Chapter 2
Two
AIDYN
Twenty-Four Days until Christmas
It’s Monday and the diner is closed. My cook, Ramon, is helping me prep for the week ahead. Although calling this helping is being generous.
“It’s not difficult, lad. Stir the soup so it doesn’t burn.”
“Sorry, Christy.”
He keeps staring off. According to Lanie, he’s been mooning over some girl.
But my lovesick cook isn’t the problem. That honor goes to my boyfriend. The one no one else knows about.
Garrett has been ignoring my texts. Maybe that’s why my next text is unnecessarily harsh. And without punctuation. Just to get under his skin.
Stop ignoring me, jackass.
I chop onions with a little too much force instead of staring at my phone like a teenage girl. And I should know since I watch my daughter do that very thing most nights. Until she got herself grounded last week.
My phone pings with an incoming text, but I don’t grab it straight away. I finish my chopping and add the onions to the soup.
“Christ, Ramon. Stir.”
He jumps guiltily.
After washing my hands, I check my messages.
Garrett
Sorry, sweetheart. I’ll call you later.
I’m still too angry to text him back, but at least I can breathe again.
My anxiety never used to be this bad. Sure, I struggled after Emily died. But for years, Garrett lived in New York, and I didn’t need constant contact from him.
Lately, I’ve been imagining the worst when he doesn’t respond.
Twisted metal. Blood. My sweet love grabbing my hand, her eyes filled with pain. “It’ll be okay, Aidyn.”
Swiping at my eyes, I shake off the memory. It’s been almost ten years.
“You okay, boss?”
“I’m fine. It’s just the onions.”
Christ. I need to figure out my shit before Garrett gets tired of my clinginess.
And me wanting to keep us a secret.
I leave Ramon in charge and hope he doesn’t burn the place down while I gather a few things for dinner.
The grocery store is busy, so I grab a basket instead of a cart and focus on finding what I need instead of my texts to Garrett.
I spot Mrs. Weppler near the frozen food section and do a complete turnaround.
That conversation would take more time than I have if I want to get an apple pie in the oven.
I turn the corner, just to be sure, and run straight into Garrett Bishop.
His hands grab my arms and hold me still. And for a moment, I can’t remember why telling everyone about us is such a bad idea. His text verified he was fine, but I still look him over. Making sure. “Garrett.”
“Aidyn.” His voice is rough, and his hands tighten on my arms. It’s been over a week since I’ve kissed him. Longer since we shared more.
God, I miss him. And that makes me cranky. “Working hard, I see.”
He drops his hands. “Nat sent me—”
If I weren’t still so angry, I’d chuckle at that. Nat’s the one in charge. No matter what he says.
“Did she, now? What’s so important then?”
As he pulls a list from his pocket, his eyes dart to me and back. “Let’s see, sugar cookies. Donuts—” He clamps his mouth shut, ignoring the rest of the items. “Important things.”
“No wonder you didn’t have time to answer my texts.” I smile as if it’s all a joke. “Too busy eating donuts with that strapping lad who works for you. Jonah, right?”
“I’m not— Wait. Are you jealous? Of a twelve-year-old?”
I shake my head. “No. Jesus. I’m not jealous.” I give him a small smile. “Just frustrated, love.”
His face softens. “I’m sorry. Work has been busy…”
That’s all I need to hear. Garrett’s a workaholic. No surprise to anyone. Somehow, I expected that to change when he moved back. Only it didn’t. I’m not begging the man to spend time with me. “No problem.” I turn to walk away, and Garrett grabs my arm.
“Wait, Aidyn. Everything’s so complicated.”
“It is,” I agree. “It was simpler when you lived a thousand miles away.”
“Simpler.” He shuts his eyes, and I resist the overwhelming urge to hold him.
“I dinna say better, love.” My Irish brogue gets more pronounced when I’m emotional. “I miss you.”
He nods. “I miss you too. I fucking…you know.”
“I do.” I fucking love you, Aidyn. Garrett admitted that to me seven years ago. Are we any closer now than we were then? Well, we’re at least living in the same town. But we used to talk all the time to make up for the distance. Now we go days without talking. A week or two without touching.
We’re interrupted by an employee wanting to stock the shelves near us. That’s when I realize we’re in the baby section.
I guide him to the bread aisle. “Rough day?” Garrett asks, brushing his fingers over mine. Maybe I’m not the only one desperate for contact.
“I have a lovesick cook.”
“I have a TARDIS.”
I peer at him. “Is that another word for your cock?”
He laughs, and I tell my dick to stand down. “No. An actual TARDIS—I mean, not actual actual— It’s for a wedding.”
I snort. “Why would someone want a TARDIS in their wedding?”
“No clue.” He stares at me, and I should look away before Mrs. Weppler sees us mooning over each other. “God, I miss you so much.”
