Page 32 of Patio Lanterns (The Blue Canoe Cottage #1)

“I’ve been playing phone tag with his manager trying to score a meeting,” Aidan said. “That’s something at least. Working with someone this famous is a definitely not something I’m used to. You’ve got to play the game, only they’re the ones who make all the rules.”

“You know who might be able to help you out? Dove,” Robin suggested. “She works with all sorts of rich, high-end clients as a… a… well, I can’t really remember what her exact job is called, but she’s good at it. She knows this kind of stuff like the back of her hand.”

“Great idea,” he said.

“She could use a professional win, too. So if you could help her out and maybe throw some business her way, that would be great.”

“Of course,” Aidan said. “You know I’d do anything for you guys.”

Robin took another bite of her burger. “Speaking of my sisters, if you’re so busy building mega estates for mega stars with megabucks, why are you wasting your time installing kitchen cabinets for us in our tiny little fleabag shack?”

He smiled and ran his hand through his hair, probably a holdover habit from the days he had longer hair to brush aside. “Because Lark asked me to, and after all these years, I still can’t say no to her.”

Robin smiled. “She really means a lot to you, doesn’t she?”

“She’s one of my best and oldest friends,” he said. “I adore her.”

“Well, I’ve got to hand it to you for sticking it out this long. She’s my sister, and I can hardly stand being in the same room with her,” Robin admitted. “She’s been riding my ass since we got here.”

“I definitely picked up on the tension between you,” Aidan said. “I’m not excusing her moodiness, but maybe cut Lark a little slack. She’s going through some stuff right now.”

“She’s going through ‘stuff.’ What does that mean? We’re all going through stuff.”

“I know this has been a hard time for all of you,” he said. “And maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this, but on top of dealing with the loss of your mom, and being back at the cottage, she and Philip are…”

“What?”

“Please don’t tell her I told you,” he pleaded, “but they’ve separated. Lark found out that he’s been having an affair and left him.”

Whoa. The news blew Robin away, forcing her back in her seat. “Shit. Really?”

“Yeah. She flew out with Nova on an open ticket, and she’s taken a sabbatical from the hospital.”

Robin suddenly felt guilty for giving Lark a hard time. “Why didn’t she say anything to us?”

“You know Lark. She’s embarrassed, I guess.” Aidan took a drink and put his mug down again. “She never should’ve married that cheating piece of shit in the first place.”

“Finally!” Robin exhaled. “ Finally , someone else who sees Phil the Pill for what he really is. I thought Dove and I were the only ones who couldn’t stand that chumplefuck for screwing around on Lark. But I thought he was a changed man after they got married.”

“I did too. So did she, apparently,” he said sadly. “You know, I told her the night before their wedding not to marry that guy. That she was making a huge mistake and that she deserved much better.”

Robin gasped. “Oh shit, Aidan. I can’t believe you did that.”

He nodded. “Looking back, it was probably a shitty thing to do, and my timing couldn’t have been worse. But I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

“What did she say?”

“She was furious, of course. Said it was too late for her to back out and be humiliated in front of all her friends and family. That she was going to marry Philip no matter what.”

“Wait a minute. This went down the night before her wedding? Is that why you weren’t there?” she said, recalling that she’d expected to see him amongst the well-wishers. “I thought I heard you came down with a stomach bug.”

“No, I wasn’t there because Lark uninvited me. Said it’d ruin her day if I came.” He looked down into his beer. “After that, she cut me out of her life. I was sure that I’d lost her.”

“I’m so sorry,” Robin said. “You were only trying to do the right thing.”

“I’d sent her flowers after your dad died.

I’m not even sure she got those. But when I heard about your mom passing, I knew I had to try again,” he said.

“I sent her a message expressing my condolences, and that got us talking again. We’ve been texting and video chatting with one another constantly ever since. It’s been like old times.”

Robin exhaled. “Wow.”

“So, when she invited me to the Blue Canoe to see all of you, I was pretty stoked. Your family always meant so much to me,” he said.

“And now you have your dad back. It must be nice to get a second chance with him too.”

“We’re getting there,” he said. “It’s weird, you know. Rick’s my dad, and I love him, but at the same time, it’s like he’s a stranger to me. I hardly know him.”

Oh, but you do. Because you two are more alike than you know , she wanted to say. “I’m sure you two will figure it out if you keep working at it. You’ve got to believe it’ll be worth it.”

