Chapter 14 #2
“Soon,” she echoed.
Without a backward glance, she left the apartment and took the steps down to the foyer.
She opened the door and stepped into the morning.
The air was cool. Folding her arms across her chest, she walked quickly down the sidewalk.
The traffic light glowed. The lights inside the beauty salon were also lit.
The concrete was damp, and puddles filled every pothole on the street.
Her car was parked one block away. Hers was the only vehicle at the curb.
Fishing the keys from her front pocket, she unlocked the door and pulled it open.
Lucy slid behind the steering wheel and started the ignition.
She placed the cup in a holder as the engine purred.
The road was empty, and she pulled onto the street.
The drive home passed in a blur. Soon, the entrance to the Five Steers Ranch came into view. She turned onto the dirt lane that led to the house. The track was pitted, and much of the gravel had been washed away by the rain.
She added new gravel to the long list of expenses and tasks that needed to be addressed.
She pulled up next to the house and turned off the engine.
The truck was already gone. No surprise there.
She opened the door and stepped onto the damp grass.
The tarp, used to cover Grandpa Rusty’s car, was piled near the house.
The folds were filled with rainwater. She spread it out on the damp grass. The car could be covered later.
She climbed the steps and opened the front door. The scent of coffee hung in the air. She went to the kitchen and flipped on the overhead light. She wasn’t sure when Grandpa Rusty would be back, but she planned to have breakfast waiting.
And after that? Well, she didn’t know what would happen next.
After Lucy left, Aiden couldn’t stay in his apartment. He’d made himself a quick breakfast. Then, he got in his car and drove to his mother’s condo, which was twenty minutes outside of Red Grove.
He parked in a visitor’s spot and turned off the engine.
He got out of the car and walked up the sidewalk.
Standing on the stoop, he lifted his hand, but hesitated.
It wasn’t even 7:00 a.m. It didn’t matter that he’d told his mother he would stop by on Sunday to fix her dishwasher.
A lot had happened since he made that promise. He should have called first.
Then again, he came all the way and wasn’t going back. He pressed the doorbell. The sound of chimes came from inside the condo.
Emily opened the door a moment later. She wore a white robe, and her hair was wound into a bun.
“Aiden, honey,” she said. “What are you doing here so early?”
How was he supposed to explain to his mother that after one night with Lucy everything in his apartment reminded him of her? That he couldn’t stay in his own home, not without being haunted by memories. “I stopped by to check on your dishwasher.”
“Come in,” she said, opening the door wider. “Let me get you something to eat.”
He stepped into her condo. The first floor consisted of a great room, with a galley kitchen. The two areas were separated by a breakfast bar and four barstools. A cup of tea and a folded newspaper sat on the counter. Light blue drapes hung over a sliding glass door that led to a deck.
Emily closed the door and followed Aiden. “What can I get you to eat?”
Sliding onto one of the barstools, he said, “I ate already.” He needed to keep busy. “Where are your tools? I can get started on that dishwasher.”
Emily sat on the stool that was next to the cup and newspaper. “I’m so embarrassed by this, but my dishwasher’s already been fixed.”
Must be that his eldest brother found the time to come over. “I should’ve called first,” he said. “When Cal and I talked yesterday, we decided that I would take care of the repair. But no biggie. I get to see you.”
Emily’s cheeks turned from rosy to flaming red. She sipped her tea. “It wasn’t Callum who stopped by.” She set the cup on the counter. “It was your dad.”
His head snapped back. Like someone had taken a swing at his chin, her words were surprising and confusing. “Dad? I thought you two couldn’t stand each other.”
“Oh, come on now. It was never that bad. Your father is a dedicated surgeon. I just got tired of coming in second to his job. That’s all.”
Friday night, his mom had said something about having a change of heart where her ex-husband was concerned. So much had happened in such a short period of time that he’d forgotten. “You said that Sammy made a difference.”
She shifted in her seat. “Having a grandchild changed my perspective. I know that I’ll always be connected to your father.
After all, we have the six of you. But you are all adults.
You made up your mind about what happened between us.
Sammy doesn’t have that history. And I don’t want to make things awkward for him.
I figured it was best for us to be friends—or at least, friendly. ”
“How’d he end up being the one to fix your dishwasher?”
“We were all talking about the dishwasher at the hospital on Friday night. He called yesterday to see if it had been fixed. When I told him that it hadn’t, he offered to come over.”
His mom was right about Jonathon being a dedicated surgeon. What’s more, his job always came first. So, the fact that he drove out to Emily’s place and fixed anything was a surprise. “Sounds like Dad has had a change of perspective, too.”
“You know what’s funny?” she asked. “Well, not funny ha ha, but ironic? If your dad had been the kind of man who checked in on me, I never would have divorced him in the first place.”
Her words hung in the air between them.
“I don’t know what to say, Mom.”
“I’m just glad that your dad and I are getting along.” She put her hand on the back of his wrist. “Enough about me. How are you? Any symptoms from the concussion?”
His head stopped hurting the moment Lucy agreed to go out with him. “I’ve been feeling okay since yesterday.”
“That’s good to hear. What are you going to do with the rest of your day?”
Aiden didn’t have any plans. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder about Lucy. Where was she at this very moment, and what was she doing?