Winning Over Skylar

by Julianna Morris

  With that, she pulled out a stack of statistics she’d put together, and Aaron had to admit they were impressive. He was also aware that she was probably making a sideways pitch for him to continue to lease Cooper Industries land to the organic farmers who were already using it.

  For someone who didn’t have a business degree or even a high-school diploma, Skylar seemed to have a good grasp of market trends and needs. Though being the mother of a teenager, she probably had a built-in barometer for what kids were eating.

  All at once she glanced at her watch. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I have to get back to the Nibble Nook before the lunch rush. We can continue this tomorrow if you like.”

  “Sure.”

  Aaron walked her down to her truck and as she got in, cleared his throat. “By the way, thanks for the food you dropped off on Saturday after the picnic. Melanie was upset she couldn’t go to the party. Seeing Karin and getting to eat homemade ice cream made her feel better. But you should have come in while they were visiting.”

  “I thought it was better to wait in the truck. And bringing the food was Karin’s idea. They’re friends.”

  “She’s a nice kid. Tell her I appreciate it.”

  “Uh...sure. I’ll see you tomorrow, same time as this morning.”

  She drove away, and Aaron stood for a while, looking around him. City hall was shaded by tall elms that had been there since before he was a boy and was surrounded on three sides by a small city park with neatly mowed grass and a tidy bandstand from the 1890s. A bust of the town’s founder, Nelson Cooper, was on a pedestal to the left of the granite steps, and a life-sized bronze figure of a grizzly bear rested on the lawn opposite.

  Except for the cars circling the square, it probably didn’t look that different from the days of horse-drawn carriages and ladies in long, elegant dresses. Perhaps he’d been too hasty, dismissing city hall as a useless relic.... It was a reminder of a bygone era when life was simpler and people were still convinced the world’s problems could be solved.

  One point to Skylar, he mused.

  What Cooperton City Hall lacked in modern conveniences, it probably made up for in charm. The place might be better off as a museum, but he could see why the town clung to its small piece of the past.

  As Aaron drove past the Nibble Nook a few minutes later, the parking lot was full as usual, and he saw Skylar at the one of the three cashier’s windows, handing out an order. She was smiling in a way he hadn’t seen since his return to Cooperton, and his gut tightened. There was a brief time in high school when Skylar had smiled at him that way, her green eyes shining with merriment...and devilry.

  God, she had fascinated him.

  And she was just as compelling now in a different way. He was impressed by her careful appraisal of his plans for Cooper Industries and she had presented some interesting ideas he would have to evaluate. He couldn’t imagine the rebellious girl he’d once known caring about organic snack foods or creating job-sharing opportunities or being concerned for the people who worked for Cooper Industries.

  Aaron frowned, recalling what Skylar had said about him distrusting the people who worked at the factory. He hadn’t thought of it quite that way, but it was accurate. Trust didn’t come easily to him, and abuses were rife amongst his grandfather’s employees; he was trying to fix the behavior without having to fire a load of them.

  The families you employ have been loyal to Cooper Industries for generations....

  The words echoed in Aaron’s ears and his frown deepened. Skylar had looked so passionate when she was talking about the loyalty of the factory employees and making a difference in their lives. He was convinced there was hidden meaning to what she’d said; he just didn’t know what it might be.

  But one thing was clear...he was thinking far too much about Skylar. In view of how much she’d intrigued him when they were kids, it had to stop for his own peace of mind.

  CHAPTER SIX

  SKYLAR THOUGHT HER meeting with Aaron the next morning was going well...as well as it could with a man who’d already made up his mind about what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it. Yet he seemed odd, looking at her with a question in his eyes that made her nervous.

  “Unless more issues come up, we don’t need to schedule another meeting right away,” she said. “Research is mostly what’s needed now. Also, I’ve sent the information to various county offices for comment and I’m waiting for their responses. Then there are the things I’ve asked you to reconsider in your plan.”

  “I’m working on that.” He shifted in his chair, his leg brushing her knee, and it was as if an electric current shot through her veins and settled low in her abdomen. If he’d just keep his distance, she’d be a whole lot happier.

  “So...uh, what does your grandfather think of all this?”

  A shutter closed over Aaron’s face. “We don’t discuss Cooper Industries any more than necessary.”

  “Oh.”

  Skylar didn’t know what else to say, though she’d already guessed his relationship with George Cooper wasn’t the best. He certainly didn’t seem to feel any special fondness for his grandparents, and he’d lived with them ten months out of the year for better than half his childhood.

  Despite Aaron’s closed expression, she saw a hint of the old pain in his eyes...a sadness beneath the arrogance. She’d forgotten it, and the way it had once made her think they might have something in common. Not that she believed it was real, not any longer. As a teenager he’d probably cultivated a trace of false vulnerability to get girls into bed. He could even have a bunch of kids, the same as his dad—according to the headlines in the scandal rags, S. S. Hollister had ex-wives and lovers and children spread across more than one continent.

  “Of course, we’ll need to review any changes you make,” she murmured. “And if your plans are approved, you wouldn’t be able to alter anything without checking with us first.”

