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“I’m going to go have a little chat. I’ll catch up with you later.” She patted me on the back and marched toward Aiden like she had found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and didn’t want anyone to beat her to it.
I don’t consider myself nosey. Usually, I take the information I get and sometimes don’t even want that. However, the exchange with Lisa piqued my interest worse than any curious cat. I stuffed my lip gloss in my clutch, and made my way to one of the tables near the bar. I could use a refill on my champagne anyway.
I leaned against the high top table and pretended to check the messages on my phone. I couldn’t care less if I had an unanswered email, but I needed a lame cover for my eavesdropping. I parked myself there while Lisa pulled Aiden to the side of the bar.
From what I could hear, she was delivering news Aiden wasn’t prepared for. I had already missed the introductions.
“I know you don’t know me well, honey—you’ve never met me—but I knew your father and I loved that man. Everyone on this island loved that man.”
Aiden huffed. He wasn’t interested in her praise of his dad.
“So, you’ve got to put an end to this demolition business. He would be furious if he knew you were going after Cole the way you are. It’s shameful. Just isn’t right what you’re doing to such a good man. It’s not his fault he didn’t know about you.”
Aiden lips pursed together. “Ma’am, I know you mean well, but you don’t know what’s going on. You don’t know me, and you certainly don’t know anything about my relationship with my father.” He tried to skirt around her, but Lisa held her ground.
“You’re not listening to me. I did know him. I knew him very well in fact. We were friends for years, both having businesses on the island together, living here, raising families here.” She sighed. “And he told me about you.”
“What? You knew about me?” Aiden’s voice softened, and I strained to hear his words.
“Honey, your father wanted to bring you and your mother to the island. He was trying to figure out a way to make it work with Cole and the business. Your mother didn’t want to move, and I think they weren’t able to get past that. Sounded like they drifted apart and so many years passed and then she died. But he was still determined to get you here even though by then you were an adult. It was really his dream. He told me so many times how proud he was of you. How he was going to make things right.”
I didn’t know if Aiden was so quiet I couldn’t hear his reply, or if Lisa had stunned him into silence. Finally, I heard the low drawl of his words.
“Lisa, I appreciate you telling me this, but it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t fit with the man who didn’t raise me. It’s not the same story my mother told me.”
“Honey, it’s true. Maybe one day, when you’re a father yourself, you’ll see how complicated it is to raise children. And I’m not saying Mitchell didn’t get himself in a mess having an affair, but it didn’t mean he didn’t love you. He wanted you to know it; he just wasn’t big on words. And the man was a little stubborn. I think that runs in the Thomas genes.”
“But he left the Dune Scape to Cole. It was the only thing he had in this life, and he left it to him.”
“Now, Aiden, I’ve heard a little something about you. You’ve done real well for yourself. Real well.” Lisa paused. “Aren’t you a successful businessman, driving a fancy car, traveling all around, money in your bank account?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Aiden was quiet. I had never heard him decline an opportunity to talk about his successes.
“It might not be how you wanted it, and it might have hurt, but Mitchell wasn’t stupid man. I think your father knew who needed help and who didn’t.”
I hadn’t looked at my phone in a few minutes and I was completely focused on the exchange, if anyone saw me now I would be busted. I was stunned by Lisa’s confession about Pops. Did Aiden’s mother give him bad information all of those years? Did her relationship go sour and she pinned it all on Pops?
“Lisa, it was a pleasure to meet you. I’ve got a beautiful girl waiting on me.” He kissed her on the cheek and weaved through the crowd back to Mary Ellen.
I held my breath, waiting for Lisa to rejoin the party. I didn’t know if what she told Aiden would make a difference, if he even cared about it, but if I were him, I would need a stiff drink and a walk on the beach to figure it all out.
27
Kaitlyn
Cole was able to slow dance as long as he didn’t put too much pressure on his leg. We swayed to the music, my head resting against his chest. I loved being close to him like this. The lights started to flicker, and I could see the country club staff closing in from all sides. It was after midnight, and they were ready for us to go. I couldn’t blame them. It was late.
Reluctantly, the guests filed out of the main entrance of the ballroom and into the circular drive of the club. A few seconds later, Sasha came bounding down the steps in a short cocktail dress, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Cal scooped her in his arms and lowered her over the side of the car into the passenger seat.
“Y’all behave tonight!” someone hollered over the laughter.
“I don’t think so,” Cal called back from the steering wheel, revving the engine a few times. Sasha slapped him on the chest, but she was clearly happy. Her cheeks were pink, and she hadn’t stopped smiling all night.
I saw Sasha’s mother dab at her eyes a few times while her father held her next to him. Watching their first daughter drive off into married life must have been a bittersweet moment for them.
Cole and I waved as the car pulled out of the drive. Sasha and Cal would be on their way to their St. Croix honeymoon tomorrow. Tonight, they had the bridal suite at the Wave Oasis, a gift from Sasha’s boss.
Everyone milled around for a few seconds, drinking bottled water. No one was ready to go home. Nights like that were hard to leave.
