"That could have gone worse," Aiden quipped as she and Mitch headed back out the door a few hours later.
"To be honest, I figured once they knew a grandkid was on the way, they'd be alright." "True," Aiden agreed, shaking her head with a laugh. Cynthia had been all geared up to go off on Jessie's lack of notice about a guest, but Jessie artfully intercepted her mother's protests as she pulled Jacob inside to speak with both her parents. Cynthia simply raised her hands to the heavens with a shake of her head and followed them inside after pausing to greet Jacob. Because if there was one truth about Cynthia, she was a stickler for good manners and being a good hostess, and no family uproar would detract from that. Aiden and Mitch had hung back to allow them a few moments, making small talk, and after a happy cry sounded from inside, they exchanged a grin and headed in to find both parents hugging and kissing Jessie and Jacob, their excitement quickly palpable. Cynthia and Paul next made a fuss over Aiden’s return, as always, and soon enough they were all catching up over dinner and dessert. In between Cynthia and Jessie going back and forth about wedding and baby details, of course, much to Aiden's amusement. After they'd lingered for far longer than she realized, happy to be soaking up the familiar family atmosphere, Jessie stood up and announced she was simply falling down exhausted. Dishes had been cleared and cleaned, dessert had been finished for a while, and Aiden hadn't even registered that the sun had long since set as they sipped at their drinks and continued catching up. After giving everyone a hug and a kiss, Jessie grabbed Jacob's hand and tugged him upstairs with her, but not before flinging an arm around Aiden with an exaggerated wink before cooing out "Beach day tomorrow! All four of us!" Aiden couldn't help but laugh and nodded in agreement. "Yes. Not sure how much swimming Dr. Mitch will let me do, but it's a date." Mitch cleared his throat with a raised brow before Aiden glanced at her watch. "Speaking of! We've got some evil exes to toast to down at Red Sky.” And with that, ignoring the surprised look on Paul’s face, she’d kissed them both goodbye and thanked them for dinner as they headed out. “Want to walk?” Aiden asked as they breathed in the still-warm night air. At Mitch’s nod, she flashed him a smile, which only grew as he offered his arm. Without hesitation, she slipped her own around his and headed left down the sidewalk, back toward Ocean Avenue. It was only about a ten minute walk, which would be more than enough time to feel out the intentions of the evening and let dinner settle, too. “So I guess this means they’re putting a pin in that European tour, huh?” Mitch gave a slight shrug. “I don’t know, Mom was pretty close to convincing Jessie and Jacob to wait until after the baby comes to get married. I can see both sides, honestly.” “I don’t know. It would be kind of romantic for them to plan a last minute thing here on the beach this summer, but I think your Mom would lose her mind.” Mitch laughed at that, giving a knowing nod. “She might, but that actually sounds like it would be a lot of fun. You should float it to Jessie tomorrow. Even if Mom freaks, it’s Jessie and Jacob’s day to plan, not hers.” Aiden pulled a surprised, but agreeing face at that. Mitch had always been a good, doting son, though he hadn’t ever really had trouble putting his parents in their places when needed. It was good to see that hadn’t changed. Especially when it came to how flighty his sister could be. “You’re right,” she said quietly, not quite beginning to register that a summer wedding would mean way more time spent at the cottage than she’d planned and how that would work. But she was getting ahead of herself; no one could ever predict what Jessie would decide in anything. “Did she tell you how they got together so quickly?” She asked, still surprised but extremely happy with how everything had fallen into place for her friend. "She sort of touched on it when we went to bring some dishes into the kitchen. All I know is they were friends and coworkers for a while and hit it off." "That's the gist of it, yeah," Aiden said as they turned the last corner onto Ocean, with Red Sky visible just up ahead. "I'm happy for her. I mean, it was a surprise, but the best kind. And now I get to be an uncle just in time for Christmas." A soft smile touched his lips at the thought. They made more small talk as they made their way to the stalwart bar that had been around far longer than they had, and stepped inside of what felt like a time capsule. The inside was dark as one would expect, small lights dotted here and there over some of the tables and the bar itself. Faux candelabra decorated the