by Unknown
“Dad actually pouted,” Connor said, then grinned. “I believe Mom finally got tired of it and told him to stop being a baby, that we all had the right to pursue our own dreams.”
“Yeah, Connor’s dream back then was to save the world’s men from the evil women divorcing them. He handled some pretty messy divorces. It left him jaded. He wasn’t a big proponent of marriage back then.”
Aidan studied him curiously. “What changed? Meeting Heather?”
“Oh, no,” Kevin said before Connor could reply. “He already knew her. They already had Little Mick. He thought love was enough, that marriage was the problem.”
“Well, you have to admit that Mom and Dad didn’t set the greatest example,” Connor said. “And Uncle Thomas was no better. Connie’s his third wife.”
It was all Aidan could do not to let his jaw drop. Maybe his mom had been a whole lot smarter than he’d realized, if the man was that fickle.
“They both seem happily married now,” he ventured cautiously.
“Mom and Dad are great,” Kevin confirmed. “And Connie was exactly the right woman for Thomas. They share the same passion for preserving the bay. A common passion like that can bind two people together.”
Definitely food for thought, Aidan concluded.
“Change of subject,” Connor said. “How’s the team shaping up? Can we expect to win the regional championship?”
Aidan gave him a wry look. “We’ve run drills and had a couple of team meetings. It’s a little early for me to start bragging on their prospects for next year.”
“Can you please just tell us that they won’t suck again?” Kevin pleaded. “Those boys have had about as much heartbreak as they can handle. I’m amazed some of them have stuck with it. We had a real promising defensive tackle a few years back, but when his folks saw the handwriting on the wall after his first season, they transferred him to a private school that had a halfway decent team. I’d hate to see us lose any more players with potential or the cycle will never end.”
“Losing all the time really is discouraging,” Aidan agreed. “I’ve been through a couple of losing streaks in my career and it took a lot to motivate the team to get back on the field and keep trying, especially at the end of the season if there was no hope for the play-offs.”
“Your last season you had a winning record,” Connor scoffed. “And the team made the play-offs.”
“True, but only after we lost the first three games,” Aidan reminded him. “Coming back from that pitiful start is what I’m talking about. It builds character.”
“I think the character of these kids has taken all the building they can handle,” Kevin commented.
They spent the next few minutes talking about teams that had bounced back after a losing start and what had made the difference.
“They had heart,” Aidan suggested.
“I’m not sure these boys have any heart left to give,” Kevin said.
“Have you spoken to your son? Henry’s the temporary captain because he still believes in the possibilities and he was able to spur the other boys into the same mind-set. I’m not saying they won’t backslide if we start off with a couple of losses, but right now, I think they’re starting to feel optimistic. It’s my job to make sure they keep on believing in themselves, even if they falter along the way.”
Kevin gave him a long look. “Do you believe in them?”
“Let me put it this way,” Aidan said, meeting his gaze. “I wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t think I could make a difference.”
“One win would make a difference,” Kevin replied.
Aidan laughed. “I’m counting on a few more than that.”
The brothers exchanged a look.
“I guess we need to have a little faith,” Connor said.
“Or at least keep our skepticism to ourselves,” Kevin suggested.
Aidan nodded. “Couldn’t hurt for them to think the community’s behind them.”
“Hey, we’ve always been behind them, win or lose,” Kevin said. “But it sure would be nice to leave that fancy stadium after a victory. I think the last time we won, Connor was still playing, and the old stadium had temporary bleachers and a makeshift refreshment stand.”
Connor’s expression turned nostalgic. “I loved that old stadium. Stole my first kiss under those bleachers when I was twelve.”
Fascinated, Aidan sat back to listen.
“You did not, you little dreamer,” Kevin retorted.
“You ask Janie Lofton,” Connor replied indignantly.
Kevin’s mouth gaped. “Janie was in my class. She was already in high school when you were twelve.”
Connor’s grin spread. “Don’t I know it! Best night of my life, at least till I met Heather,” he added dutifully. He sighed. “I don’t know what Dad was thinking when he made those permanent stands. There’s not a decent place anywhere to steal a kiss.”
Kevin laughed. “Maybe that was deliberate. He has a lot of granddaughters to protect.”
“All I have to say is that it’s the most impressive high school stadium I’ve ever been in,” Aidan said. “Your father has done this town proud. Now I need to put together a team that’s worthy of such a fancy facility.”
“Amen to that,” Kevin said.
“On that note, I’d better take off,” Connor said. “I left Little Mick with his grandfather. It’s never a good idea to let Dad have free rein with him for long. He spoils the kids rotten.” He glanced at Kevin. “What about you? You’ll be at Sunday dinner, right? It’ll mostly be men and kids today, since most of the women are working. That’ll give Gram fits, but she doesn’t like to break tradition even if half the family can’t be there.”
“I’ll be along,” Kevin said. “Unlike you, I’m perfectly content to let Dad spoil my kids. They wear him out so he’s more mellow by the time I show up.”
Connor laughed. “Good point. Aidan, you want to join us? There’s plenty of room at the table today.”
“Why don’t you?” Kevin said.
