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He was dressed in a suit again, the dark wool complimenting his warm complexion. His tie was loose, his top button unfastened, and his sunglasses were pushed on his head.
“Speak of the devil and he will appear,” Ember said under her breath.
But he didn’t look like a devil. He looked glorious. There weren’t many men who could carry a suit off as well as he did. There weren’t many men who could carry casual off like Aiden, either. Brooke tried to calm her racing heart, annoyed at herself for the way she reacted to him.
He was Nick’s uncle. That was all.
“Hey.” He looked bemused to see them both staring up at him. “Everything okay?”
“Hi.” Brooke smiled at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve got a meeting with Nate. We’re talking about opening a Coastal Café in the resort.” Aiden glanced inside the coffee shop. “I thought I’d come over here instead of him coming to the resort since they’re so busy.” He looked around the deck. “Is Nick here?”
“He’s on the beach with a friend.”
Aiden followed her gaze. His entire stance seemed to relax when he saw the two of them building a sandcastle. “I’ll say hi on my way out.” He turned to Ember. “Hey, how are you doing?”
“I’m good.” She shaded her eyes from the sun as she looked up at him. “And you?”
“Yeah, great.” He looked totally at ease as he stood there, talking to her friend. As though he was another one of the gang. Brooke felt her heart ache at the thought – she wanted him to be exactly that.
Slowly, he turned to look at Brooke, blinking when he realized she was staring straight at him. And there was a fizzing in the air again. A frisson of excitement only the two of them could feel.
“Are you and Nick free tomorrow?” he asked her.
“Um, yeah. I think so.” She bit the corner of her lip, trying to stop her blush from deepening. Over his shoulder she could see Ember smiling widely. “I’m pretty much unpacked, and I’m not due at the shelter until Monday.”
“Great, I’ll pick you guys up at nine. Wear layers, it could get cold out there.”
“Out where?”
He shook his head, grinning. “It’s a surprise.”
“For me or for Nick?” She met his gaze, feeling a smile break out on her face, mirroring his. “Because I promise not to tell.”
“For both of you. Be ready at nine, I’ll do the rest.” He glanced at his expensive silver watch. “I’d better go. I’m already late for Nate. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
She nodded, trying to ignore the excitement in her stomach. “Okay.”
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Her breath caught in her throat as he stepped back. She couldn’t help but lift her hand to her face, feeling the hot skin burning beneath her palm.
He walked into the coffee shop, the door tinkling behind him. Brooke stared through the window, watching as he walked toward the counter where Nate was waiting for him. The two of them smiled at each other as they shook hands. Brooke watched as the movement pulled his shirt tight across his back, revealing the strength of his muscles. She had to work hard not t
o sigh.
“Nothing going on at all between you two, huh?” Ember said. “Let’s see how long that lasts."
* * *
Aiden closed his laptop down and drank the last dregs of coffee, not noticing it was only lukewarm. While he was working the sun had set, only a thin line of light remained on the horizon, as the day lost its battle against the encroaching night.
He lifted his hand to the bridge of his nose, pinching it to try and relieve the pressure in his head. Ever since his meeting with Mark Johnson there had been a persistent ache in his temples, and neither painkillers nor sleep seemed to ease it. There was that feeling in the pit of his stomach, too, and it always seemed to get worse whenever his brother’s name was mentioned.
Jamie. The thought of him touching Brooke – beautiful, perfect Brooke – felt like a knife jabbing at his skin. Where Brooke had always felt like the sunshine of his life, Jamie had been the darkness, casting a shadow over everything. For all his life he’d believed they were in completely separate compartments, never coming close to each other.
How wrong he’d been.
The girl he should never have fallen for and the brother he couldn’t stand. And now there was Nick to think about, too.
