“Make sure you take care of your dish first.”
His niece didn’t need to hear anything else from her mom. After scraping the last few pieces of lettuce and the radishes she didn’t eat into the trash, she popped the dish in the dishwasher and bolted from the room.
Across from him, Juliette finished her salad. He’d noticed that while she added some roast and potatoes to her plate, she filled the bulk of the space with salad, which she’d proceeded to eat minus the dressing, unlike his sister, who drowned hers in creamy ranch as usual.
“It’s too bad someone who worked at the studio couldn’t take it over when the owner retired,” Juliette commented.
If his sister had been in a position to own a business, he believed she would’ve taken over Dance Dynamics in a heartbeat.
For the next few minutes, Juliette and his sister discussed their favorite memories of dancing and why they believed it was such a beneficial activity for girls as well as boys. Candace retrieved dessert from the refrigerator somewhere during their debate of which was a more enjoyable style to perform, contemporary or lyrical. Contemporary got his sister’s vote, while Juliette’s went toward lyrical.
Juliette accepted the slice of cheesecake covered with cherries from his sister. Perhaps once a week, they had dessert with dinner. Sometimes it would be something either his sister or mom baked. Other nights it’d just be a bowl of ice cream. When they did have dessert though, it was usually on the weekend or for a special occasion, not a random Tuesday night. But he wouldn’t complain. Cheesecake, regardless of whether it was New York-style topped with fruit or the one his mom made using ricotta cheese, was his all-time favorite dessert.
“This might seem like an odd question, and I didn’t want to mention it in front of Tiegan, but have you ever considered letting her do some modeling?”
Aaron choked on the water he’d unfortunately just swallowed. He’d never deny his niece was beautiful. When she got to high school, she’d have guys lining up at her door. Already he was dreading when the time came because he’d been a high school boy. He knew how most of them thought. Tiegan’s beauty aside, he didn’t want to see her get involved in the modeling world. From the little he’d seen in the media, it wasn’t a kid-friendly lifestyle, and Tiegan might not want to admit it, and she might sometimes act older than her age, but she was still a child.
Candace passed him a slice of cake before cutting one for herself. “Not seriously, no. But I’ve always thought she was beautiful enough to do some modeling. I’m not even sure she’d be interested.”
“If she is and you’re okay with it, I can get you in touch with my agent, Pierre. I’ve been with him since I started out. He’s got his quirks, but he’s a great guy to work with and knows the business better than anyone I’ve ever met.”
Aaron stuffed a large forkful of cheesecake in his mouth to avoid telling their guest what he really thought of her idea. As he chewed, he looked over at his sister. He recognized the expression on Candace’s face. He’d seen it enough times over the years to know she was considering Juliette’s suggestion.
“Let me think about it and talk to her. Honestly, I have no idea if she’d be interested or not. And I’ll let you know.”
“No pressure. Whatever you decide is fine. I just think she could have a phenomenal career. And Pierre is great. I think you’d like him.”
Like a magnet, her voice pulled his gaze in her direction. Much to his annoyance, he couldn’t look away as her lips closed around a forkful of dessert. The image of him removing the fork and replacing it with his lips formed.
He didn’t daydream, so he didn’t know why his mind was conjuring up images now. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Juliette’s lips, like everything else about her, were perfect. Or at least perfect in his eyes. They were full, but they looked natural, not as if a doctor had injected them with chemicals.
“Mmm. This is delicious. Did you make it?” she asked, cutting another forkful off her piece. “I wish I could bake like this.”
“Come over one night I don’t have class, and I’ll show you. Making cheesecake isn’t hard.”
Yep, he’d expected his sister’s offer as soon as Juliette asked if Candace baked the cake. She’d always been a social butterfly willing to help or teach someone else.
“Sounds good.”
For the second time that day, Juliette surprised Aaron by finishing her entire slice. While Candace walked her to the door, he cleaned up the few dishes left on the table. Overall, the evening hadn’t been as unpleasant as he’d feared. That didn’t mean he wanted to do it again anytime soon. He didn’t consider himself shy in the least, but he preferred to spend his time with friends and loved ones, especially when he was in his own home. At the moment, he didn’t know Juliette well enough to determine if he liked her or not. And since she wouldn’t be around long, he saw no reason to waste his time learning.
“Thanks for taking care of those.” Candace entered the kitchen and retrieved her iced tea from the table.
Before he launched into the discussion he wanted, Aaron closed the dishwasher and turned it on. Then he leaned back against the counter and picked up his drink. “You’re not seriously going to consider Juliette’s offer, are you?”
“About letting Tiegan model?”
No, the one about her giving you a million dollars. “Yeah.”
His sister nodded. “I’m not sold one way or the other on the idea. And I’d need to talk to her first. She might not be interested, and I’d never force her.” She took a sip of tea before she continued. “Who knows, it might be a way for her to help pay for college down the road.”
Even if it helped his niece afford college at some point, he didn’t want her trying it. “I think you should forget Juliette ever mentioned it, Candace. It’s more important she focus on school and having fun with her friends.”
“Who says she can’t do all three?”
