“I’ve only had my phone on me for, like, the last ten minutes. It was in my purse before that. What’s up? Is everything okay?”
She really didn’t want to say that last word. Asking her mom if everything was okay basically meant inviting chaos in. But how else was she able to show she cared?
Victoria Williams sighed long and deep. “I need your help, pumpkin. It’s this stupid spare room. You know, the one across from your bedroom. With the lavender paint in it.”
“Yes.” Nicole shot a look at the door, half-afraid Gordon was out there. Maybe he wouldn’t be angry over her being on the phone, but she still didn’t like the way it made her look. The best thing would be to end this call as soon as possible.
“What’s going on with the room?” Nicole asked.
“All of that stuff needs to be taken out of it. Everything. The paintings. The boxes of old clothes. There are books, too. Name it and it’s probably there. I need you to come and help me.”
Nicole cringed. “Mom, you know I’m on this internship. It doesn’t end for two more months.”
“Can’t they give you a few days off?”
“Mom, I just got here.”
“Oh, Nicole,” she cried. “Am I supposed to do this all by myself?”
“Why can’t Annie do it?”
“She’s only the housekeeper. That’s not her job. Also, it’s family stuff in there. No one else should be touching it.”
Nicole shook her head at herself in the mirror. This could go on for the next hour or two.
“Mom, once I get home the first thing we’ll do is tackle that room.”
“But that’s so far away. Aren’t you going to come see me before then? Or I can come there. I need to see the place you’re staying at, anyway. I don’t like the idea of you there all alone without me knowing that house is safe.”
Nicole felt heaviness in her chest. After her parents’ marriage fell apart, Victoria relied on her for support and, even though she was still a kid, she was forced to put her mother’s needs ahead of her own. This internship was the first time in her life that she’d done what she believed was right for her despite her mother’s protests.
“Let’s figure something out, Mom. Right now, though, I need to get back to work.” Nicole hesitated, considering telling her mother about the flowers from Aidan. The whole thing was so exciting she wanted to shout about it to every person she knew.
But the words rested in the base of her throat. She could guess what her mother would say. A boy, huh? Let’s hope he’s not like your father. Or, Watch yourself, Nicole. Men are only looking out for themselves.
Nicole didn’t want to hear any of that. Not that day. Not about Aidan.
“I love you, Mom. Let’s talk—” Nicole paused. She was about to say ‘tonight,’ but that night she’d be with Aidan. “Later this afternoon,” she finished.
“Love you too, pumpkin.”
Nicole hung up and noticed that, for some reason, her hands were shaking.
CHAPTER 14
AIDAN
Aidan tapped his fingers against his water glass, his gaze sweeping the restaurant’s patio. The night was a quieter one, compared to his first visit to the place. It was good. Perfect, almost. With the soft chatter of diners, the methodical breaking of waves, and the setting sun casting an orange glow across the sky, it was hard to not smile. Most importantly, Nicole was on her way. Hopefully.
He’d held back from texting her, as the thought itself made him nervous. Instead, he’d decided to go old school. He’d sent the flowers and the note. If she showed up, she showed up. If she didn’t…He didn’t want to think about that possibility.
“Hi,” a soft voice said.
Aidan jumped to standing, his chair nearly toppling over. Nicole had crossed the patio without him noticing and stood in front of him now, with her hands behind her back. She was wearing a red knee-length dress with short sleeves and a black belt. Her blond hair fell over her shoulders in silky waves and she’d pinned back the bangs, exposing her arched eyebrows and hazel eyes.
“H—hi,” Aidan stammered. “You came.”
Nicole bit into her bottom lip as she smiled. “You thought I wouldn’t?”
“Well—”
“Maybe you shouldn’t answer that.”
Aidan laughed, his anxious spell broken. “Have a seat, please.” Rushing to the other side of the table, he pulled the other chair out for her and she settled down.
Taking his own seat, Aidan sat up straight and took in a cleansing breath. This was it. He was on a real date with Nicole. This was what he’d stayed in town for. And it felt just right.
“Thank you for the flowers. I’ve never gotten roses before.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. Why would I be kidding about that?”
“Because you’re so beautiful.”
Nicole’s eyes widened. “Oh, thank you.”
“Not just beautiful,” he quickly explained. “Interesting as well. Smart, fun. I didn’t mean to suggest your looks are all you—”
Nicole chuckled.
“I’m nervous,” he admitted.
“I don’t buy that.” She smirked.
“I don’t think you even realize how much I like you, Nicole.”
He could hear her breathing catch from all the way across the table. Before they could say anything else, the waiter showed up.
“How are we doing?” he asked. “How about some drinks?”
Aidan quickly ordered a soda, eager to get back to Nicole.
“Why did you stay?” Nicole asked the second the waiter left.
He hesitated. That would be a hard one to explain. “I—there’s not much happening for me in Los Angeles and I like it here.” He paused, suddenly feeling braver. “And I like you. But I already told you that.”
“You stayed for me?”
“Would it be crazy if I said yes?”
Her lashes fluttered. “It would be—um, I would like that.”
