One Hundred Excuses (An Aspen Cove Romance Book 5) Page 4

  She stood there for a few minutes wondering what he knew about her. Kellyn tugged on her hand and gave the sign that she was hungry. She might not speak, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t communicate.

  They arrived at the bakery to find Katie looking frazzled. She jostled an unhappy baby in her hands while she tried to fill the display case.

  Marina sat Kellyn at a nearby table and rushed to help. “You want me to take the baby or fill the display case?”

  Katie looked at her fussy baby and smiled. “I could use a minute break.” She passed Sahara off to Marina and plated up a few muffins. “She’s teething, and I swear she waits until she’s with me to get cranky.” Katie came around the counter to where Marina sat bouncing Sahara on her lap and Kellyn took out her crayons and coloring book. “She was a perfect angel for Bowie.” Her daughter reached for Kellyn’s hair and happily cooed. “Traitor.”

  “You’re not a traitor, are you? You just wanted some variety.” A string of drool dripped from the baby’s mouth to Marina’s T-shirt.

  “You’ll be a mess when you leave.” Katie took a napkin from the holder and wiped Sahara’s chin, which only made her fuss louder. “I give up.”

  “Do you ever get a break?”

  “Sure, my friend Sage will take her from time to time, and my in-laws Maisey and Ben are amazing, but the days are tough, especially when the sitter calls in sick like today. I don’t like to have her in the bakery so close to the ovens and mixer. It’s not a safe place for a baby.”

  Sahara fussed until Marina turned her around to face Kellyn. They seemed to connect in some odd silent way. Both little girls reached out to each other and touched fingers. Sahara squealed with delight.

  “Where’s your husband?” She’d noticed the Bait and Tackle Shop was closed for the day.

  “He went to Silver Springs to pick up supplies. Big fishing season and he was out of bait. Not good for the only bait shop within miles.”

  The timer on the oven went off and Katie rushed to take the brownies out while Marina picked at the muffins she had brought them.

  “Chocolate milk?” Katie called to Kellyn over the counter.

  Remarkably, Kellyn nodded. While Marina had worried that staying this close to Copper Creek was a risk because it put her and Kellyn within reach of Craig, it might have been a good move after all. In just a few days, Kellyn had relaxed and let her guard down.

  “We aren’t doing much this afternoon. I know you don’t know me well, but I can take her home with me, and you can pick her up after the bakery closes.” Marina looked at how well Kellyn and Sahara were getting on. They seemed spellbound by one another. “It would help me too because Kellyn seems enamored with your little sprite.”

  Katie chewed on her lip for a second. “That would be great. I’ve got a huge muffin order to make, and I had no idea how I would get it done.”

  “It’s a deal then.”

  “A deal if you let me pay you. I would pay for the sitter, anyway.”

  While Marina could use the money, she shook her head. “You already paid me with your friendship.”

  Katie rushed behind the counter to do more stocking. “My friendship is free as well as those muffins. You’re a godsend.”

  Marina waited for Kellyn to finish her chocolate milk and muffin before they got Sahara’s car seat and diaper bag and went home. She put a soft comforter in the center of the living room floor and placed little Sahara on top. Kellyn took her place beside the baby.

  She watched her daughter look after the baby like Sahara was hers. She even let her give her a bottle when the baby seemed to tire. An hour later both girls were lying side-by-side, sound asleep.

  Would she ever have the chance to have a baby of her own? She never felt as if Kellyn wasn’t hers. She’d taken over full-time mothering from the moment they met, but she wondered what it would feel like to have the child of a man she loved growing inside her. To feel it move with a life force created by two people in love.

  She was caught up in her daydream when a soft knock sounded from the door. On the doorstep she found a tired but content-looking Katie. In her hands was a bakery box filled with muffins.

  She led her into the kitchen where she made her a cup of tea.

  “Wow,” Katie said, looking out the window. “You’ve been busy.”

  Marina could feel the heat of her blush. “No, it would seem that I moved next door to the garden fairy.”

