by Carrie Elks
“You want a hand putting them on?”
“Sure.” She shrugged, not telling him he looked a bit weird kneeling next to her. She watched as he pulled the shoes out of the box, lining them up next to her feet. For a moment he stared down at them, then reached out to run his finger from her ankle to the tip of her toes, making them curl with delight at his touch.
He slid the first one on and tied the laces, then angled the second one on to her toes. Ally frowned when the sole of her foot scraped against something hard. “Is there a stone in there?” she asked, pulling her foot out. “Something about it feels weird.”
“Take a look.” Nate’s voice was gruff. He was definitely acting strange. Still, Ally took the shoe and tipped it so she could see inside. Sure enough there was something there. It slid down to the heel, catching the light as the sun’s rays shone down on it, and she realized it wasn’t a stone at all.
It was a ring.
Nate watched as Ally slowly reached into the shoe, pulling out a gold band set with a square cut diamond. She looked at him, her eyes wide, and her lips trembling. “Nate?”
He was more nervous than he’d thought he would be. What if she said no? Ally held the ring between her forefinger and thumb and he gently took it from her, holding his breath as he held it to the ring finger on her left hand.
“You probably think I’m crazy,” he said, his voice thick as his eyes met hers. “But I nearly lost you once and I never want to do it again. Since you came into my life it’s like the sun finally came out, and bathed everything around me in light.” He gave her a gentle smile, loving the way she was staring at him with those big blues, hanging on every word. “You’re absolutely perfect,” he told her. “You’re funny, you’re beautiful, and you have the biggest heart of anybody I’ve ever met. It would truly be my honor if you’d agree to be my wife.”
“Yes,” Ally whispered. Without saying a word he slowly slid the ring onto her finger. With his eyes locked on hers he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her skin and the ring. His body flooded with relief and exhilaration combined. There was no way he was ever taking this grin off his face.
“You’ve made me the happiest man on Earth.”
“Does Riley know about this?” Ally asked him.
“I spoke with her about it yesterday. She was so excited.”
He looked up to see his daughter watching them through the glass window of the coffee shop, her grin wide as she clapped with delight. Ember, Nick, and Brooke were watching them, too. From the expressions on their faces they’d be quizzing Ally about everything very soon.
Then he looked over at Lorne and Grant – Ally’s father and her almost-dad, the two men who had been the biggest part of her life until now. He hadn’t asked them for her hand in marriage – Ally was nobody’s to give away – but he had consulted them and asked for their blessing.
They’d given it willingly.
He probably had only one more minute before they all ran down to congratulate them. Sliding his fingers into her hair, he angled Ally’s face until her lips were only a whisper away from his.
“You’re my best friend,” he told her. “My soul mate, my everything. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
He slowly pressed his lips against hers, closing his eyes to try and control the emotion that was bursting through him. Was it really possible to have everything? He thought it was. Only a few months ago he’d arrived in this town desperate to make a change.
And he’d found the woman who changed everything.
She kissed him back and it was as though nobody else was there. Just the two of them losing themselves in each other, and that huge sparkling ring on her finger.
When he opened his eyes they were surrounded. Ember and Brooke were almost jumping up and down with excitement. Riley was grabbing at Ally’s hand to take a look. Lorne and Grant slapped Nate on the back as though he’d won something amazing.
Which he really had.
“Welcome to my world,” Ally murmured, biting down a grin as she turned to look at all their friends.
“Thank you, baby,” he said, smiling back at her as she slid her hand into his. He’d come to Angel Sands seeking a new start for his daughter, but in the end he’d found a new life for them both. And with this woman by his side, he’d found the kind of happiness he hadn’t known existed. “I love your world,” he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. “I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.”
THE END
Sweet Little Lies
1
Aiden Black steered his Audi RS onto the grassy cliff overlooking the beach, and climbed out of the car. He wanted to breathe in the sea air, see if it tasted as good as he remembered. His mom had always said the ocean was a little sweeter in Angel Sands. But everything had been a little sweeter in those days.
Until it wasn’t.
He didn’t want to think about that now. He walked toward the cliff edge, his hair lifting in the breeze. The sun was shining brightly, reflecting off the foam-topped waves as they crashed into the shore. He scanned the long stretch of sand, trying to ignore the memories attempting to creep into his brain. Those long youthful days of surfing. The even longer teenage nights around the makeshift bonfire. It all seemed so long ago.
A sudden movement caught his eye. He turned to see a woman in the distance, running along the water line. As she darted in and out of the ocean, her long blonde hair rippled in waves behind her. For the shortest of moments he let himself believe it was her. Pretended he could hear her laughter lifting in the wind. Pretended he could see her running toward him, her smile brightening her face the way she always brightened his day.
On the beach below, the woman turned and called out. Somebody else appeared. A child? Not her, then. The boy was young, but not that young. Maybe seven or eight. He ran toward her, his arms held up in front of him. As soon as he reached her, she lifted him up, swinging him around.
Aiden felt as though he was an intruder, seeing something he shouldn’t. The scene playing out before him made his chest ache. Shaking his head, he pulled his sunglasses down over his eyes and turned back to the Audi, climbing in and cranking the music loud.
