Chapter 2
TWO
AARON
This past spring, when Aiden had insisted Aaron move into his apartment because he was going to be in Boston for the foreseeable future, he hadn’t been able to say no.
For months, he’d been staying with Lars and his family, and despite what she said, he was fairly certain Mel had been ready for him to leave.
But then, his brother decided not to leave after all, instead working things out with Charlotte.
Aaron’s ex-fiancée and lifelong best friend.
The woman his brother had been in love with for most of their lives.
Aaron had kept them apart as teenagers, asking her out before Aiden could, but in the end, he couldn’t marry her. He couldn’t hurt Aiden that way.
The apartment had been an olive branch after four months of avoidance.
Aaron had gratefully accepted, even after Aiden decided to stay.
Aiden had told Aaron he should still move in so they could live together and maybe work out the messy situation, which had seemed like a great idea at the time.
Aaron was desperate to earn their forgiveness, to gain back their friendship.
He’d missed them more than he could say, and he had been sure they would never want to talk to him again.
But here they were, still living in the small two-bedroom apartment five months later, arguing over whether or not Die Hard was a Christmas movie. Aaron didn’t even remember how they got onto this topic.
The kitchen and living room were separated by a wall that had a large opening with a bar top, making it feel more open and spacious than it actually was.
Aaron sat on a barstool with his arm braced on the narrow bit of faux marble while his brother lingered in the doorway and their friend Wyatt leaned against a counter in the kitchen.
“I don’t understand why we’re arguing about this,” Aaron said.
“Because you’re stubborn and won’t admit I’m right,” his brother said.
They both looked at the third man, who was clearly distracted.
“Right, Wyatt?” Aiden asked.
Wyatt’s gaze snapped up. “Um… what?”
As Aiden chuckled, Aaron said, “What’s got you so distracted?”
“His new boss.” Aiden took a sip of his beer. “Elyse said she saw you two leaving the bar together the other night.”
Wyatt shook his head. “It wasn’t like that. She was upset, and I didn’t think it was a good idea for her to drive home like that.”
Aaron couldn’t help but smirk. He knew there was more to the story. “So, you didn’t take her to your house and cook her waffles the next morning?”
“Dammit, Harper.”
Aaron laughed. It had indeed been Wyatt’s sister who had shared that bit of gossip.
Aaron had taken to sitting in Happily Ever Crafter a lot these days, working from his laptop and hanging out with whomever was working in the art shop at the time.
He’d done that a lot before the wedding fiasco, and it was nice being able to again.
The shop meant the world to him. It had been his mom’s before she sold it to Charlie and Vi, so he’d practically grown up there.
Since they’d hired Harper this past summer, Aaron had become friends with the young woman, and she loved dishing the latest drama about her big brother.
With a sigh, Wyatt ran a hand over his short dark hair. “Fine. Yes, I did.”
“And?” Aaron said, trying not to notice the way his friend’s muscular, tattooed arm flexed when he lifted it in that motion. Was he purposely wearing a t-shirt that tight?
“And what?” Wyatt set his empty beer bottle on the counter then turned to open the fridge. He didn’t grab another though. No, he started pulling out the butter and eggs before searching the cabinets for other ingredients.
The fact that this intimidating-looking man stress baked never ceased to amuse Aaron—not to mention Charlie making them stock the kitchen specifically for when he was over here.
She’d all but forced Wyatt to join their friend group.
And while he remained quiet and often alone or separate from the commotion, he seemed to have given up on keeping Charlie at arm’s length.
The two were attached at the hip most of the time.
Well, when she wasn’t busy shoving her tongue down Aiden’s throat.
“We’ve been… fooling around a bit this past week. It’s not a big deal.”
Aiden went to one of the cabinets and grabbed the measuring cups without having to be asked. “You’re sleeping with your boss?”
“Sounds like a pretty big deal,” Aaron said before he could help it, focusing once more on the present conversation.
Shaking his head, Wyatt started mixing things in a glass bowl. “Not until yesterday. Before that, it was just… I don’t know what it was. She’s so cold and infuriating ninety-five percent of the time.”
“And the other five percent?” Aiden asked.
Wyatt hesitated a beat then shrugged. “She’s different.”
Aiden and Aaron shared a look. The man was a goner, and they both knew it.
“We’re just using each other to relieve some stress,” Wyatt went on. “That’s it. We figured it’s better than constantly arguing.”
