Dogwood Hill (A Chesapeake Shores Novel - Book 12)

by Unknown

  She realized Aidan was watching her intently.

  “Where’d you go just then?” he asked. “You looked sad.”

  “I was just trying to imagine what your life must have been like with only your mom around,” she said.

  He laughed. “If you’d ever met my mom, you wouldn’t look so distraught. She was amazing. She worked hard and she turned every day into an adventure. She loved New York, so whenever she was off we took advantage of all the city has to offer. We spent hours at the Museum of Natural History or the Botanical Garden or just walking through Central Park with her pointing out every tree and flower until I’d memorized their Latin names.”

  “Sounds as if she would have loved Chesapeake Shores and the way people here care about the environment. I’ll bet she and Thomas O’Brien would have been kindred spirits.”

  Aidan looked startled by the comment, but he nodded slowly. “You’re absolutely right,” he said, that faraway expression back in his eyes. “She would have loved it here.”

  Not for the first time, Liz got the impression that there were things Aidan wasn’t revealing, some part of the story of his past that he was keeping to himself. Still, it wasn’t in her nature to pry, especially not when whatever it was seemed to make him so sad. She understood all too well that there were things people needed to keep private. She had plenty of demons of her own carefully locked away.

  “Not to change the subject,” she said lightly. “But I am absolutely starving yet again, and you must be, too, since you never did have time to finish your lunch. I need to get home to let the dogs out. If you’re interested, I could order a pizza. I owe you more than that for the way you pitched in today, but I’m not sure I can muster up the energy to cook or go out. I just want to take a shower, kick back and be off my feet.”

  “A pizza sounds fantastic,” Aidan agreed at once. “Why don’t you head home to deal with the dogs and I’ll pick it up? Anything to drink?”

  “Beer if you want it. I only have tea and diet soda in the house, but I’m good with that.”

  “Either one suits me, too,” Aidan said. “I may not be in training, but I mostly steer clear of alcohol except at a summer barbecue or on the occasional night hanging out with the guys.”

  Liz thought of Shanna’s remark to Henry about good player nutrition. “That reminds me. Do you plan on getting into the whole diet and exercise thing with the players?”

  “Of course. Why?”

  “Henry mentioned something about needing to get stronger. Shanna’s apparently a little freaked that he might turn to steroids, even though Henry says he’s gotten the message about how bad those are.”

  “My players won’t go near steroids,” Aidan said flatly. “I’ll make sure of that. Tell Shanna she doesn’t have anything to worry about. I’ll start hammering that message home first thing at Tuesday’s practice. I hope to work with each player next week and come up with an individualized training plan for the summer. And just because school’s out doesn’t mean I won’t be following up to make sure they stay on track.”

  Liz regarded him with approval. “I was right,” she said with satisfaction.

  “About what?”

  “The kind of coach you’re going to be. It’s great that you care so much. The high school is very lucky to have you.”

  “We’ll see if the players agree once I start getting serious about their workouts,” he said.

  “I think they’re going to take to it like ducks to water,” she said at once. “Those boys want so badly to prove themselves and start winning. Nothing against Coach Gentry. He’s a great guy, but he didn’t have what it took to motivate them or to teach them what it would take to improve.”

  “And you think I do?”

  “I know it,” she said with confidence.

  She also thought he had what it took to heal her heart, if only she weren’t so terrified that he could just as easily break it.

  6

  Aidan was halfway up the walkway to Liz’s when she opened the front door. Archie bounded out with an ecstatic bark, paused to pick up a tennis ball, then almost knocked Aidan to the ground in his exuberance.

  “Is it me or the pizza he’s excited about?” he called out to Liz, who stood where she was, laughing and leaving him to extricate himself from the situation.

  “Let’s just say I’ve never seen him get that worked up over pizza before, and it’s a staple around here,” she said. “Archie, behave! Get back here.”

