The Wells Brothers: Aaron

by Angela Verdenius

  “You can say that again.”

  “Do you plant your garden according to what you believe the meanings are?” Izzy asked curiously.

  “I plant what I’m led to plant.” In other words, what she liked.

  “You plant by the spirits or something? By what you’re led to believe is the right plant?”

  “Yes.” The right plant being whatever she found pretty and caught her eye.

  “Wow. Luke would totally lose it if I did that.” Mikki grinned. “Maybe I should try it, see what he says.”

  Izzy laughed. “Luke wouldn’t let you touch his precious garden!”

  “He would if I get him in a weak moment.” Mikki winked. “Such as in the middle of some wild sex.”

  Whoa. Shea blinked. Talk about frank speech.

  “He’d promise you anything during it,” Izzy agreed. “But once he got his breath and commonsense back, it’d be ‘hands off, Red.’”

  “True.” Mikki sighed, but it was belied by the twinkle in her eyes. “I’ll leave his precious gardens alone.”

  “Besides, you wouldn’t know a plant from a weed.”

  “And really couldn’t care less. No offence, Stella.”

  “None taken,” Shea returned easily. “We all have different gifts.”

  Izzy glanced at her wristwatch. “My particular gift is telling me to drop this letter off to Aaron and get moving if I’m to get to my hair appointment in time.”

  “Hint taken.” Mikki gave Shea a wave. “Catch you later.”

  Shea waved back. Watching the women walk into the building next door, she frowned. Okay, they were friendly, wanting a reading, so maybe Aaron hadn’t told them anything. Maybe he was going to tell them now. Maybe he’d already told them and they didn’t believe him.

  It was driving her nuts. If she only knew she could be ready if she was verbally abused by anyone, try to put out the fire before it caught and spread, so to say. Argh! She looked up at the first floor window but the heavy tint prevented her from seeing inside. Was he up there now, watching and plotting her downfall? She already knew he didn’t approve of her or what she did.

  “Bugger him, anyway,” she muttered, retreating back into the front room. “I’ll find out soon enough.”

  Several times during the afternoon she peeked over at the security building to see if he’d walked outside, but apart from a couple of people entering the building and coming back out there was no sign of him. No way was she going to go back into his office, not with everyone watching and maybe waiting for her humiliating downfall at his hands.

  God, she was getting melodramatic, but it wouldn’t be the first time people had applauded. The difference this time would be that he’d be in the right and she’d be in the wrong. Besides, no matter what he said she wouldn’t back down. Luckily she was in an industry that was often treated with scepticism whether the medium was ridgy-didge or as fake as the eyelashes she wore during ‘business’ as part of her persona.

  Recognising Aaron at the wheel of the customary black SUV pulling out of the driveway, she started to step forward to wave him down only to stop at the sight of the dour Ryan sitting in the passenger seat.

  No. No audience.

  She kept watch for the rest of the day but didn’t see the SUV return.

  By the time Cole walked through the front door she’d finished painting the hallway, had showered and put on a clean dress, and was in the kitchen stirring a bowl of biscuit dough.

  “Ohhh, yum.” Cole went to stick his finger in the mixture only to yelp when Shea smacked his knuckles with a wooden spoon. “Holy crap!”

  “Wash your hands.”

  “What? Then I can stick my finger in?”

  “Only if you want this spoon around your ears.”

  “Aw, c’mon sis. Just one taste?”

  Picking up a clean teaspoon, Shea scooped up a generous portion of biscuit batter and handed it to him. “Count yourself lucky.”

  Grinning, Cole grabbed the spoon in one hand, his backpack with his school gear in the other, and walked off to his bedroom.

  “And don’t forget to bring the spoon back!” Shea called after him. “If I find it under your bed-”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Cole called back.

  Shaking her head with a smile, Shea spread baking paper onto the trays, spooned on small dollops of the mixture and placed both trays into the oven. While the biscuits were cooking she started slicing bacon.

  Ginger, Red and Carrot were perched on the edge of the table watching every move.

