One Hundred Excuses (An Aspen Cove Romance Book 5) Read online

  It surprised Marina that Aiden saw all that in the short time he’d spent with her. Marina always felt Kellyn would be okay, eventually. Although her natural family treated her like a weed, Marina knew she’d grow up as pretty as a flower and as strong as an oak tree. All she needed was love and care.

  “I should check on her.”

  Aiden leaned the shovel and hoe against the fence. “Thanks for spending your morning with me. It’s been nice.” He pointed to the small building near the back of his house. “Feel free to borrow anything you need. The shed is always open. I’ll leave these here for you in case you want to work on it more.”

  She shook her head and wiped the perspiration from her forehead. “I think I’m done for the day. It’s hot, and I still have a lot of unpacking to do.”

  “Fair enough.” He gathered his tools and walked out her gate and into his yard. “I’m here if you need me for anything.”

  Was it possible for a man to be so nice? She liked to believe she was a good judge of character, but that hadn’t been true with her ex. Then again, she’d fallen in love with his daughter, not him. Somehow being so wrong about a man made something so right in her life.

  When she entered the house, she found Kellyn sitting on the Formica counter and staring out the window. She followed her line of sight straight to Aiden, who was back to working in his garden.

  “He seems like a nice man.” Marina leaned forward to watch him pluck the weeds from between the rows of vegetables.

  Kellyn climbed down and walked away.

  Chapter Four

  Aiden changed into his uniform and went to the office to check on his deputy. Mark wouldn’t be feeling up to par after having a quick bout of the stomach flu but he had a rare work ethic for a young man and wouldn’t take off more time than absolutely necessary.

  Today Aiden was happy to come in late. It gave him a chance to get to know Marina better.

  “Look who finally came to work.” Mark shifted from the big desk in the center of the room to the smaller one in the corner. “Word has it you were tilling the soil with the hottie next door.”

  “You’re worse than an old lady.”

  Mark threw his hands up. “What? I’m just telling you what I heard.”

  Aiden went to the coffeepot that was always full no matter what time of day he came in. He had Poppy Dawson to thank for that. She made sure they were fully loaded with fully leaded coffee. On the back counter was a box of muffins. “Poppy been in today?” While she only pulled a few shifts a week, she popped in frequently. Something told Aiden it had more to do with his young deputy than her love of the job or her need to make coffee.

  “She stopped by earlier.” By the blush on Mark’s face Aiden knew he was right to assume there was something going on between them.

  “Don’t let her father catch you trying to till her soil. He’s got a collection of rifles that would rival any hunter’s. Besides, I hear he’s a crack shot.”

  “Whatever. There’s nothing going on.” Mark shook his head. “She’s not my type.”

  Aiden laughed. “Why, because she bathes and smells pretty?”

  Mark frowned. “No, because she’s…” He got all flustered and plopped into the seat in front of him. “Oh hell, because she’s way too good for me.”

  Aiden took his coffee to his desk and sat on the edge looking at the young man in front of him. He’d only known Mark a few years, but he was a good kid. Raised by a single mother, he’d no doubt missed out on the fatherly advice every young man should receive.

  Aiden took a sip of coffee and set the cup on his desk. “My father always told me to find a woman I didn’t deserve and then rise to the occasion to make myself worthy of her.”

  Mark looked out the window like he was looking for Poppy. “I want to be that man, but look at me. I’m a deputy sheriff. I make just above the poverty level, and I’ve got nothing to offer her.”

  Aiden hated sounding like a damn chick flick but the message seemed right. “Offer her your heart. That’s all most women want.”

  He seemed to chew on that for a few minutes. “What about you, Coop? You going to hook up with the divorcée?”

  “Who?” He played stupid.

  Mark leaned back in his chair. “Marina. Word on the street is she’s recently divorced. Bad marriage and all. Took the kid and ran.”

