cameron called him out on it when he delivered the stock market reports but he refused to tell his friend why. It wasn't his business.
His distraction continued until Alistair dropped by his office. This almost never happened so he was instantly on alert.
"What are you doing here, Father?" he asked flatly.
"Your mother has been hounding me about going shopping with your fiancée. Isn't she back from Europe by now? It's been months."
His "fiancée" was six floors down in this very building going through security footage as they spoke. He couldn't admit that though. He needed to sound convincing.
"She's back in Boston. She has loose ends to wrap up there before coming to New York and doesn't know how long it will take."
Alistair grew colder. "Considering you're supposed to be in love with her you're certainly taking her absence in stride."
Great. He was suspicious. What could Aaron do to throw him off the scent? He had promised Aiden he would never have to dress up again and he had to stick to it.
Although…an idea struck him. It was risky if she couldn't catch on soon enough but Keeley knew enough about the situation that she should probably get it.
"We still talk multiple times a day. In fact, I usually call her around this time anyway. I can do it right now."
He pulled out his phone and hastily clicked on the contact labelled "Wife." He was suddenly grateful he hadn't changed it.
'Don't let me down, Keeley,' he thought fervently.
===
Aaron was true to his word—he didn't bring anything up the morning after, even though he did go so far as making her breakfast. He had never done that traditional 'after sex' routine before.
Keeley had to admit it was sweet. She wanted to feel loved and that was exactly what happened. Now that it was out of her system, she could focus on her work like usual.
The morning passed relatively quickly and before she knew it, it was lunchtime. She bought a chicken salad sandwich from the vending machine and had barely sat down to eat it when her phone rang.
She had an incoming call from Crazy Person. Guilt prickled her consciousness. She should really change his contact name. But why was he calling her?
"Aaron? What's up, I was just about to eat."
"Hey Bethany, I missed you so I thought I would say hi."
Who the heck was Bethany? Keeley really shouldn't have been angry, but she was more than a little insulted to be on the receiving end of a wrong number call to another woman right after they got intimate and he repeatedly told her he loved her.
She was about to tell him he had the wrong number and hang up when something struck her. He was still at work. He never called her from the office.
Once he told her the truth about his father's interference in their lives, she realized it was because he didn't want his father to know about her rather than because he was ashamed of her. Bethany…that name seemed familiar. She read about it somewhere in relation to Aaron.
Oh! It was the name Aiden used when he was pretending to be a girl to humiliate Lacy Knighton at her birthday party.
Alistair must be suspicious that "she" never made an appearance again after the initial proposal. He was probably listening in right now or Aaron wouldn't have purposely used the wrong name. He was trying to give her a hint.
Keeley had a few minutes to spare. She could help him out as a favor in return for last night.
"Aww I missed you too," she cooed. "When are you going to come see me again?"
She caught the tiniest hint of relief in his tone. So she was right, he was banking on her playing along. Quite the gamble. Aaron must really trust her.
"I can make it down next weekend for a few days. I want to see you before you head to that charity program in Africa for the next six months."
She tried really hard not to laugh. That was really the best thing he could come up with to keep a nonexistent person out of the way? It was a miracle he managed to get away with anything.
"It's going to be so hard not having a good cell phone signal!" she said dramatically. "You'll have to promise to write me every week."
"I will," he said and her urge to laugh returned. He sounded so serious. "Your future father-in-law wants to say hello."
Keeley's blood ran cold. She hadn't spoken to Alistair Hale since accidentally slamming into him the summer before her freshman year of college. He was an evil man.
If Aaron was the Ice King, this man was the Ultimate Ice Emperor. He was even scarier than his son had ever been.
"Hello, Bethany. What is this about a charity trip?" he asked frostily. "When are you coming to New York?"
'I'm already in New York,' she thought. Keeley truly hated this man so she decided to mess with him. She put on her sweetest, most innocent voice.
"I'm still young and have so many things I want to do that won't be possible once I move to New York. Aaron supports me. We'll get married once I've done a few more charity projects. Doesn't Hale Investments support charities as well? It is good practice for me as the next Mrs. Hale."
The ice emanating from the phone grew worse but he spoke reluctantly. "I see. Be sure not to let it take too long. Everyone is waiting to get to know you better, especially my wife."
"I won't," she lied with a wicked smile on her face. 'Suck it, Alistair. You'll be waiting for a long, long time.'
She was actually enjoying herself a little but she needed to eat before her lunch break was over. It was time to wrap this farce up.
"Aaron, sweetie, I have to eat now because I have plans with friends in a few minutes but be sure to call me again later, okay? Mwah!" she signed off by making kissing noises into the phone.
Mission accomplished. She finished her sandwich feeling quite pleased with herself.