Page 4 of Take Me Slowly, Part 1 (Aurora Hollow duet #1)

LEAH

"I'm not the best cook," I said apologetically as I handed Fiona a bowl of fusilli Alfredo and a glass of red wine.

"Anything is better than having to cook for myself." She set her glass down on the patio beside her Adirondack chair and picked up a fork. "This smells amazing."

I sat down beside her and took a gulp of wine before starting on my own food. After a couple of mouthfuls of pasta and mushrooms, I had to nod.

"Okay, it's not bad." It could do with an extra sprinkle of cheese, but other than that, I gave myself a mental pat on the back.

"Thank you for asking me over." She went to push a forkful of pasta into her mouth when it fell off the fork back into the bowl. Her eyes widened in surprise when she found empty prongs. She giggled and stabbed them into the rebellious pasta and tried again.

"It was the least I could do after you welcomed me into town," I said.

The evening air was still warm enough to be comfortable, but with a hint that cooler nights were coming soon.

In front of us, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the ragged landscape.

The smell of leaves and wildflowers was carried on the air like a subtle perfume.

The kind you could never get tired of smelling.

If I could bottle it, I'd make a fortune.

If I wanted to share it with the world, that was. I wasn't sure if I did, to be honest.

In spite of how many tourists came here at different times of the year, right now it felt like a hidden secret up here in the mountains. A special place just for us. No wonder Fiona never left. I might not have either, in her shoes.

She made a dismissive sound in the back of her throat. "That was nothing. Anyone else would have done it if I hadn't. Besides, it's partially selfish. I've had all sorts of people staying next door. You looked quiet and sane in comparison."

"In comparison," I echoed, smiling over at her.

She laughed. "You know what I mean. It's great that so many tourists come here, but sometimes it can get…

loud. Although, it's better now Sarah is older.

When she was a baby and wasn't sleeping, I could use all the peace and quiet I could get.

I was an exhausted mess back then. As opposed to being a hot mess now.

" She patted her dark blonde hair with her spare hand as if all of it was in disarray.

"You are not a mess," I assured her. "But if you were, at least you're a hot one."

"I knew I liked you." She grinned. "You have good taste. So do I, come to think of it. In friends and kids."

"It must be hard doing that on your own," I said carefully. I didn't know what her circumstances were yet. I was curious, but didn't want to be nosy.

If she was annoyed with me asking, she showed no sign. If anything, she seemed happy to talk about it. It didn't take a genius to figure out Sarah was her favourite topic of conversation. Not that it was the only thing she talked about, but she clearly adored her daughter.

"It has its moments," she agreed. "But her father was an asshole, so it could have been worse." She caught the expression on my face and smiled. "It's okay, you can ask. For the record, he was a hot asshole. Call it a moment of weakness. I don't regret it, or her."

"So he's out of the picture?" I guessed.

"All the way out," she agreed. "He gave up any right to her before she was born. He leaves us alone and I don't ask him for money. It works out for both of us. And since my parents live a block away, I'm not completely on my own. They love having her once in a while to give me a break."

"Are you their only child?" I chased a mushroom around my bowl before successfully stabbing and eating it.

"I have an older brother, but he's away in the military.” She gazed wistfully out over the valley. “We only see him a couple of times a year. What about you?"

"I have an older stepbrother," I said. "My mother told me they wanted a bunch of kids, but we were all they got." And I still wasn't good enough. "You must miss your brother a lot."

"Sometimes," she agreed. "I used to want a bunch of kids, but I think Sarah might be it. Sometimes I wish… But then I count my blessings, because she's a good kid and she and I are tight. Check back when she's thirteen; that might have changed." She looked rueful.

"I'm sure you'll do fine with her, even when she's a teenager," I said. "You both seem to have your heads screwed on right."

"Can you tell my mother that?" She picked up her wine and smiled as she took a sip. "I think she still hopes I'll get married someday. Something about having someone look after me when her and dad are gone. They can be old-fashioned when they want to."

"They sound like my parents," I said. "It's like they can't handle the fact that we grew up."

Fiona groaned. "I know, right? I think mine would like to have bonsaied me and kept me a kid forever. I guess that's why they like grandkids. Someone they can fuss over when their own kids have gotten too old for it."

"Is there such a thing as being too old to be treated like you're fragile?" I said with a snort.

"Good point." She pointed her fork at me.