  “No raw bacon, boys” she informed them as she chopped.

  Returning to the kitchen, Cole opened the ‘fridge, located the carton of Iced Chocolate and poured a glassful before dropping down into one of the dining room chairs.

  Carrot immediately tried to sneak a slurp of the milky drink only to be thwarted by Cole lifting the glass up and drinking from it himself. Red simply yawned as Carrot batted at Cole’s arm, while Ginger kept his gaze fixed on Shea. Or rather, the bacon she was cutting.

  “Thanks for offering me a drink.” Shea gently reminded him of manners.

  “You’ve been home all day.”

  “Painting, cleaning and now cooking. Does that make a difference?”

  He got the point and wiggled the glass, sending the drink dangerously slopping at the edge. “Sorry. Want one?”

  “I’ll have a Diet Coke, thanks.”

  Retrieving the can, Cole popped the tab and placed it on the kitchen bench.

  “Thank you.” She glanced at him as he dropped back into the chair and stretched his legs out. “How was school?”

  “I think the girls fancy me.”

  “Is that so?” Placing the bacon in the fry pan, she started cutting the onion to the accompanying hiss of the meat frying.

  “Yep. The chick beside me couldn’t stop winking at me.”

  “Hmmm. Was it because you were so cool and unconcerned about the schoolwork?”

  “Is that your clairvoyance talking? Because I didn’t think it worked through onions.”

  Shea tipped the onions into the fry pan with the bacon.

  “Don’t cry about it, Shea. Honestly, I went easy on her.”

  “Onions, idiot.”

  “Sure.”

  She gave a ‘come on’ gesture.

  “Oh. Right. Yeah, this chick was so into me.”

  “Give me the reason.”

  “Because I’m so hot.”

  “And…?”

  Cole tickled Carrot under the chin, making him go dreamy-eyed with pleasure. “I’m so manly.”

  “And..?” Getting the carton of eggs from the ‘fridge, she started cracking eggs into a bowl.

  “Isn’t that enough?”

  Placing one hand to her head, Shea closed her eyes. “I’m feeling…yes, it’s coming to me…I see it…” Opening her eyes, she pointed at him. “You blackmailed her.”

  “You see wrong.” Happily draining the last of the chocolate drink, he stood up. “Okay, got homework to do. Shouldn’t take me more than half an hour, if that.”

  “If you want garlic bread with this quiche, you’ll tell me.”

  “My life is so interesting, isn’t it?”

  “I could just cook brussel sprouts.”

  Cole gagged, grabbed onto the doorframe and portrayed a sick boy going weak at the knees. “You wouldn’t!”

  “’Fess up, or I’ll give you a heaping plate full of brussel sprouts.”

  “Okay, it might have been because there was a pop quiz and I finished with time to spare.”

  Translation: he’d done it in half the time without breaking a sweat.

  “And you happened to somehow dazzle the girl beside you with your wisdom.”

  Cole beamed. “Yep.”

  “And no doubt found a way to give her some answers when she looked desperate and the teacher was peering in the other direction.”

  “Would I do that?”

  “That’d be a big fat yes.”

 
“We’re going out for a drink after school tomorrow at the local watering hole.”

  “That would be…?”

  “Kenny’s Café where apparently the in-crowd all hang out.” Cole paused. “Or maybe it’s the loser crowd.” Unconcerned, he shrugged. “Whatever. She was cute.” With that, he disappeared.

  Carrot jumped off the table and ran after him. Red was now lying down with his head hanging over the edge and his eyes half shut. Ginger continued to sit and glare at her.

  Shea smiled at him. The big cat looked fierce but it was mostly due to his eye colour and the way his brow was kind of heavy, lowering over his eyes in a manner that made him appear grumpy. Okay, he was a little grumpy. He growled and snarled at times but was basically a big teddy bear - unless someone really annoyed him, then he wasn’t above giving them a nip. A big teddy bear with a sometimes short fuse.

