Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
AIDEN
“What do you mean, you’re sending us to Vermont?” I asked, a bite to my tone I didn’t bother to hide.
Addison stared back at me with a single brow raised. “I’m not sure what’s so hard to understand about this, Aiden. Honestly.”
Avery stood next to my sister, arms crossed as she stared at Addison, something that looked awfully close to suspicion written on her face.
Maybe she’d also noticed Addison’s thinly veiled attempts at matchmaking.
If I weren’t hanging on by a thread, worried that Avery would spill my secret at any second, I’d think it was downright hilarious.
Especially considering the people Addison was trying to hook up had already done so. Spectacularly.
I pressed my thumb and forefinger to my eyes, gritting my teeth in an effort to bite back the litany of curses I wanted to hurl my sister’s way.
As if it hadn’t been torturous enough living in close proximity to Avery these past couple weeks…
Running into her more times than I could count while she was wearing the tiniest garments of clothing that she somehow thought passed for sleepwear.
Or being attuned to every move she made, every sound that escaped her lips, and being able to catalog each one. Even her fucking scent got me hard.
The worst part was I was still walking on eggshells around her, because she’d never agreed to keep my secret. Never agreed that she wouldn’t tell Addison or the rest of my family or, hell, anyone in town.
And now my sister had the bright idea to send us on a weekend trip. Alone.
“You can’t just decide shit for everyone else, Addison,” I snapped. “You need to stop meddling in other people’s lives.”
“When those people work for the resort and I am the one making sure shit gets done around here, sometimes meddling is required.”
Closing my eyes, I pinched the bridge of my nose, praying for an ounce of patience I knew would never come. Especially where my sister was involved. Blowing out a deep breath, I said, “What the fuck is even in Vermont, and why do we need to go there?”
She raised a brow. “Didn’t you just get on Levi’s case last week for dropping an f-bomb in the presence of guests?”
It was midafternoon on a Thursday, and no guests were milling around, which was pretty normal, given the day. We always had a lull during the middle of the week.
I made a big show of looking around at the otherwise empty space, save for me, Addison, and Avery. “Do you see any guests around here?”
“Mabel’s right over there.” Addison tipped her head in the direction of the parlor.
“Mabel is here for the free snacks we set out for paying guests,” I said. “She doesn’t count.”
“I’m also here to discuss details about our anniversary party this weekend!” the older woman yelled from the other room. “But Aiden’s right. It’s mostly the snacks.”
I raised my brow at Addison in a silent, see?
She blew out a long-suffering sigh and pinned me with a look, as if I was the issue here.
“I know this isn’t on your precious schedule, but I need you to deal.
Unless, of course, you’d like to handle all the requested special arrangements for Mabel and George’s anniversary party, not to mention making sure it goes off without a hitch, and also find time to do the interviews—yes, multiple—for the documentary.
I’d be happy to go to Vermont in your place like I originally planned.
I’d love to act like a tourist with Avery for three days if you’d take those off my plate.
” She stared up at me with a sweet smile, but she wasn’t fooling me.
There was nothing sweet about her. She had me, and she knew it, because I’d rather pluck out each one of my eyelashes than do any of those things.
“Fine.” This was the absolute worst time for me to be taking a long weekend for a frivolous and totally unnecessary trip to, apparently, play tourist—whatever the fuck that meant.
My publisher-assigned deadline was next week, and I absolutely could not miss it.
I’d just have to figure out how to make it work.
“I’ll go, but Avery doesn’t have to suffer, too. She can stay here.”
“It won’t be suffering. Don’t be so dramatic.
” Addison rolled her eyes. “You’re going to enjoy their festival and see what sorts of ideas we can bring back to implement in Starlight Cove.
Plus, I need Avery’s outlook and magic brain on the case.
All you’re going to see is how much everything is going to cost. She’ll be able to envision how we can rework it here so we’re able to bring in more tourists, which means more bookings for the resort, which means more money for us. ”
“Addison,” I said, my tone sharp. “You can’t just—”
“It’s fine,” Avery cut in, shooting a glance my way before focusing on my sister. “I’m happy to take a trip on your dime. Where exactly are we going?”