Heat flooded Aidan’s chest. “Good.”
Nicole smiled.
“Your smile is beautiful.”
That made her smile even more.
“Did I tell you how great you look tonight?” he asked.
“Are you going to shower me with compliments all night?” she answered cheekily.
“Maybe.”
“Hm. I think I like this then.” Nicole picked up her menu and made a scene of reading it. “Aren’t you going to read your menu?”
“Isn’t it all fried seafood?”
Nicole giggled and lowered her voice. “Yeah, almost. There’s a salad, though. And bread.”
“You know what?” Aidan pushed his menu away from him. “I’m not a pro athlete anymore. Bring on the baskets of fried food.”
“Fried what?” the waiter asked, having overheard him as he carried over their drinks.
“Shrimp?” Aidan suggested.
“Same here.” Nicole sparkled as she handed over her menu and another wave of warmth rushed through Aidan. He could really get used to the way this girl made him feel.
Aidan rested his forearms on the table and leaned into them. “This is already the best date I’ve ever had.” He paused. “This is a date, right?”
Nicole nodded. “Mm-hmm. I guess you won me over after all.”
“I did?”
“Well—” She tucked her chin. “A little,” she teased. “Not fully yet.”
“Oh, give me time.”
Nicole laughed.
“What about you?” Aidan asked.
“Me?” A look of alarm took over her features.
“Have you, ah, dated much?”
“I’ve had few dates in my life, to be honest.” She curled a piece of hair around her finger.
Aidan shrugged. “That’s okay. Dating is overrated anyway. Wait. Except for right now and here. Tonight—tonight is not overrated at all.”
Nicole laughed. “Good to hear you think that.”
Aidan sipped his soda. “So yo
u’ve been focusing on school then, huh? On college?”
Nicole’s face tilted upward, and she seemed to be giving her answer some serious thought. “Yes. And then, after school, on figuring out what I want to do next. I’m still thinking about grad school. I’m not really sure yet. Also—”
“What?”
She cleared her throat, looking hesitant. “My mom depended a lot on me since my parents got divorced, and I dedicated myself to helping her.”
“But you were only ten.”
“Yeah, but she’s had a lot of issues and she needed me. Her parents had passed away, she has no siblings, she lost trust in most of her friends when the scandal broke and—I was the main person she relied on for emotional support.”
“That’s a lot of burden for such a young girl.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s true, but that’s how it was, and I had to do my best to be there for her. She didn’t have anyone else.” Nicole’s tone was resigned, but her eyes flashed with sadness.
Aidan was glad that she trusted him enough to share with him such intimate details about her family. Still, he was unsure whether to encourage her to keep talking or to help her change the subject. He didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable, evoking painful memories, so he tried to shift the conversation in a more positive direction. “I really admire your strength. What helped you get through tough times?”
“Faith and prayer,” she answered without hesitation. She remained silent for a moment and then continued, “You see, I was very close to my mom’s mother. She passed away when I was eight and her death was a terrible blow to me, but she’d left me an important legacy. She took me to Church every Sunday, read the Bible to me before going to sleep, taught me how to pray. She instilled in me the need to build a relationship with God at a personal level. This helped me cope with her death, with my dad’s betrayal, with my mom’s dependence on me—with everything.”
Aidan listened to her intently, his expression thoughtful. With every word she uttered, the connection he felt with her grew stronger. “It seems like we have much more in common than even I expected. I found strength in prayer before every match I played and it’s still my main source of inspiration and comfort.” He leaned back in his chair. “My life was turned upside down a year ago. It was sink or swim. I put my faith in God and embraced the waves.”
She nodded with a smile. “I know exactly what you mean.”
“I’m sure you do.” He suddenly felt this woman could understand him better than anyone else. What he saw in her eyes told him that staying in Haven Sound was the best decision he’d ever made. “Thank you for sharing your story with me.”
Learning about her past helped him make sense of her efforts to stay away from him and her reluctance to acknowledge there was something special between them from the moment their eyes first met.
As if reading his mind, she said, “As you can imagine, when you grow up in an environment like the one I grew up in, trusting men is not the easiest thing in the world.”
He instinctively reached across the table and rested his hand on Nicole’s. The move felt bold and he almost drew back—but then she turned her hand over and interlaced her fingers with his. Electricity crackled where their skin touched.
“You’re safe with me, I promise,” he whispered, staring into her eyes.
“All right! Who’s ready for shrimp?” a third voice nearly yelled.
Nicole quickly retracted her hand. Aidan almost wanted to glower at the waiter for the awful timing, but the joy growing inside him made it impossible to.
Dinner passed too fast. Aidan wanted to capture every word Nicole said and tuck them into his pocket, where he could later take them all out, restring them together, and experience the night all over again.
She told him stories about growing up in New York. Sledding in Central Park. The tree in Rockefeller Center at Christmas. Clearly, though, it was trips outside of the city she cherished the most, days when she got to be close to the ocean or the mountains.
Aidan shared a few stories about his own childhood, recounting how he and his brothers made a tree house in their backyard and how they spent summers at the local pool, learning to do back flips into the water and trying to impress girls.