“I don’t see it happening.” The guest in Cottage 10 was the first celebrity he’d had dinner with, but he’d seen enough internet stories and magazine covers to know children thrust into the spotlight had anything but a normal life. And more often than not, they struggled as adults because of it.
“First of all, I never said I intended to speak with Juliette’s agent. And second, Tiegan might not even be interested. So, relax.” She patted him on the shoulder as she walked by on her way out of the room.
Relax? Right. When Mom had first told him who their long-term guest was, he’d worried she’d be trouble. Looked like he might have been right.
Chapter 6
“It smells good.” Juliette eyed the lemon-blueberry upside down cake Candace, her new friend and baking teacher, set down on the counter. It was the third dessert she’d made with the other woman’s help.
As promised, Candace had shown her how to make a New York-style cheesecake the Friday after she first joined them for dinner. It’d been far easier than she’d anticipated. In fact, Juliette believed she’d have no problem making it again on her own. A few days later, she’d attempted double chocolate chip brownies. That time she’d received instruction more or less from Tiegan rather than Candace. But either way, they’d come out fantastic, and she’d eaten far more than she should have.
Candace pulled a knife from the drawer and handed it to her. Then she pulled two plates from the cupboard. “Cut it and let’s see.”
She cut one sliver and put it on a plate.
“You can have that one. Make mine a little bigger,” Candace said before Juliette cut a second helping.
After cutting a slice about twice as wide as hers, Juliette dug into her piece. The combination of sweet blueberries and tart lemon exploded on her tongue, and immediately she wished she’d given herself a larger portion. “Man, this is good. If I didn’t make it, I’d think it came from a bakery.” She washed it down with some tea before she got another forkful. “When Curt and his fiancée come to visit, I might have to make this for them. Or maybe the
cheesecake. That was great too. He’ll never believe I made it.”
“Is that the same cousin who visited you last week?”
Juliette nodded as she popped the last of her cake in her mouth and cut another equally small sliver. “He’s only about two hours away. Curt and Taylor will probably bring Reese with them when they come. She’s Taylor’s niece. I think she’d get along well with Tiegan. She’s… I’m not sure how old she is, but she’s around Tiegan’s age.”
Come to think of it, she didn’t know how old Tiegan was either. If she had to guess, she’d say eleven or twelve, but it was possible the girl was simply tall for her age. “How old is Tiegan anyway?”
“She’ll be eleven next month.” Candace took another bite of cake before she spoke again. “Does Reese live with her aunt?”
“She lives with Taylor and her grandmother next door to my cousin. That’s how Curt and Taylor met. But when they get married, Taylor and Reese will move in with Curt. As far as I know, Taylor has been Reese’s guardian since she was a baby. Reese’s mom, Taylor’s sister, is not exactly mother material.” She saw no reason to go into the unpleasant details.
Candace gave a little sarcastic laugh and reached for the knife. “Yeah, some people should not become parents.” She cut a not-so-little second slice of cake and added it to her plate. “My ex-husband is one of them. Tiegan hasn’t seen Eric in almost a year. And I don’t think she’s talked to him since Christmas.”
Growing up, Juliette had seen her father more or less every day except when he traveled for business, or she’d attended boarding school. And when she had been away at school, she’d talked to both her parents on a weekly basis. Even now, she saw them frequently and spoke with them often.
“That’s too bad. Does he live nearby?” Not that it would excuse his behavior, but if he’d moved to the west coast or something because of work, it would make regular visits difficult.
The other woman stabbed her cake with a little more force than necessary. “Who knows? The handful of times he’s sent child support, the postmark on the envelope is from a different place. He bought an RV right before he left Avon, and he’s been traveling around the country with his new girlfriend. Even before the divorce, Eric worked remotely, so I’m sure that’s what he’s still doing. And I don’t know much about his girlfriend, but I know she’s—” Candace stopped abruptly and cleared her throat. “She doesn’t need to work.”
Her new friend sounded a little bitter, and Juliette didn’t blame her one bit. It was bad enough her ex-husband didn’t play an active role in his daughter’s life. But the least the creep could do was send child support payments.
“It’s part of the reason why Tiegan and I are living here with Aaron.”
She’d wondered why they called Aaron’s house home but hadn’t wanted to pry. She hated it when people poked their noses into her life. She saw no reason Candace would feel any differently about it.
“Before the divorce, what I made substituting at the schools and teaching dance was enough, since Eric worked full-time.”
During a previous conversation, she’d learned Candace worked almost every day as a substitute in the town. While she preferred to work in the elementary school, she worked in whatever building the district needed her.
“Even if Dance Dynamics hadn’t closed, what I brought home wasn’t enough to pay the rent on the apartment we lived in and cover all the other expenses. I thought about quitting school again, so I could get a second job at night waitressing or something.” She paused and sipped her tea. “Let’s just say Aaron didn’t like the idea. He’s always been an overprotective big brother. He suggested we move in with him at least until I finish my bachelor’s degree.”
Candace had mentioned before she was taking night classes, but Juliette didn’t know what she was studying or where.
