Chapter Twenty

Holding back a yawn as Tam’s Treats came into view, Aiden was loath to get any more shit from Finn about sitting up half the night on the phone with Adie. Finn had met Aiden on his way out that morning, citing doing some errands for Marlee, and returned to find Aiden passed out on the couch. Stretching out his stiff neck, Aiden glanced behind him to triple check that Finn’s gear bag hadn’t fallen off during the drive.

“You remember the plan?”

Finn peered at Aiden from over his shoulder with a wry grin. “Impossible to forget. You’re like a drill marshal.”

“I’m choosing to take that as a compliment.” About to swing his leg over the bike, Aiden thought better of it and gave Finn a kiss in parting.

With one final nod, he got off the bike and saluted to Finn. “Give me ten minutes.”

Returning the motion with a lot more vigor, Finn threw back, “Aye, aye, captain,” before setting off back down the road to meet up with Adie not far off.

This had to be the most exhilarating thing he’d ever done. Even if all that meant was making sure someone got to the right place at the right time without rousing suspicion. Aiden felt every bit like James Bond in floral shorts as he stepped into the shop, the bell dinging above the door and Tam’s voice greeting him upon entry.

“There he is.” Tam’s elbows rested on the countertop as she grinned roguishly toward him. “Thought you’d crawled back into your fuck fest.”

Aiden felt his cheeks grow red, ducking his head as he absently perused the array of chocolate bars in front of the checkout. “Finn told you?”

“Didn’t have to.” Pushing herself up, Tam pointed an accusing finger toward his face. “That blush said it all.”

“Christ.” Taking a breath, he composed himself the best he could, because clearly Tam could read him just as well as Daire back home. Aiden made a mental note to never introduce them.

“I’m glad you two decided to give it a go,” she continued, resting her chin atop an upturned palm. “Adie and I were getting real tired of being the only two lovebirds in Canlaroy.”

“Oh.” Aiden frowned, shaking his head as his fingers dropped from a bar of caramel chocolate. “We’re not… It’s not serious.”

“Does Finn know it’s not serious?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Aiden wasn’t sure where the outburst came from, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Yes, he knows. We talk.”

“When you’re not too busy fu—”

Aiden leveled her with a shadow of a Tam-esque look.

Raising her hands in surrender, Tam dropped the subject. “But speaking of FiFi. Has he mentioned what he’s decided to do with the boat?”

“No?” Befuddled, Aiden shook his head. “Is there something wrong with the boat?”

Two parts of him conflicted. The first, undoubtedly loudest, bit was concerned about what was going on—and if it had anything to do with how haggard Finn seemed when he returned from his brunch with Adie. The other aspect, small and niggling, was smug that Tam thought him in the loop enough for Finn to possibly mention something to him.

Snorting, Tam rolled her eyes. “What isn’t wrong with the boat, more like. He took you out on it, yeah?”

“We didn’t leave the marina.”

“Not surprised. Bloody thing can’t go much farther than a few miles out without something breaking. I know the boys hold it dear, but it’s a hazard and it’s impacting their business. Why choose a company that can only take you around the marina when others will go right on down the coast?” Taking a deep breath, Tam composed herself. “Clearly I’ve complained about this a lot.”

Remembering Tam mentioned trying to convince Ryan to get a new sofa not so long ago, Aiden had no doubt she’d done the same with this particular topic.

“Point being, Finn finally got his arse into gear and called a shipwright to check it out. If you ask me, they shoulda done that when they were patching it up in the first place. Would have saved them a lot of trouble.”

Hip digging into the counter uncomfortably, Aiden shifted a little so he was essentially perched atop it, eagerly waiting to hear more.

“Said the thing’s a lost cause. It’s only a matter of time until it gives up the ghost.”

“Fuck,” Aiden breathed, eyes wide. “Did he say what he’s going to do?”

“Not much he can do.” Tam shrugged, mouth set in a thin line. “Continue as he’s going and pack up shop, or get out a loan for a new boat. Which Finn and Ryan won’t do, because they’re annoyingly stubborn.”

For someone who didn’t know anything about boats, Aiden was feeling brave. “What about repairing it? Wouldn’t that be cheaper than getting a whole new boat?”

“Fuck no.” Tam sighed, straightening her stance. “Let me know if he says anything. He’s as tight as a nun’s fanny.”

