Page 12 of Summer Ever After

Chapter Four

Aaron sat in his car, occasionally sipping his now-warm soda, which he’d picked up with a burger and fries from the diner across the street nearly three hours before. His eyes hadn’t strayed far from Beth’s apartment since she’d shut the door behind her. Well, except for the few seconds that he’d needed to order and pay for his food at the café’s drive through. Even then, he’d kept his head on a swivel, scanning for the car that she’d described earlier.

The streets in town were quiet. Most traffic had stopped shortly after sundown. Now, with the entire area bathed in the glow of scattered lamplight, he had parked back in the shadows in the back lot, facing her staircase, so that he could watch the comings and goings.

The palm trees that lined the streets swayed gently in the warm night breeze. Every now and then, the rumble of a car would stir the silence, but none that passed by matched the description of the sedan or of Ian’s truck, which he knew well.

He rolled his shoulders to ease the stiffness that had settled in. If he was going to camp out here all night, he might as well get comfortable.

There was no way he was going to go home and watch television or work on his latest project, a dresser that he was rebuilding.

He planned out in his head a few other projects that he wanted to work on when he was done with the dresser. He gained as much pleasure making something old look new again as he did strumming the guitar and singing some of his favorite songs.

The hours dragged on.

It wasn’t his first stakeout, but it was the first one that he’d done in almost four years.

Just after one in the morning, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. A figure in a hoodie was moving along the side of the building with slow, cautious steps, pausing now and then, possibly to check windows.

Aaron’s hand dropped to the flashlight wedged in the side compartment, and he was out of the truck and across the street in seconds.

“Hey!” he said in a sharp and firm voice. “What do you think you’re doing?”

The figure jumped and staggered back into the parking lot light. It was a young guy, maybe early-twenties, glassy-eyed and swaying slightly. Definitely drunk.

“Whoa, whoa, man, chill,” the guy slurred, hands raised in surrender. “I’m just… my buddy lives here. I think. Maybe it’s the next building. I dunno, man. It all looks the same in the dark.”

Aaron stepped closer, keeping himself between the guy and Beth’s door. “Trying to break into the wrong place, that could get you hurt.”

The guy blinked, then squinted at the building like it might rearrange itself into something familiar. “Shit, sorry. I just, I thought, guess I’m lost. Damn tequila.” He let out a huff of laughter, which immediately turned into a groan.

Aaron studied him for another few seconds, making sure he wasn’t faking the intoxication, then smelled it on the guy and knew he wasn’t. “What’s your buddy’s address?”

The guy pulled out his phone and finally succeeded in unlocking it after three tries. He handed it to Aaron. The address was in the last text message. Aaron pointed to the next building and handed the guy his phone back. “That’s it.”

“Thanks, I’m going.” The guy stumbled off, muttering apologies into the humid night air.

Aaron waited until the man disappeared around the corner before turning back towards his truck.

That’s when he noticed Beth’s front door was cracked open. Her silhouette appeared, softly lit by the warm glow of the light behind her. She was barefoot, wearing a loose tee and a pair of sleep shorts. Her hair was braided and lying down her shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was hushed, a mix of surprise and irritation.

Aaron stepped into the glow of the porch light, his tone calm as he looked up at her. “I stuck around to see if the car would come back and…” He shrugged. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

Beth’s eyes searched his face, her frown easing. She glanced towards the street, then back at him. “Was that…?”

“Just a drunk tourist trying to get into the wrong place,” he said. “Nothing serious. But it woke you up. I’m sorry.”

She nodded, pulling the door open wider. “You’re not seriously planning to sit out there all night, are you?”

“I was, yeah,” he admitted.

“Well… don’t,” she said softly. “Come inside.”

Aaron climbed the stairs and stepped past her into the quiet apartment, letting the door close gently behind him.

He paused just inside the doorway. The apartment smelled faintly of lavender and something warm and comforting, maybe chamomile tea or the vanilla candle he saw sitting on the coffee table.