Aidan smiled at her. “I’ve missed this. Just being able to talk to you.”

“I don’t remember us talking all that much with Lark always hovering,” she said with a smirk. “This might just be the longest conversation you and I have ever had.”

“True.” He rested his elbow on the tabletop and leaned in closer. “But I have thought about you over the years too, you know.”

She snorted. “You’ve thought about me ? Why? Because you’ve missed having someone follow you around everywhere you go?”

“Aw, it was cute the way you were always trying to get my attention. Sort of like when you strutted through the kitchen in your bikini yesterday.”

That wasn’t purely for his benefit, but she let it slide. “You noticed, did you?”

“Oh yeah, you were poppin’. Even my old man took a long look, the thirsty bastard.”

Robin burst out laughing. Your old man’s done a lot more than look, my friend.

“I wasn’t sure he still had it in him, to be honest. He’s been a loner since he sold his business and moved back.

He just mopes and works around the yard, so I figured he’d pretty much given up on wanting anything more,” he said, waving his hand.

“But I just found out he’s got himself a lady friend on the down low. ”

She gulped. “A lady friend?”

“Yeah, she’s in his phone as frickin’ Miss July, if you can believe it.” He cackled. “I accidentally saw a hot pic she sent him. I’ve never seen my old man move so fast trying to shut it down.”

Shit. Shit. Shit. “Uh… what did he say about her?”

“Only that she’s no one I know.” Aidan shrugged. “Hey, whatever. Good for him. I’m just glad he’s not hurting for a little companionship.”

It was impossible to reconcile Aidan’s sad, brooding version of Rick with the charismatic and energetic man she knew. He was strong, virile, and still very much a sexual beast, with an appetite that matched her own.

“So, if your dad is in your old place, where do you live now?”

“I’ve got a trottage about ten minutes from here on Echo Beach.”

“A what?” She smirked.

“You’ve never heard of a trottage before?”

“Nope. Because I’m pretty sure you just made it up.”

“I didn’t, I swear.” He laughed. “You wanna see it? We could swing by, and I’ll show you around before taking you back to your place.”

Robin hesitated. Was it merely a friendly gesture, or was Aidan actually asking her to go home with him?

She couldn’t help but wonder again if this was Lark’s doing.

Had she convinced Aidan to lay it on extra thick tonight?

It did seem like a trap. The kind of trap that she would’ve very willingly tumbled into stark naked not that long ago.

But things were different now. Rick was in her life, and she’d seen the sun set on her feelings for Aidan.

“Okay,” she said cautiously. “But only for a couple of minutes. I really should be getting back. We have a big day tomorrow.”

He flashed a smile. “Great. Let’s finish up here, and we’ll hit the road.”

Turns out, a trottage was a mobile home that aspired to be a cottage, and Aidan’s was located in a beachfront trailer park. There wasn’t a lot else that could be said about it, but as they sat looking at it from the front seat of his idling pickup, Robin pretended to be interested.

“I’m renting until I can afford to build my own place. If things go as well as I think they will, it shouldn’t be too much longer,” he said. “If you wanna come in for a minute or two, I can show you around.”

Robin fell under the spell of Aidan’s persuasive smile, which was exactly what she was afraid would happen. She could hate him for being so smug if he weren’t so sweet. Damn these Hunter men and the power they wielded over her self-control. “Only for a minute or two.”

Aidan’s place was neat and modest, and after he gave her a ten-cent tour of such memorable highlights as the broom closet and dishwasher, Robin found herself on one end of his couch with a beer in her hand.

“So, do you still like to swim?” she asked him. “I remember you were always in the water. I think you were half fish.”

“Yeah, I still love it and try to get out there when I can. Wish I had more free time, but you know, with work and all.”

“Right,” she nodded as their conversation succumbed to an awkward pause. Probably because she and Aidan had never been completely alone together in the same room. Maybe that would be something they could talk about.

“You know what I just realized? We’ve never been alone together, just the two of us.”

“Nah, that can’t possibly be true.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure. Someone else was always around. Usually Lark,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But believe me, it wasn’t for my lack of trying. I would’ve given up a kidney to be alone with you back then.”

“And now? Has this moment lived up to all your expectations?”

“Oh yeah,” she kidded. “My heart’s just a-racing over here.”

“So, uh, back then… what did you imagine might happen if we were ever alone together?”

She choked on her laugh, and it got caught as a weird throat gurgle. “Oh, I’d probably embarrass us both if told you.”