Aideen gave me an are-you-serious look then sighed. "He could be your date to Jason's and Micah's weddin'. Duh!"
For real?
I burst out laughing. "Yeah, right!"
Aideen shoved my shoulder. "I'm dead serious, this is what he does. Well, not exactly what he does but it's close enough."
I felt my eyes roll with confusion. "Ado, I've no clue what you're talkin' about."
Aideen pinched the bridge of her nose and blew out a long breath before she focused on me and said in a low voice, "Alec is a male escort, Keela."
I held Aideen's stare for a few seconds before I cracked up laughing again. Aideen grunted and slapped at my arms to get me to stop laughing, and after a minute or so it worked.
"I'm not jokin'!" Aideen bellowed.
I was still chuckling a little as I said, "I don't believe you."
Aideen folded her arms across her chest. "Keela, I swear on me life that I'm not jokin' with you. I'm dead serious. Alec is a male escort."
My shoulders stopped moving and my chuckles slowed until no more sounds of laughter came from my mouth. I blinked as I looked at Aideen, her face didn't hold any hint of a smile like she was playing with me and that freaked me out more than a little.
"You're serious?" I asked my voice a whisper.
Aideen nodded. "Yes, I didn't believe at first because Branna told me one night when she was drunk, but when I said it to her the next day she flipped out and made me promise never to tell anyone."
I gestured between Aideen and myself. "What's this then?"
Aideen snorted and waved me off. "You're me best friend, so you don't count."
That's Aideen's logic for you on a plate.
I chewed on my bottom lip as I tilted my head back and looked up at the ceiling. "Okay, I believe you, but I don't see how Alec bein' an escort helps me. I was in his presence for only five minutes and I already can't stand him. He is dickhead."
Aideen laughed. "So? Alec is gorgeous, and havin' someone like him on your arm will be the ultimate f**k you to Jason and Micah. Jason hates Dominic Slater, so chances are that he hates his brothers as well. Come on Keela, just think about how pissed he will be that you're with a Slater at his weddin'."
I could picture Jason's face twisted in anger and it brought a smile to my face.
"Okay, I agree that it would be great to rub someone Jason hates in his face, but I don't think Alec will agree to it. I mean, I pushed him to the ground and called him a batty boy."
Aideen waggled her eyebrows at me. "There is only one way to find out if he will be your date."
"Which is what?"
Aideen winked. "You ask him."
I sat up straight. "You want me to ask him to be me date to me cousin's weddin' after what I said and did to him last night?"
"Yes," Aideen replied instantly.
She was unreal!
I groaned. "And if I say no?"
Aideen shrugged. "I'll ring and ask him for you."
The evil cow!
I gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"
Aideen devilishly smirked. "Try me, Kay."
I slightly whimpered, "I hate you."
"I love you, too."
I closed my eyes and thought this over.
Did I like what I knew of Alec Slater so far?
No.
Did I want to be around him for a week if he accepted an offer to come to the Bahamas as my date to Micah's and Jason's wedding?
Hell no.
Did I want to actually see him again after our first interaction last night?
Heaven and Hell no.
Those points aside; did I want to have someone who looked like him posing as my boyfriend to my family and Jason?
Yes. God, yes!
I smacked my hand against the table when I came to my decision. "Fine, I'll ask him."
"Success!" Aideen cheered.
I snickered at her then watched as she jumped to her feet.
"Easy tiger, why so jumpy?"
Aideen moved closer to me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me to my feet. "Go get a shower, we're goin' to get this done in the next hour."
Excuse me?
I felt my insides churn. "Today? Can't this wait until Monday?"
Aideen shook her head. "No, you leave for the Bahamas within the week and we have to go shoppin' for your holiday clothes so you’ll look gorgeous at all times. Then we need to book your flights and call your job and tell them you’re sick and will be off for a week. We have a lot to do, and I won't have you lookin' anythin' other than stunnin' at that disgrace of a weddin'. We also need Alec on board as soon as possible."
I swallowed down the bile the suddenly rose up my throat.
"Oh, God... I don't think I can do this."
Aideen grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the kitchen and straight into the bathroom. "You're just takin' a shower, that's it. One step at a time."
"Yeah, but-"
"Stop talkin'," Aideen cut me off. "Take a shower, and don't over think this."
With that said she up and left the bathroom leaving me alone in the room. I groaned as I began to undress. I turned on my shower and waited a minute for it to heat up. When I was sure the temperature wouldn't give me hypothermia I stepped under the flow of water and closed my eyes.
I didn't move from under the water for a few minutes because I was thinking, as you do when you're in the shower. I thought about what I was going to do and say when I came face to face with Alec. I couldn't exactly think of what to say after my encounter with him last night so I decided to just wing it. If I thought about it too much I wouldn't go and that would piss both myself and Aideen off, because once I gave my word on something I wouldn't back out.