by Jill Sanders
Aiden knew all about the other two times her father’s lawyers had shown up at the camp. The first time was three months after she’d moved there to inform her that she was being sued by his company for breach of contract. That was quickly squashed when her lawyers had provided proof that she’d been officially fired from the company. The second time was early last year to let her know that she’d been removed from her father’s will.
She’d been grateful to know that she was no longer obligated to the older man she’d deemed as nothing more than a sperm donor and a nuisance for most of her life.
“No.” She shook her head and tucked the envelope closer to her.
“Come on,” Aiden said, reaching for it.
Even though they hadn’t been officially intimate for more than half a year, she still felt desire every time he grew close to her. The cool stone that lay over her heart almost burned when he was around her. Maybe it was because somewhere in the back of her subconscious, she knew the meaning of the heart.
“No,” she said again. “I don’t care what tricks he’s trying now.” She tried to jerk the folder away, but he was too quick and, besides, he knew all her moves and easily side-stepped around her blocks.
When he opened the folder and frowned at the papers, she held her breath.
“Shit,” he said softly and ran his free hand through his hair. Seeing the concern and worry in his eyes, she tensed again.
“What?” She groaned. “What is he trying now?” She moved closer to look over his shoulder. “Something he hasn’t tried before, no doubt.”
“Yeah.” He handed the papers to her. “I guess you could say that.” He watched her closely while she read the top line: Last Will and Testament of Harold Alfred Smith.
She felt her entire body tense once more as the meaning of the papers sunk in. Her father was dead.
Strong arms nudged her towards a bench a few feet away. She didn’t know how long she sat there, under the light of the lamps, holding her father’s will while Aiden sat beside her, but what finally woke her from the stupor was her walkie-talkie going off.
Aiden reached over and quickly answered it.
“Aubrey’s indisposed at the moment,” Aiden replied to Elle, who was humorously telling Aubrey she was late, and she’d better get her butt to the dining hall soon.
“Is she okay?” Elle replied with concern.
“No,” Aiden said. “She’s going to need to skip out on dinner,” he said, causing her to jerk out of the funk and reach for the walkie-talkie.
“I’m fine,” she started, but Aiden grabbed it back.
“No, she’s not. She just found out that her father passed away,” he barked out, causing her to punch him in the arm. He winced but continued talking as he rubbed his arm. “I’m taking her up to the apartment. She needs the rest of the night off.”
“We’ll be there…” Elle said quickly. “Stay with her.”
“Will do.” He nodded and tucked the walkie-talkie into his jean pocket. “Come on.” He lifted her easily so that she stood next to him.
She blinked a few times and looked up into his eyes. “I hate you,” she said softly.
“Good.” He smiled down at her. “Focus on that instead.” He started pulling her down the path towards the main building.
She tried to jerk her arm free, but he held onto her arm, and she fell into step with him.
“I was going this way anyway,” she said, trying to pass him.
He chuckled and easily matched her fast pace. Damn, his legs were too long. She couldn’t outrace him. She noticed that he had tucked the folder containing her father’s will under his arm as they walked through the front door of the building.
When they stepped into the lobby area, Elle and Hannah rushed across the floor towards her. Both of them were dressed in beads and feathers for the dinner.
She found the sight almost pathetic and held in a laugh until she noticed the worry and sadness in her friends’ eyes and remembered the papers in Aiden’s hands.
Aubrey held up her hands to stop them. “Don’t,” she warned them, feeling her throat close up, but they didn’t stop until their arms were wrapped around their friend.
Then she was being pulled towards the stairs. Aubrey glanced back and noticed that Aiden followed them up the stairs and into the apartment.
Elle push Aubrey down on the sofa while Hannah rushed around and grabbed a bottle of wine and poured each of them a glass. Her friend stopped to remove the silly headdress she’d been wearing.
She noticed that a beer was shoved into Aiden’s hand just as Zoey and Scarlett rushed into the room and demanded to know what had happened. They too were wearing silly carnival costumes, making the room seem like a Las Vegas dressing room instead of the apartment the friends had shared the first year they’d lived at the campgrounds.
This was Zoey’s first night back at work after her honeymoon. Her friend was practically glowing from her vacation. Not to mention the fact that she was pregnant and married now.
When Elle filled the other two in on what was going on, and the will was mentioned, Aiden handed it over and moved to sit beside Aubrey. Just feeling his leg brush against hers had her stiffening. God, how was it she wanted him now more than she’d wanted him before? Why couldn’t she convince herself that she was better off pushing everyone away from her?
She should have never accepted the necklace he’d given her. She should have denied him this next game that he was playing. One in which he was trying to win her heart, something she could never give him.
Why couldn’t she get him out of her system? It was as if the more she had him, the more she wanted him. Even now, after cleansing him from her system for the past seven months, the desire for him still grew within her.
Maybe she would never break free from Aiden. Was she doomed to want him for the rest of her life? She knew in her mind and heart that she couldn’t let him in. Not really. Not ever. She couldn’t afford to let anyone in like her mother had. After all, isn’t that what had killed her?
