Liam poured himself a coffee and leaned against the counter. “Sure. Count me in. It’s not as though my calendar is filled with hot dates.” It was downright dismal actually. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a proper night out with a woman.
“Great. We’ll check with Aggie about her schedule and get back to you.” Drew took an apple from the fruit bowl April insisted they keep in the break room to snack on. It was an effort to balance out the treats Aggie often sent their way. “So, you and my sister. What do you think?”
I don’t stand a chance but what the heck, I’m going to go all out anyway and try to figure out why she’s avoiding me these days. “Yeah, could be fun.”
“Fun? Not sure that’s the kind of thing I want to hear when you talk about Aggie. Romantic might be a better choice of word.” Drew snorted. “You still have the hots for her—admit it.”
It was so annoying that Drew knew him so well. But after growing up together on the island, going through medical school together, and interning at the same hospital, they should be in sync. “So what? She doesn’t feel the same. It’s not like it’s a forgone conclusion that we’re going to get all super friendly again. It’s a wedding and we’re partners. It’ll be a good night regardless.”
Drew chewed on his apple while staring at him. Talk about put on the spot! He’d always been able to make Liam feel anxious just by looking at him with that raised eyebrow. Something he’d inherited from his father, Atticus Hope.
Liam had been on the wrong end of that look growing up and didn’t like it from either one of them. “What? Just say it. Get it off your chest.”
“I don’t know what happened to Aggie to make her change her mind about you, and I don’t know why she’s so moody these days, but don’t you think someone should find out? It’s been, what, two years since she came back and bought the bakery? She had a good job in Seattle, great friends, still spoke to you—then, poof! She turned into the grump she is today.” Drew shook his head. “I want my sister back, Liam, and she won’t talk to me. Keeps telling me to mind my own business.” Drew threw the apple core in the trash and wiped his hands together. “So much for being the chatty annoying kid she used to be. We told each other everything back then.”
Oh, how Liam would love to hear her never-ending conversations again as well. “I have the feeling she’d say the same to me, not that she gives me the time of day anymore. I don’t know what I did to upset her, but I wish she’d tell me.”
“Tell you what?” April walked into the break room, smiled at her soon-to-be husband and grabbed herself a cup of coffee.
“Aggie.” Drew put his arm around his fiancée’s shoulders. “I was telling Liam that a dinner might be a good idea so we can all discuss the wedding and what we’re planning for the day.”
“And?” Not much went past April.
He nuzzled her neck and stroked a hand down her back. “I suggested Liam and Aggie might be able to rekindle the old flame just like we did. What do you think?”
April rolled her eyes. “Don’t even do that to your sister, Drew. It was hard enough getting her to be my bridesmaid without you scheming to hook her up with Liam. You should’ve heard her when I said I was calling in that old childhood promise.” Her eyes clouded with dismay. “I mean, heck, it had been our plan ever since we were kids, and she looked as though I’d sentenced her to imprisonment without rations.” She shook her head and sipped the coffee before giving them both a stern look. “As to her and Liam getting back together, it’s not your business. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen without you interfering.”
Drew’s mouth dropped open. “Hey, I’m her big brother. I get to mess with her life. Sibling rules, okay? She used to be besotted with Liam and we all thought they’d end up together. I bet you did too. But when she came back to the island, she’d changed.” He grabbed her cup and took a sip of coffee before handing it back. “Besides, I want to know what changed to make her the snappy, unhappy, unsociable thing she is now.”
April added a splash of cream to her coffee and sipped again. This time she seemed satisfied with it. “She’s not that bad. She went to that family barbeque out at Arlo’s place when he brought Hilary out to meet everyone. She was lovely that day.”
“That was months ago, and she’s done nothing since. She may as well be a vampire for all the daylight she gets.”
“Whatever.” April smoothed down her hair and gave them both a look that brooked no argument. “Leave her alone or you’ll have me to deal with.” She stalked out of the room with the remains of her coffee in one hand, her chin high.
“Well, that’s interesting.” Drew glanced at Liam. “If I was a gambling man, I’d say she knows something we don’t.”
“She’s your wife, almost. You’ll have better luck finding out what’s going on than I will. Any information gleaned will be gratefully received though.” Liam patted Drew on the shoulder and headed back to his office, pondering how he was going to make an impression on Aggie, even though for the last couple of years he’d barely gotten a decent sentence out of her.
Chapter 3
Cheerful voices coming from the kitchen made Aggie want to hide in her room but her empty stomach got the better of her. All she’d eaten last night at work was the remains of the chocolate custard she’d put in the short pastry cases. Later, she’d decorated those delicacies with strawberries, cream and chocolate shavings. The snack had been satisfying at the time but certainly not filling enough to keep her going.
She crawled out of bed and decided on a shower first, if only to get the smell of baker’s yeast out of her hair. Not that it was the most important thing today but she was scheduled off tonight, so today she wanted to smell like a person, not a bread shop.
She stripped off her pajamas and turned on the water, careful to avoid looking in the mirror while the spray heated up. Aggie stood at the shower door, her hand under the running water. Once it turned warm, she stepped into the spray, her face upturned to get the full force and wake her up. Sleeping tablets always left her feeling groggy. She closed her eyes and let the water run over her skin, ducking her hair under as well, tipping her head from side to side to get the thick curls wet through.
