Summer's End (Wildflowers #5) - Jill Sanders Page 0,51

Aiden and finding a dress for me.” She sighed. The dress she was currently wearing was the fanciest thing she’d packed.

If she knew her father, and from what she’d heard about Bridgett, what she was wearing just wouldn’t cut it.

“We’re on it,” Elle answered. “Keep us posted. We’ll let you know what we find.”

“Thanks,” she said to the group just as the car stopped in front of the tux shop. “Talk to you later.”

“Aubrey,” Hannah broke in. “Head over to Bella’s Boutique. It’s near your dad’s place. I’ll call in a favor and have a dress waiting for you there. I’m afraid you’re on your own with the tux.”

“Thanks,” she said before hanging up.

“It pays to have friends,” she added as they stepped out onto the sidewalk again.

“Too bad she couldn’t help with the tux.” He frowned up at the store.

“Come on.” She took his hand. “This won’t be so bad.”

He laughed as she pulled him through the doors.

A little over two and a half hours later, she frowned down at the limo parked out front of Isaac’s place. How had her father known they were staying there?

“I meant to tell you earlier. When we arrived, there was a man taking pictures of us,” Aiden said to her as he helped her on with her coat.

A light rain had started and the limo driver, who had rung the door to let them know he was there to take them to her father’s party, held up an umbrella for them.

She should have known that the moment she set foot back in the city, her father would find out about it. He probably had known all along that she was coming today.

“It’s okay.” She sighed and followed the driver to the limo. After climbing in and waiting for Aiden to get in behind her, she sat back as the driver shut them inside.

“Is this normal?” he asked.

“The limo?” she asked. When he nodded, she answered. “Yes, I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without a driver.”

“It’s very…”

“Controlling?” she offered up.

“Yes.” He reached over and took her hand. “You look amazing.” He smiled over at her.

“I don’t know what Hannah was thinking.” She glanced down at the bright teal dress. “It’s teal. With red shoes.” She held up her heeled feet and frowned down at them.

He chuckled and pulled her closer. “She was thinking that you were going to outshine Bridgett, which will probably piss her off. And the red shoes match your hair perfectly.” He kissed her. “Your friend has amazing taste.”

The dress was perfectly comfortable and even the shoes fit her like a glove. It was true, Hannah had amazing taste.

She thought about the lapse in her father’s mental health. He’d never mistaken her for her mother before. Was he having issues? Was it something Bridgett was doing to him? Is this how she’d swindled her way into her father’s life?

The man that had raised her would have never allowed someone like Bridgett in his life. Hell, she doubted the woman would have been allowed to walk past his front door. Why now? Was it a ploy?

So many questions raced through her mind and, before she knew it, they were pulling into her father’s driveway.

Every light was on in the place. Cars were stopped out front to let guests out so they could walk through the gates towards the open front doors, where security guards made sure guests were on the invite list. Their limo didn’t stop in the street and instead pulled in through the opened gates.

“Red carpet treatment,” Aiden said under his breath. “That could be a good sign.”

“No.” She shook her head and felt her stomach twist. “It means he wants everyone to see me so he can use me.” She sighed. “Just like always.”

Chapter 16

Aiden had never in his twenty-five years of life felt more uncomfortable. The only thing holding him in place was standing directly beside him.

From the moment they walked through the front doors, they were the center of attention. When Aubrey’s name was called out through the rooms, every eye turned towards them. Then the whispers started as her father and Bridgett appeared to greet them.

He’d heard all about the woman from Zoey and Scarlett over the past few years. Zoey had told them how Bridgett had attacked her in the lawyer’s office in Vegas at the reading of her father’s will, so he was on guard around the woman. Even though he knew that Aubrey could take care of herself, he was determined not