Chapter 12
There was only so much Aiden could take. Watching Aubrey hide her feelings about her father’s death was pure torture. What he wanted to do was hold her until he felt her relax and let go of the years of pent-up emotions that she’d hidden away most of her life.
Instead, he sat beside her, sipping a beer and listening to her friends try to console her about her father’s death. Of course, he knew how much she’d hated the man.
The will had been discarded on the coffee table as the friends chatted amongst each other, so he picked it up and started looking over it. He’d signed enough contracts in his line of business, he figured he could make sense of it.
Then a thought crossed his mind, and he set the paperwork back down and turned to the room.
“Are we sure he’s dead?” Aiden broke in to the conversation about whether Aubrey was going to go back to New York for the services or not.
Everyone turned to him as if they’d forgotten he was even there.
“Why else would a lawyer be delivering those?” Elle asked, motioning to the stack of papers.
“Are you saying this could be a ruse?” Zoey suggested.
The four friends were dressed in full-on Vegas-style carnival outfits. He knew they held theme dinners but had yet to see these outfits. He wondered if Aubrey had such an outfit, which led him down the rabbit hole of thinking about her dressed in nothing but feathers and beads.
Shaking that thought from his mind, he said, “From what I’ve heard about Harold Smith”—his eyes locked with Aubrey’s and he watched realization dawn on her as he shrugged—“this could be a trick to get her back to New York.”
“Google it,” Hannah jumped in. “The death of a man as powerful as your father would be talked about,” she said to Aubrey.
Someone grabbed up an iPad and searched while he pulled out his own phone and checked himself.
“Anything?” Aubrey asked a few moments later. Someo
ne had filled her wine glass again, and she was nervously waiting.
“Nothing,” he answered.
“Me either,” Zoey said.
“So, it’s settled. This is a trick.” Aubrey sighed and leaned back. “That bastard.”
“It could be, or it could’ve been kept quiet,” Hannah supplied.
“No.” Aubrey shook her head. “Harold would have made sure that his people knew he wanted a big affair. There is no way it would be kept a secret. He loved the attention too much. So long as it was about him,” she added, her eyes locking with his own.
“So, what are we going to do about it?” Scarlett asked.
The five friends huddled over more wine and threw options back and forth.
He enjoyed watching how they interacted and plotted. It gave him a little more insight into the mindset of each of them. He hadn’t thought it possible, but after hearing them come up with a plot to help Aubrey end her father’s hold over her once and for all, he realized that each of them had a dark side.
“So, its settled.” Elle turned to him. “And you’re okay with this?”
“What?” He realized he hadn’t been paying close enough attention. It had been a long day and the beer on his empty stomach had caused him to be a little more relaxed than he’d counted on.
Elle rolled her eyes. “You, Aubrey, New York?”
“Me?” He balked as he looked around the room.
“Sure, you’re the only one we trust with our sister,” Zoey offered up. Everyone turned towards Zoey, who beamed and ran a hand over her flat stomach. “Married, baby, home.” She smiled. “It’s been a crazy year. We trust you with this.”
He opened his mouth to list off his own crazy schedule, but then thought of spending some time alone with Aubrey away from the camp.
Sure, for the past seven months they’d been on a sexual hiatus, but it wasn’t as if she hadn’t pulled away before. Over the last year they’d taken plenty of breaks, though this was their longest one. He’d been itching to touch her again, to hold her as long as he could.
He’d been getting closer to her, now that their secret was out. The way he figured it, the more he worked on getting her to accept that there was more between them, the sooner they could move back into the physical side of their relationship.
But he knew better than to push her. She would only pull back farther. The trip to New York might just be what he needed to get her back all the way and nudge her in the direction he’d been hoping for.
“When do we leave?” he asked, mentally trying to move a few things on his schedule around. He’d have to confirm that his foreman had everything he needed for the work around the campgrounds.
There was work being done on three new cabins, as well as fixing a few minor things on Zoey and Dylan’s home, which they’d already moved into since returning home from their honeymoon. Not to mention that he was overseeing the construction of the new housing subdivision he was working on with Owen.
When Owen had come to him about starting up the development of over fifteen hundred homes, he’d jumped at the chance. Hammock Cove was going to draw a lot of opportunity to his small hometown of Pelican Point.
Besides, he couldn’t pass up the chance to work with the Costas. His part of the new subdivision was almost complete. He’d designed and overseen the construction of the club house, pools, and sports complex attached to the property. The homes were the next phase and construction would begin on those in the spring.
“We’ll leave tomorrow,” Aubrey supplied, shaking him from mentally moving his schedule around.
“I’ll get you a flight,” Hannah broke in. “And find a place for the two of you to stay.” She typed something on her phone.
He felt bad now that he hadn’t paid more attention to the plans they had been brewing up. What exactly was he being dragged into?
He figured they had plenty of time to discuss everything during their trip.
“Done.” Hannah glanced up at them with a smile.
“You booked us tickets and found us a place to stay that quickly?” Aubrey asked with a frown.
