Dogwood Hill

by Sherryl Woods

  She was very much afraid, in fact, that no amount of time passing would ever diminish the pain of that night, not just the accident itself and losing her husband, but every awful revelation that had come before it. How could she possibly think of moving on when she’d failed so terribly as a wife the first time?

  * * *

  Aidan wasn’t entirely shocked by the discovery that the O’Brien men and their friends were a very competitive group. They took to the basketball court as if they were the Miami Heat and LeBron James going up against San Antonio in the NBA finals. Not that a one of them possessed the same skill level, of course.

  Despite the intensity of the game, however, they still found plenty of time to taunt each other as only friends of long standing and family could. They knew each other’s weak spots and exploited them. It was only a matter of time before their attention turned to Aidan.

  Maybe it had something to do with the fact that his gaze kept straying toward the dog park, but Connor was the first to pull him into their sights.

  “Something interesting going on in the dog park, Aidan?” Connor teased. “Your attention seems to be wandering.”

  “I noticed the same thing,” Mack chimed in. “That wouldn’t have anything to do with Liz, would it? You hoping to catch a glimpse of her? Or maybe it’s that dog I understand you’re about to adopt, though it would be a pity if you found that to be more interesting than a beautiful woman.”

  “I am not watching for Liz or Archie,” Aidan claimed. “It’s just that this game is moving so slow, my mind’s had plenty of time to wander.”

  Kevin regarded him incredulously. “Men, did you hear that? He just accused us of being sluggish and boring on the court.”

  “I heard the same thing,” Connor said.

  Aidan grinned as he dribbled the ball and watched for an opening. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” He dodged Connor’s attempt to block him and drove past him to make the basket. “So does losing. Not that I would know about that, since last time I checked my team was winning.”

  Will Lincoln, a shrink who was married to Jess O’Brien, the owner of the inn, winced at the comment. “Would you mind a little advice from a mental health professional?” he said to Aidan. “Do not take pokes at a sleeping lion. We might have these guys on the ropes right now because they’re distracted by all the trash talk, but I guarantee they can pick up the intensity in a heartbeat.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Kevin said, grabbing a rebound and charging past Aidan for a quick dunk shot that brought them within six points of Aidan’s team.

  Aidan didn’t much care if his comments cost his team the game, as long as it changed the direction of their thoughts from his love life.

  For a full ten minutes, the two teams were silent except for their panting and the sound of their sneakers slapping against asphalt as the battle on the court escalated. As the buzzer on their kitchen timer ticked down, Aidan stole a ball from Connor, took it down the court and sank the shot, just as the timer went off.

  “And that,” he said with a triumphant grin, “is how it’s done.”

  Kevin and Connor exchanged a look.

  “Bet I can wipe that smug look off his face,” Connor taunted.

  Kevin grinned. “You mean by mentioning that Liz just hit the dog park wearing short shorts and a very tight tank top?”

  Recalling precisely how hot she’d looked the other night in just such an outfit, Aidan’s head whipped around, but there was no such vision in sight.

  “You dog,” he said to Kevin.

  Kevin and Connor gave each other satisfied high fives.

  “Knew you’d look,” Kevin said.

  “And why is that?” Connor teased, his expression innocent.

  “Because he’s in l-o-v-e,” Bree’s husband, Jake, said.

  “Hey,” Aidan protested. “You were on my team. Aren’t you supposed to be on my side here?”

  Jake chuckled. “Not when it comes to this. It’s too much fun watching you squirm. All of us have paid our dues. We’ve taken the heat, made it to the altar and are now living happily ever after. We want everyone to share in our joy.”

  Aidan shook his head. “What you really mean is that misery loves company. You’re jealous that I can date any woman I happen to find attractive.”

  Will winced for the second time that night. “Please tell me you did not just suggest that we’re miserable because we’re married. If that remark makes its way to our wives, you’ll be run out of town.”

  Right this second, Aidan wasn’t seeing the downside of that.

  * * *

  After she left Susie’s, Liz couldn’t seem to shake the old memories that had been stirred up by their conversation. Once she’d left North Carolina, she’d resolved to put her marriage and all the rest where it belonged, in the past. Most days she’d been successful doing that. Josh March rarely crossed her mind, or when he did, she immediately found some way to drive him out again.

  That determination to keep those thoughts at bay was one of the reasons she’d taken up running. With her earphones in and music blasting as she ran, to say nothing of just trying to breathe, those memories couldn’t creep in, not the good ones or the bad.

  Since it wasn’t that late when she got home, she changed into jogging shorts and shoes, grabbed her iPod and turned on a mix of songs with a fast beat and cheerful lyrics. Ignoring the plaintive looks of all three dogs, she went out alone.

  She instinctively avoided Dogwood Hill and headed toward the bay, where the winding road would take her toward The Inn at Eagle Point. From there, she wound her way back toward town and Shore Road, which would probably still be bustling on the warm late-spring evening.

  With the music playing and her concentration focused on her breathing, she was startled when someone stepped in front of her and blocked her path. Shaken, she looked up into Aidan’s face.