He wasn’t here for the beach. He wasn’t here for the girl, either. Not even if she was still living around here. He was here for business, not to reminisce about old times, let alone old flames.
It was important to remember that.
“Mom, can we watch a movie tonight? And have some popcorn too?”
“Sure we can. What movie were you thinking about, Nick?”
Brooke Newton kept her eyes on the road as she swung into the long driveway leading up to the house, her lips curling into a smile at the thought of a night with her son. Between his school and her college work, not to mention the volunteer work she did at the local animal shelter, having a free Friday evening was almost unheard of.
“Can we watch ‘The Greatest Showman’ again? I like the songs.”
Brooke opened her window and pressed in the keycode to the gates, waiting as they slowly swung open. With her foot on the break, she glanced back at her eight-year-old son who was smiling and swinging his legs – still covered in sand from their impromptu visit to the cove on their way home from school. Yes, she’d be working on her assignment late into the night thanks to their detour, but it had been worth it.
Every moment with her son was worth it.
The gates had fully opened, revealing a sprawling white stucco mansion set on the clifftop, sun rays bouncing off the sparkling windows. But rather than head toward the circular fountain with angels and cherubs adorning the front driveway, Brooke steered her Nissan toward the service road to her bungalow at the back.
It was a pool house, really, built for guests of her parents when they first had the house designed back in the early 1990s. But for the past eight years it had been their home.
Compared to the main house it was sparse. Though it was finished with the same white stuc
co as her parents’ home, the low red-tiled building consisted of two small bedrooms, a bathroom, and a main living area – big enough for Brooke and her son. And every time she pulled up outside she felt grateful for having this safe haven, even if the cost was sometimes more than the meager rent she paid to her parents.
As she put the car into park, Brooke finally responded to her son. “Let’s put some dinner on and change into our pajamas while it’s cooking. That way we can watch the movie as soon as we’ve finished up dinner.” She turned again, watching as Nick unfastened his seatbelt and tugged at the door knob. “And tomorrow, we both have to do our homework.”
“Ugh, I hate homework.” He jumped onto the graveled driveway as Brooke climbed out to join him. “Hey look, there’s Grandma.” He started to wave. “Grandma, we went to the beach,” he shouted. “Mom chased me into the ocean and I got my legs wet.”
Lillian Newton smiled at her grandson as she walked toward them from the main house. As always, she was immaculate. Her hair was perfectly styled, and her make-up beautifully applied on her unwrinkled face. Her pale grey skirt and pink blouse were modest and still emphasized her slim figure – something Brooke had inherited from her.
Glancing down at her own attire – a pair of cut-off jeans and a tank – Brooke took a deep breath and arranged her face into a smile.
“Hello, darling,” her mom said to Nick, leaning down to press her lips against his cheek. Her body was angled to make sure the sand which clung to his legs and shorts had no possibility of touching her clothes. “How was school?”
“Good.” Nick shrugged. “We’re having a movie night. Mom promised we can watch ‘The Greatest Showman’ again.” His eyes sparkled. “In our pajamas.”
Lillian brought her cool gaze up to Brooke, her nose wrinkling as she took in her daughter’s attire. “Remind me to call my personal shopper. It looks like your closet needs an overhaul.”
Brooke took another deep breath. She should be used to this by now. “I was at the animal shelter, and then I went to the beach,” she said, keeping her voice as even as she could. “That’s why I’m wearing some old clothes. There’s no point in wearing anything else. They’d get ruined.”
“I don’t know why you spend so much time at the shelter.” Lillian wrinkled her nose. “All the things you could do, all the contacts we have, and you prefer clearing up animal muck.”
“It’s animal poo,” Nick said helpfully. “And it stinks.”
Lillian smiled indulgently at him, and Brooke felt the stiffness in her spine relax. She and her mom might have their differences, but they both loved Nick with a passion.
“Anyway, there’s a reason for my visit. I’ve been calling you for the past hour.”
Brooke thought of her phone casually thrown into her purse. The only time she checked it regularly was when she wasn’t with Nick. When they were together – and she knew he was okay – she preferred to spend time with him rather than staring at a screen.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t checked it for a while.” She passed her keys to Nick. “Why don’t you go open up the door for me?” she asked her son. “And remember to go wash your legs.”
“If you let us buy you a new car you could connect your phone to Bluetooth. That way you’d actually answer when I call.” She looked over her shoulder at Brooke’s old Nissan. “I hate having this pile of junk parked behind our house. I’m sure everyone must think it belongs to the maid.”
“You do enough for us already.” Brooke shot her mom a conciliatory smile. She could feel this conversation slipping and sliding into their familiar refrain. “And anyway, I like to pay my own way as much as I can. Maybe I’ll upgrade once I finish my degree.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe we can buy you a car as a graduation present.”
Brooke shook her head. “Mom, no…”
“Oh you’re infuriating.” Lillian shook her head. “We’ll talk about it later. I’m sure Daddy could find you a lovely little run-around. Anyway, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. Since I couldn’t get ahold of you, I called Cora. She’ll be here at eight.”