Hannah chuckled. “It’s easy when you have a fiancé that owns his own private jet and you know someone who owns a home in the city that’s empty for the next month. Owen’s going to text the both of you the details of your trip.” She shrugged and set down the iPad. “He’s arranging your flight right now.” She leaned back. “Now, since dinner is cancelled for us, can we talk weddings?”
Aiden set his empty beer down and stood up. “This is where I exit. I need food.” He glanced down at Aubrey. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said before leaving the friends and making his way to the kitchen to see if there was anything left over after the dinner hour.
He enjoyed living on the campgrounds. Even though his trailer was technically on the edge of the property, he still had access to all the amenities, including the world-renowned chef Isaac Andrews. If it weren’t for being on his feet all day and working so hard, he’d probably be a hundred pounds overweight thanks to the great meals he had access to each day.
“Hey.” He stepped into the kitchen and glanced around. “Isaac around?”
“Nope,” Betty answered him with a smile. “But he did leave you a plate.” She motioned to the covered container under the heater. “Told me if you didn’t stop by, I’d better send out a search party for you.” She laughed and went back to cleaning.
“Thanks.” He smiled. Okay, so he was making it a habit to swing by the kitchen for dinner a little too often. Then again, at this rate, he hardly ever left the two sites he was working on.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a few days off. Maybe heading to New York was going to be a well-deserved break.
Taking the meal with him, he made his way towards his truck and was slightly surprised to see Aubrey leaning against it.
“Hey,” he said, shifting the food.
“Hey,” she sighed. “You don’t have to go with me. I don’t know why Elle suggested you tag along.”
“No, they’re right. It would be better if I went.” He set the food inside his truck and then turned to her. “Unless you don’t want me to go?”
She remained quiet for a moment. “It’s just… we don’t have to pretend we’re an item. I don’t even know why that should be a thing with my father.”
He noticed she was playing with the diamond heart he’d given her when she said that. He smiled as his eyebrows shot up at her last words.
“I guess I’d zoned out on that part.” He smiled slightly as her eyes narrowed.
“Seriously? That was the entire plan.” She shook her head. “So, you don’t even know…” He waited and after a moment, she rolled her eyes and leaned against his truck again. “Is there enough food for the two of us?” she asked, motioning to the tray.
“Not sure. Isaac always gives me a lot. I’m sure we can work something out,” he said with a smile.
“Fine.” She waved her hands. “Let’s head to the pool. I could use a dip after… everything that’s happened in the last hour.”
He shrugged and picked up the food container again and followed her to the smaller pool. It was closest to the private beach area and was empty at this time of night after the light rain they’d had earlier.
Setting the tray down, he lifted the lid and smiled when he noticed two chicken breasts lying on homemade noodles covered in a creamy sauce.
“Perfect.” He sat across from her and held up a fork for her.
They shared the meal in silence while the pool lights danced, casting shadows around them.
“I’m glad your dad isn’t really dead,” he said, breaking the silence.
“Thanks,” she said softly. “I suppose I should have known he would try something like this,” she said between bites. “After all, he’s tried so many other things over the years to control me.” She set the fork down and frowned at the water. “Makes me wonder why.” She sighed and shook her head.
&nbs
p; “We haven’t really talked a lot about…” He thought about it for a moment. “Well, about our private lives.” He chuckled. “I guess we’ve been focused on the physical side of things, until recently. But over the years I’ve picked up a few tidbits about your life from your friends.”
“It’s not like I’ve hidden where I come from, but there are things I’ve kept even from my friends.” She glanced off over the water and he saw sadness cause her shoulders to sag slightly.
“Like us?” he suggested. Her head snapped back to him, then she nodded slowly.
“Yes, like us.”
“Now that that cat is out of the bag, feel free to share any more secrets you want to get off your chest,” he said with a smile.
In the years he’d known her, he had never seen her look as defeated as she did now.
“Hey.” He reached out and touched her shoulder. “There’s something more. What is it?”
Her eyes turned to him. “I don’t want you to go with me.”
He stiffened with the sting of her admission.
“No, not because of…” She waved between them. “Because of him. He’s going to try and destroy you. Because of association. Especially, if we play the relationship card.”
He relaxed slightly. “Let him try.”
“Oh, he’ll do more than try. If we go through with the plans of pretending like we’re an item, then he won’t stop until he sees everything you’ve worked hard for ruined.”
“My life is pretty secure.” He reached for her hand. “I doubt you and your friends are going to fire me here, and Owen… well, things there are going great as well. Besides, I think we can give him a heads-up before your dad makes any moves against my career.” He shrugged.
“It won’t just be your career he goes after,” she warned as she looked down at her fingers. “He doesn’t think twice about hitting below the belt.”
He chuckled and lifted her hand to his lips, then brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Let him try. I have no loans, not even for my truck.” He smiled. “I paid her off last year.” He shrugged. “There’s not much he could use to ruin me. There’s not much more to me. I’m not seeing anyone.” His eyes met hers. “Not officially, anyway, and my personal life pretty much has been on hold since I started working two full-time jobs.