Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Aria
I stepped out of the shower into the fragrant cloud of steam I’d created with my overlong, extra-hot shower. I rubbed a clear spot in the mirror with my towel. “You had every right to be grumpy,” I told the face staring back at me. The hot shower hadn’t washed away the dark circles under my eyes. It had been a long work shift, and the last thing I’d needed were two awful customers followed by Dex. Who did he think he was—my protector? “I’ve been taking care of myself just fine, thank you very much.” My words pushed away the steam that had been circling my face.
I’d been having a nonstop conversation with myself about the whole dramatic lunch hour. Of course, when something significant happens, you go over all the details and ask yourself what you could have done differently. I could have told the men that they weren’t welcome. It was within my right as a business owner. Had Dex stopped in because he saw the two men sitting inside? He obviously knew them, which confirmed my opinion about Dex being a man who attracted trouble. And now his arrival had brought unsavory strangers to town. And then he had the nerve to ask if I’d hire him as my cook. A short, dry laugh shot from my mouth as I combed my wet hair. “As if.”
I could only imagine him standing in my tiny kitchen, all six-foot-plus of him, sleeves rolled up, his thick forearms bulging as he flipped pancakes on the griddle. I allowed myself to visualize that for a second before shaking it from my mind.
My phone rang in the bedroom. I’d been waiting to hear that Ava got home safely. It was Kellan. “Hey.” I sat on the edge of the bed and tucked my phone against my shoulder, so I could put lotion on my legs.
“Hey, babe, what are you up to?”
“I’m getting ready to head to the cottage to have dinner with my sisters.”
A disappointed sigh came through the phone. “I thought we could order pizza and watch a movie.”
“Tonight? You usually have phone conferences on Tuesday.”
“I cancelled them so I could hang out with my favorite girl. I felt bad about lunch yesterday. It didn’t go the way I pictured at all. I blame Declan.”
He was still trying to blame the mostly unpleasant lunch on his brother, but the truth was the two of us just weren’t in sync yesterday. It was a memorable date, but not in a good way.
“Did you wear the earrings today?”
“I had an early start and a long workday. I rarely wear jewelry to the café, especially when I’m cooking.”
I could feel his disappointment through the phone. Some men were good at hiding their feelings. Not Kellan. “What about tonight?” His tone was colder.
“I’m going to the cottage. I told you—Ava is coming home tonight. I haven’t seen her in three months.”
“So, is she only going to be home tonight, or will you be able to see her tomorrow?”
I huffed loudly. “Kellan, I already made plans. You’re always busy on Tuesday. I don’t think it’s fair for you to?—”
“No, no, you’re right. I’m sorry, baby. I had a long day.”
“Me too,” I reminded him.
“Look, why don’t you come to my place tomorrow after you finish at the café? I’ll cook you some dinner, and you can just sit on the couch with your feet up and let me wait on you.”
Kellan was also a master at closing a deal that was about to go sour. “I can’t turn down an offer like that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Can’t wait to see you,” he said and hung up.
Isla sent a text just as I lowered my phone. “Ava’s here, and we’re ready to eat.”
“Be right there,” I texted back. I pulled on jeans, a sweater and my boots and headed out the door.
Nonna’s cottage always looked exceptionally cozy and inviting at night, with a foggy sky behind it and the lights glowing behind lacy curtains. I used to love when the occasional thunderstorm would hit the coast, and we’d be tucked on the couch telling each other ghost stories while Nonna knitted by the light of the fire. Ella’s stories were the best, of course. She always knew how to build suspense, and we’d be on the literal edge of our seats waiting for the kaboom ending.
I could hear my sisters laughing as I walked up to the door. Ella’s earlier comments about Kellan always managing to keep me from hanging out with them crept into my thoughts. We hadn’t had any plans tonight. We never saw each other on Tuesday, but suddenly, he expected me to skip my plans to see him. I’d told him about Ava’s homecoming and the planned dinner with my sisters. He either couldn’t be bothered to listen to me, or he was trying to get in the way of a night with my sisters. Neither explanation was good.
I opened the door. Delicious, warm smells wafted my direction.
“Aria’s here!” Layla squealed. “The fabulous five are together again!”
Layla greeted me in the entry and pulled me farther into the room. Ava hurried across the room for a hug.
“Good to see you, little sis.” I squeezed her tightly. It was hardest of all for me, trying to make sure that Ava was safe and happy. She spent far too much time across the world in exotic locations where phone service was often poor or even non-existent.
The other sisters piled on for a second, and we stood in a giant group huddle, our arms wrapped around each other and giggles floating up between us.
Layla was the first to peel off. “We’ve decided to set dinner up on the patio. I brought out Nonna’s pewter candlesticks and topped them with tapers.”