  “Aiden planted your garden?”

  Marina shrugged. “It would seem so. He’s not confessing, but he’s the only one who could have done it. The question is why?” She’d pondered that question while the girls took their nap. In fact, Aiden Cooper had consumed much of her thoughts the entire day.

  “He’s not the kind of man to have a motive. He’s just a good man.”

  “I’ve not met many of them.” She took two cups of tea into the living room so they could keep an eye on the girls in case they stirred.

  “There are more good ones out there than people would make you believe.” Katie sipped her tea and hummed. “I also feel like you have to challenge men to be better.”

  It took everything for Marina not to choke on her tea. “Challenging my ex brought me a lot of trouble.”

  Katie pointed toward Aiden’s house. “He’s not your ex. Don’t make him pay the price for that,” she whispered, “asshole’s sins.”

  “You’re right.” She was right. It was part of Marina’s new not-a-victim-but-a-victor mantra. Everyone deserved a chance. Innocent until proven otherwise.

  “Looks like you’re getting all settled in.”

  There wasn’t much in her house. Kellyn and she had the basics. She’d get more when she could. “It’s a work in progress. I’ll fix it up.” While the place was in good shape, the paint had yellowed and the floor had dulled, but it was a roof over their heads. “Know anyone who can use a haircut, perm, or color? I’ll need to find work soon if we’re going to stay. While this place is great, it comes with rent, utilities, and maintenance costs.”

  Katie laughed. “And a fairy garden.”

  “Yes, there is that.”

  “So…about Aiden. Do you think he’s cute?”

  Chapter Six

  “Do you think she’s cute?” Wes asked as Aiden followed him around The Guild Creative Center. Because the building had once belonged to his ancestors, it was Wes’s pride and joy. He loved to show it off to anyone who would take the time for a tour. They walked inside the building that would eventually house artists of every type. Only weeks ago it was drywall and sawdust, but today it looked more like a museum waiting for a masterpiece.

  Aiden made it a point to show up all over town, especially since there was an influx of workers moving to Aspen Cove. More importantly, he loved to support his friends that were making a difference.

  “Do I think who’s cute?” He knew exactly who Wes referred to. Hell, the whole town had Marina and him walking down the aisle already, and she’d been in town less than a week. Planting her garden had been the right thing to do, but it sure got tongues wagging.

  “Marina Caswell, you idiot.”

  “She’s easy on the eyes.” Marina Caswell was gorgeous with her long brown hair and eyes the color of a clear summer sky.

  “So you like her.”

  Aiden ignored the question and walked into what used to be a wide-open warehouse. “When will this be done?”

  Wes walked ahead of him. “Good deflection, but we’re coming back to the subject of your neighbor in a second.” He showed Aiden where Samantha’s recording studio was located, which was right next door to Dalton’s culinary school. Abby, the local beekeeper, had already reserved a space for the products she produced from her beehives. She sold everything from honey to candles.

  Wes pointed out the dozen or so studios available for artists of all types. He had a secret wish list of potential clients from painters to sculptors to his favorite, a stationery maker.

  “It would be so g
reat if she takes the place. To have a woman who makes stationery from pulp is like going back to the beginning.” The Guild Creative Center used to be The Guild Paper Factory in its heyday until they closed years ago and killed the growth of the town.

  Bringing it full circle felt right. Reliving a piece of his past and preserving it for the future was important to Wes. The town could not have chosen a better project manager, although Aiden imagined he’d be a bit nostalgic for a time when the town had less traffic, but all things required change to prosper, which brought him back to thoughts of his neighbor.

  “Do you know Marina?”

  They walked outside where Wes had a cooler filled with water and sports drinks. He offered one to Aiden, and they took a seat at the picnic table in the shade.

  “Know her? No. But I owe her a great deal.” He turned to look at the building. “None of this would be possible if she hadn’t shown up in the permits department the day I went there to get the final permits signed. Her husband—”

  “Ex-husband,” Aiden blurted. He didn’t know why it was so critical to clarify, but it was important for him to get it right.

