Aidan Shaw (John Corbett) is Carrie's other long-term boyfriend. He is a sweet, good-natured furniture designer and Mr. Big's emotional opposite. At first Carrie is put off by their seemingly perfect relationship, but over time works through her issues of emotional unavailability. However, Aidan ends "it" when she comes clean about her affair with Big. They get back together a year later, eventually move in together and she accepts his marriage proposal before they realize that, ultimately, she cannot meet his needs and they break up for good. It is later revealed that Aidan marries and has a son, Tate. The character's name was chosen in homage to English writer and pornstar Aiden Shaw.