One Wild Night

Chapter 324 Aaron Jonas

　　Jade appraised the senior Mr. Jonas, as he did her too. He was dressed in a blue-striped shirt and black chinos trousers, and he was barefooted. He looked big, robust, and comfortable. He seemed like the kind of man you would feel safe in his company even without knowing his name. The man didn't look like he spent a lot of time in the gym, although his skin was tanned like he spent a lot of time outdoors. 

　　'What a way to think about the father of the man you're interested in,' Jade chided herself. 

　　"I promise, I wasn't stealing from him," Jade said, for lack of anything better to say.

　　"I promise, I wouldn't mind if you were. I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind losing a possession or two either. Seeing how you could get into his apartment so easily, I'm sure it's not your first time here," Aaron Jonas said as he eyed the lovely lady who was standing beside his son's bed with both photo frames in her hands. 

　　He knew his boy well enough to know he wouldn't let just anyone into his home. Hence he was curious to know who this beauty was and why she was in his son's bedroom. Seeing how she was holding the frames, he could easily have assumed that she was there to clean, but there was nothing about her that suggested she was a cleaner. Not her clothes, and definitely not the confident aura she exuded.

　　From his tone, she sensed that he was jumping to conclusions about her relationship with Harry, so she decided to clear the air quickly, "It's not what you think..."

　　His eyes twinkled with humor, "It's definitely not what I think. If it were, you would be holding a cleaning rag and probably wearing an apron," he said, and Jade felt laughter bubble within her. 

　　"Besides, I doubt that you would go for those frames first if you were here to steal," he said, directing his gaze to the frames she was still holding.

　　Jade's lips curved with an awkward smile as she glanced at the photos in her hand. Okay, so how was she going to explain snooping through his son's bedroom when she wasn't in a relationship with him and she wasn't a cleaner? "I was looking for something..."

　　"I hope you find it," Aaron said with a straight face as he stepped forward, offering her a hand, "I'm Aaron Jonas. Harry's father. I'm sure the frame would have told you that already," he said, and Jade dropped the frames gently before taking his hand.

　　"I'm Jade Hank, Harry's friend. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Mr. Jonas," Jade said and watched as the man's eyes lit up.

　　Hank. That explained it. "Oh! The intelligent beauty. The pleasure is all mine. And please call me Aaron," he said as he shook her hand. His face beamed with pleasure, telling her he meant every word he said. 

　　The intelligent beauty. So Harry had said something to his father. She was curious to know exactly what he said and when. "I didn't know you were in. I was just going to..." 

　　Aaron waved off her explanation, "You don't have to explain anything to me. Whatever happened in here, stays here," he said, making a zipping gesture on his lips, and if Jade wasn't already in love with the man, she fell in love with him. 

　　"Thank you," Jade said, feeling more relieved and grateful than embarrassed since she had no idea how she was going to explain herself. She was glad that he was the one who caught her snooping and not Harry. 

　　"If you have found what you were searching for, do you mind sharing a glass of wine with me?" He asked, and Jade smiled once again.

　　"I would love that," Jade said as she walked out of Harry's bedroom with his father. 

　　He led her to Harry's bar and poured white wine into two glasses before handing a glass to her, "So you're Tom's sister, the lawyer?" He asked as he sat down on the barstool next to her but turned in his seat so that he was facing her. 

　　"The one and only," Jade said with a grin, and Aaron chuckled. 

　　"Harry told me about you the first time you met," Aaron said, a smile playing on the corner of his lips, and without taking his eyes away from her, he sipped from his glass of wine.

　　Hearing that, Jade's curiosity was aroused, "I'm tempted to ask you what he told you," Jade confessed as she sipped from her wineglass, and his smile broadened as he dropped his glass of wine on the counter. 

　　"The same way I'm tempted to ask you what you are doing in his apartment and searching for in his bedroom."

　　"But you said I didn't have to explain anything to you," Jade reminded him as she sipped from her wineglass.

　　Aaron nodded, "Of course, you don't have to. The same way I don't have to tell you what he told me either," he said with a sly smile, and Jade giggled as she watched him with interest.

　　"Are you suggesting that we trade secrets?" Jade asked, looking at the man whose eyes were glittering with mischief.

　　"I wouldn't dare say that to a lawyer, would I?" He asked with an innocent expression as he picked up his glass and raised it to his lips. 

　　She laughed softly this time, "I actually stopped by to pick up my bag. I'm on my way home. I was curious to see what his bedroom looked like. Hence I was there," Jade said, and he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

　　"Oh! I'm glad. For a moment there, I thought you found out about the money he embezzled to buy me a house, and you were in his bedroom to get evidence against him," he said, and Jade looked at him with a confused frown, thinking he was serious, and then she giggled when she realized that he was pulling her legs. 

