Chapter Eleven – Aurora #2
Confused, I sat down on the sofa. “You know, now that you say that, you’re right. Hope told me once she wasn’t sure how long she’d be in Moose Village, and when I asked her what she meant, she laughed it off.”
Cadie gasped. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I forgot about this!”
“What?” Harper, Brystol, and I asked in unison.
Turning to look directly at me, Cadie said, “Hope asked me one time if I ever saw you and Liam together. I asked her what she meant, and she said she thought Liam was cheating on her. I remember telling her there was no way Liam was cheating, and certainly not with you. This was before she found out she had cancer.”
My hand came up to my mouth. “She thought Liam and I were having an affair? Cadie, why didn’t you tell me?”
She shook her head. “Hope laughed, and I thought she was pulling my leg. I mean, sometimes she would say the oddest things, and I assumed it was just her. Or maybe she had postpartum depression. Like maybe things weren’t going well with her and Liam, and she just said what was deep in her mind.
I don’t know. Then she got sick and I forgot all about that conversation. ”
My hands twisted together. “Oh my gosh, this all makes so much more sense now. The reason why Hope was pushing me away had nothing to do with Winnie, and her worry that Liam and I were…oh my gosh.”
“You don’t know that, Aurora,” Harper stated as she sat down next to me. “We can’t possibly know what was going through Hope’s head at that time. She was probably scared to death she wouldn’t see her daughter grow up.”
“I agree,” Brystol said. “What you really need to do is talk to Liam, Aurora. He is the only one who knows the truth. Plus, I think you need to be honest with yourself, Aurora, and how you truly feel about Liam.”
I dropped my head and closed my eyes for a moment before looking up and seeing my beautiful best friends all looking at me—concern and love etched on their faces.
“Liam already has it in the back of his mind that I want to replace Hope.”
“He doesn’t,” Harper insisted.
With a weak smile, I whispered, “I think he does, and maybe there is a reason he was quick to hire Kim. I don’t know.”
“He needed someone to watch Winnie, and he made that stupid promise to Hope about not letting a stranger watch her. In his mind, Kim wasn’t a stranger. I don’t think it is anything other than that.”
I chewed nervously on my lower lip before releasing it.
“What if I tell Liam I have feelings for him other than friendship, and he doesn’t feel the same?
Things will never be the same between us.
I adore Winnie, and those few months of catching her here and there about killed me.
I can’t risk my friendship with Liam or losing the chance to have Winnie in my life. ”
“So what, you’re just going to ignore how you feel?” Brystol asked. “Because I can tell you from experience that only leads to more heartbreak.”
“What about Gary?” Cadie asked. “You guys went out a few times. Nothing there?”
I shook my head. “The other night at The Muddled Moose he asked me to attend a fundraiser in Albany. I told him no, and that I didn’t think I saw anything moving forward for us other than friendship.
I didn’t feel anything when I was with him.
Not when he kissed me or reached for my hand.
Not like I do when Liam smiles at me.” I dropped back against the sofa.
“Oh man, I’ve got it bad, and now I’ve unleashed it, the proverbial horse has left the barn, and I’m not sure I can ignore it anymore. I like Liam. I want Liam. Shit.”
“Oh, Aurora, sweetie, I don’t think this is a bad thing at all. You need to tell Liam the truth.”
I nodded and gave a weak laugh. “I know.”
“You deserve happiness, and so does Liam. And truth be told, I’ve seen him watching you and I never wanted to say anything, but I think he feels something other than friendship as well,” Harper said with a smile.
“Who couldn’t love you!” Cadie grinned. “You’re an amazing woman and wonderful friend. You and Liam have spent so much time together, I don’t think it would surprise anyone that the two of you would fall for each other.”
I felt my cheeks heat. “You’ve seen him looking at me?”
“Not looking—staring as if he was longing for something.”
“Don’t you mean someone!” Brystol added with a wink.
Harper drew in a breath and slowly let it out. “I know you think Liam couldn’t give you his whole heart, but I disagree. I saw how he looked at you the last time we were together. He cares for you in a much deeper way than friendship alone.”
I glanced over to the clock. “Oh gosh, I have to run. I’m meeting one of the contractors at the bookstore.”
Grabbing my purse, I leaned down and kissed Lily, then rushed toward the front door, calling over my shoulder, “Love you all! Talk soon.”