Aidan shook his head. He couldn’t bring himself to take advantage of their hospitality, not when there was so much he was keeping from all of them.
“Not today, thanks. I’m going to spend some time looking through Coach Gentry’s notes and watching some videos he gave me of the games from last season.”
Connor regarded him sympathetically. “Well, if that gets too depressing and you change your mind, just come on by.”
After Connor left, Aidan noticed Kevin seemed to be nervous. To give him time to collect his thoughts, he got up and got himself another cappuccino.
“Something on your mind?” he asked when he returned to the table. “Are you worried about Henry if I decide not to keep him on as team captain?”
Kevin shook his head at once. “No way. That kid is amazing. Sometimes I think he was born thirty. Or maybe it was just all he went through before he came to live with us, but he takes things in stride. He’s repeatedly reminded us that the job’s not his for good. He’s just excited that it’s his right now. You gotta love a teenager who thinks that way.”
“It is admirable and unusual,” Aidan agreed. “If it’s not that, what is it?”
“I had a talk with Thomas at work the other day. He was telling me you’re taking over with the school club that’s been working with us on bay preservation.”
Aidan nodded. “I’ve spoken to him about it, yes.”
“He got the sense that you might have reservations.”
Aidan frowned. “I’m sure I told him I was eager to help out, that I recognized how worthwhile the cause is,” he said, wishing he’d delivered that message with more conviction than he apparently had. Just being polite clearly hadn’t covered his misgivings.
“He said you said all the right words, but when he wanted to schedule some time to brainstorm plans for next fall, you seemed evasive,” Kevin reported.
Aidan sighed. “I probably did,” he admitted. “Right now, my focus is on
football and trying to shape up the team. I only have a couple more weeks before school’s out. I won’t get these kids back on the field till late summer. You know as well as I do that’s not a lot of time to get them fully prepared for next season.”
“Understandable, but you have to see where my uncle is coming from,” Kevin replied. “Preserving the bay is an all-consuming obsession for him. He wants to work with someone who’s equally committed.”
Aidan’s temper stirred. “So he’s decided I’m not committed after a single conversation?”
“It’s not that,” Kevin said hurriedly. “I don’t want to put words in his mouth. I guess I just wanted to hear for myself that you’re interested in working with us. Otherwise, maybe you should speak to Rob about assigning another teacher to the club.”
Kevin couldn’t possibly know how badly Aidan wanted to do just that, but his annoyance with Thomas for leaping to such a conclusion kept him from admitting it. Pride and his upbringing insisted that he stick with the commitment he’d made.
“You can tell your uncle that when fall rolls around, I will give this obligation my all, just the way I intend to do my best for the football team.”
Kevin looked taken aback by his sharp tone. “Hey, man, I’m sorry. I just wanted to give you an out if you wanted one. We’ll be glad to have the support. You just need to understand how Thomas is.”
“Believe me, I’ve heard a lot about his dedication and idealism,” Aidan said, fighting to keep any hint of bitterness from his voice. “I can respect that. As for those get-togethers he wants to have, there will be plenty of time once school’s out. I’ll give him a call and schedule something. Let him know that.”
Kevin regarded him with a guilty expression. “I didn’t just create an awkward situation for you, did I? All I really meant to do was clear the air and give you a chance to opt out if you weren’t interested in the project.”
“Got it,” Aidan said. “No harm, no foul. Honestly.”
Kevin didn’t look entirely convinced, but clearly he decided he’d done enough damage. “I probably should get over to Dad’s, too. You sure you don’t want to come along? I understand Gram’s made pot roast. It’s not to be missed.”
“Another time,” Aidan told him. “Enjoy the rest of your day. I’ve got the Times crossword to do and all those game videos to watch.”
He didn’t add that those would be enough frustration without trying to evade Thomas and his uncomfortable insightfulness. He was going to have to do a whole lot better at covering his emotions if he wanted to get to know the man without inadvertently revealing what he knew about their connection.
7
Though she hardly had five minutes to think the rest of the holiday weekend, Liz was forced to admit that when she did have a second, her thoughts kept straying to Aidan. She hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse of him since they’d had pizza on Saturday night. It had been a comfortable couple of hours, though trying to ignore those sparks between them had taken a lot of willpower, more than she’d imagined ever needing again.
It was one thing to be attracted to the man, she told herself sternly. That just proved she was alive. Acting on it, however, was something else, something she wasn’t prepared to do, because allowing her defenses to come down opened her up to a load of potential hurt. She’d already been through more than enough heartache to last a lifetime.
Even with all of those very stern lectures she’d delivered to herself mentally, more than once her gaze had gone to the slip of paper she’d tucked into her pocket with Aidan’s cell phone number written on it. She’d been sorely tempted to call and plead for his help, but that fierce independent streak of hers had convinced her that was more about wanting to see him than it was about needing help in the shop.
By the time she closed on Monday after the holiday crowds had left for home, she was glad she’d done those last two days on her own. She’d proven something to herself. And totaling the receipts in her kitchen on Monday night gave her an amazing sense of satisfaction. She was going to pull this off. She could honestly say now that she believed that Pet Style had been the right decision for her future and not just some crazy escape from the past, as her family thought of it.
