by Ivy Jordan
“Sometimes it’s harder than other times,” I admitted.
“I guess with everything going on, you’ve struggled with focus,” Liana said calmly.
Shit. She did know.
“So, you know?” I asked, already aware of the answer.
Her red lips tightened and then curled into a faint smile. I watched her eyes, still warm, still kind, and wondered exactly what she knew, and what she thought about me.
“I’m so sorry,” I gushed, feeling tears start to swell in my eyes.
“No, I’m sorry that my son got you roped into this situation,” she offered.
I contemplated telling her it was my bright idea, but I chose not to. Things were going smoothly; at least it felt as though they were. I didn’t want to rock the boat too much.
“I should’ve never lied,” I admitted.
“I don’t think you did. I don’t think either of you did. At least not to anyone but yourselves,” she reached across the table and placed her hand on mine.
“I don’t know how to fix any of this,” I sighed.
“It’s not up to you to fix it. You didn’t break it,” Liana smiled, her bright red lips curling into a crooked smirk.
“Thank you for not being upset with me,” I gushed.
“I’ll let you get to work. But, just so you know, I’d be proud to call you my daughter, for real,” Liana said, squeezing my hand firmly before standing from her chair and leaving my table.
As I watched her walk out of the coffee shop, tears fell down my face, burning my cheeks and smearing my makeup.
I decided right then that I would tell Aiden the truth, confess my love, and from there, we’d see what happened.
I picked up my phone, composed a text to Aiden, and hit send.
Me: I’m ready to talk
Almost instantly, my phone beeped, as if he were holding it, waiting for my text for the last couple days.
Aiden: Great. When and where?
I thought about how things had gone the last time I met him at his house. We’d barely gotten through our greetings before we were naked on the kitchen table. My pussy twitched thinking about his touch, a part of me wanting it, needing it.
No. I couldn’t do that. Not this time. It had to be somewhere neutral, somewhere we both felt comfortable.
Me: How about Liam’s? Can you meet me there in an hour?
Aiden: I’ll be there.
I packed up my laptop and quickly made my exit from the store. I rushed back to Liam and Alyssa’s, quickly freshening up my makeup, fixing my hair, and changing into a top that was more flattering than the t-shirt I threw on that morning.
I knew I’d never allow myself to lose control in my big brother’s house. I respected their life and their family too much to throw myself at Aiden in their home, even if I knew for a fact that they would not be home for hours.
Aiden’s truck pulled into the driveway as I sat on the front porch, waiting anxiously. My heart raced as he stepped out of the driver’s side, his tall frame riddled with muscles, and his dark skin glistening in the sunlight.
“Thank you for seeing me,” he said softly, taking the seat beside me.
“I just want you to listen,” I explained, unwilling to get into a discussion with him at this point.
I didn’t trust myself. I knew if he spoke too much and said just the right thing, that all my morals about respecting my brother’s home would fly out the window.
“I can do that,” Aiden agreed.
“I brought up this marriage thing, and it was selfish on my part. I apologize for not being completely honest with you right away. I’ve had a huge crush on you since I was a little girl. Somewhere along the way, that crush turned into something more, and I fell in love with you. I am in love with you,” I stammered.
Aiden looked shocked, his mouth hanging open, and his eyes wide and bright as they stared into mine.
My cheeks blushed with embarrassment. I didn’t realize it would be this hard to admit.
“I never knew,” Aiden whispered.
“I took advantage of the situation, and for that, I’m sorry,” I sighed.
“I-uh,” Aiden started to speak.
My heart was already racing. I couldn’t handle it. I had to get away.
“I’ve got to get some work done,” I rushed, standing and wrapping my arms around Aiden as he stood alongside me.
Standing on my tippy toes, I squeezed his neck, gently kissed his cheek without meaning to, and then pulled away. He looked as if he had something to say, but I was afraid of what it may be, so I quickly rushed into the house, closing the door behind me. My heart pounded wildly as I stood against the door. I did it; I told him the truth.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Aiden
I paced the floors back and forth, peeking out the front window every few minutes. I’d called Luke over an hour ago. What in the hell was taking him so long?
Finally, his truck whipped into my driveway. I rushed to the front door, flinging it open; I called out to him to hurry up.
“Where’s the damn fire?” Luke scoffed, working to get out of the truck.
My heart was racing as he finally made it to the front porch. I ushered him inside, closing the door behind him and checking out the window as if I feared he was followed. I knew I looked crazy, the expression on Luke’s face told me that. I felt crazy.
“I’ve got to talk to you,” I exclaimed.
“No shit, you told me that several times and rushed me over here. What about?” he questioned.
I took a deep breath, sat down on the couch, and stared up at Luke, who looked anxious, possibly irritated.
“Blake told me she loved me, that she’s loved me for years, years,” I gasped.
Luke chuckled, his eyes narrowed, and he took the seat across from me.
“Wow. I guess an ‘I told ya so’ is in order,” he laughed.
I shook my head, unable to focus on his sarcasm. I needed answers, and for whatever reason, he was the only one I thought might have them.
“I’m just in shock,” I sighed, leaning back into the couch cushion.