As I made my way to my car, it wasn’t lost on me that I was being a coward. Or maybe it was realizing that I had deeper feelings for Liam, causing me to freak out. Whatever it was, I turned up the radio and pushed it all away.
The bell above the door rang, and I glanced up with a smile to greet the customer, only to have it falter when I saw Kim and Winnie walk in.
“Who is that with Winnie?” Lou asked in a low whisper.
“The Wicked Witch of Moose Village,” I replied back before plastering on a smile and heading toward them.
“Rora!” Winnie called as I made my way over and bent down to catch her.
I squeezed her, then leaned back to look at her. “It’s so nice to see you, sweetheart!”
Glancing up at Kim, I said, “Storytime was at four, you guys just missed it.”
Her smile was tight. “Winnie wouldn’t stop throwing a fit until we entered the bookstore.”
“A fit?” I asked. “I’ve never known her to throw a fit.”
One brow rose like how dare I suggest Kim was lying. “Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think.”
I stood and took Winnie’s hand. “I know her better than you, Kim. I’ve never seen this child throw a fit of any kind.”
“We getting ice dream!”
“Cream. Not dream, Winnie. Ice Cream.”
“Whoa, slow down there, Cruella de Vil,” Lou said as she walked up. I nearly choked when I noticed Kim was wearing black leather pants and a black and white shirt with a weird high collar. She looked like she was ready to step out onto a catwalk.
Lou went on, despite the displeased look Kim was giving her. “She’s like what, not even three yet. I highly doubt you were barking orders in perfect sentences at three.”
I cleared my throat when Kim looked like she was about to slap my sister. “Would you like me to watch Winnie while you shop?”
Kim’s head snapped back to me. “Shop? What makes you think I want to shop?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You got a date tonight after your stint as a nanny?” Lou asked, motioning to Kim’s outfit.
Kim attempted to smile, but the effect was a snarled lip. “As a matter of fact, I do have plans…with Liam.”
I instantly felt a rush of unwanted jealousy rip through my entire body. Damn my friends for getting me to admit I liked Liam. “What? Who is going to watch Winnie?” I asked.
“You’re going on a date with your boss? That doesn’t seem very smart,” Lou added as she folded her arms over her chest and glared at Kim.
Kim ignored both of us and looked at Winnie. “Okay, you’ve seen Aunty Aurora, let’s go get your ice cream.”
“Aunty Aurora?” I asked, still holding onto Winnie’s hand.
“Come along, Winnie.”
Winnie buried herself closer to me and turned her head into my leg. “No. Stay with Rora.”
“It is Ah-rora. Not Rora.”
I gently moved Winnie to my back. “You need to take a few steps away, Kim.”
Her mouth fell open. “How dare you? I’m her nanny. Let her go so we can get her ice cream.”
“Not with you acting like a royal bitch will I let her go.”
Kim slowly shook her head as she folded her arms over her chest in the same manner as Lou had. I saw my sister drop her arms to her sides. “I see what Liam was talking about.”
Confused, I asked, “What do you mean?”
“You are so desperate to take over Hope’s place…and now mine.”
My sister drew in a sharp breath behind me as all the air in my lungs was expelled. “What did you say?” I whispered.
“We were having drinks one night after he got off work, and he told me about how you tried to take Hope’s place. It’s rather pathetic, if you ask me. You’re trying so hard to be a part of their life, Aurora. It’s giving…desperate.”
Lou took a step forward. “Oh, shut up! You’re like what, forty? Stop talking like you’re young.”
“Lou,” I warned. “Just be quiet.”
“Winnie, darling?” Kim said as she bent down. “Don’t you want to go get your ice cream now?”
Winnie poked her head out from behind me. “Can Rora come too?”
Kim looked at me. “Aunty A…rora is busy. Come along.”
Taking Kim’s outstretched hand, Winnie started to walk out with Kim. I did everything I could to keep myself from running and grabbing Winnie from Kim and then knocking the shit out of her for saying what she said to me. But then the reality of what she said hit me.
Liam had told her about what Hope said. How could he do such a thing?
Before she left, Kim turned and shot me the most evil smile I had ever seen. “Just for the record, Liam and I have rekindled our old relationship, and it was glorious. I don’t think we’ll be needing you much anymore…Aunty Rora.”
She slipped out the door with Winnie as I stood frozen in place. My entire body trembled.
“Are you really going to let her take Winnie?” Lou asked.
“What am I supposed to do? She’s her nanny,” I replied, turning on my heel and trying not to cry as I quickly made my way to my office.