When she turned around, she opened her eyes and reached for the shampoo. She put a generous dollop on her palm and started to massage it through her hair, paying attention to the back of her skull. A tension headache throbbed annoyingly. Probably something to do with the sleeping tablets and still not getting enough sleep. She couldn’t win.
When Aggie finished, dressed and made her way out to the kitchen, her stomach rumbled even louder.
“I heard that. Let me fix you something to eat, sweetheart.” Her dad got up from the table where he was sitting with his best friend Bradley talking over a cup of coffee.
Aggie touched a hand to his arm. “No, I’ve got it. Hey, Bradley. How are you?” She dropped a kiss on her father’s best friend’s crown.
“Good now I’ve seen you, my girl. You look like crap though.” He shook his head.
“Thanks. You always know exactly the right words to say. No wonder you’re a shrink.” She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, staring at the contents. “Can I eat this lamb chop or are you saving it for something?”
Her father answered, “Nope, all yours. Just don’t touch the baked fish; that’s for dinner. Your Aunt Gigi is doing something fancy apparently.” He looked at Bradley. “You should stay. There’s bound to be way too much food, as usual.”
“If you’re sure?”
Aggie snorted. “You know you want to, Bradley. Just give in and don’t fight him. Dad’s finding it hard with only me at home these days. He misses the company, and you two are good for each other.” Aggie put the lamb chop on a microwave-safe plate and put it in to heat.
Bradley shrugged. “I see I’m outnumbered here. I’d love to stay, thank you. When are the twins due home?”
Atticus smiled. “Hopefully for the wedding.
You know Drew and April have set a date at last?”
Bradley grinned. “No, I hadn’t heard, but I’m very pleased to hear it. It’ll be nice to have a wedding in the family. First one. My, my.”
“Keep an eye on the mail for your invitation.” Her father looked her way as she took her chop from the microwave. “Aggie is maid of honor. Isn’t that right, darlin’?”
She rolled her eyes as she turned around and Bradley had caught her. That man saw way too much. She blushed and tried to cover it up. “Yep. As expected, considering she is my best friend.” She plonked herself at the table, picked up the piece of meat with her fingers, and started to chew. In between mouthfuls, she spoke. “We have to figure out what’s happening because I have no idea what April wants in the way of support from me. She dropped in last night as I was starting work to tell me they’ve set the date. All the details will come later, I guess. I was too busy to get into it with her then.”
“You’ll make a lovely maid of honor, I bet.” Her father patted her shoulder and placed a cup of coffee in front of her. “Bradley, another?”
The phone rang and Aggie jumped up to grab it, anything to avoid the way the conversation was going. “Hello?”
“Hi, Aggie. It’s Liam. Ah, listen, Drew and April want us to meet them for dinner tonight to discuss the wedding. Apparently it’s your night off and April said I was to pick you up.”
“Why?” She bit her lip. This was moving too fast for her.
“April said to tell you to go along with it and those were her exact words. I’m merely the messenger.”
Aggie turned her back on her father and Bradley, who were watching with interest. “Where?” She didn’t want to, but perhaps this could be an opportunity to show her best friend she was there for her, even though it killed her. Lord knew, April had been there for her.
“Drew’s making a reservation, so how about I pick you up at seven?”
“I can drive myself, thanks.”
“No can do. April insisted and you don’t want to get me into trouble. Let me pick you up.”
“Fine. Bye.” Aggie hung up the phone and resumed her seat at the table.
Her father poured Bradley another cup of coffee and placed it in front of him as Aggie picked up her lamb chop. “Thanks. No idea when the wedding is, Atticus?”
Her father paused with his own cup in his hand. “From what Drew was saying, they want to do it within the month. Don’t see any point waiting. They’ve been living together for a while now so there’s nothing holding them back. Guess it’s a case of getting things organized and going for it.” He grinned, his gray moustache twitching at the edges.
Aggie’s stomach protested. One month. It didn’t seem like enough time for her to psych herself up.
Not for something so monumental.
Bradley leaned forward on the table and peered at her from under his bushy eyebrows. “Are you okay, dear girl? You’ve gone very pale.”
“I’m fine.”
He raised an eyebrow as if he didn’t believe her.
She dropped the bone on her plate and sucked her fingers clean, trying to come up with something he’d believe. No point giving the island psychologist a line she couldn’t back up. Bradley had never let her off easy. Coming up with the right excuse where he was concerned was vital.
“How long has it been since you’ve seen me in a dress?” she asked, her tone weak.
Her father spoke up. “I can tell you exactly how long. Last time I saw you in Seattle. Remember when I took you to dinner at the fancy restaurant near the wharf? Since you’ve been home, you’ve stuck to pants or shorts. I often wondered why because you look lovely in a dress. Pretty, just like your mom.”
Sudden tears clogged Aggie’s throat and she jumped up, dropped her plate in the sink, and bolted out of the house, ignoring her father calling her. She jogged down the hill and across the road, and headed for the stretch of beach that ran around the bay, her feet pounding in the damp sand. The last thing she wanted to do was look pretty. That was what got her into trouble in the first place.