  “Yes, Craig Caswell was sitting at his desk acting like he owned the world. He’d been delaying our permits for both the fire station and The Guild Creative Center for weeks. It’s like his family doesn’t want to see Aspen Cove grow.” He shook his head. “Anyway…I was in the office when she arrived. Craig was put out that she was interrupting his day. She marched in like a sacrifice to the slaughter and slammed a flash drive on his desk. She said something about his father being really interested before she walked out.”

  “No shit?” Aiden sat up taller. He wished he could have seen that moment—been a fly on the wall. He loved it when anyone came into their power and realized they had control over their lives. Had that been the pinnacle moment for Marina? The day she decided her marriage to Craig Caswell was over?

  “She told him to sign the permits. Made it sound like he had bigger problems and he surprised the hell out of me by signing off on them. I swiped the papers from his desk and took off before he could change his mind.”

  Aiden knew that Craig Caswell had abused his wife and most likely his daughter. He’d seen the restraining order dated several weeks back. The timing was too close to have been coincidental.

  “She seems like a nice woman and her little girl is darling.” He still had the daisy she’d pressed into his hand. It didn’t take Marina telling him what a big deal that was. He’d seen how apprehensive she was—how withdrawn. It bothered him that Kellyn could physically talk but chose not to. Something had silenced her. A chill ran up his spine thinking about how awful that something had to be to steal her words forever.

  “What are you going to do about her?” Wes finished his water and tossed the plastic bottle into a nearby trash can.

  “Kellyn?” He had no plans to do anything about anyone.

  “No, your attraction to Marina.”

  “Who says I’m attracted to her?”

  “You didn’t say you weren’t.”

  Aiden rose from the bench and started toward his cruiser. “Look, man, she’s nice. She’s pretty. She smells good.” Like coconut cream pie. “She also has a lot of baggage, and she doesn’t come across as a woman looking for anything but space. Definitely not a woman looking for a man.”

  They got to the cruiser and Wes leaned into the door. “We’ve all got baggage. Most of us think we want space, but the reality is we want someone to share our space.” He pushed off the SUV and walked away.

  Aiden climbed into his vehicle and sat there for a minute thinking about what Wes had said. There was probably some truth to his words, but if Marina didn’t want space, what did she want? The word friendship came to mind.

  He immediately drove to the diner and ordered a family meal of fried chicken with all the fixings. If Marina didn’t want to join him on a picnic, he’d at least have food for the rest of the week.

  After he stopped by the office to tell Mark he was calling it a day, he headed back home. He was relieved to see her car in the driveway, but his heart raced at the thought of asking her out.

  While he changed into shorts and a T-shirt, he reminded himself that it wasn’t a date. He was simply offering his friendship. Surely two friends could enjoy a picnic at the park together. Also, Kellyn needed to explore her new surroundings, and what better place to do that than at a place with swings, slides, and other children?

  He wiped his sweaty palms on his shorts and knocked on her door. He hadn’t been this nervous since he’d asked Cindy Masters to the prom.

  Her footsteps approached the door. A shadow crossed the peephole and then there was a delay. Is she debating on whether to answer the door? He heard the chain drop first followed by the deadbolt.

  “Aiden.” The way she said his name in that breathy feminine voice made his chest tighten.

  “Hey, Marina.” He stood there like a deer in the headlights, trying to figure out what to say. He was rusty when it came to women and he didn’t know how to approach the subject. He figured he might as well just lay it out for what it was, a simple invite to have dinner. “I know it’s last minute, and you and Kellyn might have dinner plans, but I was hoping I could convince you to join me on a picnic at Hope Park.”

  Behind Marina stood Kellyn with her blue polka-dotted doll in her hands. While her body was facing him, her feet were awkwardly placed in the opposite direction as if ready to run.

  “Oh…umm…we…”

  He knew she was trying to come up with a reason to say no so he pleaded his case. “Please don’t make me eat fried chicken for the rest of the week.”