“Right.” One doth protest too much, Aaron thought as he stood and rounded the wall, taking his brother’s spot in the doorway.
“I’m serious.” Wyatt mixed what appeared to be cookie dough harder. “I’ve been down that road before. Never again. I don’t care how fucking beautiful she is or how good she—It’s not happening.”
“Bad ex?” Aiden asked as he grabbed another beer from the fridge and handed it to their friend.
Wyatt glanced at him with narrowed eyes. “The worst.”
“That doesn’t mean this woman’s going to be the same.”
“You’re right; she’d be worse.” Wyatt seemed to realize what he was admitting and added, “I mean because she’s so distant and… and…”
“And because you’ve already fallen harder for her than the other one?” Aaron asked in a gentle tone.
Wyatt stopped moving, his head hanging low as he hissed, “Fuck.”
Aaron and Aiden both chuckled. The latter clapped Wyatt on the shoulder. “Welcome to the club, man.”
“I can’t be here,” he said, facing them. “Not again.”
Before anyone could say more, the door to the apartment opened. Charlie waltzed in, kicking off her shoes and dropping her purse onto the coffee table, oblivious to the three of them. “Aiden, you better be in that bed. It’s been a long day, and I want to try out our new—”
“Charlotte.” Aiden shoved past Aaron, practically tackling her as she began lifting the bottom of her shirt. “We have company.”
She finally looked up, her blue eyes wide at the sight of Aaron and Wyatt. “Oh, um…”
Aaron shook his head—partly in amusement, partly in annoyance. He loved his friend, he really did, but seeing her and Aid together… hearing them… he was over it. He was happy for them both, but he didn’t need to be present for their intimate moments.
Clearing her throat, Charlie said, “I thought you were heading to Summersville for the weekend, Aaron.”
“I am. I just haven’t left yet,” he said with a shrug.
Normally, they did Friday night dinners with her parents and his mom, but he was skipping tonight.
Besides, his mom was still painting her way around the country.
She would be back next week though, and they were planning a big cookout for next Friday—or indoor dinner if the weather didn’t cooperate.
In Indiana, October went back and forth so much it was nearly impossible to know if it was going to be warm or cold, raining, snowing, or sunny.
They often saw all four seasons around this time of year.
Sometimes, all within the same week. Yesterday, it had been freezing out, but today, it was fairly warm.
Focusing on the present, Aaron added, “I’m grabbing pizza for Lars and the girls on the way.”
“Gotcha.” She nodded. “And Wyatt, it’s nice to see you.”
Wyatt laughed. “No, it’s not. It’s fine. I get it. Let me just wrap up this cookie dough that you can bake later, and then you two can try out whatever new toy you got.”
Charlie’s face turned a deep shade of red, and Aaron groaned as he walked out of the kitchen. Over his shoulder, he said, “I’m leaving now.”
“You don’t want to hear what they got?” Wyatt hollered after him.
“I hear enough, thank you very much,” Aaron called out.
Rolling his eyes, he went into his bedroom to grab the bag he’d already packed.
Returning to the living room, he went straight to the front door and said, “I’ll text before coming home tomorrow.
If you do anything in a room that’s not your own, clean it up and never tell me. ”
Not waiting for a response, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. As he made his way to his car, he couldn’t help but picture what he’d interrupted last week. Charlie in nothing but an apron, bent over the damned table.
A shiver ran down Aaron’s spine. He’d seen more of his brother than he ever wanted to.
“Nope,” Aaron said out loud, trying to force the image out of his head.
He unlocked his car and climbed in. Setting his bag in the passenger seat, he pulled his phone out of his pocket.
He quickly called A Slice of Heaven and put in his order to go, then he picked some music to blare as he drove across their small town.
Thirty minutes later, he was parking in front of the two-story, light blue farmhouse just outside of Summersville.
He carried the two pizzas and cheese bread inside without knocking, and he barely managed to brace himself when his favorite three year old collided with his legs, yelling, “Unc Aaron!”
“Hi.” He grinned down at Chloe. When she raised her arms for him to pick her up, he laughed and said, “Hold on. Let me put this down.”
She followed him into the quiet kitchen, bouncing up and down. “Pizza. Pizza. Pizza.”
He set the boxes on the counter then turned to scoop her into his arms. “All right, come here.”
Chloe squealed as he tickled her. “Stop!”