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Aria and Carmella shoved open the door to the porch to air out the old house, then set to work on a list of things to do to get the place back in shape. The first thing was obvious: the interior needed to be cleaned, and the old wood needed to be removed. Probably, a handyman needed to be hired to take out the entire back porch and build a new one.
“All in good time,” Carmella said excitedly.
Aria laughed, genuinely pleased with the old place. She pointed out from the porch at the beach and said, “We need to clear some of those trees, as well. This could be a spectacular view, but it’s all boxed in.”
Carmella nodded. “Write down ‘call a tree guy.’”
Aria did so, amazed at the length of the list already. “I’m going to ask Cole to come over to help me clear some of the debris,” she said.
“Oh, honey. You don’t have to do that.”
“We want to,” Aria said, her heart lifting. She liked nothing more than spending long, easy hours with Cole, working toward something together. That’s what it had been like out on the boat as they’d sailed down to Savannah, and she’d prayed those days would last forever.
Not long afterward, Carmella had to head home to care for Georgia so Cody could return to work. Cole was already on his way, so Aria remained on the porch that was meant to overlook the water, her ears craning for the first sign of Cole’s car.
“Hello?” Cole’s voice bounced through the old cottage as he entered, and Aria burst to her feet to greet him. Through the shadows, Cole emerged, his smile enormous. “Is this place even real?”
Aria laughed and hurried through the living room, careful not to trip on anything, before she reached him and hugged him. It was rare that she listened to her body’s needs like that and allowed herself such seamless pleasure. Their hug went on a little too long before they broke it and smiled at one another.
They got started, unafraid to get their hands dirty. Bit by bit, they cleared the debris from the living room, the bedroom, and the kitchen, listening to the speaker Cole had brought that played their favorite songs. Very soon, Aria worked up a sweat, then watched as Cole worked easily, his shirt wet with sweat.
After three hours of hard work, Aria and Cole sat on the back porch with two cans of beer and leaned against the house's stone wall, listening to the water. A huge pile of trash and debris sat on the other side of the house, which they would only add to tomorrow.
“I can’t believe this place,” Cole admitted, then sipped his beer.
Aria nodded. “This woman had this whole entire life and this whole entire affair, all before you were ever born.”
“She died, too,” Cole reminded her. “And my entire life, all anybody ever said about her was how kind and good she was. Well, that’s how my mom talks about her, at least.”
“Carmella mentioned Elsa isn’t too happy about the cottage.”
Cole grimaced. “I didn’t tell her I was coming over to help clean it out.”
Aria placed her head on Cole’s shoulder. Why did it seem easier, sometimes, to keep secrets from those you loved?
“This place will be something special by the end of the summer,” Aria affirmed. “I can just imagine it.”
“You think Carmella and Cody will want to move out here?”
“I don’t know!” Aria smiled, imagining little Georgia running along the porch in a few years’ time. “It was her mother’s refuge. Maybe it could serve as that for Carmella, as well.”
“Then again, Carmella doesn’t have anything to run away from,” Cole reminded her.
“I guess we don’t know that,” Aria pointed out. “Every woman needs a few secrets and a place to be herself completely.”
“Do you have secrets, Aria Baldwin?”
“What a silly question. I have plenty.” Aria shoved him gently with her elbow as Cole laughed.
Cole and Aria sat quietly for a moment, as though they both stirred in stories they couldn’t possibly say aloud. Aria burned with desire to kiss him, then watched the moment pass by again.
“I have a question,” Cole said.
“Okay. Ask away.”
“Have you spoken to your mother at all about what we learned in Savannah?”
Aria shook her head. “No.”