  Marina smiled, and even though it was a barely-there lift to her lips, it filled Aiden with so much happiness.

  “It’s just a picnic. Besides, I thought Kellyn might enjoy the playground, and if we’re lucky, there will be other children there for her to play with.”

  Marina looked over her shoulder at her daughter. “Are you up for a push on the swings?” Kellyn nodded and tossed her doll to the sofa.

  Marina giggled. “I guess that’s a yes.”

  Relief swept through Aiden. “Perfect. I’ll wait by my car.”

  Marina looked at the police cruiser. “We’re taking your work car?”

  He shook his head, “Nope, I have other transportation. Can I grab her booster seat?”

  Marina twisted her lips in thought. “How about we follow you?”

  He reminded himself that she didn’t really know him. He was happy she was being cautious, and he was determined to earn her trust. “All right, I’ll meet you there.”

  He transferred the food from his cruiser to his car. While he would have liked to show off his pride and joy, he’d have to wait for another day to give them a ride in his Mustang convertible.

  He beat them to the park and had a blanket laid out and the food on display when they pulled up. Marina looked cautiously around before she took Kellyn out of the back seat of her SUV.

  Aiden smiled as they walked hand in hand toward him. He dropped to his knees on the blanket and looked at Kellyn, who always stood behind Marina’s legs.

  “Are you hungry?”

  She said nothing as she moved to the far side of the blanket and pulled three colored pieces of wood from her bag. She set the red, yellow, and green cylinders next to her and waited. After a minute she pushed the green one forward.

  “She feels safe with you.”

  A heated squeeze grabbed Aiden’s heart. “I’m glad.” He busied himself handing out plates and unwrapping containers of chicken, potato salad, and baked beans.

  Marina took a bite and hummed. “I can’t remember the last time we did something like this. Far too long ago for sure.”

  Aiden had forgotten about the drinks and reached into the only unopened bag to get the cans of punch he’d picked up at The Corner Store. He’d stood there staring at the drinks for minutes until the owner, Marge, asked him what the problem was. He ex
plained that he didn’t know what a four-year-old liked. She handed him a six-pack of fruit punch and told him he couldn’t go wrong with sugar and red dye. Two things all kids seemed to love.

  He popped the top and handed it to Kellyn. She didn’t get a good grip on it before he let go, and the can tumbled over, spilling red liquid on her shirt and the blanket below. She went from happy to terrified in a second. Her face turned ashen white, and silent tears ran from her eyes. She scrambled away and grabbed for the red cylinder.

  Marina’s face took on a look of fear he’d never seen a grown woman show, but she shuttered it quickly and grabbed a few napkins. “Kellyn, it’s okay,” she soothed. She looked at Aiden as if checking to make sure her words were true.

  Aiden didn’t know what to do, so he picked up the half-empty can of fruit punch and dumped it on his shirt. “I love that color on you,” he said to Kellyn. “What do you think? Can I wear it too?” His powder blue shirt soaked up the liquid and turned a muted shade of purple.

  Kellyn peeked around her mom and saw what he’d done. Her little head tilted in confusion. Even Marina gave him a strange look.

  “It’s only spilled punch. It’s not a big deal.”

  Marina grabbed a few more napkins and offered them to him to blot the liquid from his shirt. “That will stain.”

  Aiden chuckled. “Perfect. I hear I look good in red.” He looked down at his shirt. “And purple.” He pulled a new can of punch from the bag and offered it to Kellyn. She stared at it for a long minute. It was as if she thought he might trick her. “This time I’ll let you open it. I’m so sorry I spilled the punch on you, but you look good in the color too.”

  For a minute he thought she’d bury herself behind Marina again, but to his surprise, she took her seat and the punch. Next she dropped the red cylinder and picked up the yellow one. His heart broke for her. What the hell had happened to them?

  The rest of the meal was eaten in relative silence until Louise and Bobby Williams showed up with their seven children. Kellyn watched the kids play on the swings, the slide, and the merry-go-round.