by Tanya Agler
Aidan shrugged. “No mistake.”
The mayor pled with his eyes. “This will cause a huge rupture in the town. I agreed to this compromise to keep the peace.”
“No mistake.”
Mayor Wes glanced at the sky before resuming his place behind the podium. “The winner for best soft pie is number seven, the strawberry chiffon pie.”
“What?”
“No way!”
“He needs his taste buds examined.”
“Hyacinth was robbed!”
Aidan shifted his weight on the podium, but resolve flowed through him. He’d made the right choice, despite the protests. The mayor ripped open the envelope, and his jaw dropped. “Hyacinth Hennessy.”
Hyacinth breezed up to the stage and shook Aidan’s hand. “I might have taken advantage of the fact that a certain redhead smells like strawberries.”
“That fact had nothing to do with my decision.”
His gaze met Natalie’s as murmurs of reluctant approval rippled through the crowd. More than one person’s face relaxed, and it was as if peace settled the feud for this year. Accepting change fashioned a compromise that crowned two winners. Somehow, he and Natalie had to hammer out such a solution to benefit Danny.
If she was still talking to him after he announced his new departure date and how long he’d known about the new orders, that was. Sunlight reflected off the golden glints of her red hair, same as her happiness radiated out of her and spread to others, including himself.
He was betraying the one person who had accepted him, external scars and all.
If she took his news as expected, he’d be returning to Fort Lewis nursing an internal scar much deeper and painful than the one on his arm.
* * *
DUSK FELL OVER the town square, excitement building for the main event. In front of the gazebo, families and couples rested on blankets while children played Frisbee and tag, or lit sparklers. Glow stick necklaces illuminated the night.
“Loved your float!”
Several people held up their thumbs while others waved. Some of her students from last year came over and hugged her, their parents waiting for them to rejoin them. This town was the best.
The pink and orange ribbons streaking the horizon faded, leaving only the dark firmament of night. The time for fireworks was fast approaching. Where was Aidan? Natalie searched the crowd while Danny played with Lucie’s twins. She wanted to spend time with the soldier and give him a sneak peek at some of her plans for tomorrow. He’d discover an invigorating but relaxing family day in front of them.
Family. For a long time, she hadn’t dared dream of her own family, content with popping in and out of everyone else’s. Why be a legal guardian when ol’ Aunt Natalie was so much more fun? Why care on a deeper level when something might be ripped away from you on a minute’s notice?
Aidan was part of the answer, but the truth came from something inside her she’d buried long ago. She could care and still let herself be attached to something real and worthy. Look at Aidan. He’d lost his mother and sister when they were so young. In spite of that, he went out of his way for others and attached himself to matters of weight and significance. He could have come to Hollydale and kept to himself, yet he got involved in float preparation, the parade’s security plans and the pie contest. The balance between him and her worked well, so well she wanted to see if they could work on something permanent instead of a temporary stopgap for Danny.
With a nip cooling the mountain air, she reached into her tote for a light sweater and shrugged it on. Aidan came toward her, carrying two necklaces with red, white and blue light-up stars similar to Christmas bulbs. She patted a space beside her on the blanket, while Danny ran over. Aidan handed him one necklace and her the other.
“For me?” She reached for it, downright giddy at receiving an unexpected gift. “What does this button do?”
“Don’t know. It looked like you.”
Natalie pressed a button, and a patriotic song played. Giggles filled the air. Goose bumps dotted her arms under her sweater. She wasn’t laughing. She glanced at Aidan, the sound not coming from him either. Her gaze fell on Danny, who slipped onto his bottom as waves of laughter came out of him as though every pent-up giggle from the past few months wiggled out of him.
Danny was laughing.
A loud boom filled the air before she could hug him. She started to move down when Danny snuggled into his uncle’s side, the necklace looped around his neck. Immediately Aidan relaxed and gripped Danny’s hand in the twilight.
The sky flashed as ribbons of white light spiraled down with plumes of red on the outer edge. Several bursts came together, and Danny leaned into his uncle again. Green and red flares burst into spectacular displays of color until multiple pops in succession heralded the finale, light coursing across the sky in a magnificent array. Wonder and awe filled Danny’s face, and there were no two other people she wanted to share this moment with as much as the two Murphy males.
Once the last ribbon faded into a plume of smoke, people folded lawn chairs and gathered their supplies for a quick mass exodus. Danny rolled over and reached out his arms to her. “I’m tired. Let’s go home now, Aunt Natalie.”
Her heart lifted as the little boy managed to bridge her and Aidan.
Smart little boy.
“You set up. I’ll clean up.” Aidan took charge, but she didn’t mind as it was her turn to snuggle with Danny.
In no time, they headed toward their houses at a slow clip, staying to the side as others passed them. The twinkling white lights strung overhead flicked on. They must have been on a timer for after the fireworks display. Surprisingly, even Aidan managed a turtle’s pace in keeping with Danny’s sleepy progress. Natalie stopped when her phone pinged with a text. She responded with a smile emoji and caught up with Aidan.
“Dad wanted to let you know that Stormy is fine and he’ll be at your place later to drop her off. He also said to thank you for letting him cat-sit.”