Addison beamed at Avery, her irritation with me wiped clear off her face. “Maplewood, Vermont.”
“Did you say Maplewood?” Mabel hustled in, the material of her purple tracksuit swish-swish-swishing as she walked, eyes brimming with excitement.
“Well, damn. If this weren’t my own anniversary celebration this weekend, I’d tag along and scope things out!
That’s one of the more substantiated guesses for where my new favorite author lives!
A. M. Kinsey? Have you heard of him? He’s real secretive online, no headshot or anything and a generic bio.
That, of course, has all the fans foaming at the mouth to dig up the details.
But I tell you what, I haven’t devoured a book like The Flames of Heat and Desire in years!
And I can’t wait for The Realm of Storm and Shadow. ”
Jesus Christ.
Jesus fucking Christ.
At her words, every ounce of color leached from my face, and I had no idea how I was going to make it through this conversation without giving myself away.
When my book had gone viral…and then continued to go viral anytime someone posted about it…
I’d always known there was the possibility of people in Starlight Cove coming across it.
It had been sitting on the New York Times list for seven straight weeks, after all.
But given our town’s small population, I’d always thought that was a stretch and that I didn’t need to worry about it coming to fruition.
And then Mabel happened.
There she stood, casually name-dropping the titles of both the book that had rocketed me to stardom and the one that was releasing the first part of next year.
I made the mistake of looking at Avery, only to find her eyes already on me. Her gaze scanned over my features, no doubt taking in my ghastly appearance, and I knew it was too late to school my expression.
From the way she was staring at me, she knew. She knew Mabel was talking about my book, which meant she now knew the pseudonym. I hadn’t had to admit to a damn thing—my guilt was written all over my face.
My stomach churned over the possibility that this was it.
All my hard work—years of keeping this part of myself locked away in an effort to maintain separation between this part of my life and my family’s business—would all be for nothing if she spilled my secret.
She had the power to ruin all my efforts in just a few short words.
“I don’t think I’ve heard of that one,” my sister said, continuing on as if I wasn’t having an existential crisis right next to her.
“You have to read it! Storm and Shadow doesn’t release until next year, but Heat and Desire is out now.
” Mabel pulled out her phone and scrolled to something before holding it at arm’s length as she squinted down at the screen.
Then aloud, she read, “In a world on the brink of annihilation, an ordinary woman’s forbidden love affair with the Prince of Shadows, cursed heir to the realm of Eternal Twilight, sets off a chain reaction of secrets, prophecies, and peril.
The pair explore each other’s deepest desires as they navigate the treacherous darkness and unravel the mysteries that bind them, all while racing against time in a trek that will either shatter their worlds or become the salvation they both desperately seek. ”
“Ohhh, that does sound good,” Addison said, and I had to work hard to keep my poker face on. The thought of my sister reading my highly erotic novels was negative twelve thousand sixty-two on my list of shit I’d like to happen in my lifetime.
“It’s the best book I’ve read all year,” Mabel said with conviction.
“I shared my hardcover copy with a friend, but as soon as Charlene is done, I’ll have her pass it on to you.
The storytelling was beautifully done, but the spice…
” Mabel fanned her face and then shot us a wink.
“Whew! That miracle of a book was single-handedly to thank for getting me and George out of a little slump. I can’t keep my hands off him!
I bought the e-book, too, just to make sure I had access to my favorite parts, if you know what I mean. ”
“I think everyone knows what you mean,” Addison said dryly.
Mabel swiped a hand through the air. “Oh, come on now. I know you’re not that big of a prude, Addison! Certainly not like those old fuddy-duddies in my book club. Former book club,” she corrected with an upturned nose.
“Former? What happened?” Avery asked. And I took it as a hopeful sign that her first words weren’t, “He’s been lying to you!” But there was no way I was letting my guard down just yet.