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Brooke took a deep breath. “I’m not going to stop my parents from seeing him. He loves them and they love him. It’s me who’s mad at them, not him. I’ll message her tomorrow, but only to talk about him. Everything else is off the table until I cool off.”
“Mom, can we go now?” Nick ran out of the guest room with his swimshorts on. “I want to swim before it gets dark.”
Brooke grinned, her eyes shining with love. “Of course, sweetheart,” she said. “Give me two minutes, okay?”
It was time to relax and have fun with her son and forget about her problems for a while. Yes, she was practically homeless and no, she wasn’t speaking to her parents, but at least she and Nick had each other.
Everything else could wait until another day.
* * *
The construction site lay silent as the day was drawing to an end. Aiden walked up the steps to the trailer office, intending to finish up his emails for the night and head home for some long-awaited rest. Not that he’d been sleeping much recently. His mind was too full of Brooke’s revelations and his brand new relationship with his nephew to do that. A glass of something alcoholic and a plate full of pasta would work wonders. Even if it was bound to be past nine in the evening before he ate it.
“I’ve been calling you,” his secretary said as he walked into the main reception. “There’s somebody here to see you. You didn’t answer your phone.”
He pulled it from his pocket. Dead. The battery was on its way out, it wasn’t holding a charge at all.
“Who is it?” Aiden asked, glancing at the clock. It was almost seven. “And you should head home, I’m only going to be here for a few minutes longer. Your family must be wondering where you are.”
She leaned forward as though she didn’t want to be heard. “It’s Martin Newton, of Newton Pharmaceuticals.” Her eyes widened, as though it was a big deal. “I didn’t want to leave until you got here. I told him I had no idea when you’d be back, but he insisted on waiting.”
Aiden followed her gaze to the closed door of his office. A strange sensation washed over him. It wasn’t that he was afraid – he’d long since stopped fearing the influence Brooke’s father exerted. He might have been a big deal in Angel Sands, but in the wider world he was nobody. It had taken Aiden a while to realize that. Even longer to face the ghosts of his past and understand the only person who had power over him was himself.
He wasn’t a kid anymore. Martin Newton couldn’t hurt him.
“You can go home,” Aiden said, smiling at her even though it took some effort. “I’ll speak with Martin and leave right after.”
He didn’t have to ask twice. His secretary was standing and grabbing her purse before he could take a second breath. “I’ll be in early tomorrow,” she told him. “We have a delivery, remember? Plus Mr. Carter’s arranged a meeting for seven.”
Of course he had. Old Man Carter found it hard to sleep these days, and had a tough time understanding that other people could. A six A.M. meeting wasn’t unheard of.
Aiden rolled his shoulders and his neck, releasing the tension there. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t been expecting this. Ten years ago, Martin Newton had told them in no uncertain words they shouldn’t come back to town. Ever. And he was a man who hated to be disobeyed.
The man standing in the corner of his office turned around. He didn’t look very different to how Aiden remembered him. Still held himself ramrod straight, with eyes that seemed to drill right through your skin. His hair was a lighter silver, his face more lined, but those were the only physical changes Aiden could discern.
“Martin.” No more Mr. Newtons from him. Those had disappeared along with his childhood. “I wasn’t expecting you. You’re lucky I’m still here.”
Martin stared at him for a moment. Not because he was lost for words nor because he wanted time to regroup. Aiden understood the man more than he realized. He always liked to have the advantage and Aiden had stolen it from him by walking in with an agenda. Martin was working out how to swap their roles.
“Sit down,” Martin said, gesturing at the chair.
“After you, please.” Aiden turned to the refrigerator plugged in by the door. “Can I get you a drink?” he asked. “Water, soda, or I can make you some coffee.”
“I don’t want a drink. What I have to say won’t take long.”
Aiden turned back to look at Martin. He hadn’t sat down. He was still standing exactly where he’d been ever since Aiden had walked in. “I want to talk to you about my daughter.”
“I don’t think the
re’s anything to say. You said enough the last time I saw you, and nothing’s changed since.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You leaving town was the best thing that could have happened. You shouldn’t have come back.” Martin placed his hands flat on Aiden’s desk, leaning forward. “This place has been perfectly fine for years. But then you walk back in and everything goes to hell. You tell lies to my daughter, you make her leave home with my grandson—”
“Wait. What?” Aiden frowned. “Brooke’s left?”
“As if you didn’t know. You probably told her to do it. She always was easily persuaded, especially by an asshole like you.”
Aiden opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again sharply. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he sure wasn’t going to say anything without speaking to Brooke first.