“Why did your father agree to stay with Stormy during the fireworks?”
“He wanted an excuse, and he loves animals. Big crowds aren’t his thing. The barbecue is his lone exception, and he goes along with it for Mom, since that’s how she wanted to celebrate their anniversary.”
Her mother tended toward splashier displays. For years, her parents had proven the adage opposites attract, meshing their styles for a successful partnership and a loving marriage. Could we do the same?
The three of them turned onto Marigold Lane. The promise of tomorrow’s canoe excursion was uppermost in her thoughts.
“Natalie.” Aidan’s voice made her pause three houses down from hers.
“Yes?”
“There’s something I need to tell you...”
Her heart leaped at the expectant tone in his voice, and she touched the stars around her neck. He halted as a plain blue sedan pulled into her driveway, and Natalie turned toward him. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No. Besides, it’s your driveway, not Shelby’s.”
She held Danny back, expecting the driver to reverse and head in their direction, lost after the fireworks.
Instead, the taillights extinguished, and Aidan forged forward. “I’ll check it out.”
The glow of the lamplights caught the glint of familiar red hair. Natalie blinked, unsure of why her twin would be here in North Carolina, rather than in California.
Natalie reached for his arm. “It’s okay. That’s my twin sister, Becks.”
As they approached, though, it was clear the situation was anything but okay. The streetlights provided enough illumination to make the red blotches on her sister’s ashen face stand out. Natalie was instantly on alert. Becks showing up unannounced was unprecedented. While Becks reached into the back seat, no doubt for Natalie’s niece Pippa, Natalie turned to Aidan, her hand
s still on Danny’s shoulders. “Can Danny sleep with you tonight?”
“About that and tomorrow.” Aidan fidgeted, but his face softened. He exhaled a small sigh. “It’s for the best we cancel the outing now, what with your sister here and all. Any chance we could meet for breakfast, though?”
Natalie shook her head. “I promised you and Danny I would plan something and spend the day with you. I’m sure Becks will want to see Mom and Dad, and I don’t back down on a promise.” Not to Principal Garcia, not to Danny, not to Shelby. “I’ll text you in the morning, though, to let you know if we’ll be starting later than expected.”
Danny faced her, his big brown eyes transfixed on her. “Who’s going to read me a bedtime story? Who’s going to tuck me in?”
Natalie ruffled his hair, then brushed her hand over his matching light-up star necklace. “This is a special day.” And it was, considering she’d heard his laughter for the first time in ages. “You’ll be back home tomorrow night. For tonight, though, I bet your uncle is a great tucker-inner.”
“He probably won’t make funny voices for every character like you do.” Danny’s pout played with her heart, but she stayed firm.
“Then you’ll have to teach him how, okay?” Natalie kissed his cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise you’ll be back in your own bed in no time.”
Aidan opened his mouth as if to speak, but Natalie rose and put her index finger over his lips. “This must be important. You and Danny will be fine. Becks needs me.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
AIDAN FLIPPED PANCAKES on the griddle. He hadn’t cooked his mother’s special recipe in forever. Stormy had awakened him hours before dawn, and he’d held her an extra-long time before taking every precaution to be as quiet as possible while packing his suitcase. Once he’d finished, he found Stormy again, until it had been time to make breakfast. He wouldn’t leave Danny, so he’d canceled his morning run and turned to comfort food instead.
All his plans were out the window, and it was time to be honest with Natalie.
Could he take Danny away from this town without notice? No, he couldn’t. Hence the comfort food.
A soft knock at the kitchen door almost leveled him. It could only be one person. Natalie.
He flipped the pancakes off the griddle and added them to the stack on the plate before answering the door. In place of her usual sundress and ankle boots, she wore a light blue University of North Carolina T-shirt with short floral athletic leggings.
She leaned against the doorjamb. “I have good news and bad news.”
“What’s the good news?” He could use some before he shot the cannonball through her plans.
She sniffed the air and smiled. “Are those pancakes I smell? My absolute favorite breakfast ever. I’ll trade you news for a Stormy sighting and some pancakes.”
Breakfast was the least he could do, considering everything they’d have to get settled today, from relocating Stormy to mapping out Danny’s future. He stalled, though, unable to move, wanting this moment to last longer. If he willed it, maybe she wouldn’t reject him the way others had in the past. Though Danny would be part of their lives always, he acknowledged, he wanted more than a shared custodial arrangement with her. Maybe she’d still stay after he told her everything, so they could work out something together.
She nudged him and pointed inside. “Late night impacting you, too? I guess Danny’s still sleeping, huh? Pretty soundly if the smell of pancakes isn’t waking him. Glad I reorganized everything for early afternoon.”
“You haven’t mentioned your sister yet. Is she okay? Why’d she arrive last night?”
“Stormy, food, news about Becks. In that order, I think.”
He led her into the living room, where Stormy lay sleeping in a curled ball. Natalie reached for his hand and squeezed. “Seeing a kitten like this makes me believe everything’s going to work out for the best.”
“Natalie.”