Isla was wrapped in a checked apron. “El, why don’t you toss the salad? I’ll plate up the macaroni and cheese. I put on an extra layer of buttery bread crumbs.” She winked at Ava. “You look thin, so I’ve taken it upon myself to fatten you up.”
“If anyone can do it, it’s you.” Ava stepped into the kitchen and broke off a tiny piece of fudge brownie. “Hmm, better than ever. Gosh, I’ve missed you all. I’m even thinking about taking a break from travel.”
Our chins simultaneously hit the floor. Ella was the first to start laughing at her declaration. “Good one, Ava. You had us all going.”
But I knew Ava well, and I immediately sensed this was not a joke. “Are you really going to stop traveling?” I asked. “Because that will stop these gray hairs that keep creeping up out of nowhere.”
Ava had one of those radiant smiles that belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine. Her love of adventure and travel was not the only thing that made her stand out from the rest of us. She was the only one who’d inherited our dad’s black hair and green eyes. Layla and I, as the youngest and oldest, had been Nonna’s “bronze bookends.” Ella and Isla were both her fair-haired princesses, but Ava, the middle child, stood out most of all with her shiny black hair and statuesque physique.
“There’s a position open at the university—in the zooarchaeology department. I’ve applied for the job.”
We all squealed with delight and reformed our huddle. A job at the university meant she’d be only an hour away instead of the usual twenty-hour flight and six time zones.
“I’ve only just applied,” she explained once we released her. “There’s a good chance they’ll give it to someone else.”
“Sure, I’ll bet there are at least fifty people with an interest and the qualifications for zooarchaeology,” Isla teased. “Why, I probably know three just in my inner circle.” She returned to the task of plating dinner.
“Okay, so there probably aren’t a slew of applicants,” Ava admitted. “And there are still a lot of details to work out if I do get offered the job.”
“I’m going to light the candles.” Layla dashed out with a box of matches.
We all picked up our plates and headed outside.
“This darn wind,” Layla still hadn’t gotten a candle lit, and the fog had drowned out any moon or starlight. The cove looked dark and shadowy and endless. It was my favorite time of night on the cove.
Ella held her hands up to block the wind, and Layla made a third attempt to light the candle. We clapped and cheered when the wobbly orange flame finally took hold of the wick.
We sat down to our delicious meal.
“So, bring me up to date on everyone’s love life,” Ava said. “Mine is in the garbage, but that’s a story for another time.” She looked at Isla first.
Isla took a deep breath. “I’ve only told Aria this so far, but Luke bought the empty bakery so I can get my business up and running.”
Ella dropped her fork. “You didn’t tell me. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was waiting to tell everyone once we were all together.”
“But you told Aria,” Ella reminded her.
“Seriously, El,” Isla said. “You sure know how to ruin a big announcement.”
Ella pouted down at her plate for a second, then lifted her water glass. “Here’s to Whisper Cove’s future bakery. Sorry I ruined the moment, Isla.”
“You’re forgiven.”
We all clinked our glasses.
Ava closed her eyes as she savored her bite. “I was dreaming about this mac and cheese the whole plane ride. So, it seems Isla’s romance with the stunning and rich Luke Greyson is still in full bloom. How about you, Aria? Still going strong with Kellan?”
“Uh, yeah, still strong,” I said and took another bite of food. I glanced up with a mouthful, and all eyes were on me. I swallowed. “What?”
“Let’s just say, your tone didn’t exactly match the words,” Ella said. “Oh, wow, wait a minute—you guys didn’t hear what happened today at the café.”
“We don’t need to rehash that,” I said.
“And now we really need to rehash it,” Isla said. I gave Ella a “gee, thanks” look.
“These two scary-looking men came into the café, and one was leering at Aria.” She looked at Isla. “Remember that amazing looking man standing at the bus stop?”
Isla nodded. “He was hard to forget.”
“I want to see him,” Layla complained.
Ella waved to shush her. “Well, the leering jerk grabbed Aria’s wrist as she put down his food.”
“How dare he?” Ava said. “Did you call the police?”
“I did,” Ella said. She smiled. “Well, Officer Tuttle is not exactly Wyatt Earp. Besides, he wasn’t necessary. Dreamy bus stop guy stepped in, and those two creeps practically ran from the restaurant.”
“Well, not sure if that’s accurate,” I said.
“What was that?” Layla said suddenly. She stood from her chair. “There, down in the cove.”
We all got up. A beam of light, muted by the fog, was moving around the rocky edge of the beach. “Who’d be down there at this time of night and in this fog?” Isla asked.
The stretch of sand beneath the cottage was the nicest beach in Whisper Cove. It was our playground as little girls. Our path down to the beach was private, but the beach was not. Anyone could use it, but you had to climb down a steep, rocky path to get to the sand. In the dark and with the thick layer of fog, it was a risky endeavor, which was why we were all on our feet, stunned to see someone down on the shore.