  Instead of obeying, Archie sat down in the middle of the sidewalk blocking Aidan’s way, dropped a tennis ball at his feet and looked up at him with adoring eyes. Despite himself, Aidan couldn’t help chuckling.

  “If you want me to play with you, you have to let me inside so I can put dinner down,” he scolded.

  The dog’s response was to pick up the ball, then drop it again in an attempt to get his own message across.

  Aidan cast a helpless look in Liz’s direction. “I think we’re at a stalemate. Can you grab this pizza?”

  She came out wearing shorts and a tank top that almost caused him to swallow his tongue. With her feet bare, he couldn’t help noticing that her toenails were painted a pale pink that reminded him of seashells. Though her hair had been pulled back neatly all day, tonight she’d swept it up on her head in a careless knot that left damp blond tendrils framing her face. She looked as if the weight of the day had been washed away by a quick shower.

  “You look...” Words failed him.

  “Clean?” she suggested.

  He laughed. “Way better than that.”

  “I needed to get out of those clothes and into something comfortable,” she said. “A shower helped, too. I was feeling pretty grungy.”

  “You looked great before, but you look even better now. Being relaxed suits you.”

  “Doesn’t it suit everyone?” she replied, reaching for the pizza. “You have five minutes with Archie or I can’t promise there will be any of this left by the time you get inside.”

  Aidan dragged his attention away from her fresh-scrubbed face and glossy lips long enough to say, “Did you hear that, Archie? Five minutes and not one second longer. I’m not giving up dinner with a pretty woman to entertain you.”

  Woof! the dog responded, head tilted as if he understood completely.

  “I’m telling you, he has a real connection to you,” Liz said. “Are you sure you don’t want a dog?”

  “Have you seen that apartment upstairs from your shop? It’s barely big enough for me to turn around, much less have Archie underfoot.”

  “I suppose I can’t argue with that,” she said with obvious regret. “I certainly wouldn’t want him to be cooped up in a small space all day. See you inside in a couple of minutes. Tea or soda? I’ll pour that before you come in.”

  “Tea’s good,” he said. “Unsweetened, though.”

  She shook her head. “You Northerners don’t know what you’re missing.”

  Aidan watched her walk up the porch steps, his gaze pretty much glued to her shapely bottom in those shorts. There was a good chance the woman was going to make him a little crazy if he wasn’t careful, especially since she’d made it pretty clear she wasn’t interested in dating anyone right now. He wasn’t sure he believed her, but he had little choice but to take her at her word and act accordingly.

  Friendly banter and no sudden moves, he warned himself, then turned his attention to the dog, which was much safer territory.

  *

  Liz put the pizza and drinks out on the kitchen table, then stood at the dining room window, where she could watch Aidan and Archie in the yard. The dog ran in excited circles waiting for Aidan to toss that grungy tennis ball again and again. More times than not, Archie managed to catch it before it ever hit the ground.

  “Okay, that’s it,” Aidan said at last. “It’s time for a rest.”

  Liz scurried away from the window and back to the kitchen as she heard Aidan coming up the steps. He tapped on the screen door, the
n opened it. Archie raced ahead of him into the kitchen. The dog went straight to his water bowl and began lapping it up, splashing more of the water onto the floor than he could possibly have drunk.

  “Seems to me it’s too bad Archie isn’t human,” she commented, glancing up at Aidan as he washed his hands at the sink.

  “Oh?”

  “He was doing a darn fine job of catching your passes in midair.”

  Aidan glanced at her. “You were watching?”

  “I caught a glimpse,” she claimed.

  A smug smile spread across his face. “You were watching!”

  “Okay, maybe I was just a little fascinated. I always like to be sure humans aren’t mistreating my pets.”

  “I don’t suppose it mattered if Archie was wearing me out?”

  She gave a deliberate shrug. “You can take care of yourself, I’m sure.”

  “Nice to know what your priorities are.”

  She held his gaze. “I’ve tried my best to make them clear.”

  Aidan sighed. “Message received.” He kept his gaze locked with hers. “Just so you know, though, I’ve been known to break a few rules in my time.”