  “Ran?” That sounded awful. Sounded dangerous, but with how skittish she was added to the fear that clouded her daughter’s eyes, it sounded about right. “Is she in danger?”

  “Not sure.” He opened his drawer and took out a piece of paper that had the name Marina Caswell at the top right under the words “restraining order.”

  Aiden took the page from his hands and stared at the name. “Holy shit, she’s a Caswell.” That changed a lot of things. He wondered if he should reach out to Chief Caswell in Copper Creek. He didn’t much care for the man. He was all boastfulness and blunder. Kind of like a comic strip cop on steroids. “How’d you get this?”

  Mark looked at the ceiling as if the answer would come from above. “Well, seeing as you were her neighbor and all, I figured you’d want to know as much about her as possible.” He opened his drawer again and pulled out a file on Marina. “I ran a check on her.”

  “You what?” It wasn’t like Aiden hadn’t wanted to do the same. He had, but he was trying to do the right thing. “You overstepped your boundaries. You can’t run a check on someone just because.” He held out his hand. “Give me that.” As Mark was about to give it to him, Aiden dropped his hand. “No…put it in the shred pile. We will not be using city resources to spy on our neighbors.”

  Mark rose and placed the folder on top of the shred pile. “Just trying to help, boss.”

  “You want to help? Go over to the diner and get us both the special.” He took out his wallet and pulled out a twenty to hand to Mark.

  He waited until Mark rounded the corner to grab the folder from the pile. There was no use wasting good information. If confronted about it, he could honestly say he hadn’t asked for the details. They had simply shown up.

  He took another glance out the window to make sure he wouldn’t get his hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar. The first page was simple information. Marina Caswell was thirty. She’d been married once to Craig Caswell who ran the Copper Creek Zoning Commission. His father was the mayor of Copper Creek. His brother was the DA for the town. Nothing happened in Copper Creek unless it passed the desk of a Caswell.

  He lifted the restraining order to see who it was filed against. He dropped it when he saw the name Craig Caswell and the reason being domestic violence.

  Nothing made him angrier than a cowardly man. In his mind, only a coward would hit a woman or a child. That she could get a restraining order said something about the extent of the problem. There was no way the Caswells would have allowed it to be filed if she didn’t have something major on them.

  He was bent over picking up the paper when the bell on the door rang. The smell of fried chicken wafted through the air, meaning Mark was back with lunch. Not wanting to be caught snooping, Aiden gathered the pages and shoved them into his side drawer. He rushed from his seat to take the container Mark offered.

  The young deputy looked to the shred pile and smiled. “You sure you don’t want to look through the information I compiled?”

  Aiden picked up the buttermilk biscuit from his to-go box and flung it at Mark’s head. “Are you sure you want to stay employed?”

  Mark brushed the crumbs from his tan shirt and laughed. “She really is pretty,” he said before he shoved the broken biscuit into his mouth.

  “You better be talking about Poppy Dawson, young man. You might have a chance with her if you learn to use utensils and chew your food.” The two men sat in silence. By the look on Mark’s face, he was thinking about Poppy. He had that soft look all men got when they had a crush on a girl. Well…all men before they found their girl in bed with someone else. From that point on their l
ook was tinged with distrust. He knew that look well. He wore it like a badge and had seen it on Marina’s face both times he approached her.

  He finished his meal and picked up his keys. “I’m heading out. I’ll check in later. I’ve got some stuff to take care of in Copper Creek.”

  Marks eyes grew wide. “You’re not visiting the Caswells, are you?”

  While that sounded like a good plan, it wasn’t his. “Nope. I’ve got more tilling of the soil to do, and I need supplies. Besides, I had to pull a double yesterday so you owe me.” Aiden held up his cell phone. “Call if you need anything.”

  He hadn’t felt like this in years. Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he snuck into Marina’s yard well after midnight.