“Uh-oh. I don’t think I can take whatever’s coming on an empty stomach.” She headed toward the kitchen. “Mind if I help myself to pancakes and syrup?”
It was next to impossible to say no to a whirling sandstorm. “Want some coffee?”
“I’d love some.”
He filled two cups and sat at the table, his appetite diminished. She settled in and poured syrup on her pancakes. “Thank goodness we’re canoeing later today. Becks, that’s my twin sister, said she’ll watch Stormy.” She cut her stack into big pieces. “Before you say anything about canceling, hear me out. She and Pippa flew in from California yesterday. Becks found out Jack cheated on her. She’s utterly devastated and wants a day to herself with Pippa. My mom and dad will descend on her anyway, and that’s a conversation best between her and them, without me getting in the way.”
“Canoeing today isn’t a good idea.” The scar on his arm throbbed, and he rubbed away the pain.
“It’s a perfect plan. Because you need to know you deserve this. We can make this work somehow. We can’t throw something like this aside. Danny’s only part of it. This type of attraction doesn’t come along every day. And those kisses?” She lifted a bite to her lips and smiled while he struggled to pull himself together.
Those kisses were part of the reason this was so hard. Everything about her had brought what he’d lost back into his world. Most of all, he cared for Natalie, the pure essence of her. She played basketball with her whole heart. She dropped everything to raise her best friend’s child as her own. She even changed breakfast from something ordinary to something special just by being her. Here he’d thought he could make everything fit into a comfortable timetable. A relationship with someone safe, a more traditional career with a security firm with military contracts and raising Danny in a convenient setup. He was wrong.
If only he had more time to find out if whatever was starting between him and Natalie could last.
As she chewed, she looked at him, waiting for some response.
“Relationships take time.” Something he didn’t have, thanks to his new orders.
“Anyone who can make pancakes this good is worth keeping around. You haven’t listed Shelby’s house yet.” She sipped her coffee, bliss coming over her face. “These next two weeks are a perfect opportunity for us to start building on what we have. You’re a planner, and I like more spontaneity. A nice compromise, don’t you think?”
“I have to leave tomorrow.” He’d blurted out the words.
She blinked, pushed that stray curl behind her ear and slumped backward. “I didn’t hear that right. It sounded like you said you’re leaving tomorrow.”
Her voice was small, almost as though she’d uttered the words in a tunnel.
“I did.”
She set her fork and knife on either side of her plate with deliberate precision. “What time did your commanding officer call you? Isn’t he in Seattle? I thought it’s still before dawn there.”
His hands turned to ice, and he tugged his long-sleeve T-shirt over the scar before giving up the effort. It was part of him forever. “He called yesterday morning.”
Standing, she disturbed the table, and her plate clattered to the floor. They both looked toward the direction of the hallway as if expecting Danny to materialize. No sounds came from his room, and she turned back. Their eyes locked, anger coming from hers.
“You knew all day yesterday?”
“I didn’t want to upset the festivities.” That sounded lame even to his ears.
Natalie huffed out a deep breath. “When you care about someone, you include them in decisions. You include them period. Love isn’t about control or about dictating who knows what, when. Love is about taking risks, something I haven’t done in years. Love is about two people buoying each other up, rather than sinking, a support in the storm.”
Love? Falling in love would require letting go of any control he had over a situ
ation. When he let go, bad things happened to those he cared about. Like his mother. Like Shelby. Even his father and Cathy.
“Love takes time.”
“Anything can happen in an instant. Love, death, laughter. Any of it. We can’t control everything, just like you can’t plan for every scenario. But I love that you’re a planner because together our strengths added up to a beautiful float that made people happy, that gave Danny the freedom to be himself and laugh again.” She broke the gaze and strode to the back door.
“Natalie.”
She stopped at the mention of her name and turned toward him.
“In spite of that, Danny is my only living relative, and vice versa. I know he should stay here, but he belongs with me.” He couldn’t let him go. Not if something bad might happen and he wasn’t around. “I want Danny to go with me tomorrow. Maybe you can fly to Seattle before school starts and make sure you’re happy with the arrangement.”
He came forward, but she held out her arm, keeping him a good length away.
“How magnanimous of you to let me fly out after you’ve taken him from his home. Danny finally had the courage to laugh again.”
“Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? So he’ll be fine at the base. I’ll make sure of that.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Whether you like it or not, Shelby named me as co-guardian. Someone has to think about Danny’s best interests.” The tears flowed down her pink cheeks, and he hated himself for placing her in this position. She reached for the knob and opened the door. “He needs to stay here. For his continued therapy and well-being. I’ll call Penelope and text you the time she can meet with us today.”
If she walked out, another person in his life would once again be leaving him. “Come to Seattle with me tomorrow. You’re on summer break. We’ll see then if this is real. Right now, it almost seems surreal. You’re mentioning love, and everything’s been so fast. We need time to make sure this can be manageable and not messy, make sure no one gets hurt.”
“I don’t need time to know I love you. There. I love you. I said it.” She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. “As far as getting hurt, I think it’s too late for that, but I’d rather put myself in a place where I hurt and feel the emotion. It’s the only way I can be myself. Becks needs me.”