How had they not been able to see that her entire life had been leading up to something just like this venture? Not only had she started taking in strays as a child, but she’d volunteered at a vet clinic as soon as the family vet thought she was old enough. She’d volunteered to help with a shelter’s pet adoption Saturdays, too. Rescuing animals in distress was every bit the passion that teaching had been, and while going to veterinary school hadn’t been a realistic option after her husband died, a shop like this had been.
When her phone rang, a tiny part of her was hoping it would be Aidan so she could share the good news of the weekend’s success with him, but instead it was her mother’s voice she heard on the other end of the line.
Even as she mentally chided herself for not checking caller ID, she said, “Hi, Mom. How was your holiday?”
“The more important question is how was yours? Not that it was much of a holiday, I’m sure. I imagine you were putting in ridiculously long days.”
Liz let the familiar refrain wash over her, pretending that the attitude didn’t hurt.
“I honestly don’t know why you thought any of this was a good idea,” Doris Benson continued. “Everyone I’ve ever known who worked in retail says it’s incredibly demanding, and that’s without the added pressure of it being your own business. I’ve left a couple of messages over the weekend, but I assume you were too exhausted to call back.”
Though her mother never meant to instill guilt in her offspring, she managed to do it just the same.
“To be honest, I haven’t even checked my messages,” Liz told her, her face as flushed as if she’d been caught with her hand in that old chintz cookie jar that had sat on her mom’s kitchen counter for years. “You’re right about the exhaustion. Being on my feet all day has been tougher than I thought it would be. I thought being in a classroom would have prepared me, but it didn’t come close.”
Even as she made the admission, she knew it had been a mistake. Of course, her mother seized on it.
“If this is turning out to be so difficult, are you still sure it’s what you want?” Doris asked, her voice finally filled with genuine concern, rather than judgment. “There’s no harm in changing your mind. I’m sure you could get your old job back. I ran into your principal the other day, and she said they would absolutely love to have you whenever you’re ready. Everyone at that school loved you, you know.”
Liz sighed at the exaggeration. She’d butted heads with parents, other teachers and that very same principal on too many occasions to count. The only thing she’d truly loved about the job had been the kids, most of them so eager to learn and open to new ideas.
Hanging on to her patience by a thread, she said, “Mom, I’m not coming back to Charlotte, and I don’t want to teach again. This is the life I want, and this is where I want to be. This weekend may have been exhausting, but it was in a good way. Seeing a dream come to life and realizing that the shop was going to be a success was amazing.”
“But, sweetheart, your family is here. We miss you. And you shouldn’t be alone right now.”
“I’m hardly alone. I’ve made a lot of friends.”
“That doesn’t make up for family.”
“No, it’s not the same,” she agreed, though right this second she rejoiced that it wasn’t the same. That wasn’t something she was about to tell her overprotective, easily offended mother, though. “Why don’t you and Dad come for a visit some weekend? You’ll fall in love with Chesapeake Shores the same way I have. And I’m dying to show off my house and the shop. Maybe then you’ll understand.”
“You know how your father hates to travel.”
“Then bring LeeAnn and Danielle. We could have a girls’ weekend.”
“Won’t you be too busy for that?” Doris
asked, though she did sound tempted.
Her reaction was enough to encourage Liz to press a little harder. “I’ll have to work during the day, yes, but you could shop or just enjoy being by the bay. There are some wonderful restaurants you could try. We’d have our evenings together. We could play Scrabble or poker, the way we used to when we’d go to the beach on vacation.”
Her mother sighed. “I’ll think about it and speak to your sisters. You know how busy they are, though. The kids keep them hopping. I’m not sure their husbands would be willing to take over, even for a couple of days.”
“Then they’re married to the wrong men,” Liz said without thinking.
“What a terrible thing to say!” her mother replied. “You know better.”
Liz didn’t know better, but it was an argument she wasn’t likely to win. Besides, her sisters seemed happy enough with their marriages. It truly wasn’t her place to suggest they’d settled, too eager to walk down the aisle to wait for the right men to come along. Seriously, how could she even hint at such a thing when her own supposedly perfect marriage had turned out to be such a sham?
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “Please don’t mention it.”
“Of course not,” her mom said. “I’m not going to stir up trouble.”
“I hope you can come, though,” Liz said. “Promise me you’ll try.”
“I’ll do my best, sweetheart. You take care of yourself. Don’t work too hard. And don’t forget to call me once in a while. Otherwise I’ll worry.”
As Liz hung up, she couldn’t help noting that her mom had never actually asked how the holiday weekend at the store had gone. Even if Liz had shared the final sales tally with her, she doubted her mother would have been pleased. She sometimes wondered if her family wasn’t hoping that she’d fail just so she’d come home again.
Well, that, she thought with renewed determination, simply wasn’t going to happen. The doubts she’d harbored over the winter had been wiped away by the weekend’s success. A glance at her very healthy deposit slip for tomorrow morning, which didn’t even include the credit card sales, reassured her once again that she was right where she belonged.