Chapter 28Stella
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Stella
After tapping my code into the keypad, I nudged the door to the Big House open just enough to slip through. The grandfather clock in the hallway struck half-past midnight, its deep chime resonating with my thudding heartbeat. My feet felt like lead as I headed toward the soaring staircase. I’d grown used to the feeling over the past two weeks. Weeks spent alternating between being angry at Aiden and miserable without him.
His call a couple of days ago hadn’t gone well. And I hadn’t reached out either, pride or fear anchoring my fingers away from the phone. I knew which it was, but I just didn’t want to admit it.
Climbing the stairs, I held on to the banister for support, the emotional exhaustion clinging to each limb. As I reached the landing, an unexpected light pulled my gaze toward the parlor. There, beneath the warm embrace of an antique table lamp, sat Nona. Her unbound white hair caught hints of gold in the light, her eyes squinted in focus over a crossword puzzle sprawled on the table before her .
“Nona?” I approached, curiosity briefly overshadowing my thoughts. “What are you doing up so late?”
She looked up, her glasses perched precariously on the bridge of her nose, and offered me a wry smile. “Stella, my dear, when you get to my age, sleep becomes more of a suggestion than a requirement. And these old bones…” She gestured vaguely toward her limbs with the end of her pencil. “They don’t take kindly to lying idle for too long.”
I smiled, despite the tightness in my chest. “And the crossword?”
“Ah, this rascal is my latest conquest.” She tapped the paper, leaving a small graphite mark among the boxes. “Keeps the mind sharp, and less sleep means more puzzles to solve.”
I watched her fill in another answer with confidence. It was a simple moment, yet there was something soothing about the domesticity of it—the steady tick of the clock, the soft hum of the night, and Nona, our unwavering matriarch, finding peace in wordplay while the world slept.
“Mind if I join you?” I asked, my voice weary but seeking the solace of normalcy.
“Have a seat, child.” Nona patted the empty chair beside her, and I obliged, lowering myself into it with a soft exhale. I read a clue and picked up a pencil, slowly writing in the answer. We worked in silence for several minutes, though I spent more time gazing into empty space and thinking about Aiden than working on the puzzle.
Nona scanned a clue with a gnarled finger, peering at the letters already in place. “What’s an eight-letter word for perturbed?”
“Agitated,” I said, my voice distant, fingers tracing the embossed patterns on the tablecloth as I spoke.
“Seems you’re quite agitated yourself, Stella.” Nona’s voice was gentle, probing. “Something on your mind?”
I hesitated, then confessed. “Aiden and I had an argument. I might’ve… well, I jumped down his throat and got defensive. And things haven’t been the same between us since. ”
“Is that so?” Nona placed her pencil down, her posture straightening. “Tell me. What sparked this fiery exchange?”
“Expectations, misunderstandings…” I sighed, feeling the weight of my own stubbornness. “I guess we both have strong opinions on how things should be done and what we are to each other.”
“Ah, a clash of titans.” Nona smiled, folding her hands atop the puzzle. “But there is a lot of history between you two and now a reconnection. Are you in love with him?”
My heart skipped, and I nodded silently, acknowledging the truth even as it frightened me. “Yes. Maybe that’s why I acted the way I did. I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“Love can be terrifying,” she agreed, her voice soft and understanding. “But it sounds like this tiff isn’t insurmountable. Perhaps it’s time for you to give a little, show him he matters to you.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, memories of the fight swirling in my mind. “Even after I practically shut him out?”
Nona leaned forward, her gaze sage and knowing. “Especially after,” she said firmly. “Think about it—if you reach out to him now, after pushing him away, won’t that show him how much he means to you? That you’re willing to put your pride aside and fight for your relationship?”
Her words struck a chord within me, stirring up conflicting emotions. Was I ready to apologize and admit my fault? My fear? Had he really changed over the years?
Nona must have sensed my hesitation because she continued gently, “You don’t want to lose him, do you? Stella, you have worked for so long at being strong and unassailable, you’ve built a shield around yourself. Don’t let fear stop you from loving and being loved.” Nona’s faded blue eyes twinkled as she squeezed my hand. “Trust me, sometimes, a little vulnerability is exactly what a relationship needs.”
I bit my lower lip, considering her words. She had a point. Maybe it was time for me to swallow my fear—and my pride—and make things right. “You always give good advice. Thanks. I’ve got a lot to think about.”
“And I might remind you that the two of you have been seeing each other for quite some time now. And yet you’ve never invited him over for lunch or dinner.”
I straightened, frowning. “Not true! I invited him to the pool party, but he had an emergency to deal with.”
She stared at me with that unrelenting gaze. “And since?”
I swallowed, unable to refute that. Why hadn’t I included him more? Aiden was a warm, successful man who got along with anyone. And I was proud of him, to be seen with him. Why was I so afraid?
Her gaze softened, that wry sense of humor rising once again. “And let’s not forget the practical side. Between your father and me aging and your siblings’ penchant for getting in trouble, having a doctor in the family could come in handy.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension easing from my shoulders. Her comment was classic Nona—wisdom delivered with a dose of humor.
“Thanks. Maybe I need to stop being so stubborn and focus more on people instead of my career… including Aiden.”
“Good girl.” Nona’s approval warmed me more than the lamplight ever could. “Now, back to this puzzle—what do you think about teamwork for twelve across?”
“Perfect fit,” I replied, but I wasn’t just talking about the crossword anymore.