  Was this how his friends Wes and Lydia felt when they were lurking around the neighborhood to TP trees and steal yard gnomes? He’d been their first victim but not their last. He had to give them credit. They’d taken shenanigans to a whole new level. Who thought vandalism and theft could be a good thing, but it was because they’d held people’s yard art as hostages and traded them for favors and donations to those less fortunate.

  As Aiden snuck into Marina and Kellyn’s backyard with his shovel and hoe, all he had in mind was putting a smile on both their faces. He’d raided the outdoor store in Copper Creek and bought all the plants he could fit in the back of his cruiser. While seeds were good, high altitude gardening was a different beast. The growing season was far too short to start this late. The only way they would see the fruits of their labor was to start with seedlings.

  He’d waited for the lights to go off in the house before he began the arduous task of planting their garden by moonlight.

  His first job was to create a space just for Kellyn. She’d already picked out her plot and started digging with a kitchen spoon. It was adorable the way she’d buried the stems of the daisies he’d given her as if they would magically grow. While he was at the garden center, he thought, Why not bring her a little magic? There was no reason those flowers couldn’t grow overnight, so he bought several varieties of daisies and planted them in the exact place Kellyn had stuck her wilted stems.

  Once that was taken care of, he went to work on the rest. Hours later, he stood back and looked at his accomplishments. His back ached and the beginning of blisters rose on his hands but he’d never felt better.

  He’d broken the law. He’d trespassed. He’d altered private property. He’d turned neglected, fallow land into something wonderful. He’d do it again if it brought a smile to Marina and Kellyn’s faces.

  He had no idea why it mattered so much to him. Could be that he was bored. Might be he was lonely. Most likely it was because Marina Caswell and her daughter intrigued him.

  He showered and climbed into bed feeling like he’d moved mountains when in reality it was just a few wheelbarrows of dirt.

  He thought about his father before he closed his eyes. How lucky was he to have such a good role model? By the time Aiden was ten, he knew his father’s requirements for being a good man.

  Be honorable.

  Be a gentleman.

  Admit when you’re wrong.

  Have an opinion, but respect others’ rights to have one as well.

  Know when to fight and when to back down.

  Know how to complete a task. Deviate by choice, not by ignorance.

  Take care of yourself and your property.

  Stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

  Always strive to be a better man.

  You’re only as good as the woman standing beside you. Choose your mate wisely.

  That was his one failure so far. Next time he fell in love, he’d be smarter. He needed to find a woman willing to treat a relationship like a garden. She needed to be willing to till the soil, to plant seeds of opportunity and love, and to water the friendship and watch it grow into more.

  Marina’s face came to mind. Could she be the one?

  Chapter Five

  Marina stood at the kitchen sink with her mouth wide open. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. She even leaned forward until the window hit her forehead, certain she’d been sleepwalking or dreaming. When her face touched the sun-warmed glass, she knew it was real.

  Perfect rows of fruits and vegetables reached for the early morning sunshine. She scanned the garden and knew without a doubt she’d been given the greatest gift.

  “Kellyn,” she called. “Sweetie. Come here.”

  Dragging Mrs. Beasley by the arm, Kellyn padded into the kitchen wearing her pink popsicle pajamas and a look of confusion.

  Marina swept her off her feet and hugged her to her chest. “Look.” She pointed out the window at the newly planted garden. “Look at your daisies. They grew.” Her daughter’s eyes opened wide with surprise. “Get dressed. We need to go look.”

  The only time Kellyn moved quickly was when she was running from something, so to see her leave her precious doll in the center of the floor and race to her room made Marina’s heart swell with joy.

  She was back in less than a minute wearing a mismatch of colors. No one could tell her that plaid shorts weren’t the perfect match for her polka dotted shirt. It didn’t matter that she had two different colored socks on, or her shoes were on the wrong feet, Kellyn was ready to conquer this day and she was doing it with a smile.

  They stepped out the back door and raced to the garden.