  Pulling the earbuds from her ears, she scowled at him. “You scared me to death!”

  “I’ve been calling your name for the past block,” he said.

  She gestured to the iPod. “Sorry. I was listening to music.”

  “It’s a little late for a run, isn’t it?” he asked. “Even in Chesapeake Shores, you probably shouldn’t be out alone at this hour.”

  She gave him an incredulous look. “It’s barely ten.”

  He tapped his watch. “Check again. It’s going on midnight.”

  Liz regarded him with shock. “That can’t be. I know when I got home it was going on ten.”

  “And then you, what? Changed clothes? Ran—where exactly?”

  “Up to the inn,” she conceded, then sighed. “I guess it was farther than I realized. Or maybe I’m just slower. I’m a little out of practice.”

  “Any particular reason you decided to go for a run in the first place at this hour?”

  She shrugged. “It clears my head.”

  “Of?”

  She smiled. “This and that.”

  “Ah, the woman has secrets,” he said.

  She held his gaze. “Don’t we all?”

  “I suppose you’re right,” he said, looking vaguely uncomfortable. He gestured across the street. “Panini Bistro hasn’t closed yet. Want to grab something to drink before you head home? It doesn’t seem to be crowded with O’Briens at this hour.”

  “I wouldn’t mind some bottled water,” she admitted.

  “Come on, then,” he said, taking her elbow and guiding her across the street. “You grab a table out here. It’s too nice to sit inside. I’ll get the drinks.”

  Liz nodded. “That works.”

  She sat down gratefully, suddenly aware in every muscle that the run had taken her farther than she usually went. At least it had served its avowed purpose of clearing her head of thoughts of Josh. Sadly, though, it
seemed Aidan was now front and center once again. Why couldn’t she just give in to the inevitable and engage in some hot, steamy sex? That would definitely clear her head, at least temporarily.

  And that, of course, was precisely why she couldn’t. Sex was easy. It was fun. It was after sex that emotions could get all tangled up and life could get really complicated.

  When Aidan returned with two cold bottles of water, she studied him and noted that he was dressed more casually than usual. In fact, she thought, hiding a smile, it looked as if he’d grabbed that T-shirt straight from the dryer.

  “Did you get dressed in a hurry?” she asked.

  He glanced down at his shirt and grimaced. “You’d think that, wouldn’t you? But no—I played basketball with a bunch of the O’Briens tonight. This shirt is a little the worse for wear. In fact, if I were you, I’d stay downwind of me.”

  Liz laughed. “I’ve always thought men were kind of sexy when they sweated.”

  He regarded her incredulously. “Seriously?”

  “Must be all the pheromones they exude.”

  He laughed. “Well, to hear my mom tell it, it was a cardinal sin, especially if I expected to be in the company of ladies.”

  “So, what does that make me?”

  “A lady, no question about it,” he said quickly. “But I spotted you running as I was coming home and didn’t want you to get away. I figured this was an exception.”

  “So, how was the game?” she asked.

  “The game was great. My team won.”

  “The only critical point of the evening, I gather,” she said, chuckling.

  “Well, of course. It’s a guy thing. Winning matters, though if you tell any of my players that, I’ll swear I was misquoted. How’d you spend your evening?”

  “With the O’Brien women. They weren’t nearly as competitive, unless you count the degree of their meddling.”

  He slanted a surprising look of commiseration in her direction. “Must be genetic.”

  She gave him a sharp look. “You, too?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “What did you tell them?”

  “To take a hike.”

  Liz regarded him hopefully. “Did that work?”

  “Are you kidding me? Not a chance,” he said ruefully. “What about you?”

  “Ditto,” she said.

  “Any thoughts about what happens next?”

  She smiled at the hopeful note in his voice. “Just remember that we’re in control of our own destinies. They’re not.”

  Aidan nodded, then stared toward the bay, his expression thoughtful. When he finally turned back to her, he asked quietly, “Are you so sure about that?”

  Something in his tone suggested he was more resigned than convinced.

  “We have to be,” she said flatly.

  “Okay, then. Come on. I’ll walk you home.”

  Liz stood up. “You don’t have to do that,” she protested. “It’s a few blocks.”

  “Another of those lessons from my mom,” he said simply. “This one took.”

  She smiled. “In that case, who am I to argue?”

  And at least with Aidan by her side and his words still ringing in her ears about them possibly not being in charge of anything, there wasn’t a chance in the world she’d be thinking about Josh.

  9

  The chance encounter with Liz was still very much on Aidan’s mind Friday afternoon, though he was trying to keep his attention focused on the team as it ran through drills in preparation for a final scrimmage before school let out next week for the summer.

  Between his wandering thoughts and the actions on the field, he didn’t notice Mick O’Brien until the practice session ended. As soon as Aidan dismissed the boys, Mick headed in his direction.

  “I’m no expert, but seems to me there’s a big improvement already,” Mick said.

  “They’re still learning,” Aidan told him, then grinned. “But I think they’re catching on, too. What brings you by?”

  “Henry’s been bugging me to check out the Santos kid,” Mick said. “Are you as high on him as my grandson is?”