* * *
Drew poked his head through Liam’s office door in between patients. “Did you get ahold of Aggie? I booked a table for seven thirty. That okay for you?”
“Yes, all organized. Where are we eating?”
“Boat Club, on the deck if it’s not too cold. We can decide when we get there.”
“Sounds good.”
When Liam pulled up at the house that night to pick her up, Aggie came down the stairs before he could get out of his car. She slid into the front seat and reached for her seat belt, her perfume bathing the inside of the car. “I could’ve driven myself, Liam.”
“I know, but I wanted to pick you up. Is that so bad?”
She glanced at him, and he had trouble reading her face in the dim light. “No. And I’m sorry to sound bitchy. Lots going on right now. It’s nice of you to bother. Thank you.”
He put the car into gear and drove down toward the harbor. “You’re more than welcome. I was already out and about anyway. Training night, remember? I go a couple of times a week and spar with Ben when he’s not working.”
“I remember.” Aggie tried to smile.
“Besides, we’re friends, Aggie. It’s what friends do for each other.” He drove quietly for the few minutes it took them to reach the marina.
Liam pulled into the parking lot and slid the car into a vacant spot by the front door, glancing around. Here was his first opportunity in ages to have a one-on-one conversation with her. “I don’t see Drew’s car. It’ll give us time for a drink on the deck without him being his usual bossy self. You can tell me how the bakery biz is going. Let’s go.”
He got out and strode around to open her door before she could do it for herself. Liam offered her his hand, and after a slight pause, Aggie reached up and let him help her. When she got out of the car, she smoothed down her trousers and gripped her purse with both hands, leaving him no opportunity to hold onto her as they walked into the Boat Club.
They paused at the entry and waited for staff. “Table for four, for Hope. We’ll have a drink outside first though. Thanks.”
“Got you.” The maître d’ ticked off their names on his list. “We put you inside because the wind is supposed to pick up tonight.”
“Thanks. The others should be here shortly.” They walked over to the bar. “What can I get you?”
“A Highland single malt on the rocks, please.” Aggie stepped away from him and made her way slowly to the doors to the deck. By the time Liam had the drinks, she was already outside, leaning on the balcony, staring over the ocean.
He placed her drink on the top rail. “Here you go. Cheers.”
Aggie took the glass and thanked him. “Cheers.” She took a healthy swig of her drink and her shoulders relaxed.
“How’s work going? Still churning out that delectable sourdough of yours?”
The shock on her face surprised him. Seems she didn’t know that he made bi-weekly visits to the bakery to get his bread, hoping that one day he’d run into her. She was never there when he finished work, which was too bad.
“Yeah. Don’t tell me you buy it?”
He shrugged. “Why not? It’s fabulous. As is all your baking. Goodness knows we get plenty of it via April, and I’m certainly not complaining. Plus, I like to support the local island economy.”
“Thanks.” She sipped at her drink, avoiding meeting his gaze.
“I haven’t seen much of you lately. Are you okay, Aggie?”
Her back stiffened. Of course he’d said the wrong thing, and they hadn’t even started dinner yet. It promised to be a great evening if he didn’t find the right words to say. “I’d hate to think you were working too hard. Starting your day when everyone else is heading for bed must be hard sometimes.”
“I’m fine.”
“Okay then.” He watched a car turn into the parking lot. “Drew and April are here.”
She didn’t resp
ond but her shoulders relaxed again.
Moments later, their dinner companions walked out onto the deck. “There you are.” April gave Aggie a hug, and Drew followed suit. “Brat. How are you?”
“Fine. What is it with everyone today? Did I miss something?”
Drew shook his head. “What do you mean? I haven’t seen you for days. Isn’t it acceptable for me to ask how things are anymore?”
April pushed between them. “Okay, you two. That’s enough. The wedding is weeks away and already you’re both acting like children. If anyone’s going to have a bridezilla moment, it’s going to be me. Are we clear on that?”
Aggie drained the rest of her drink and slammed the glass down. “Fine. Just keep him from being so damned annoying.” She glared at her brother.
“As if. You started it.” Drew pouted like a child.
“I said enough.” April slapped her hand on his chest and pushed him away from his sister. “If this is how the game is going to go, we won’t bother getting married. For goodness sake. I thought the kids were bad, but you two bickering really makes me wonder sometimes.” She stormed off into the restaurant and Drew ran after her.
“That didn’t go well.” Aggie peeked at Liam. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be snarky with him. It’s just that, I dunno, maybe I’m too tired to be nice these days.”
He held out his arms and after a second, she leaned into his chest. “It’s okay. Whatever’s bothering you, we can fix it.”
Liam felt the shudder run through her body as he held her and swore that he would find out why things had changed between them. The Aggie he held in his arms was nothing like the woman he’d fallen in love with. This Aggie was broken and sad and he desperately wanted to help her.
When he guided her inside, Drew and April were sitting at the table waiting for them. Drew had a contrite smile on his face. April had no doubt given him a talking to.
Don't Let Go (Hope Harbor Book 3) Page 2