  Liz shivered at the intensity in his voice and the daredevil spark in his eyes. Yeah, she could definitely believe that.

  *

  Overnight the springlike weather changed. Sunday morning dawned with a chill in the air and rain in the forecast. Liz couldn’t imagine that would be good for business, but when she got to Sally’s for her morning coffee and croissant, Shanna didn’t look the least bit distressed. Nor did Heather or Megan, who joined them a few minutes later.

  “Why don’t you all look more upset by this rain that’s about to come down in buckets?” Liz asked.

  “Because rain means most people won’t be going out on their boats or swimming today,” Heather said. “Since they’ve come for a long holiday weekend, they won’t take off for home, either. They’ll be shopping!”

  “After the rush yesterday, how many people can possibly be left?” Liz asked.

  “Just you wait and see,” Megan told her. She gestured at the line already waiting for tables at Sally’s. “See what I mean? Have you ever seen it this busy before at this hour? Everyone’s already out and about. I predict Ethel will sell out of puzzles and games before noon and you’ll be down to the last of your merchandise before the end of the day.”

  Liz regarded her with wide eyes. “You can’t be serious. I ordered what I thought would be enough to last through the Fourth of July.”

  “And how did the shelves look at the end of the day yesterday?” Shanna asked.

  “Pretty bare,” Liz admitted. “I’ll be restocking for the next couple of hours till I open the doors.”

  The women exchanged an amused look.

  “Will Aidan be helping with that?” Shanna asked slyly.

  Liz felt her cheeks turn pink. “Why would you ask that?”

  “Because he was there till closing last night,” Heather said. “Just so you know, I wasn’t spying. Connor walked by your shop on his way to meet me for dinner and he mentioned it to me.”

  “And Mick noticed Aidan was in the yard with Archie when he was driving past Dogwood Hill on his way home,” Megan added, then patted Liz’s hand sympathetically. “Don’t freak out. It’s not as if we’re all nosy, just observant, especially when it involves someone we like. In this case, two people we like.”

  Bree came in just then, grabbed a chair and pulled it over. “What did I miss?”

  “Liz looking like a deer caught in headlights when we mentioned all the attention Aidan is paying to her,” Shanna said, her grin unrepentant.

  “Oh, yeah, about that,” Bree said, a twinkle in her eyes. “I heard Pamela Hobbs had him in her sights at your store yesterday.”

  Liz frowned. “Did you also hear he turned her down? Emphatically, I gather.”

  “Smart man,” Megan said. “I’d say I can’t understand what gets into Pamela, but that’s not true. If I were married to Porter Hobbs, who knows what I might do to keep from drinking myself into a stupor every night. He’s not only a big blowhard, he’s terminally boring.”

  “Why don’t you tell us what you really think, Mom?” Bree said, laughing.

  Megan looked momentarily taken aback, then laughed. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

  “I surely can’t do that,” Bree said. “He was in Abby’s class, not mine, but he was no better back in high school.” She turned to Liz. “Ask my sister next time you see her. Porter made a few passes at her before she and Trace got serious. Pamela was his fallback girl and she always knew it. Still, she likes that big fancy car dealership he has in Annapolis and the money it brings in.”

  Heather sat back, a grin on her face. “Sometimes it hits me just how much fun it must have been to grow up here. I lived in a fairly small town, but it was nothing like this.”

  “It didn’t have O’Briens,” Shanna suggested.

  Megan laughed. “Yes, I’m sure that made all the difference. Chesapeake Shores was definitely shaped by my husband and his brothers.”

  “Don’t forget Gram,” Bree said, her expression turning thoughtful. “Nell is the one who made them into the men they became, and she still has a firm grip on the rest of us. I’m so glad she’s still around to impart those values to the next generation.”

  “Amen to that,” Megan said, her own expression turning serious.

  Bree frowned. “Mom, what’s wrong? Is Gram not well?”

