Chapter 14
14
TWO MONTHS LATER
The summer heat hadn’t slowed the coffee shop crowds since Bess had added iced coffee to the menu. The air buzzed with the chatter of patrons seeking respite from the heat as they looked forward to their cool refreshments and an ever-growing selection of pastries. Belinda still came in for the morning rush unless she had a photography appointment or wanted to go out for early morning shoots.
Aaron hadn’t been in since last winter, and she’d moved on with her life. Well, almost. She still thought about him. It seemed ridiculous to have him pop up in her mind as though on a continuous loop, but she’d learned the heart usually went its own way. She had accepted other dates, including Daniel, but they quickly realized they were better as friends only. No one else had struck her heart the way Aaron had.
She cared enough about him to want his happiness, but after having only met his new girlfriend for a moment, she couldn’t imagine that horrible woman made him happy.
Blowing out a long breath, she made sure the coffee machine was still filled with fresh beans. Turning around, she looked down at her pad as the next customer approached her. “Welcome to Bess’s Bakery. What can I get for you?”
“Coffee. Room for cream and sugar, please.”
Her head jerked up at the familiar voice and stared into the eyes of the man she’d tried to convince herself she was over. No longer in his deputy uniform, her gaze drifted over his clothing. He cut a striking figure in khaki slacks and a navy blue jacket. A blue dress shirt and navy tie completed the look, and she had to admit his detective’s clothing made him look even more handsome.
As her gaze moved back to his face, she noted his usual confidence was hidden behind an expression of vulnerability. Unable to keep her knees from wobbling, she could do little to stop the flutterings in her stomach. Uncertain why he still had this effect on her, she greeted him as warmly as she would any other customer. “Hi, Aaron. It’s nice to see you again.”
His lips curved slightly as his gaze roamed over her face. “It’s nice to see you, also, Belinda.”
Trying to keep her voice light, she joked, “I hope you haven’t been drinking the sheriff’s coffee. I remember you said it was like sludge. As much as Bess hated to lose your business, I would’ve preferred to think of you getting your morning fix at another shop rather than drinking terrible coffee.”
He chuckled and shook his head, his gaze never leaving hers. “No, I didn’t take my business elsewhere. And yes, I have been drinking terrible coffee.”
“Let me get you some of Bess’s finest.” She turned her back to him, glad not to face his intently pursuing gaze, and busied herself by filling his cup, leaving room at the top for the cream and sugar he enjoyed. She performed this task dozens of times every morning, yet she was filled with the same little thrill she had gotten last fall when she first met him. With her back still turned, she closed her eyes tightly and grimaced at the path her mind had traveled.
Smiling again as she turned and set the coffee cup on the counter, she pushed his money back toward him. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
He glanced down and frowned. “You didn’t take my money?”
“No, I didn’t. Your coffee is still free since you’re on duty.”
He shook his head, then shot his gaze toward the pastry display case.
Real laughter bubbled out, rising from deep inside. “I’ll get you an éclair.”
He faced her, his smile tremulous. “Um… do you have a few minutes? If so, you can put it on a plate. If not, I’ll take it with me in a bag.”
She opened her mouth, then snapped it closed. No one else was in line, and she certainly had a few minutes to chat even though she couldn’t imagine what on earth they’d talk about. Unable to come up with an excuse to deny him, she nodded. “Sure. You can just have a seat, and I’ll bring it over.”
Just as she was getting the éclair, Bess walked out with another tray of pastries. She cast her gaze over the bakery, her eyes widening as soon as she spied Aaron sitting at a table.
Belinda shook her head quickly, and Bess pressed her lips together. Taking the plated éclair and a small fork over to the table, she set it in front of Aaron. “Here you go. Your favorite.” She stood awkwardly but wasn’t sure if he wanted her to sit with him.
He looked up and then jumped to his feet. “Please, sit with me.” He pulled out the chair next to him, and she sat down before he settled back in the seat facing her.
His expression was once again filled with uncertainty, and she waited. Obviously, something was on his mind, and she’d give him the time he needed to tell her whatever it was. She sat rigid, her spine straight, as she wondered what the news might be.
“I’ve been assigned to a new partner, and I’ll bring him in some time so that he can discover what a great shop this is.”
Belinda blinked, unable to hide her surprise. His words were so casual, as though they had been talking for the past eight months as close friends when, in truth, they’d hardly seen each other. “Oh… well, yes… that’s good.”
“Sam is from the Newport News area. He hasn’t been a detective much longer than I have, but he’s a little older than me and has more experience with inner-city police work. There’s a lot I can learn from him, and we get along well.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, but she still didn’t understand why he wanted to chat. Pressing her lips together, she admitted she was willing to spend time with him in a friendly way if that was what he needed. “I’m glad, Aaron.”
They sat in silence for another moment, and then suddenly, he blurted, “I wanted to apologize to you for the evening we met at the Sunset Restaurant.”
Of all the things he could’ve said, that was unexpected. She had no idea what to say because she had no idea what he was apologizing for. “Oh… I…” Snapping her mouth closed, she waited again.