  “You don’t trust me, do you?”

  “Probably no more than you trust anyone.”

  The remains of his smile vanished, and the haunting, sad look in his eyes returned. “That’s an interesting thing to say. Have you ever trusted someone completely?”

  “My husband and his parents,” she replied without hesitation.

  “Has anyone ever betrayed your trust?”

  “Once or twice,” Skylar said, swallowing. Aaron had betrayed her trust, but reminding him of the few weeks they’d dated would be stupid. He stared at her, and she wondered what else he wanted to know.

  The intense moment was broken when his cell phone rang and he pulled it out with a murmured apology. She sank back in her chair and let out a breath.

  Despite his faults, Aaron was handsome enough to have seduced a thousand women. Even knowing what she did about him, she still felt the tug. It was proof you didn’t have to actually like a man to find him physically compelling.

  She’d even dreamed about Aaron the other night, though it was more of a nightmare. He’d kissed her, threading his fingers through her hair and easing his knee between her legs...only to draw back and say that he didn’t make love to immoral women.

  Was fear the reason for her nightmare, fear that he would try to take Karin away, believing she was something she wasn’t?

  Or maybe it was guilt. People kept telling her it was all right to find someone else, but part of her still felt married to Jimmie...and that being attracted to another man was like being unfaithful. It was hard being alone, and physical closeness was something she missed along with the laughter and love she’d shared with her husband. Guilt was a powerful motivator, and it could have caused her subconscious to pair her with someone she despised. And she did despise Aaron—he might be educated, wealthy and successful, but he was still an angry, suspicious man.

  God, she had to keep Karin away from
him.

  His cool cynicism was even worse than when they were kids, and she didn’t want her daughter to become anything like him or the rest of the Hollisters. Or the Coopers, for that matter. They were civic-minded, but their family relationships seemed to be a mess, as well.

  Karin was a great kid, excited about the future when she wasn’t thinking about losing her father. She didn’t need such dysfunctional people and screwed-up values in her life.

  Aaron disconnected the call and apologized, saying he had to go. He hurried out, and Skylar waited until she was sure he was gone before getting up herself.

  She was grateful their difficult conversation had gotten interrupted. They were being forced to work together, but the dark currents beneath their superficial cordiality were unchanged. And she didn’t doubt that he still saw her as a woman whose background was too unsavory to ever be truly respectable.

  * * *

  KARIN WALKED WITH Melanie across the football field and through the opening in the fence to the Nibble Nook. The schools were lined up in a row, and by the road it was over half a mile to get from them to the hamburger stand, but it wasn’t far on foot if you knew the shortcut. That is, if you were allowed to take the shortcut. Her mom hadn’t let her do it by herself until this year and still acted nervous about it sometimes.

  “Hi, girls. How was school?” called her mother.

  “It was fine, Mrs. Gibson,” Mellie answered.

  Karin would have said differently, but she guessed it hadn’t been that bad.

  They put their backpacks on one of the tables and settled down to do their homework.

  A few minutes later her mom came out with snacks and two extra-large cups. Karin’s mouth watered—after-school snacks had included the yummiest smoothies since Mellie had come back to school.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Let me know if you want more.”

  Karin looked in her cup, delighted to see it had ice cream swirled into the smoothie, which smelled like a mix of strawberry, pineapple and peach. Her absolute favorite.

  Melanie scooped a big mouthful from her cup. “Ohmigod,” she said when she’d swallowed. “This is so good. I’m awful tired of orange juice. And that chicken soup Aaron gets from the deli....” She shuddered. “I guess he’s trying to take care of me, but it’s gross.”

  “Mom always makes smoothies when I’m sick and her chicken soup is yummy. And she bakes homemade pretzel rolls to eat with the soup. It’s almost worth having a cold. Not really, but you know what I mean.”

  Melanie giggled. “I know. I wish I could live with you.”

  Karin froze, her brain working furiously.

  Well, why not?

  It wasn’t as if Mellie’s family cared that much about her. Or at all. She put down her cup. “Do you mean that?”

  “Mean what?”

  “That you want to live with us.”

  “Well, yeah. It would be like I belonged someplace, instead of being dropped on whoever will take me. Besides, you’d be there, and your mom is great.”

  “She can get cranky when she’s tired,” Karin said, determined to be honest. “And we don’t get to eat burgers and French fries and ice cream that much, even though we own the Nibble Nook.”

  Melanie put her smoothie down, too. “I don’t care if she’s cranky; she’s a real mom. She helped me with my history paper, and even though I’m not her kid, she makes sure I do my homework, too. I never had anybody who cared that much. Well, Aaron asks sometimes, but he knows I do it here.”

  “Okay.” Karin leaned forward and dropped her voice. “Then tell your brother that you want to come live with us. I’m sure it’d be all right with Mom, and that way we could be the same as sisters.”

  Mellie looked excited, then her face fell. “I don’t know...Aaron might not like it. He hasn’t said much about the Nibble Nook lately, but I know he doesn’t want me coming here.”