"Probably not. Don't tell my parents. It'll encourage them.

Speaking of them, you have to come over for a barbecue sometime.

Half the town turns out when they throw one.

I'll convince them they should have one asap.

They usually don't take much convincing.

Any chance for my father to get his hands on the grill.

And my mother will take any chance you can get to have a night off from cooking. I guess that runs in the family."

"Do Connor and Riley go to their barbecues?" I asked, trying not to look too much like I dreaded seeing either of them again.

"Usually," she said. "Did you have more trouble with them?

" She looked like she was going to storm over to their houses and kick them in the balls on my behalf.

If she was going to do that, I'd have to insist on tagging along to watch.

Something like that couldn't be missed. Or recorded on my phone for shit and giggles.

"Just a conversation with Riley," I said, trying to keep my tone light, as if I didn't care.

After all, I shouldn't let it bother me.

I certainly shouldn't let it get me hot and bothered.

"He seemed to like my painting." I waved my fork in the direction of where it still sat on the easel, a couple of metres away.

"I like it too," she said carefully. "Why do I sense there's more to this? Was he an asshole to you?"

"Not exactly," I admitted. "He flirted with me. And then he suggested it might be better for me if I leave town."

She frowned. "You're not going, are you? Because if he and Connor make any trouble for you…"

"I'm not going anywhere," I said firmly. "I like it here. Everyone else has been lovely. Whatever they have going on," I waved my own fork in the air, "that's their problem."

"Agreed," she said. "But if they give you any trouble, let me know. I have no trouble whipping their asses for you. I've done it before."

I believed her. "I can handle them," I said. I'd start by staying away from them as much as possible. Sooner or later, they would get over me being here and move on to something or someone else.

"Of course you can," she said firmly. "You know what, you should come to the pub with me after we're finished here. A couple of the girls are going to be there. They'll love you."

"Sounds like fun," I said. It wouldn't hurt to make a few more friends in town. Maybe

I'd never leave. I wondered how Riley would respond to that. He seemed certain I'd fall into bed with him at some point. He might take me staying as a challenge.

Whatever, let him. He'd figure out soon enough that he didn't own me and I owed him nothing.

"It will be," she said. "Whitney and Holly are going to love you. And since I don't have Sarah, we can all get as drunk as we like."

"I can't even remember the last time I got drunk," I said, deadpan.

Fiona stared at me for a few moments, before my words sank in. She tipped back her head and laughed.

"I'll bet you can't. Neither can I. Apparently I had a good time. According to Whitney, I was dancing on the tables in the pub. Lucky those things are sturdy." She grooved in her chair for a few moments while taking a few more sips of wine.

I wouldn't be dancing on any tables, that was for sure, but it would be nice to let loose for a while. To forget about what brought me here to Aurora Hollow in the first place.

"Let me guess, you were wild when you were a kid," I said with a knowing smile.

"Not just then." She shook her finger at me. "I'm still wild now when I get the chance. Just a bit less young and dumb than I was back then."

"I guess we all have to grow up a little bit eventually," I said.

"Just a little." She held her hand up, her fingers slightly apart. "No more going home with people I regret."

"Did you ever… With Riley or Connor?" I grimaced. Did I want the answer to that? For some reason, it was reassuring to know neither of them fathered Sarah. I didn't know why that mattered. Possibly because I liked the kid and she deserved better than to be related to them. Yes, that was all.

She grimaced even harder. "Hell no. Those guys are like brothers to me. That would be icky and weird."

Why did I feel a wash of relief? It wasn't as though I was interested in either of them anyway.

I liked the idea I wasn't the only one immune to them.

Yeah, that made sense. They thought they were irresistible.

Or Riley did anyway. But they weren't. Not at all.

That could be their exact problem. Us women see right through them and their bullshit.

"You're not interested, are you?" Fiona asked.

"In either of them?" I pulled a face. "No way.

They made it clear they both don't like me.

That goes both ways." No way in the world was I going to end up on my knees choking on either of their cocks.

Painting their likeness and putting them on a dartboard for target practice on the other hand?

That wasn't off the table. With any luck, they'd leave me alone from now on.

No doubt they had better things to do with their time than harass me.

I had better things to do than be harassed.

"Right," she said slowly. But the expression on her face suggested she didn't completely believe me. That was okay, she was just another person I needed to prove wrong.