4. Aaron
Chapter four
Aaron
I wake early to sunlight streaming into my eyes. I stretch out my back, then start to roll.
I nearly fall out of the narrow bunk bed. With a grunt, I catch myself.
“Why’d Coach decide on this place?” I grumble.
Throwing back my blankets, I grab my shower bag and head downstairs. Mike likes to sleep in, and I’ve come to truly enjoy my morning routine here.
Only, this morning when I go downstairs, someone else is already up. The smell of coffee tickles my nostrils.
I pad into the kitchen. Bella sits at the table, a cup of coffee next to her as she sketches in a notebook. She’s so engrossed in what she’s doing that she doesn’t notice I’m here.
She’s a beautiful woman. Long, dark hair cascading in waves down her back. She wears a pale pink blouse that sets off her peaches and cream complexion.
The thing about Bella is that she’s always well-dressed. She’d be able to pull off a flour sack if she tried.
Her tongue pokes between her lips as she works. Craning my neck, I see she’s sketching a dress on a model. It’s a ballgown of some sort, one with a poofy skirt like what princesses wear in movies.
I creep back out of the kitchen, leaving her to it.
After showering, I dress and head back to the kitchen. This time, I make my entrance obvious.
“Morning,” I say. “Coffee smells good. Did you make enough for everyone?”
Bella glances at the full carafe. “Gosh, I hope so.”
Her sarcastic tone makes me chuckle. I pour myself a cup as I scramble to think of what to say.
When Ellen and I dated, Bella and Steven were in one of their prolonged ‘off’ times of the relationship. I never saw much of the two of them together, although Ellen ranted to me about it often enough.
Given what I observed yesterday with Steven trying to strongarm them into staying with him, I believe what she told me.
I wish I could make Steven leave Bella and Ellen alone entirely. It’s clear Steven followed them out here. It may even be that he deliberately checked into their cabin as soon as they checked out, knowing the landslide would make them turn around again.
I’m not sure how much of that is reasonable to assume about him. Maybe it’s best not to apply too much villainy to him.
I’ll leave that to the people he’s hurt.
After grabbing myself some cereal, I sit at the kitchen table. Bella puts her sketches away and closes the book.
“How’d you sleep?” I ask.
Bella shrugs. “Well enough, thanks. I called my boss as soon as I woke up to let her know that I’m trapped here. She said she was going to send me some work, but Ellen told me not to bring my laptop so…”
“So now you have nothing to do but wait,” I supply.
“Pretty much. I love Ellen, she was only trying to help. It’s hard not to be annoyed right now, though.” Bella runs her fingers through her hair.
I wrack my brain for anything I can say or do to help her out. “Maybe the local library has a laptop you can borrow? They might have computers to use, too.”
Bella considers it but shakes her head. “I work with some confidential stuff. I don’t want to take the risk. Especially…”
“You think Steven would deliberately sabotage you?”
Her cheeks flush pink. “That’s not what I said.”
“Sorry.” I grimace and shovel an extra-large spoonful of cereal into my mouth.
Bella’s fingers trace the edges of her book, her pink lips pursed in thought. “… But yes. That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. He’s done things in the past that he claimed were accidents, but when I think about it, it all seems like too much of a coincidence.”
I lower my spoon, carefully crafting my words before I speak. “Do you feel safe with him here?”
“Safe?” Bella’s brows pinch together. “What do you mean?”
“Do you think he’ll try to hurt you?” I ask bluntly.
Bella’s eyes widen. Her cheeks go even pinker. “Ah! Uh, no. No, I don’t think he’d hurt me. He’s not that kind of man.”
I nod, accepting her assessment.
I want to ask more questions, but it’s not my place. As long as she doesn’t feel threatened, I will be careful not to interject myself into their relationship.
After a few awkward moments, Bella gets up and refills her coffee. She sips at it black, her gaze slightly unfocused.
“There really isn’t any way out of Castleton except the one road,” she says, apparently lost in a whole new train of thought. “Not unless I was to get an ATV and go through the forest around the landslide.”
“And then what?” I ask.
“Drive the ATV all the way to the city?” she shrugs. “That’s assuming I even reach the highway.”
I finish off my cereal and lean back in my chair. “Maybe the four of us can find things to do around town. I’m sure there’ll be events to keep the trapped tourists happy.”
Bella smirks. “Ellen will be happy to spend more time with Mike.”
“Mike will be happy to spend more time with Ellen.”
“And you’re okay with that?” She narrows her eyes at me.
I lift my hands into the air. “Ellen isn’t my girlfriend anymore. Yeah, it’ll be awkward, but I’d like to think that we’re all adult enough not to make a big deal out of it.”
She sips her coffee, studying me. It’s like she’s trying to open up my skull and read my brain like the pages of a book.
That’s when it hits me.
Bella needs a project to keep her mind occupied.
I can help with that.
“Ellen and Mike would make a good couple,” I say slowly. “But given the situation, they might not act on their mutual attraction.”
Bella squints at me.
“So we should help them. You and I can play matchmaker and facilitate their romance.”
Bella starts to laugh, then stops. “You’re joking.”
I shake my head.
She stares at me, her eyes going round. “You’re serious!”
With a smirk, I nod.
She puts her coffee down, opening and closing her mouth several times.
“I know it’s weird to interfere with other people’s relationships, but by being here, we are interfering,” I explain.
“How so?”
“Ellen is going to be concerned about taking care of you and making sure my feelings aren’t hurt. Mike is going to try not to flaunt their budding relationship in front of me.” I grin as I spread my hands. “If we weren’t here, they’d be flirting up a storm at every chance they get.”
Bella nods slowly. “That’s true. And Mike does seem like he’s a kind man. Ellen deserves to have some kindness in her life again.”
“It will help distract her from trying to fix your problems.”
“And give me something to do.” Bella chews her lip as she taps her chin, then nods. “Alright. Let’s do it. Aaron and Bella, Matchmakers at Large.”
I laugh, getting to my feet. I grab my cell phone and look up local events.
“We’ll want to get them out of the cabin and out in the community,” I say as I flip through the options. “We’re going to have to put them on sneaky dates.”
Bella giggles. The sound is light and bell-like. “What’s a sneaky date?”
“It’s when we say the four of us are going out, but you and I bow out, leaving the two of them on their own.” I find an event happening today and click on it. “The town is putting on a scavenger hunt.”
Bella leans in, her warmth practically melting through my shirt. “Oh, yes! Ellen mentioned she wants to hit up the scavenger hunt in town. This is perfect! Wow, we’re already expert matchmakers!” She grins like we just solved world peace instead of planning a date.
I tilt the phone in her direction, distracted by her closeness. “It’s an all-day thing and everyone who completes it will get a ten-dollar gift card to the local grocery store.”
“Fantastic! We can make it a day, and tonight have a picnic on the beach,” Bella suggests. “A fire would be more romantic, but I noticed you don’t have one.”
She leans in a little closer, her hair brushing my lip.
I pull away and close my phone. “Sounds great to me. I’ll be in charge of drinks and sides if you’ll take the main meal.”
Bella grins at me. “Sounds like a plan.”
She gathers her sketchbook.
“Are those your new designs?” I ask, not wanting her to leave just yet.
She clutches it to her chest defensively. “Um, yes.”
“Can I see them?”
Bella shakes her head emphatically. “Absolutely not! They’re not ready.”
“Oh. Okay.” I grab my coffee again. “Maybe—”
But she’s already gone.