walls and provided even more soft ambiance. The smell of the ocean air swept into the open windows, keeping the old, scrubbed pine walls coated in the finest layer of salty brine. The place had always been a tavern and dated back to the early 1800s, with the ghost stories and local lore to show for it, along with the photos - some of them ancient-looking - placed haphazardly between the lights and other random sea-faring decor. As Aiden recalled, her Nan had met her Grandad right there in the shadowy tavern when he was new to town and just starting a long, successful career as a carpenter and volunteer firefighter. It wasn't at all love at first sight, either, and she had to stifle a laugh at the memory of that particular story. "What's so funny?" Mitch asked, ever observant as they headed for a quiet high top in the corner. Aiden was about to answer before a familiar - and loud - voice boomed from across the tavern floor. “Hey heyyyyy, long time, no see - both of you!” “Hey Jerry, how goes?” Mitch asked as Aiden bumped fists with him and took her seat. Jerry had graduated almost a decade before either of them and was as local as a local could get: he’d bought the Red Sky when his uncle was ready to sell, and had been there ever since. “Ah, you know, man. It goes,” he said with a drawl that brought Aiden right back to the weed-smoking and drinking nights of her late teen years. “What can I get you guys?” “I’ll have your craftiest IPA, please,” Aiden said. “Make it two,” added Mitch. “You got it,” Jerry said and headed off. With a smile, Aiden turned back to Mitch.“So, my grandparents met right here in this bar. I’m not sure she ever told anyone else the story. But they hated each other at first, or at least, she hated him, and it was hilarious.”“I know you never met him - hell, I barely remember him - but from what my parents say, they were head over heels for each other. So that does not track at all. I can’t wait to hear this.” He leaned on his elbow and rested his chin in his palm, all ears.“So he was new to town, and was just getting his shop set up. He came here one night to blow off some steam after a particularly hot day. Sunburn plus a few too many beers equals…”“Extra drunk,” Mitch finished with a laugh.“Especially for someone not used to the summer sun out here,” Aiden said with a laugh of her own. “Nan was on a date with someone else. The way she tells it, she was trying to get over someone, though, come to think of it, she never mentioned who. But anyway. Grandad was a little too happy go lucky and when Nan’s date went to the r
“That was… interesting,” Aiden said, still looking at the photo. In it, her Nan was holding the soldier’s hand with both of hers and making doe eyes at him while he was smiling adoringly down at her. She hadn’t been a short woman, but the soldier, a darkly handsome, clean-shaven man of about twenty, towered over her. Mitch moved to look over her shoulder, pressing closer than she would call strictly platonic and she felt her breath hitch deliciously in her throat as she pressed just slightly against him in turn. He felt warm, and sturdy, and was just enough of a distraction for the moment from the photo in her hands. She placed it down on the table and turned to look up at him, questions pouring from her gaze as it met his, but she only found a content, determined look there in return. “What are we even doing?” She breathed out, finally putting words to the flirtatious but evasive feeling that had permeated throughout the entire day and evening.“This,” he said, simply, before slidin
This time when he kissed her, the world stood still as the heat crackled between them, the blissful feeling of need and want coming together and slipping through her veins to coil somewhere deep in her core. Blindly, she set her glass down beside his on the side table before her fingers delved into his hair, pulling him close. The embrace grew insistent, hungrier by the moment as he pulled her tight against him, his fingers possessively gripping her upper thighs as she moved, boldly, to straddle his lap. As they inched higher to hook into the delicate, lacy band of her underwear before he gave a playful tug, a gasp slipped past her lips. Her own mindless fingers were already eagerly unbuttoning his shirt, pulling it off his shoulders as she went, before one hand snaked back to unzip her dress. He stopped then, just for a moment, breaking the kiss off as her breath left her in short, sharp bursts, her entire body trembling with pending disappointment that warred with hope all the whi