  Unlike Red who was so laidback nothing bothered him, and Carrot who was always into mischief. The three brothers each had their own personalities, and she and Cole had loved them since the day she’d been leaving work late one night and found the abandoned little kittens in a box in the car park. There’d been no question of re-homing or splitting them up, the kittens came as a package deal and they stayed that way.

  Those cats had gotten her and Cole through some tough times. Nothing like the loyalty of pets who loved you no matter what.

  By the time she’d replaced the biscuits in the oven with the quiche, Cole had wandered back out, taken a handful of biccies and disappeared out back. At least she didn’t have to worry that he wouldn’t study. He aced his exams, found school work pretty easy most times, and was basically a good kid. Thank God.

  While tea cooked, Shea unpacked some of the boxes of items she’d ordered specifically to sell, placing them carefully in the counter. The crystals looked good against the dark blue velvet material she’d carefully bunched up here and there to showcase the ornaments, cards, and crystal figurines. On top of the counter next to the cash register she placed a small box containing her business cards. Always paid to put those right where people would see them. That pretty much ensured they’d pick one up and take it with them, and if not, well, she had another stack that she would later sit down with and put them into every carry bag, big and small. That would ensure every person who bought something from her shop would get a card.

  One had to drum up business anyway they could find.

  By the time she returned to the kitchen to check the food the quiche was cooked. While it cooled, she laid out a bread stick, cut it into thick slices, layered it with butter and garlic and placed it under the grill. Then she fed the cats, calling them and placing three bowls of ‘roo mat on the floor. Carrot was first through the door, sliding on the lino as he barrelled for the bowls. Red strolled through the door, while Ginger stalked along at the rear. They even ate according to their personalities - Carrot tucking in like he’d never seen food in his life, Red munching happily, and Ginger with focussed concentration.

  Only once the cats were eating did she call for Cole.

  Sitting in their kitchen, good food on the plate, both eating in happy silence with the occasional comment, Shea felt more contented than she had in a long time. Right then she felt like they’d made the right choice, that everything was going to be okay. The main thing was to get Cole through school, build up the little nest-egg she’d managed to save from the sale of the house, build a rep so she wouldn’t have to worry again. Have her own business and no one over her. She was almost there.

  Glancing out the window at the sound of several vehicles going down the driveway next door, she chewed thoughtfully on a piece of garlic bread. The only cloud threatening the bright horizon was Aaron Wells.

  If she wanted to make a success of things, she had to be prepared. That she’d learned the hard way. Be in the know, be prepared.

  It was time to beard the beast in his den. Or out of it.

  ~*~

  Placing one bottle of water on the car bonnet, Aaron unscrewed the cap off the other bottle and took a mouthful of water, his gaze on the driveway. Leaning back against the bonnet, he casually crossed his ankles and folded his arms, waiting.

  The car park behind his business was empty except for the two cars of the night shift and Aaron’s own black SUV. The sun was still in the sky but slipping lower. Any minute now he expected his visitor to arrive. Then again, he could be slightly off and she might turn up tomorrow bold as brass, knocking on his office door. It all depended on how much longer she was going to wait.

  He hadn’t missed the times he’d caught her starting towards his building, stopping, biting her lip, retreating when she saw his employees coming and going. Shea Winters had something on her mind, and he just bet he knew what it was.

  She wanted to speak to him. That was obvious when she’d spotted him leaving in the car, her half-lifted hand, the way she’d suddenly stopped and backed away. Undoubtedly because Ryan had been in the passenger seat.

  So she wanted to speak privately.

  Earlier, doing a last check of the surveillance screens from the cameras based at various shops, malls, and other businesses including the spy base well outside the city, all of which his company patrolled and monitored, Aaron had taken another look at the camera placed high on the side of his building. Four cameras were situated around his building, capturing the front, back and both sides. The one spanning his driveway also captured a head popping over the wall.

  Arms folded, he and the two night-shifters had watched as Shea glanced down the driveway, up at the building and retreated.

  The stone fence was high, she had to be standing on a small ladder or something to see over it.