It felt good to get the news off my chest, to unload it onto someone else, someone who might know what to do.
“So, what’s the problem?” Luke asked.
“I don’t know what to do next: that’s the problem,” I griped.
“Oh wow. Are you telling me you didn’t tell her you loved her, too?” he bellowed.
I shook my head. His eyes rolled.
“It wasn’t like that. She didn’t give me a chance. She told me, and then she ran me off, telling me she needed more time,” I explained.
“Fuck, Aiden. That was the perfect opportunity to tell her,” Luke groaned.
I knew it was; I felt it last night, that moment, that chance. I let it slip away.
“Now what?” I asked, feeling helpless.
“Now, I guess you have to tell her,” Luke said sternly.
“I can’t just blurt it out,” I replied.
“No, maybe like your abuela said, a grand gesture,” Luke suggested.
I’d already sent every flower in Del Rio to her brother’s house, chocolate, and a beauty basket. Wasn’t that grand enough?
“How did I not know?” I questioned.
Luke’s head tilted to the side like Holly’s puppy when it heard a strange noise.
“Maybe because you were too busy trying to hide the fact that you loved her,” he laughed.
“But for years?” I gasped.
“Yeah, so that means she had a crush on you when you were kids,” Luke sounded irritated as he spoke.
I knew I was acting foolish, but I was so shocked that I missed the signs. I was in love with Blake too, since she started high school, but I was afraid to ever say anything for fear that Liam would come unglued.
“I could get her a puppy. She loves Holly’s puppy, and you mentioned it at the barbeque,” I noted.
“Sure. But, just handing her a puppy i
sn’t big enough,” Luke pondered.
“A scavenger hunt,” I exclaimed, excited by the idea.
Luke’s eyes widened, and he seemed to be as excited as I was about the playful game.
“Okay, that could work,” Luke smiled,
“She’s smart, and she loves puzzles,” I added with a grin.
We went to work, brainstorming on what to do and how to do it. We agreed that three clues was the perfect number. It wasn’t dragging it out too long, and it gave enough mystery to the game to keep her intrigued.
“What if she doesn’t do it?” I asked.
“She’s in love with you. Do you really think she won’t?” Luke smirked.
“I’ve been a real ass,” I admitted.
“Yeah, she, after all that, she still told you she was in love with you,” Luke pointed out.
I wrote out the first clue that would lead her to the lake, and handed it to Luke. He promised to drop it off to Liam’s, sneaking it into the mailbox without being caught as he left my house.
My house.
I needed to make the place more like our house. I wanted it to be ready when she came home.
The clue included my phone number and a request that she text when she was ready to play, if she chose to do so. I knew I’d have to wait to find out if she was willing, but like Luke said, she loved me. There was no reason why she wouldn’t want to at least play along and see where it led her.
I had the second and third cards ready to be placed, so I shoved them into the kitchen drawer. I walked through the house, noticing that Blake didn’t leave a very heavy footprint on it while there, and I was determined to change that.
The office, where I’d hoped she’d feel comfortable enough to work, had barely been used. The desk was too small for her to really spread out, and the chair, now that I really looked at it, wasn’t comfortable at all. I pulled the furniture out, setting it on the curb for either the trash or someone in need, with a sign that read free.
Online, I found a beautiful corner desk, large enough to allow her the freedom to work, and a chair that claimed to be ergonomically engineered for maximum comfort. I clicked the order button and then headed to the local hardware store to buy paint for the room—light gray, so I could add in the soft blues that she loved so much.
“How’s married life?” Norm, the old man at the hardware store, asked as I entered.
“Great,” I smiled, relieved that at least everyone hadn’t heard about all the recent chaos.
I selected the paint, and then brought it to the counter. While Norm mixed the paint, I noticed a porch swing made of cedar hanging from the rafter a few aisles away.
“How much for the swing?” I asked.
Norm looked up, grunted, and then turned to me. “For you, two hundred,” he replied.
“I’ll take it,” I smiled.
I remembered Liam and Blake’s house had a porch swing when we were younger. It was long gone now, but it was the first place that I remembered feeling the flutter of butterflies in my stomach for Blake. She sat there, sketching a picture of the street, and when I sat beside her, a sweet sigh escaped her lips. I didn’t know why, but the noise caught my attention in a way she had never done before. From then on, I looked at young Blake differently. She was no longer just my best friend’s little sister, but a beautiful girl that made my heart flutter. I’d never admit it until now, but I knew I loved her then.
It felt good to get things done around the house, turning it into a home. It also helped keep my mind off the fact that Blake hadn’t texted. I knew enough time had gone by that Luke had delivered the card and that someone had gotten it.
Maybe Blake was still working, at the library, or in one of the little cafés or diners. Maybe she hadn’t seen the clue yet.
I finished installing the porch swing and sat down, rocking back and forth in my memory of Blake, when my phone dinged.
I scrimmaged for it in my pocket, pulling it out so quickly, so clumsily, I nearly dropped it on the hard, concrete porch. It was her.
Blake:I’ll start looking for the clue first thing in the morning.