  “Funny you should mention Hector,” Aidan told him, grateful to finally have an opportunity to get Mick’s take on the community’s likely reaction to any quarterback change he might make. “I’ve been wanting to discuss the quarterback situation with you. I could use some advice.”

  Mick laughed. “Porter’s been trying to intimidate you—am I right?”

  “You’re right,” Aidan said, not all that surprised by Mick’s perceptiveness. “I’m just wondering how much of his attitude is being protective of his son, something I can totally understand, and how much might be a prejudice that’s going to be shared by the whole community.”

  “Porter believes his boy is talented,” Mick responded slowly. “And I can see some potential there.”

  “Taylor understands the fundamentals,” Aidan agreed, trying to be fair. “But Hector? He’s something special.”

  “My grandson certainly thinks so,” Mick conceded. “Not that Henry’s the expert you are. He’s just recently decided he wants to be a sports agent and Hector’s his first big find.”

  Aidan chuckled. “If he could find a few more with that much talent, I’d be very appreciative.”

  Mick studied him. “Hector really is that promising?”

  Aidan nodded.

  “Then I don’t see that you have much choice,” Mick said. “You were brought in to make this team the best it can possibly be. You don’t put a boy on the field if you don’t think he can do the job. At least you don’t when there’s someone you know can do it better.”

  “I’d just hate to stir up some sort of community backlash that will only wind up hurting Hector.”

  Mick’s expression turned thoughtful. “I think that can be avoided,” he said carefully. “What do you have in mind for Taylor?”

  “Truthfully, he’s got decent hands and the speed to be a receiver, if he’s willing to make the transition.”

  “Does he get along okay with Hector?”

  Aidan nodded. “I don’t think Taylor will be the problem. I’ve had them practicing together and it’s gone surprisingly well considering they’re rivals for the same position.”

  “Then you leave Porter to me,” Mick said. “I think what he wants most is for his boy to have playing time and to be a star. If Taylor can do that in another position, I think I can convince Porter that there’s not a downside. It takes twenty-two men on offense and defense to make a team. Hardly matters where they excel, as long as it’s a winning combination.”

  Aidan regarded him with appreciation. “Agreed.”

  Henry came running back onto the field just then with Hector alongside. “Grandpa Mick!” he shouted. “Did you see practice?”

  “I saw,” Mick said, giving him an affectionate pat on the back, then holding out his hand to Hector. “I’ve been hearing very good things about you, son.”

  “Henry’s my friend,” Hector said shyly. “He is, how do you say, biased.”

  Mick smiled. “And your coach? Is he biased, too?”

  Eyes wide, Hector looked up at Aidan. “You told him about me?”

  “I did,” Aidan confirmed. “And whatever Henry said is true, Hector. You’re very, very talented.”

  “Muchas gracias,” Hector said. “I do my best.”

  “You certainly do that,” Aidan agreed.

  “Now, how about a couple of burgers and some fries at Sally’s?” Mick asked the boys. He glanced at Aidan. “Any objections?”

  “Not from me,” Aidan said. “I’d join you, if I could.”

  “Why don’t you?” Mick said, his expression sly. “Might give you a chance to stop in and visit a friend
.”

  Given what Aidan knew about Mick’s sneaky intentions, he was quick to decline. Besides, just last night he’d determined to give Liz the space she claimed to want. He could hardly argue against it being the smart thing to do for both of them. The less fodder these matchmakers had to work with, the better off they’d both be. And with his own uncertainty about how long he’d stick around Chesapeake Shores, why start something he might not be around to finish?

  Of course, that said, it was a whole lot easier to say no to Mick now, when he already planned to see Liz first thing tomorrow morning for the promised visit with Cordelia.

  * * *

  Liz was still asleep and having a lovely dream on Saturday morning when she was awakened by someone pounding on her door and the earsplitting sound of Archie’s ecstatic barking. That could only mean one thing: Aidan, the very man at the center of her dream.

  Muttering under her breath, she dragged on a robe over the shorts and tank she wore for sleeping, then went to the door. Aidan regarded her with a stunned expression.

  “I woke you?” he asked as Archie danced around him.

  “What was your first clue?” she asked, well aware of how grouchy she was before her morning coffee, especially when awakened from a sound sleep.

  Aidan unsuccessfully tried to hide a smile. “I thought we had a date this morning.”

  “A date? I thought we’d concluded that dating was a nonissue. You have your reasons. I have mine. Yada yada.”

  “Okay, bad choice of words. I thought we were taking Archie to see his former owner. You told me to be here by seven.”

  Liz groaned. She’d completely forgotten about the command visit she’d insisted he pay to Cordelia.

  “Give me ten minutes,” she said at once.

  “Take twenty. I’ll make coffee.”

  “If I had decent coffee in the house, do you think I’d drink so much at Sally’s?”

  “Okay, then. I’ll make a run to Sally’s. You still get twenty minutes. How about some eggs to go with the coffee? Toast? Anything? Frankly, I’m starving, so I wouldn’t say no to breakfast before we go.”