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“Hi. I’m Luna. We’ve, um, been corresponding…?”
Nice one, Luna. So smooth. Real cute way to talk about promising to marry someone.
Aiden nods and walks slowly down the cabin steps, his hands tucked loosely in his pockets. Even though it’s barely dawn, he looks as sharp as if he’s been up for hours. There’s a splash of yellow paint on the corner of his gray shirt.
He doesn’t invite me inside or try to touch me. He knows already, doesn’t he? Heknows.
That makes this easier, and so much worse. Because if Aiden McRae can take one look at me and see how far gone I am for Griff, the other man must sense it too, right? And he still brought me here. He hasn’t said anything.
“It’s okay.” The tortured sound of Aiden’s voice makes me jerk, and I smooth away my surprise as fast as I can. It’s like there are broken rocks in his throat, scraping together, and it soundspainful. “You don’t have to explain. I can see you’ve changed your mind.”
There’s something resigned to this man. Like he’s been holding onto a last shred of hope, fighting off a wave of bitterness, and now… now it might just engulf him.
Well, I’m the worst.
“I’m so sorry,” I rush to say. “I meant my promise, I swear I did, and I was on my way here, but then I met someone and…”
Yeah. Pretty obvious who thatsomeoneis.
“Nothing happened,” I finish lamely. “And maybe nothing will, but I have to at least try. I hope you can understand. I keep thinking that it must be… must be fate.”
Aiden McRae, the man who offered me a new life in the mountains, nods slowly. He strokes one hand over his copper-flecked beard.
“Fate,” he murmurs. “Sounds nice.”
“Yeah.” I force a nervous smile, because this is the most awkward conversation of my life, and believe me, I’ve found myself in some stinkers. We’re saved by the crunch of Griff’s boots coming back through the trees, and I smile wider, trying to hide my relief. “Okay. Well. It was good to meet you, Aiden. Sorry again.”
Another nod. Another stroke of his beard, then Aiden watches Griff approach with a thoughtful expression.
“Alright.” Griff won’t look at me when he reaches the truck. He tugs the driver’s side door open, a shower of fallen pine needles sliding off the roof onto the hard dirt below. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to get acquainted.”
My stomach drops. He really doesn’t care? I just threw all my plans out the window for him, and he wants me to getacquaintedwith another man?
“We changed our minds,” Aiden says quietly, his low, rough voice cutting through the morning air. And though he’s basically a stranger, I could kiss him for not ratting me out and telling Griff everything. He’s watching me now with those knowing green eyes, and there’s a glint of something there. Something like pity. Ugh. “Will you drive Luna back? Or should I take her down to town?”
Griff glances at my suitcase and sewing machine already ratchet strapped in his truck bed, as thoughthat’sthe deciding factor. God, I hate this so much. Do they have to be so freaking practical about everything? Makes me want to pull out my own hair.
“I’ll take her,” Griff says at last. I press my lips in a firm line, my insides crashing together. I’m having some kind of internal earthquake, and this jerk is chatting like we’re talking about the weather. “Save you the trip.”
Bleurgh.
“Thanks.” Aiden’s already climbing the steps to his cabin, not looking back at either of us. Can’t blame him. “Safe travels. And Luna?” He pauses on the deck, one hand on the rail as he glances over his shoulder. “Maybe see you around.”
Griff’s attention zooms in on me again, fast as lightning. Whatever. I stomp round to the truck door and yank it open. Hey, if there’s nothing between us, if hemight as welldrive me down to Cloudy Lake to save the other man a trip, then there is zero chance of me explaining Aiden’s comment. He can grow old wondering about it.
Or, you know, forget it within twenty minutes of dropping me off at the bus station. Seems more likely.
* * *
“What did he mean back there?”
Griff’s hands are tight on the wheel. We’re bouncing back along the rocky path, seat belts snapping and straining to hold us in place, and it’s a golden morning out there now. Sunshine filters through the branches, and the sky is vivid blue.
I shrug. “Dunno.”
“Luna.” Griff sounds ready to toss me out the window, his exasperation thick in his deep voice. Well, I’m not his biggest fan either right now. “What did Aiden mean when he said he might see you around? Are you staying in Cloudy Lake? Are you two going to… date?”
He says that last word like it tastes sour on his tongue.