He didn’t want the night to end, but, too soon, they were walking down the sidewalk. Aidan stared at the front of Nicole’s duplex, wishing it would disappear and the two of them could spend the rest of eternity walking on, talking about both things that mattered and things that didn’t.
The porch light streamed across the front yard and they fell silent as they made their way over to it.
At the edge of the porch, Nicole stopped and turned to look at Aidan. “Thanks for walking me back.”
“I should be thanking you,” he said. “It’s pretty neat that we’re in walking distance of each other.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Maybe for our second date we can go to the beach near my place.”
“That would be great.”
They stood facing each other, neither moving an inch. Standing at the edge of the porch, half of Nicole’s head was illuminated, the other half covered in shadows.
Aidan lifted his hand to her face, brushing her cheek with his knuckles. He slid his other arm around her waist and pulled her closer. His breathing hitched as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His fingers moved from her cheek to cup the back of her head.
Her exhale touched his skin and he closed his lips over hers. Electricity shot through him. Her mouth fit perfectly against his, like they had been molded for each other. She tasted of berries. One kiss, and he felt she belonged to him. He swept his lips across hers faster, deepening the kiss. Desire rumbled in his chest. He could kiss her all night and never get enough. But he did the hardest thing in the world: took his hands and mouth off of her and stepped back.
Nicole looked up at him, lips pouting the slightest bit. He ached to touch her again, but he knew he needed to stop.
“I know you have a friend visiting,” Aidan said, “so I don’t want to hog all your time, but if you’re free tomorrow...”
“I—yeah—I’ll, uh, text you,” she said, fast little exhales coming out between each word.
“Goodnight, Nic.”
“Goodnight.” She stepped to the door, reaching for the knob without looking at it.
Aidan waited until she had the door half-open to turn and walk down the sidewalk. A joy he’d never felt rushed through him. He wanted to raise his hands and shout about it to the sky, let the stars absorb his happiness and hold on to it so it could exist forever.
CHAPTER 15
NICOLE
It was crazy. Nicole had been so resistant to Aidan’s very existence and then, the moment she let him in just a little bit, everything changed. She saw the person she’d been refusing to acknowledge. How had she been so ridiculous?
She stood in the half-open doorway, staring at the carpet, feeling her lips turn upward into a smile.
Suddenly, the door flung open the rest of the way. Nicole stumbled, nearly tumbling into the living room.
“There you are,” Lauren said, closing the door behind them.
“Yup!” Nicole kicked her shoes off and went to the couch.
“And?” Eyes round, Lauren took a seat next to Nicole and pulled her legs up to her chest. “How was it?”
“It was—” Nicole bit into her lip, unable to put the beauty of the experience into words.
“The look on your face says everything.”
Nicole covered her face with her hands. “Does it?” she wailed.
“Yes!” Lauren tugged at Nicole’s wrists. “Tell me everything. Did he kiss you? When are you going to see him again?”
“Yes, he kissed me and it was—Wow!”
Lauren squealed and clapped her hands together. “Sorry. I’m just—yeah. You know, a small part of me thought this day might never come.”
“Me going out with Aidan?”
“You dating at all. I hate
to say this, but I was slightly afraid—”
“That I might die single, surrounded by twenty cats?” Nicole asked.
“And birds and squirrels that you’re rehabilitating.”
Nicole rolled her eyes, chuckling.
“So?” Lauren leaned forward excitedly. “When are you going to see him again?”
“I don’t know. He asked me out tomorrow, but it’s your last day, and—”
“Go.”
Nicole cut her hand through the air. “What? No.”
“You’re right. It’s my last day here. But we see each other all the time. You’re still coming to stay with me in September, right?”
“Yes,” Nicole agreed.
“Do it, Nic! Say yes!”
“Okay. Fine. I’m pulling my phone out now. See?” Unable to stop grinning, Nicole took her phone from her purse.
At the sight of Aidan’s name, the sensation of his lips against hers came back, as if it were happening in real time. She could still taste him, she could still feel his touch on her waist.
“You okay?” Lauren asked.
“Hm?” Nicole blinked at her.
“You were just staring off for, like, thirty seconds.”
“Was I?” Cheeks flaming, Nicole wrote Aidan a text.
Had a great time tonight. Just wanted to let you know I’m good for tomorrow, if you are.
She read the message over three times before sending it. “Done,” she announced.
“Woo-hoo!” Lauren dramatically shook her fists in the air.
In her hand, Nicole’s phone buzzed.
“That was quick,” Lauren commented.
Nicole swiped the phone’s screen and her stomach dropped.
“Oh,” she said in a small voice.
“What?”
“It’s my dad.”
The room became deadly silent, the four walls suddenly feeling way too close.
“What did he say?” Lauren asked.
Nicole stared at the text. “He says that he’s going to be in Miami for the next two months and he wants to get together.”
“Oh. That’s good.” Lauren’s words were lifeless, her gaze wary. Though she and Nicole had met years after it happened, Lauren knew about everything that had gone down with the whole affair episode.
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