“You called my babysitter?” Brooke frowned. “Why?”
“That’s why I was trying to get ahold of you. Daddy wants you to come to dinner tonight.”
“But I promised Nick a movie night. You heard him. He’s excited.”
Lillian paused for a moment, and Brooke wondered if she’d found her weak spot. But then she remembered her mom didn’t have a weak spot. You didn’t get to be the uncrowned queen of Angel Sands without having a skin made of armor. “I’m sure Cora will watch a movie with him. And there’s always tomorrow if you want to reschedule.”
“I have an assignment to do tomorrow. I don’t want to fall behind.”
“Stop making things so difficult. Your father specifically asked me to invite you. It’s important to him. He wants his daughter with him tonight while he entertains some important guests.” Her voice was clipped.
Brooke’s thoughts turned to the low rent her parents charged her. The rest she paid in ways like this. They’d been having this conversation in one form or another for the past nine years – ever since she’d brought shame on them by admitting she was pregnant at the age of eighteen. It felt as though she’d been paying for it ever since.
As though she sensed a softening, her mother pounced for the kill. “And anyway, Daddy wanted to talk to you about Nick’s hospital statement. The latest bill came in yesterday. Why didn’t you tell us you took Nick to the ER last week?”
“It was the middle of the night.” Brooke rubbed her face with the palm of her hands. “He was at a sleepover and had a reaction. I met the ambulance at the hospital.” Maybe she should have told them, especially as they were the ones who paid for his insurance and medical bills. And thank God they did. Nick’s peanut allergy was manageable, but the older he got, the more freedom he wanted. It was frightening knowing he could stop breathing if he had the smallest mouthful of peanuts.
And those damn things were everywhere. At home, Brooke was like the nut police, constantly scanning their surroundings for danger. But when she wasn’t with him, she had to rely upon the vigilance of others – teachers, sports coaches, and of course, the parents of his friends. It was inevitable something would go wrong.
“He’s fine now,” she told her mother. “He thought it was an adventure. And they’re so good at the hospital. They took good care of him.”
“So they should. They’re charging enough for it. Daddy said he could have bought a new golf set for the amount it cost.”
Brooke swallowed. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Maybe you can tell your father about it when you come over tonight. You know we don’t mind helping you out, you’re our family. We like to take care of you.”
Brooke knew defeat when she saw it. All thoughts of her soft pajamas and curling up on the sofa with Nick disappeared from her mind. She started to calculate how long it would take her to get ready. And that meant Newton ready. Hair washed, a cocktail dress on, legs free of any hairs daring to peek out of her skin. An hour? Two? Why hadn’t she washed her hair this morning? Oh yeah, she’d been dragging Nick out of bed at some ungodly hour to get him to breakfast club so she could make it to her classes on time.
“I might be a bit late,” she said, a sense of resignation washing over her. “I need to feed Nick and take a shower.”
A satisfied smile lifted Lillian’s cheeks. She uncrossed her arms, and turned back toward the bigger house, her court shoes crunching on the gravel. “I’m sure it won’t take you very long. We’ll see you at eight.”
2
“How did it go?” the old man asked him.
Aiden loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar, rolling his thick neck to relieve the tension. “It was fine. I met with the project manager and discussed the plans. We’re looking at eighteen months until the work on the resort is finished.”
“That’s not what I’m asking about a
nd you know it.” Robert Carter raised an eyebrow and tipped his head to the side, his thick helmet of silver hair glinting in the sunlight. “Did you do what you needed to?”
Aiden nodded. His hands curled into fists, his biceps bulging beneath the white cotton sleeves of his shirt. He paid handsomely for them to be tailored to fit him – his broad shoulders and muscled arms had caused more than one shop-bought shirt to come apart at the seams. One of his ex-girlfriends had once described Aiden as a wrestler in a designer suit, thanks to the physique he’d inherited from his father.
“Yeah, I scattered her ashes on the clifftop like she’d instructed.” His voice was thick. He closed his eyes, remembering the moment when he’d opened the urn and said goodbye to his mom for one final time. Releasing her into the wind at the place she’d always loved the most. She hadn’t been back to Angel Sands in almost a decade, yet her one request was that she be scattered there in death, back in the town where she’d been born.
“How about your brother? Did he turn up?”
“The prison wouldn’t let him out for a second time. They allowed one day for the funeral and that was all.” Aiden shrugged. He wasn’t phased by Jamie’s absence. In fact, he welcomed it. Though there was little more than a year between the two brothers, everything else about them was completely different.
Where Jamie had spent most of his teenage years and early twenties drugged and waist deep in crime, Aiden had worked his way up from nothing. Putting himself through college and business school, before joining Robert Carter’s hotel chain as an intern.
“Was it strange being back there?” Robert poured them both a glass of whiskey. “Because you know, it’s not too late if you want to pull out. I can send Francis down to oversee the development instead. There’s plenty of work for you here.” He smiled warmly at Aiden. “You know that.”