“At first, it was a little odd not only living with my brother but also in the house I grew up in. But it works out pretty well for everyone. Since Aaron works mostly from home and Mom’s right next door, when I go to class, there’s always someone around for Tiegan to stay with. My brother refuses to let me pay rent, so I pay the electric bill, and I do most of the cooking and cleaning.” Stepping back, she opened the refrigerator and removed the pitcher of iced tea.
Not only was the man handsome, but by the sound of it, he valued family. She couldn’t say the same about most of the men she’d been attracted to, including Daniel. No question about it: she was attracted to Aaron.
Every time she saw him, and she’d seen him several times now, she had to remind herself she wasn’t here to get romantically involved. And each time it took a little more convincing, because literally all the man had to do was walk in the room and her pulse rate went up a few notches—something she had to admit was a unique experience. Usually, it took a hell of a lot more to get her excited. Heaven help her if Aaron ever did any of those things to her.
“Got to love overprotective brothers.” She adored Scott and couldn’t ask for a better brother, but he had his moments.
“Is yours older or younger?”
She’d assumed Candace knew all about her family. The people she normally associated with always knew precisely who lingered on the many branches of her family tree. “Older. I also have several male cousins who act almost as bad. I also have an older sister.”
Candace nodded as she refilled first Juliette’s cup and then her own. “She married J.T. Williamson. I saw the pictures on the cover of Today Magazine last month. Your brother got married last year, didn’t he?”
Scott’s wedding hadn’t attracted quite as many headlines as Courtney’s wedding, but it certainly hadn’t gone unnoticed. “Yep. And he and his wife are expecting twins in June.”
“Speaking of brothers, Aaron is single.”
Juliette racked her brain for an adequate response to the out-of-the-blue statement. Before she thought of one, Candace spoke again.
“And I don’t think he’s been on a date since I’ve been living here.” She put the pitcher back in the fridge before she returned to the barstool near the counter. “And yes, I’ve seen the way you look at him when he’s not paying attention.”
She thought she’d done a better job of not staring during dinner. If she joined them again for a meal, she needed to be more careful.
“I know I’m a little biased, but Aaron’s a great guy. I think you should ask him out for coffee or something.”
Juliette blew out a breath and considered her response. “Believe me, I’ve thought about it. I’m not sure getting involved with anyone right now is a good idea.” She waited for Candace’s attempt to change her mind. It was something Holly or several of her other friends would do in this situation.
“Fair enough. I won’t bring it up again, but think about it.”
Oh, Aaron would pop into her thoughts whether Candace mentioned him again or not. Whether she’d change her mind about asking him out, though, was anyone’s guess. “Did you hear back from the parks and rec office?”
The last time she’d joined the family for dinner, Candace mentioned she’d left another message with the director there.
Nodding, Candace sighed. “Yesterday. The high school and middle school gyms are booked until June for a spring basketball league. And the elementary gym is being used for senior yoga and futsal. Sandy and I have the high school gym every Saturday for three hours in June and July. My daughter wasn’t happy when I told her.”
When she was Tiegan’s age, anything more than a week or two felt like a lifetime away. “That stinks.”
It doesn’t hurt to ask. The half-baked idea had popped into her head over the weekend and refused to leave. One of the reasons she’d come up here was to make some decisions about her life. She’d always loved dancing. Even now, she sometimes missed it. So maybe the crazy idea bouncing around in her head deserved some serious thought. And the question on the tip of her tongue would factor into any long-term decisions she made.
“Before it clo
sed, did the dance school in town have a lot of students?”
“Probably between two hundred and fifty to three hundred. Not only kids from Avon danced there. We had a decent number of students from Ashford and a few from Danielson. The studio was much smaller when I started dancing there.”
The schools she’d trained at had been bigger, but she’d also grown up much closer to Boston. However, two hundred and fifty students would be enough to keep a small dance school in business. “What happened to the space when the owner retired?” A location already set up as a studio would make opening a new one a much quicker and possibly less expensive process.
“It’s been for sale since Merry retired. I don’t think anyone has looked at it. Why?”
Juliette shrugged slightly and reached for her drink. At the moment, she didn’t care to share her crazy notion with anyone. “Just curious.”
Coming around the bend in the driveway, Aaron spotted Juliette’s car parked out front. The sight of it didn’t surprise him. She’d become a frequent visitor over the past week and a half. Sometimes she joined them for dinner, and other times she got baking lessons from his sister. Considering the time of day, either was a possible reason for her current visit.
After parking in the garage, Aaron grabbed his jacket and computer bag from the back seat. He’d had a meeting with Stephen, his department head, at work today, so he’d spent the day working in Boston rather than at home. As much as he enjoyed the convenience of working from home, sometimes it was nice to go into the office. It not only gave him a change of scenery, but it allowed him to see his coworkers somewhere other than on a computer monitor. If it didn’t involve dealing with the traffic into and out of the city, he’d do it more often.
The scent of something fresh-baked greeted him when he entered the kitchen. Both his sister and Juliette sat at the counter chatting away. They each had empty plates in front of them, and he hoped they hadn’t finished whatever they’d baked.
The Billionaire's Kiss (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 14) Page 7