“My… the woman I was with was rude?—”
She waved her hand dismissively, not really wanting to hear about his girlfriend. “No, I shouldn’t have approached when you were with someone. I saw you and had heard you made detective and just wanted to congratulate you. I should’ve picked a better opportunity.”
“No!” he rushed, his eyes as imploring as his voice.
She jumped at his vehemence, her body now rigid again.
“Shit,” he murmured. “I mean that you shouldn’t be the one to apologize. You were being very polite and very sweet to offer congratulations, and the… well, I thought she was rude, and I let her know how I felt about it.”
Even more surprised, she chewed on the corner of her bottom lip for a few seconds, her mind going blank. His eyes momentarily then dropped to the uneaten pastry still on his plate. Finally, she said, “I’m not sure what to say. I hope I didn’t cause a rift between you two.”
His gaze lifted to hers. “No, you didn’t. She was someone who I went out with for a while, but we were never exclusively serious. In truth, we had only dated about a month by the time we saw you at the restaurant. And weeks later, I knew that she wasn’t right for me, so I… we parted ways.”
Belinda’s stomach churned as she tried to take in Aaron’s blurted words. She still couldn’t understand why he was there. The woman had made it obvious that they were dating, and while she knew it made sense for him to continue to look for relationships, she had to admit the woman’s rudeness had hurt. Finally, she sighed heavily, now wanting the conversation to end. “If you’re here to apologize for her behavior, you don’t have to do that. If someone is rude, that behavior is on them. Not you.”
The bell over the door rang, and she looked up, glad for the excuse to move back to the counter. She stood and smiled down at him. “I truly hope you find what you’re looking for, Aaron.”
She served the next customers and then said goodbye to Bess. Aaron was still sitting at the table, drinking his coffee, and she tossed an awkward goodbye wave to him as she walked out the door. Feeling his eyes on her, she continued to her car before she glanced over. Through the bakery window, he was still staring at her, a small smile curving his lips as he lifted his hand and waved.
Watching Belinda drive away, Aaron sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead.
“I realize it’s none of my business, but can I ask why you’re here?”
He looked up to see Bess standing nearby, her expression closed off. “I wanted to apologize to your sister. The night we were at the restaurant, the woman I was with was rude, and that was unacceptable to me.”
“It seems that you should take that up with the woman who was rude if it was so unacceptable.”
“I did. She’s no longer in the picture.”
Bess’s lips were pressed tightly together. “So you’ve apologized. I assume that’s the last we’ll see of you again.”
“You’ve got the best coffee, Bess?—”
“You can’t sweet-talk me, Aaron. My loyalty will always belong to my sister. And she’s moved on with her life. I don’t want to see her hurt again.”
He nodded slowly. “I know she’s moved on. I saw her with the man she’s dating.”
Bess’s brows snapped together. “She’s not dating anyone. What are you talking about?”
Just then, the door opened, and the man Aaron had seen with Belinda popped his head in. “Bess! Has Belinda left already?”
“Yeah, she headed out a few minutes ago. She’s on her way to the club and will meet you there.”
“Thanks!” He grinned widely as he left, and Aaron instantly hated him.
As Bess turned back to Aaron, he lifted his brow. “Club? Where the hell is a club on the shore?”
Bess stared at him, then glanced out the window at the man hurrying back to his car. Her lips curved slowly before she burst into laughter. “Club. Oh my God! You’re jealous!”
Now, Aaron’s lips were tightly pressed together. He waited until Bess’s laughter had finally died down. She pulled out the chair that Belinda had sat in and faced him.
“I have no idea why I’m telling you this. It certainly isn’t for you. But the club I was referring to is the photography club at the community college. Belinda is one of the sponsors and teaches a photography class there.”
Eyes wide, he stared at Bess. “Photography club?”
“Yep! And that guy? The one I assume you’ve seen her with? He works for the community college and is the one who connected her with the photography club.” She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. “And one more piece of information, since you’re such a great detective… they’re just friends.” She scooted her chair back, the legs scraping over the floor. Standing, she turned to walk away.
Slumping in his seat, he called out, “Bess!” When she looked back, he confessed, “I screwed up and didn’t fight for us. How do I fix this?”
She didn’t speak but simply held his gaze for so long that he wondered if she would ever give in and talk to him. Finally, she walked back over, placed her hands on the back of the chair she’d just left, and leaned closer. “My sister deserves someone who will take the time to get to know her. You gave up on the possibility of being with her. If you’re really interested… if you really want to fix things… then you need to take the time to show her that you’re in it for the long haul.”
The bell rang over the door again, and this time Brad walked through. Aaron and Sam had been working on a case with Brad and Hunter.
Bess looked over at Brad, then turned and stalked toward the kitchen, calling out to her other employee, “You can get him his coffee. I’m busy!”
Brad narrowed his eyes, but Bess had already walked through the kitchen door. Looking over at Aaron, Brad said, “I’m going to grab some coffee for Hunter and me, then we’ll meet up with you and Sam back at the station.”
Aaron finished his éclair, but it sat like a rock in his stomach. Grabbing his half-full cup of coffee, he started for the door with Bess’s words ringing in his ears— take the time to show her that you’re in it for the long haul. That, I can do. That, I will do.