“You know where to find me, Garrett. This isn’t the big city.” I clear my throat, but my voice still sounds rough. “I miss you too. Something fierce. You know that, right?”
“Yeah.” He grabs his empty cart and stares off. “I don’t want to argue.”
The silence is heavy with all the words he’s not saying and the effort to hold them in. Words we’ve said over and over. “Dinner?” I ask.
He hesitates, and I curse myself for hoping.
I shake my head. Not needing to hear the words. “It’s fine—”
“What time?”
“Six?”
He smiles, and I can’t help the corresponding grin on my face. Now who’s the lovesick fool?
“I’m afraid I have ulterior motives,” I say before we give ourselves away.
“God, I hope so.”
And just like that, I feel lighter. “Not that. Well, not just that. It’s Lanie.”
“Lanie?” He straightens, concern etched in the lines of his forehead. “What’s wrong? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine, love.” But I can’t keep the worry from my voice. How much should I tell him? “Sorry to scare you. I’m just not good at this part.”
“What part?”
“Being both a mother and a father for her. She needs her ma—” I shake my head. Garrett used to blame me for the car accident. I’m the one who survived, so I did a fair amount of blaming myself. But we’ve worked through our issues.
Jane’s wedding. Garrett and I working through our issues. Over and over again.
I shut those thoughts down.
“You’re doing fine, Aidyn.” Garrett touches my arm. “What’s going on?”
“I’m probably overreacting. You know how I get.”
He doesn’t laugh. “Tell me.”
I sigh. “I had to ground her last week. I blame the boyfriend.”
“Is she fighting you on it? This is the guy from her math class, Riley, right?”
“It is. And she’s doing what she needs to do. It’s just…” I blink rapidly. Why am I such a mess?
Garrett steps closer and places his hands on my arms. I should push him away—anyone could see us. But I can’t.
I clear my throat. “Lanie wants to learn how to drive.”
Once the pie is in the oven, I take off the oven mitts and lean against the counter. The encounter with Garrett is still on my mind. The strength of his hands on my shoulders. Anchoring me while my lovesick heart soared. Emily and I were in love. It was sweet and romantic and wonderful.
Loving Garrett is different. He’s like a tornado. Powerful. Passionate. Real. Tearing my world apart and torching it in the process. The need to be with him, to have him, burns through me with a ferocity that scares me. What if it burns away just as quickly?
What if I lose him like I lost Emily?
“Apple pie?”
I jump at Lanie’s voice. When I turn around, she’s watching me. It’s hard to believe she’s already sixteen. She has red hair and green eyes like me, but her smile reminds me of her mother. Not that I’ve seen it lately. “You like apple pie.”
She makes a sound of disapproval that only a teenager can perfect. “Why is Uncle Garrett always here—”
“He’s not always here, Lanie. In fact, the last time—”
“No, Da,” she says, rolling her eyes. I’m so ready for this stage to be over. “Why does he always come here? We could go to his house.”
Now it makes sense. “This is about Maple.”
“It’s been forever since I’ve seen him.”
“Uncle Garrett?” I ask just to see her head spin. And it almost does.
“My horse. You never listen to me,” she says in a huff as she stomps away.
“Lanie?”
“What?” she asks in a sharp tone. I raise a brow. She dials back the attitude a bit. “What?”
“How did you know Uncle Garrett was coming over?”
“You’re making manicotti and apple pie. Those are his favorites.”
Maybe my daughter isn’t as self-absorbed as I thought.
Our dining room is small, especially compared to the space in the diner downstairs. Lanie sets the table without prodding and I’m immediately suspicious. Is she planning on ambushing Garrett and demanding he take her to see her horse?
Dinner is ready by the time Garrett arrives. He’s changed out of his work clothes. His gray sweater goes perfectly with his dark eyes. Garrett is handsome. Rugged. Which doesn’t make much sense. He’s barely outside. Ruthless?
Strong.
I glance away before Lanie can see me ogling her uncle.
He gives Lanie a hug. Something she wouldn’t let me get away with. It’s apparently not cool to hug your da.
The dinner starts out awkwardly for some godforsaken reason. Garrett and I exchange looks as Lanie picks at her food. Normally, she’d be on her phone. But she’s sitting at the table with us, and that feels like a win to me.
“How’s Maple?”
“He’s good.” His wide smile reaches his eyes. “Daisy is keeping him company, but he misses you.”
Her quick smile drops, and she stares at me. “See? This is why I need to learn to drive. And my own car.”
I sigh, but before I can say anything that will probably end in a fight, Garrett asks about school.
“It’s fine. The only class I like is math.”
He nods. I wait for him to take his life in his hands and ask about the boyfriend, but he doesn’t.