　　This man! "You got me there for a moment," Jade said, and he grinned. 

　　"How come your bag is here, yet you don't know what his bedroom looks like?" He asked, and Jade smiled in understanding as she raised her glass to her lips once again. 

　　She set down the glass, "I spent the last two nights here. He let me stay in his guestroom, so I don't know what his bedroom looks like."

　　Aaron knew she was telling the truth since he had moved around the bedrooms to see if there was anything new once he arrived, and he had noticed the bag and feminine cosmetics in one of the guestrooms, "And you slept in the guestroom?" 

　　From his tone, Jade could tell he was hoping she had slept in Harry's bedroom, "With the lock in place."

　　Aaron looked at her for a moment, and she didn't miss the disappointment in his eyes, "Am I assume that you chose to stay here because something is stirring between the two of you, or did your brother suddenly run out of bedrooms in his mansion, so you had to find an alternative place to stay? Perhaps he decided to convert his mansion to one of his luxurious hotels?" He asked with such a straight face that once again, a laugh bubbled out of Jade.

　　She realized that she was laughing and smiling a lot within the short time she had spent in his company. Harry's father seemed to have withheld humor during the gene transfer. Or maybe Harry had it but just didn't show it when he was with her. She reasoned when she remembered his interaction with Lucy the previous day. 

　　"My dad is at Tom's. Today is his birthday, and I'm supposed to be the birthday surprise," Jade said, but Aaron did not buy it.

　　"And neither you nor your brother thought that a hotel would be safer for you instead of the house of such a gorgeous single man? You guys must trust my son a great deal. Now I feel like I did a very bad job raising him," he said, slapping his face dramatically, but Jade could see the humor in his eyes even as he said it.

　　"You should be proud. You raised a gentleman," Jade said before downing the remaining content of her glass. 

　　"There are times I wish he weren't so gentle. A woman like you shouldn't feel so safe around him," Aaron muttered under his breath, and Jade's laughter rang out. 

　　"So, what did he say to you?" Jade asked curiously.

　　"Seeing how curious you are to know what he thinks of you, am I to assume that you are interested in him?" Aaron asked, deliberately evading her question.

　　"I thought we were trading secrets, and it was your turn to answer my question, not ask me more questions?" Jade asked, and Aaron shook his head. 

　　"When did I ever agree to trade secrets with you?" He asked with false confusion. 

　　Jade's mouth rounded in a silent O as it dawned on her that Harry's father had tricked her into telling him what he wanted to know without returning the favor. 

　　"You sly old man," Jade hissed, and Aaron chuckled.

　　"You had both just finished speaking that night when I called him. He was very impressed. Not just by your beauty, but by your brains too," Aaron said, not wanting to go into the details of his conversation with his son.

　　"And you still remember that after over four years?" Jade asked, surprised.

　　Aaron's lips twitched, "Harry isn't the type to talk about girls. He barely shows interest in them. You are the only girl he has ever talked to me about, so how do you expect me to forget that?" Aaron asked, and Jade leaned forward with interest.

　　"Do you think he likes me?" Jade asked hopefully.

　　Aaron angled his head as he considered her for a moment. Although he wanted Harry to get into a relationship, he trusted Harry enough to know that if Harry were interested in Jade, he would get around to telling her about it eventually, and if he was holding back, then he must have his reasons.

　　"Do you think he likes you?" Aaron asked without answering her question once again. 

　　Jade pursed her lips, "I don't know. Maybe."

　　"Do you like him?"

　　"It's hard not to like him, considering how well you raised him," she said, and Aaron smiled as he raised his glass to his lips. 

　　"I don't know about him, but I like you. I can see why he found you interesting," Aaron said after a while.

　　"I like you too," Jade said with a grin, "So when did you get here? Is he aware that you are around?" 

　　"No. I am here to surprise him, so I hope you can keep our meeting to yourself, at least until he sees me," Aaron said, and Jade gave him a nod. 

　　"Sure. Whatever happens in Harry's absence stays there. I should get my stuff before he gets back from work," Jade said as she slid off the barstool.

　　Aaron gave her a nod as he watched her walk away. He stood up when she returned a moment later with her bag and walked up to her. 

　　"It was nice meeting you, Aaron," she said as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. Even though she had met him less than thirty minutes ago, she felt at home with him.

　　"The pleasure is all mine," he said with a pleased smile as he reached for the bag.

　　"Don't bother yourself on my account. I can manage," she assured him.

　　"I hope I get to see you again sometime," Aaron said as he followed her to the door.

　　"I hope so, too. Take care of yourself," Jade said as she opened the door and walked away.