  “At least you could ask.”

  “All right. I’ll try to find a good time.”

  Karin grinned happily. She’d always wanted a sister, and it would be awesome to have Mellie live with them.

  * * *

  MELANIE TIPTOED DOWN to the kitchen early on Saturday morning so she could fix Aaron breakfast. She couldn’t really cook, but she’d gotten frozen breakfast food at the grocery store and had hidden it behind the ice-cream cartons in the freezer. There were waffles you put in the toaster, and eggs and bacon and potatoes that had microwave instructions. It shouldn’t be too hard.

  She scooped coffee grounds into the filter. Keeping her fingers crossed, she put water in and flipped the switch. After a few seconds there was a pop and sizzle and Melanie jumped backward, appalled. Had she broken it? Was it going to start a fire?

  Then she realized it was steam, not smoke, coming out and laughed nervously. Silly. She’d never paid much attention to coffeemakers and should have remembered they made noises like that when the water touched hot metal.

  She was supposed to be at the school at 9:00 a.m. to help set up for a carnival they were having to raise money, and Aaron was probably going to the office. He almost always worked on Saturday mornings.

  She was trying to get her nerve up to ask him about moving in with the Gibsons and hoped fixing breakfast would show she was responsible and able to take care of herself. April and Tamlyn had gone to college when they were sixteen, and they’d lived in their own apartment; all she wanted to do was live with a different family.

  Aaron wandered in at seven-thirty, yawning, and opened his eyes wide at the table she’d set. “What’s this?”

  “Breakfast. I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

  Melanie’s finger hurt where she’d burned it on the toaster, but she had six waffles toasted. She piled three on a plate and put it in front of Aaron, along with a large cup of coffee, then started the microwave now that he was awake.

  “Is it okay?” she asked anxiously when he took a drink. The expression on his face was kind of odd.

  “Sure, it’s fine. Thanks.” He put syrup on the waffles and she rushed over to refill his cup. “Oh, I’ve got plenty.”

  “But you always drink a bunch before going to work.”

  The microwave dinged before he replied, and Melanie ran to get it. Using pot holders, she carried it to the table.

  “Aren’t you eating?” Aaron asked. “You need food with those antibiotics you’re taking.”

  “I took it with a glass of milk. The teachers are bringing doughnuts for everyone setting up for the carnival. Karin says the apple fritters from the Bing Bing Donut Shop are awesome. You haven’t forgotten I’m going to the school to help, have you?”

  “Of course not. I’ll give you a ride on the way to the office. I remember the Bing Bing Donut Shop. Karin is right—their apple fritters were delicious.” All at once he smiled at her. “Fixing breakfast was very thoughtful, Melanie. Thank you.”

  “Uh...sure.” She sat down and nibbled a waffle as she watched Aaron eat. He steadily drank the pot of coffee, though at one point he started coughing.

  “Thanks, crumb went down the wrong way,” he said after she’d thumped his back.

  “That happens to me, too.” Melanie sat down again. It was so comfy and pleasant, she didn’t want to say anything about living with Karin and Mrs. Gibson.

  She’d have to ask him later.

  * * *

  AARON HAD PURCHASED a new lawn mower after getting another letter from the neighborhood association about his grass, but he hadn’t used it yet. So early that afternoon, he dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt and rolled it out of the garage.

  He walked around the machine, regarding it suspiciously. The safety manual suggested wearing protective clothing and goggles, and warned against practically everything except getting bitten by a tsetse fly.<
br />
  Hmm.

  He put on his sunglasses. They would have to do as safety goggles. And he wasn’t barefoot, he was wearing sturdy athletic shoes. It seemed a reasonable middle-of-the-road option since he’d seen people running mowers in nothing but flip-flops and a bathing suit.

  He paced through the long grass, searching. It didn’t appear to have anything in it that could represent a hazard.

  Next he looked about.

  There were no small children nearby who could be injured by flying objects, and Melanie was still at the high school, helping out. One of the parents was bringing her home, and he was taking her to the carnival later that evening himself.

  A grin spread on Aaron’s face as he recalled the breakfast she’d made that morning. The eggs had been cold in the middle and the waffles slightly burned, but he’d eaten them anyway, as well as drinking the coffee...so strong it had almost dissolved the enamel on his teeth.

  The truth was, though he hadn’t been eager for Melanie to live with him while he was taking over Cooper Industries, he enjoyed having her. Well, except when she was in a blue funk. He just wished she’d spend more time at home, instead of at the Nibble Nook with Karin.

  Sighing, he bent over, hooked his fingers on the handle of the lawn mower starter cord, and yanked.

  Once.

  Twice.

  Three times. But the blasted thing didn’t turn over or whatever it was supposed to do, and Aaron cursed under his breath. The hardware store had claimed this was their most popular model, reliable and easy starting with just one or two pulls on the cord, but it wasn’t any better than the broken one it replaced. Damn it. He’d hoped to get an electric mower, but they’d said his yard was way too big and overgrown. Gritting his teeth, he began yanking the cord over and over, only to hear someone laughing.