“Do you think it’s one of those men from the café?” Ella asked. “They looked like they were trouble.”
“Yes, there seems to be a lot of that going around,” I said. I buttoned my coat and went inside for a flashlight.
Ava was right behind me. “You’re not going down there alone.” She plucked the second flashlight from the kitchen drawer.
Ava and I stepped off the patio and used the flashlights to lead us to the top of the trail—our trail, a mostly sandy path we’d carved out naturally with our constant hikes down to the beach. I led the way but stopped when I heard more voices behind us. The other three had followed.
“Safety in numbers,” Isla said.
“That’s right.” Layla crept closer to me. “I’m staying with Aria.”
I sighed. “I’m sure there’s no point in arguing.” I aimed the beam down the trail. It was steep and looked especially so with the puffs of fog covering the landscape.
“Nothing like a flashlight beam to make the fog look ghostly,” Ella noted. “I’m waiting for a cold, clammy hand to reach out of the?—”
“El!” we shouted together.
“Not sure if this is the time for one of your ghost stories, El.” I continued down the path, and my sisters followed in a tight clump. If I tripped and fell, we’d all roll down the trail like a giant snowball.
I felt relieved to reach the flat sand. The bank of fog was thicker and colder on the beach. I looked left and right.
“There,” Isla said. “Over by mermaid rock.” My sisters and I had named a big, flat-topped boulder “mermaid rock,” and we used to take turns sitting on it and throwing back our wet hair like Ariel, the Disney mermaid.
We were tracking down a stranger on the beach, and it should have felt tense and frightening, but I couldn’t help smiling about how comical it must have looked for the five of us, bunched together, with barely an inch of space between us as we traipsed across the deep sand.
A dark figure stood up from behind a cluster of rocks, and we all froze in our tracks. He was massively built … and annoyingly familiar. “You’ve got to be kidding,” I said.
“Wait,” Ella said. “Is that who I think it is? It has to be. I’ve never seen a shoulder span like it.”
Our voices carried over to where Dex was standing. He straightened and pointed his flashlight beam our direction. He chuckled. “I think I’ve just discovered the prettiest five-headed sea creature that ever walked the beach.”
“May I ask what you’re doing down here?” I asked.
“I sure seem to have to explain myself to you a lot.” His gaze landed on me, and I shuffled my feet in the deep sand. I hated that he was constantly knocking me off balance. “Is this a private beach?”
“Nope,” Ella supplied unhelpfully.
I moved closer, and my tightly-knit entourage followed. “People don’t normally lurk around down here after dark.”
He had this tilted grin that always made me want to—want to do something, I just didn’t know what. He used it like a weapon, a charismatic weapon. “Seems to me all of you are down here on the beach after dark.”
“That’s ‘cuz we live right up there in the cottage,” Layla chirped.
We all looked at her, but my glare was strongest of all.
“What? It’s true. We’re having macaroni and cheese for dinner. Would you like to join us?”
Apparently, my big sister glare had lost some of its power, because Layla decided to just forge ahead with her silliness.
I doubled down on the glare and added a lifted brow. “I’m sure he has other places to?—”
“Macaroni and cheese sounds great,” he said. “If you have enough.”
“I made plenty,” Isla said.
“We’re just up the hill,” Ella said. “I was telling my sisters about how brave you were this afternoon in the café.” My four sisters steered Dex up to the cottage, leaving me behind in the sand, stunned about how the last few minutes had unfolded.
Ava was the first to notice that I wasn’t in the huddle. She turned, ran back to me and wrapped her arm around mine. “No exaggeration. That man is a treat to look at.” She tugged to move my feet forward. “Did I detect something between you two?” she asked.
“The only thing between us is distance and not nearly enough of it. He’s irritating and cocky and obviously he’s up to something. He’s trouble.”
“If you don’t mind me saying—sounds like just your type.” Ava squeezed my arm.
“That was teenage Aria. I’ve turned my attention to much more sensible men now.” I shook my head. “And before you bring up my terrible Paul era, please—well, please don’t. I only just finished paying off that non-wedding.”
The others were well ahead, with Dex leading the way with his flashlight. Layla was telling him the story about all of us getting stung by a particularly ambitious jellyfish on the same morning.
“He’s really good looking,” Ava said.
“Yep, I see that. But—but—” I blew out an exasperated gasp.
“But what?”
“Nothing. It’ll just be nice to see the backside of him.”
Ava shined her flashlight up ahead. “I’m seeing that backside right now and well, you’re right.”
“Ugh … you know what I mean.”
Ava laughed. “I’m just teasing.” She stopped and looked at me. “This guy—he’s—well, let’s just say I’m not used to seeing my big sister, my confident, stoic guardian, so flustered.”
I pulled the collar of my coat closer around my neck. “Not flustered. Just irritated.”
“Right, my mistake then.”