Page 30 of Patio Lanterns (The Blue Canoe Cottage #1)

Rick

Mutt Lange found a cool spot in the shade to park himself while Rick sanded down the cabinet door fronts. He shadowed Rick wherever he went and repeatedly dropped his squeaky football at his feet whenever the pup decided it was time for them to take a break to play fetch.

Rumbling up the road perked Mutt’s relaxed ears, his tail thumping against the ground as it slowed. “I wonder who’s back, hey boy?”

If Rick had a tail, it’d be thumping, too.

All the same, his heart beat a little faster seeing Robin’s van pull into the yard.

Mutt grabbed his football and took it over to welcome her home.

A moment later, the ball came sailing over the roof of the van, and Mutt chased after it as Robin walked across the lawn toward the cottage.

She was beaming. “Did you cut the grass again?”

Rick pulled his face mask down and pushed his dusty glasses onto his head. “Just wanted to be sure everything looks nice for tomorrow.”

“It smells so fresh,” she said, taking a long whiff, “and looks terrific too, by the way. Thank you for doing that.”

Seeing her reaction definitely made the extra work worthwhile. “How did it go at the store today?”

“If my aching muscles are any indication, I got a lot done,” she told him. “I’m exhausted, sweaty, and covered in about sixty years’ worth of dust.”

“And yet, in my eyes, she shines brighter than the sun,” he mused.

She managed a little smile as she reached him and lowered her voice just above a whisper. “Are we alone out here, or do I have to call you Mr. Hunter and leave room for the Holy Spirit between us?”

“Sadly, a little of both,” he said. “Aidan’s around, the girls are inside.”

“Too bad, because there’s nothing I want more right now than to kiss you and maybe grab your ass.”

“Right back atcha,” he growled.

Robin shoved her hands in her pockets and kicked a pebble from under her shoe. “Hey, let me ask you something. Have you thought about the consequences of us being together?”

Oh. She’d suddenly turned serious. “What do you mean? Why? Did something happen today?”

“No, not really,” she said with a shrug. “But I’ve been thinking. What’s the worst that could happen if we just came out and told everyone about us? And whatever happens, wouldn’t it still be better than them finding out we’ve been keeping this secret?”

Rick pursed his lips as he pondered. This was an abrupt pivot from what they’d talked about last night.

While he was encouraged by her wanting to be forthright, interpreting it as an eagerness to take things to the next level, timing was everything in such delicate matters.

He wasn’t sure he was ready for the fallout if things unraveled prematurely.

“I think those are excellent questions, Robin, and something we definitely need to talk about,” he said, lowering his voice, “but not here. Later, okay?”

“You’re right,” she said, gripping the back of her neck. “God, I really could use a massage.”

“Knot?” he asked.

“Yeah, a doozy. Would you mind giving me a little neck rub?”

“Now?” He looked around nervously. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Come on, no one will see us.”

“I’m sorry, if it were anytime or anywhere else, you know I would, but…”

“A few seconds,” she said. “That’s all I need to help loosen the tension.”

She was creating a whole lot of tension in his neck right now. Aidan was bound to walk around the corner and catch them together at any moment.

“Please?” She looked up at him with those big, green doe eyes, and he was a puddle. “Just ten quick seconds?”

“Ten seconds,” he affirmed. He checked once more to make sure the coast was clear before pulling off one of his work gloves. His fingers traced the curve of her neck until he located the source of her pain.

“Ooh, that’s the spot,” she hissed, tilting her head forward.

He pressed his thumb against the tight muscle, rotating counterclockwise and kneading as the knot melted. “You know, I do have a hot tub,” he said, leaning close to her ear. “You’re welcome to come over and use it anytime. Great for soothing aching muscles.”

“Mmm… I’d like to soothe your aching muscle,” she purred.

“Oh God, you’re killing me,” he grumbled.

“Sorry, I can’t help myself.” She pulled away, giggling. “Thanks, I think that helped. I’m going upstairs to take a hot, steamy shower. That should help a bit, too.”

“I’m going to need a cold shower thinking of you taking that hot one.”

She swatted his arm as she laughed. “How about a cold beer instead?”

“Tempting, but I’m almost done here. Just going to take these last two doors over to Aidan to be painted, and then I’m heading out.”

“Text me later?” she asked.

He nodded. She held his lingering gaze a moment before sashaying away. He watched her until she disappeared from view.

Rick sanded down the last two cabinet doors, then meticulously wiped every groove and detail with a soft cloth to remove any fine dust particles. He was satisfied with what he’d accomplished in a solid day’s work, but being able to help his son was the most rewarding part.

He brought the doors around to the side yard, where Aidan was spray painting the new pantry door to match the cupboards. “All done, boss.”

