Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Valerie
I didn't bother leaving the guest room until Aaron announced dinner was served. Despite the room being a huge slap in the face, it was the lesser of two evils at the moment.
Every detail of the room, even down to the canopied bed, was exactly as I described to him when I was picturing how our house would look one day. Except back then, I never thought I would be the one sleeping in it.
I was still thinking about the letters we used to share when I stepped into the kitchen and got another slap to the face.
"Is that lasagna and fresh baked garlic bread I smell?" I paused just inside the doorway and considered turning around and running back to my room.
"It is," Aaron replied casually.
The man didn't play fair.
"You remembered my favorite dish you used to make?"
Even as a teenager, Aaron knew how to cook.
It probably had something to do with the fact that Ms. Hill was a single mother, so oftentimes Aaron would cook for the two of them, or three when he invited me over, which was more often than not.
I had a great home but I preferred spending my time at his.
"I remember everything about you, Val. You might not want to see it but you have been on my mind every day since I left Willow Creek."
No, I didn't want to see it because that would mean everything I thought for thirty years was a lie and I couldn't see how that was possible.
I ignored his comment and took a seat at the small table in the kitchen that was already set with two steaming plates of lasagna and a basket of bread. My mouth watered from the enticing aromas.
Aaron and I ate in silence for the first few minutes and I almost wished it stayed that way because the next conversation threatened to ruin my favorite meal.
"What's your plan for tomorrow?"
I finished chewing my bite of garlic bread and wiped my mouth on the napkin before setting it back down on my lap.
"I need to go to the shop and deal with the blown-out window. Clean the glass up off the floor and see what inventory was ruined because of the shooting."
It was a good thing insurance would pay for most of the damages because there was no telling how much inventory I lost due to glass flying around. If I had to make an educated guess though, it would be everything on the shop floor.
"I've taken care of the window. A new one will be installed first thing tomorrow morning, and last I knew, Maverick and Nolen were there cleaning up the glass."
I put down the fork I’d just picked up and cleared my throat. "You didn't have to do that." It was bad enough I was staying with him, I didn't want to add owing him for things on top of that.
Of course Aaron shrugged it off like it was no big deal. "My team and I are the reason you were shot at and the damage it caused. The least we can do is fix the problem."
Well, when he put it like that. "Okay, but I plan to turn it in to my insurance." One of the things I had done while hiding in the guest bedroom was to call the company and get the ball rolling.
"That's fine. I just figured you would want to get a head start on it so you aren't having to close for too long."
Damn Aaron for being so considerate. It was making it really hard to stay mad at him when he did things like that.
"I appreciate it."
We went back to eating in silence. The lasagna tasted just as I remembered and was better than I could ever make myself.
I was halfway done with the piece I was eating when Aaron set down his fork and put his elbows on the table. It wasn't until he laced his fingers and cleared his throat that I knew I wasn't going to like what he had to say.
"Why is it that you're so mad at me?"
I should've known he wasn't going to pull any punches. That wasn't Aaron's style. He didn't bother to beat around the bush.
"Does it really matter at this point?" I set my own fork down, completely losing my appetite, and mimicked his pose.
"Yes, it matters very much," he said with exasperation like he couldn't believe I had the nerve to ask. "One day we're writing letters to each other, and the next thing I know, thirty years go by and I haven't heard a word from you and not a single response to any of my letters."
Was he being serious right now? I opened my mouth to tell him as much but a piercing screech coming from his phone cut me off.
"What the hell is that?" I covered my ears in an attempt to drown out the ear-shattering noise but it was no use.
"That's the alarm for my mother's house." Aaron was up and out of his seat before he even finished the sentence.
I scrambled out of my chair in an attempt to follow him but my foot got caught on the front leg and had me catapulting to the floor before I knew what was happening.
"Shit, are you okay?" Aaron was immediately back at my side, reaching his hand down to help me up.
I accepted the help and climbed back up on my feet. "Don't worry about me." I dropped my hand and practically shoved him toward the front door. "You need to go check on your mother."
Aaron proved just how stubborn he was when he took my hand back and held on tight. But it was his next words that hit me square in the chest. "I'm not leaving you behind. From now on we do things together."
Looking back, it was probably that moment that everything changed for me.