The next morning, sunlight cast stripes across the floor of my sitting area. Pilar lazily washed herself as the beams warmed her, pausing to stare at me with those inscrutable green eyes. Her sides were starting to bulge now, an indication of the kittens she carried. I was curled up with a glass of water I hadn’t touched in fifteen minutes. My thoughts were still wrapped around Nona’s words when my phone buzzed on the glass tabletop.
“Stella? You up yet?” Hunter’s voice was sharp and alert. He’d always been one of those horrible morning people.
“Define up ,” I muttered, rubbing at my eyes. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking a lot about the thefts. The first things stolen were orchids, right? So either our thief has a thing for exotic flowers or knows how to sell them.”
I set my water down, instantly becoming more alert. “That makes sense. You already think it’s someone with outside access, right?”
“I do. And I’ve got a plan to catch him.”
“Tell me more.”
“I’m thinking about setting a trap. What if we use some of your best orchids as bait?”
Reflexively, my heart skipped at the thought of losing more of my precious blooms and my eyes automatically zeroed in on the ones by my balcony door. “You want to use my orchids as… lures? Hunter, it takes years to grow them!”
“I know, and that’s exactly why a really special one, or two, would be perfect. The thief won’t be able to resist. You set a couple of them near the restaurant to entice him. Pick them carefully, okay? Put them near the others so they don’t look out of place—we don’t want it to look obvious. I’ll come down and stake the place out. We’ll see what happens.”
I couldn’t refute his logic, though the idea caused my stomach to drop. Pilar rose and rubbed against my legs. I reached over and absently scratched under her chin. “Should we loop in Evan or Gabe?”
“Not yet.” His voice held a firmness that told me he’d thought this through. “Evan knows I’m working on something—we talked about it at the party. Plus, the fewer people involved, the better.”
“Makes sense.” I grinned. “So are we going to hide out together in a dusty old sedan, waiting for our creeping thief to abscond with the bait?” My bad mood was slipping away by the minute.
“Get real.” He snorted. “You’re not going to be anywhere near. Hopefully neither will anyone else. I’ve got a lot of experience with stakeouts, Stella. And catching bad guys.”
My smile faded. I hadn’t really expected him to let me tag along, but his answer was unsettling. I shifted in my seat, stroking Pilar’s ears to cover my uneasiness. No one really knew what Hunter had done while in Special Forces, and he never went into details about it. “I know you do. I was just teasing.”
“You’re the only one I trust to pick out the right orchids.” His voice softened. “I’m sorry, Stell. This is the best way.”
“Well, if the first orchids tempted Ben to steal them, the new ones I choose should prove irresistible.” I tried to sound confident. Then memories from the farmer’s market flooded my mind—the day I’d reconnected with Aiden while picking out replacement orchids. I shook my head, forcing the recollection away. “When do you want me to pick out the flowers? The landscaping project is close to wrapping up.”
They’d planted several new palm trees around the resort and updated underground sprinkler lines throughout. As much as I disliked Ben, I had to admit the crew had done a great job sprucing up the place.
“No time like the present,” Hunter said. “I’ve got a few days off coming up. Can you choose the bait today?”
I blinked at how rapidly he was moving now that he’d decided on his plan. “Sure. I can do it tonight while I’m working.”
“Call me when you find the right ones, and we’ll go from there. Hopefully, tomorrow we’ll discover who our thief is.” Hunter’s voice held a steel edge of determination.
“It’s Ben, Hunter.” I smirked.
“Maybe, maybe not. Not all Coleridges are terrible people, though he doesn’t have a great track record. Call me later, okay?”
“Got it,” I replied, resisting the urge to say over and out. After hanging up, a potent mix of concern and anticipation rose in me as I prepared to carry out Hunter’s plan.
The dinner rush died down around 10:00 p.m., finally giving me the time I needed to stroll through Orchid’s nearly deserted dining area. After a thorough perusal of my beautiful charges, I ended up in a section that fronted the beach but was secure within the restaurant. Some of our most beautiful orchids were kept here. My eye automatically darted to a bare area, one I was reserving for my long dreamed of monkey-face orchid. Rare and in great demand, I had never been able to get my hands on one. I examined several magnificent blooms before making my final selection.
I chose two stunning specimens of the Cattleya Queen Sirikit , known for its resilience and delicate lavender hue that reminded me of dawn skies over the beach. Queen Sirikit could survive outside with the proper care, making the two orchids perfect lures for our thief.
I called my brother, cradling the phone between my shoulder and ear as I carefully tended the plants one last time. “Okay, Hunter. I’ve found my blooms.”
“Excellent. Place them outside by six a.m., no sooner. I’ll be down by then.”
“Six in the morning?” I grumbled, lifting my hand to prop it on my hip. “You know I work until after midnight, right?”
“Oh, cry me a river. I’m the one driving from South Beach, remember? I’ll be up by two.” He laughed, and it was good to hear the lightness in his voice. It only served to remind me how rare it was to hear his laugh.
“All right. You win.” I managed a smile even though he couldn’t see it. “I promise they’ll be in place first thing.”
After I hung up, I went back to finish my shift, which passed quickly and without drama, thank God. Shooing out the rest of the staff, I collected my two beautiful orchids and set them on the counter next to the back entrance. Ready for tomorrow. I turned off the lights and locked up, the weight of the restaurant’s keys in my hand a reminder of the responsibility I carried. But as I walked away, keys jingling in rhythm with my steps, my mind quickly diverted to my other conundrum. And the fact that the threat of our prowler wasn’t what weighed heaviest on my mind.
It was the possibility of losing Aiden.
How could we overcome our differences? I needed to find a way to bridge the gulf between us—to navigate from the past to what we were trying to build now. Because I was coming to realize the thought of losing him felt far more daunting than any thief.