  Ten minutes later, just as he was about to walk out, Kennedy murmured, “She’s rechecking the situation.”

  “Waiting for someone.” Kelly’s gaze switched to the surveillance screen of the spy base, her fingers flicking over the keyboard as she recorded the time.

  Waiting for him. Aaron knew it. If she’d been wanting to talk to any of his team she’d have done so by now, but the fact she kept checking and didn’t approach any of them coming or going meant she was waiting for him. So he decided to let her find him. Besides, he was interested to know what she wanted though he had a fair idea. She was just starting a business and she didn’t want it to backfire on her.

  Taking two small bottles of water from the ‘fridge, he bid his employees goodnight and went downstairs. Locking the back door behind him and setting the external alarm, he’d crossed to his car and settled back to wait.

  It didn’t take long. Sure enough, her head popped back over the fence, she spotted him, held her hand up in a ‘wait’ gesture, and disappeared again.

  Interest piqued, he waited, and then there she was walking towards him with her back straight, arms swinging slightly by her side, a determined look on that arrestingly beautiful face. Her lush hourglass figure was clad in a plain blue dress that hugged a generous bosom, followed the trimness of her waist and flared out over curvy hips to swirl around her knees as she strode briskly along.

  No lie about it, he appreciated the sight of that figure. Just as he appreciated the sight of the loose tendrils of black hair that escaped the high ponytail to brush against rosy cheeks, the plump lips and those arresting whisky-coloured eyes framed by naturally thick eyelashes.

  The woman was easy on the eyes, and going by the stirring of his own body, his earthy reaction to her was undeniable. But he’d never been ruled by his body, so he simply observed her approach calmly, taking another sip of water as she came to a stop in front of him.

  “Mr Wells,” she greeted him coolly.

  Her demeanour might have been cool, but that husky voice slid through him like warm honey.

  “Miss Winters,” he returned with faint amusement.

  “Donahue.”

  “Let’s not do this.”

  “Do what?”

  He gazed down at her steadily, refusing to reply when she knew perfect
ly well what he meant.

  Seconds ticked past as she unwaveringly met him stare for stare, and man, if that didn’t just fascinate him deep down inside. This was no shy, simpering female, but a straightforward, determined woman.

  “Fine,” she said.

  Aaahh. “You wanted to talk to me?”

  “Seeing into the future now, Mr Wells?”

  “Call me Aaron.”

  “Because psychics stick together?”

  He gave her a droll look while handing her the other bottle of water.

  Surprised, she looked from his face to the bottle.

  Aaron gestured to the car bonnet. “Step into my office, Miss Winters, and let’s discuss business.”

  Plucking the bottle from his fingers, she twisted off the cap while whirling around to rest her delectable rump against the bonnet. Her movement sent that thick, silky ponytail shimmering along her back and a faint flowery scent drifting up to tease his nostrils. “Call me Shea.”

  In a move that usually made people shift a little uncomfortably, he slanted a sideways look at her.

  Shea simply shrugged. “If we’re doing this, we might as well go the whole way.”

  Deliberately, he arched an eyebrow. “Exactly how far are we intending to go?”

  Those rosy cheeks flushed a little. “Not like that.”

  “Trying to read my mind?”

  “Not hard to do.”

  Really? That had him turning his head to regard her thoughtfully. The only person who had ever been able to know what he was thinking was his father.

  “You meant your comment about…you know.”

  “Tell me.”

  “You know.”

  “I want to see if you really know what I meant.”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  Enjoying the wordplay, Aaron met her gaze blandly.

  “Let’s just get down to business, shall we?” she suggested tartly.

  Keeping their gazes locked, he raised the water bottle to his mouth and took a long, slow swallow.

  Most women would have watched him with a mixture of admiration and uneasiness at his unrelenting regard. He wasn’t egotistical, far from it, but the fact that she watched him without a hint of attraction or nervousness was refreshing. Intriguing. It was as though she was seeing past his features to the man beneath. He liked that. Plus the fact she didn’t back down or look away as he continued to just watch her.