  Off to her right, Marina saw movement. She turned to see Aiden Cooper lean against the fence. The damn man wasn’t even dressed. All he wore was a pair of low-slung sweatpants. His chest was bare, as were his feet. She wasn’t sure which was a more beautiful sight—the tiny little plants in her garden or the broad-chested man standing so close she could almost reach out and touch the dusting of hair that led to a trail disappearing beneath his elastic waistband.

  “Can I look at your garden?” His smile was almost as broad as his chest.

  “Yes, come on over.” Marina stepped to where Kellyn leaned over to smell her daisies. “You wouldn’t happen to know a garden fairy, would you?”

  Aiden hoisted himself over the four-foot fence with ease. “No, I’m as surprised as you.” His eyes danced with delight. “It must be Kellyn who brought the magic with her.”

  Kellyn glanced up from her flowers with a look of wonder and awe. Marina hadn’t seen that look on her face—ever.

  “Hey, Kellyn, how did you get your flowers to grow so fast?” Aided asked. “Did you sprinkle magic dust on them?”

  Her sweet daughter stared at the flowers and then looked at Aiden before she shook her head. That she acknowledged his question was huge. She didn’t respond to many people and never to men.

  “They’re beautiful, just like you and your mommy.”

  Marina didn’t feel beautiful. She felt rough and worn out, like she’d lived a thousand years in the past two. She brushed her fingers through her hair, having forgotten that she’d also just gotten out of bed. To her horror she felt the knots give as she combed through the mess.

  Dressed in sleep shorts and a tank, she was at least decent but nowhere near beautiful. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt remotely pretty.

  “I’m a wreck,” she said.

  “I think you look lovely.” He took her in from her messy hair to her dime-store rubber flip-flops.

  His eyes had dark circles under them, but there was no hint of deception. “You look like you’ve been up all night gardening,” she whispered, so she wouldn’t spoil the magic for Kellyn. She couldn’t help the smile that stretched her lips. No one had ever done anything so kind for her.

  “Me? Nope, I leave the midnight gardening to the fairies.”

  Marina glanced at the garden and back at Aiden. It must have taken him hours to plant everything, and the money he’d spent made her heart race.

  “This is maybe the best thing that’s ever happened to us.” She leaned over and brushed her fingers across the strawberry plant leaves. It was t
oo much for a stranger to give. “I don’t have a lot of money.” It was embarrassing for her to admit she had nothing. “I can try to pay you back over time.”

  She watched his brow furrow and his lips stretch thin. While she hated her unconscious reaction to step back, she knew it would take time to retrain herself.

  “Like I said, I don’t know who your fairy is, but I’m pleased that you’re happy with the work.”

  She turned back to the garden. Kellyn had plucked a purple daisy from her new plant and walked toward her. Marina held out her hand, expecting her daughter to give her a flower. Only she didn’t. Kellyn walked past Marina and handed the flower to Aiden.

  “Oh my God, you don’t understand what a gift that is.”

  Aiden squatted down so he was eye to eye with Kellyn. “Thank you, beautiful. I’ve never had anyone give me a flower before. This is so special.” He moved forward to pat her head, but she dashed out of his reach.

  Aiden’s smile faltered for a second but was back in place when he stood. “I just made a fresh pot of coffee, would you like a cup?”

  While Marina wanted to say yes, she’d already promised Kellyn another trip to the bakery. “Can I have a raincheck? We have a date with a cranberry orange muffin.”

  Aiden nodded and jumped back over the fence. “I can’t compete with that.”

  Marina laughed. “You just did.” She risked everything to lean over and give him a quick hug. It was a simple gesture but one that made her heart beat fast and hard. “Thanks for making us feel welcome.” She looked over her shoulder at everything he’d done. “I’m going to be the best gardener on the block.”

  He laughed. “Hey now, don’t make me call the garden fairies over to get rid of the competition.”

  She laughed. It felt wonderful to really laugh. “Okay, I’ll settle for second best.”

  He leaned forward and whispered, “No, don’t you ever settle for less again. You deserve more.” He turned and walked away.