  “As far as I know, she’s fine,” Megan insisted, though her smile was clearly forced. “I just worry about how much things might change when she’s gone. After that scare she gave us a few years ago, losing her is never far from my mind.”

  “I think we all worry about that,” Heather said. “Which is why we need to treasure every minute.”

  Liz thought of the O’Brien matriarch and her role in this amazing family. She was so glad that she’d arrived in town in time to get to know her just a little. She lifted her cup of coffee.

  “To Nell,” she said quietly.

  “To Nell,” the others echoed.

  “She would hate it if she could hear us,” Megan said. “She’d say it sounds as if we’re already mourning her, when she has a lot left to give and a lot left to live for, especially since she and Dillon found each other again in Ireland. I think that romance and their marriage revitalized her.”

  “You’re right,” Shanna said. “Let’s toast that.”

  This time the toast was far more upbeat and followed by a good bit of laughter.

  “There now!” Megan said, setting down her cup. “She’d approve of that. What she’s not going to be happy about is how many of us are missing from the table for Sunday dinner today.”

  “It’s the one weekend all summer that she tolerates us playing hooky, though,” Bree explained to Liz. “We just won’t hear the end of it till the Fourth of July!”

  “Maybe not till Labor Day,” Megan amended. She glanced outside. “Looks as if the rain’s stopped temporarily. I’d better seize the opportunity to get to the shop without getting drenched.”

  The gathering broke up, though Shanna and Bree walked with Liz to her shop as Megan and Heather hurried off to their businesses around the corner on Shore Road.

  “You did okay yesterday?” Shanna asked.

  “Better than I could possibly have imagined,” Liz said, thinking of the hefty amount she already had totaled for Tuesday’s deposit.

  “I don’t suppose Aidan had anything to do with that sparkle I see in your eyes,” Shanna teased.

  “Absolutely not,” Liz claimed. “I’m all about the cash.”

  Bree laughed. “Keep telling yourself that.”

  Liz intended to. This was no time to lose focus on her goal of making Pet Style a success.

  *

  Aidan spotted Liz on the sidewalk downstairs, chatting with Shanna and Bree before they left for their own shops. He’d made her agree the night before to call him if
she needed help today, but his gut told him she wouldn’t do it even if there were customers hanging from the rafters. He made her nervous and he wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe it was because she wanted so badly to ignore those sparks that kept sizzling between them.

  To keep himself from stopping in just to say hi, he deliberately forced himself to grab the Sunday New York Times and head for Panini Bistro, where he could read the paper and linger over a cappuccino.

  Despite the rain, Shore Road was already hopping just like Main Street. Panini Bistro was crowded with tourists who’d had the same idea he’d had. He was about to turn around and leave when he heard his name being called out from a table in the back. He spotted Connor and Kevin O’Brien waving in his direction. Kevin was already dragging an empty chair over from a neighboring table. Aidan stopped at the counter to order his drink, then joined them.

  “If you were hoping for peace and quiet, you’ve come to the wrong place,” Kevin said, glancing around at the crowd. “It’s not even Memorial Day and I’m already eager for the tourist season to be over.”

  Connor laughed. “My brother doesn’t really hate tourists, because he knows they’re very good for the businesses our wives run,” he said. “He just sees every one of them as a potential threat to the bay.”

  Kevin scowled at him. “You would, too, if you saw the amount of trash they leave behind.”

  “It sounds as if you’re as dedicated to preserving the Chesapeake as your uncle is,” Aidan said, concluding this was the perfect opening to pick up a few more tidbits about his father.

  “I think he’s even more of a fanatic,” Connor said, nudging his brother. “You know how it is with the recently converted.”

  Kevin’s scowl deepened. “Bite me.”

  “Seriously,” Aidan persisted, “were you drawn into your work by Thomas?”

  “Of course,” Kevin said. “Much to my father’s dismay. He and Thomas hadn’t gotten along all that well for years, so Dad viewed it as a betrayal when I decided to go to work with him.”