Aiden's eyes cracked open on the dimly lit bedroom as she gave a delicious stretch - as much as she could muster without disturbing Mitch, anyway. She was stiff and sore in all the right places and a fresh thrill tiptoed down her spine when her mind drifted back to why. A little glow of delight spread through her to see him still there with her. They'd drifted off together, snuggled up on the couch and under a fluffy blanket before they'd moved upstairs to her bedroom at some point in the wee hours. To her delighted surprise, he'd scooped her and their discarded clothing up and carried her, half asleep, to their current destination. A murmured "stay?" had left her lips without thought and she had been warmly gratified that it hadn't taken any convincing at all for him to slip beneath the sheets beside her. They'd shared another searing kiss before they'd settled in for the night, wrapped around one another as if it was something they'd been doing their whole lives. A soft smile curle
"Girl, how are you even walking right now?" Jessie exclaimed in a gleeful, teasing tone as she dangled Mitch's duffle between them, while Jacob turned faintly pink before greeting Aiden good morning. "Ha HA. Good morning to you, too," was all she replied as she snatched the bag, staring daggers before she shot a smirk at Jessie and headed back to Mitch. “I know that look, Aiden Matthews!” she sang out as Aiden disappeared up the stairs with a shake of her head. He reluctantly rose from the bed when she reappeared, but accepted his things gratefully and slipped into the bathroom to change. Just before he did, he pressed another sweet kiss, one full of promise, to her mouth. "See you downstairs in a minute," he breathed to her lips with a content grin. "Don't be too long," Aiden teased, certain he would be taking some time to marshal his thoughts and resign himself to dealing with his sister. With equal reluctance, she drew in a deep breath, working to keep the goofy, sated grin
“I don’t know,” Aiden whispered, trying to get it together. “I do. You'd be miserable, both of you, wondering about what could have been. Are you going to keep coming home for holidays when he eventually brings someone new around? Or when he marries her and has kids with her? Not likely.” At the thought of him with someone else, loving her and marrying her and starting a family with her, her middle gave a painful twist, far worse than she could have anticipated. She sucked in a breath. “You’re probably right,” she said quietly. “I’m absolutely right, Aiden. I love you and I love him. And I’m gonna tell him the same… if I see him at all this week, that is,” she couldn’t help but add in with a sly grin before she grew serious again. “Don’t be stupid about any of this. He needs to give you time and space to figure things out, even if its just mental space, but you both need to think good and hard about what you’re willing to compromise to make this work. And don't give me any of tha
"Whoa!" Aiden exclaimed as they jumped back just in time, steadying themselves against the back of the loveseat."Holy shit. A secret passage," Mitch said, peering inside the dark space. "Did you have any idea this existed?" Aiden shook her head, more than a little interested but also a little freaked out. How had she never known about this, in her own home no less? "No way. I don't think my Nan ever mentioned anything about this." She took a step closer, grabbing her phone and turning the flashlight on, trying to see further inside the extremely narrow passage. "Look, there's a small staircase, just ahead."They exchanged a look. "Do you want to check it out?" Mitch asked, sensing her hesitation. Aiden nodded, but held up one finger. "Yeah, but let me text Jessie first… just in case." "Good call."After she was sure the text went through, Aiden clicked the flashlight back on and they siddled through the narrow passage, toward the short stair. Mitch went first, ducking slightly due
A short while later, Aiden had hopped out of the passenger side of her Thunderbird and waited, almost impatiently, for Mitch to join her on the sidewalk. Dutifully, she’d allowed him to drive so she didn’t bust her hand open again, but it had only served to give her too much time to think, leaving her antsy and unable to calm down without the benefit of concentrating on a tangible task. She could barely contain the growing anxiety and curiosity over just what might be in that safety deposit box, but she was also dreading it. The cryptic note had been repeated over and over in her mind and both she and Mitch had taken it apart and tried to consider everything it might possibly mean. As Mitch slid his hand into her good one, she practically dragged him through the doors before they made their way to the counter, the mysterious key dangling from her fingers. The teller at the counter eyed them up before her eyes honed in on the key, then their joined hands, before her gaze moved back t