I was elated. She was in. She would search for the clues, realize I love her too, that I’ve always loved her, and be back home in no time. I quickly created a response and hit send.
Me: Good luck!
As soon as I sent it, I realized it was too quick, too eager. I was eager though, borderline desperate at this point. I missed Blake, my wife, and I wanted her home.
Chapter Thirty
Blake
A clue is in the place where some of my fondest memories live, where we as kids would play. It holds a color blue, close to your eyes, but not just from the summer skies.
I read the card sent from Aiden and knew exactly where he was sending me. As kids, we all spent a great deal of our time at the lake, swinging from the rope tied to a long branch of the giant oak tree, and splashing into the cool, refreshing, blue water.
I smiled as I thought about the times we’d shared there, and loved that our fondest memories shared a place.
“Holly, do you want to go to the lake with me this morning?” I called into the kitchen.
She lifted up from her bowl of cereal, milk dripping down her chin, and smiled.
“Yes, can I bring Sam?” she asked.
I giggled and nodded. I found her so intriguing. Holly wasn’t like other little girls. She had a unique sophistication to her at times, like when naming her fluffy puppy Sam.
“Whenever you’re ready,” I told her, and then quickly sent Aiden a text.
Me: I know where I’m going. Will leave in a few minutes.
I carried my phone into the guest room where I’d been sleeping and found a clean t-shirt and pair of shorts. I wasn’t sure if Aiden would be there, or if just another clue would be waiting for me somewhere by the lake shore.
“I’m ready,” Holly bounced into my doorway, her hair pulled into a tight ponytail, and her face covered with large sunglasses.
“You look like Miss. Hollywood,” I teased, patting her head as I left the room.
I helped her get the leash, round up the hyper pup, and head out the front door.
The puppy scratched at the glass of the passenger window until I rolled it down enough for him to hang his head outside. He sat in Holly’s lap, content and relaxed as I pulled away from the house.
I pulled into a parking spot near the park and helped Holly untangle Sam’s leash from the adjuster beside the seat.
He took off running through the park, causing a few birds that were enjoying breakfast to scatter, wings flapping and beaks squawking like mad.
Holly laughed as she pulled back on his leash, stopping him from going any further.
“You can let him run around here,” I instructed, leaning down to unlatch Sam’s leash from his collar.
He took off fast, running circles around the thick trees. A few teenagers, just a few years older than Holly, took turns swinging from the rope tied to the old oak by the water. Her eyes widened as she stared out at them, amazement, possibly even envy, flickering in her eyes.
“Your dad could always get the biggest splash,” I winked in her direction.
She looked up at me, her bright blue eyes matching my own. Aiden used to tell me I had the bluest eyes in Texas when we were just kids, but now I believe Holly stole that title.
“You can jump, if you want,” I suggested, nodding towards the tree.
Her head shook vigorously as she clenched her hands, wringing them like wet clothes. I remembered being scared at her age, too, but I had Liam and Aiden to help push me past my comfort zone.
I found a patch of grass that was being warmed by the sun, and leaned back, staring up at the sky. It was a beautiful blue, but not nearly as blue as the lake, or Holly’s eyes. She reminded me of myself when I was girl, close to her age. It was when I’d developed a crush on Aiden—and when Liam started pushing me away, telling me I was too young to hang around them.
�
��Was the rope here when you were a little girl?” Holly asked, sitting down in a warm patch of grass beside me.
“Oh, yes,” I gushed, remembering how exciting it was to let go, fall into the water, and feel that cool blue liquid swarm over my hot skin.
“Maybe I’ll try it next year,” she smiled.
“Maybe,” I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her in close. “Your uncle Aiden was the one who got me to do it my first time,” I reminisced.
Holly’s eyes were wide and filled with interest as I told her about Aiden lifting me to the tree, holding my hand as I reached for the rope, and jumping in the lake first, so I’d have someone to swim to. I was so in love with him by that time; I would’ve jumped off the tall bridge that only the crazy kids used as summer entertainment. But I would have done it if he encouraged me.
“She’s too small,” I did my best Liam impression, causing Holly to laugh. “If it were up to your dad, I’d probably never jumped from that tree,” I admitted with a sigh.
“He was mean?” she asked.
“No. He was protective, but not mean. Your dad was, is, one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met. I’m glad he’s my brother,” I smiled, reaching over to ruffle up Holly’s hair.
Sam was barking at the feet of all the kids taking their turn on the tree swing, most ignoring his chaos. One boy, probably fourteen, stooped down and petted him on his fluffy head.
“Is this your dog?” he called back towards me and Holly.
“It’s mine. His name is Sam,” Holly quickly responded, leaping up from her spot to talk to the older boy.
I rolled my eyes as her eagerness was not only obvious, but familiar. The boy flipped his long dark hair back from his shoulder, smiled, and immediately ran back towards his friends. I watched Holly, looking a little disappointed, and my heart ached for her. I knew that feeling too, all too well.
“Should I go?” she asked softly.
I shook my head.
“Better to wait for your dad on that one,” I warned, realizing Liam’s protectiveness had to be much stronger for his own daughter than it had been for his sister.
I looked around the lake and the back towards the park.