Aidan stopped what he was doing and removed the respiratory mask protecting his face. “Great, just put them down over there with the others. I should be able to get the first coat on and let them dry overnight,” he said. “Thanks for your help, Dad. Sure made my job a lot easier.”

“Happy to do it,” Rick replied, wiping his brow with his forearm. “Divide the task, multiply the success.”

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” Aidan countered. They both laughed.

Rick put down the doors. “Look, if you don’t need me for anything else today, I’m going to make like a goalie and get the puck outta here.”

“What’s the rush? Got a hot date?”

Rick shrugged and offered a half smile. “You never know.”

Just then, his phone buzzed. He fumbled with his work gloves, and as he reached for his phone, it slipped out of his hand.

Aidan picked it out of the grass right-side up. “Miss July?” He started to chuckle.

“Never mind!” Rick made a grab for it, his sliding thumb accidentally unlocking the screen in time for his son to see it.

“Whoaaaa! Holy shit!” Aidan hooted as he ogled the message.

Rick reclaimed the phone and took a look at what all the fuss was about. His screen showed a steamed-up mirror stamped with a kiss, and below it, a pair of, ahem, well rounded imprints. Jesus, Robin.

“You sly dog!” Aidan whooped. “Who is that ?”

“No one you know.” Flustered, Rick lied as he buried the phone in his pocket.

Aidan held up his hand as a congratulatory high five. “Glad to see you can still get some, old man.”

Rick didn’t leave him hanging and slapped his palm. “All right, all right. No need to make a big deal about it.”

“Miss July looks like she’s got two nice, big deals.” He bounced his eyebrows.

Rick ignored the crack. “So, you’ll let me know what time you want me back here to install the doors tomorrow morning, right?”

“Sure. Oh, hey, before I forget, I’ve got something for you. Wait here.” Aidan jogged over to his truck and reached in through the open passenger window. He came back carrying a manila envelope.

Rick examined the unmarked envelope in his hands. “What is it?”

Aidan shrugged as he handed it to him. “Only one way to find out, I guess.”

Rick peeled back the adhesive closure and pulled out pages printed on letterhead bearing the name Polaris North Properties. “Your partnership contract?”

“It’s all there,” Aidan said. “Hopefully, it puts you a little more at ease that I know what I’m doing.”

Rick looked up. “You know it’s not about what you’re doing but what others could do to take advantage of you, right? I just don’t want to see you make the same mistake I did by trusting the wrong people and getting screwed over.”

“Maybe you got screwed over, but you didn’t exactly walk away empty-handed,” Aidan reminded him.

“They stole my company and showed me the door.” Rick’s blood pressure skyrocketed. “No matter how many zeroes may have been on the cheque, it will never compensate for how I was mistreated.”

“Yeah, you got a shit deal, no doubt. But you also got to retire ten, fifteen years earlier than most guys, come back here, and live in Mom’s cottage,” he said. “I’d say things turned out pretty well for you.”

Rick sighed. “I’m sorry that you’re still having a hard time accepting the terms that your mother and I had worked out thirty years ago.

No one kicked anyone out, no one stole anything from anyone.

I bought the cottage, it’s my name on the property deed.

I always intended to come back here to live in it. ”

Aidan shook his head. “I was the one who did those renovations. I put all that work into the Maple Leaf for her, not you,” he said sharply before walking it back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound the way it landed.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure you did. You’ve made it perfectly clear on numerous occasions,” Rick said.

“It’s just that I wanted to make it nice for Mom so she could enjoy the upgrades for a few years before I eventually got the cottage.”

“Because you assumed I wasn’t coming back?”

“I didn’t have much reason to believe that we’d ever see you again. Your life was on the West Coast.”

Rick took a deep breath. “You have every right to be mad, Aidan. I know I was a shitty father, okay? And I know that it must suck that things didn’t turn out like you expected. When the time comes, the cottage is yours if you still want it, but I’m telling you now, I’m in no hurry.”

“Keep it,” Aidan said. “Someday, I’m going to build my own exactly the way I want it.”

“Look, son, I understand how hard it is to let go of something you’ve invested so much of yourself in, whether it’s a cottage, or a marriage, or a business,” he said, holding up the envelope in his hand. “That’s why I’m only trying to save you more heartache.”

Aidan bowed his head. “I get it. And I appreciate that you’re only looking out for me.”

“I’ll review this as soon as I get home, and you’ll have an answer by tomorrow,” Rick said. “I promise.”

“Thanks,” Aidan said. “And again, sorry for what I said. Guess I’ve had too much sun.”

“It’s okay,” Rick told him. “And hey, thanks for making your old man feel useful this week. It means a lot.”