“Great visual. Really appreciate it.” Phone buzzing in his pocket, Aiden physically lurched to answer it.

“Are you really expecting me to say those lines?” Finn asked through a sigh.

“Yes, absolutely,” Aiden replied, turning his back on Tam for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

“This entire plan. Have you seen what Adie is wearing? That’s all Tam is going to notice.”

“Oh no!” Aiden’s hand flew to his mouth in faux shock. Aiden had never done any acting before, but dammit he was about to make a hell of a debut. “I’m with Tam right now. We’re on our way.”

“Everything all right?” Tam asked dubiously.

Aiden held the phone to his chest and recited his rehearsed lines. “That was Finn. He said Adie is in trouble.”

Aiden had never once seen someone physically launch themselves over a countertop before. Really, he figured that was the kind of move reserved for action films in the middle of a gun fight. Not in the middle of a bakery, with Tam’s foot kicking a baguette to the ground.

“Did he say where she is?” Tam asked, already halfway out the door.

Aiden broke himself out of his daze, promising himself to ask Tam to teach him how to do that later, and followed suit.

“She’s just down the road,” he said, hurrying the pace to keep up.

“And you have no idea what’s wrong?” Tam fired at him, no nonsense. Aiden was starting to rethink this plan. Maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned Adie being in trouble.

“No.” Aiden bit the inside of his lip. “Just that she’s in trouble but totally unharmed. Zero injuries.”

There. That should do it, reassure her somewhat.

Tam started running.

“Tam,” Aiden exclaimed, hot on her heels. “She’s okay! Finn is probably overreacting or something.”

“He’s exactly the type to lie to make sure I don’t freak out,” Tam threw back over her shoulder. Fuck, she was fast. “Who says that when there isn’t actually an injury?”

Aiden cursed beneath his breath, hands balled into fists. Okay, so maybe he could have dealt with his end of the operation a bit more smoothly. But they were almost there—Aiden could spot the plume of smoke just ahead.

“What the fuck…” Tam breathed as they got closer. “That’s Adie’s car.”

They drew closer to the vehicle in question. The hood was popped, and smoke billowed out. Now would be the time for Aiden to duck out, but he was far too nosy to not witness the fruits of his and Adie’s twelve-hour labor.

“Oh no!” Adie cried, red dress swirling with the smoke, the backs of her fingers brushing against her forehead. “My car has broken down. I need assistance!”

Aiden could hear a muttered “I can’t fucking believe this” from Tam.

“I hope there’s an attractive lesbian nearby that could lend a hand,” continued Adie, deviating significantly from the script, but Aiden couldn’t bring himself to mind. Especially not with the bubble of a laugh that erupted from Tam, her walk slowing into a knowing saunter.

Adie looked every bit ready for a dramatic music video in her flowing dress, braids tumbling over her shoulder.

Lifting his gaze past Adie, he spotted Finn with the camera, who lifted his hand to wave. Biting the inside of his lip, a warmth blooming in his chest, Aiden returned the motion. Shaking his head, Finn turned his attention away from the camera and waved his hand again—this time more vigorously.

Shit.

Aiden was in the shot.

“We’re really doing this, huh?” Tam asked. She crossed her arms over her chest as Aiden took a swift dive off to the side.

“Oh wow.” Adie swooned, hands now clasped together. “A dashing stranger to the rescue.”

“Did you actually bust the car for this?”

Adie extended her hand to her wife, sidestepping the question in favor of another. “Can I interest you in a happy ever after and a really cute kid in repayment for saving me?”

Tam sighed, a long-suffering and utterly besotted–sounding thing, before accepting Adie’s outstretched grasp, tugging her close. “Yes. Even if you are too fucking dramatic.”

“No cursing,” Adie said, even if Aiden had distinct memories of Adie cursing around Dylan at dinner. “I want Dylan to see how we met.”

“If you were gonna be authentic, you would have worn those torn-up overalls,” said Tam, tugging at the thin straps of Adie’s summer dress.

“It’s called creative liberties.” As she tucked a strand of hair behind Tam’s ear, drawing even closer, Adie’s lips curled into a smirk. “Anyway, pretty sure you ruined them soon after.”

“Child friendly, everyone,” Finn said from his post.

“Snap,” Adie called.

“It’s cut, babe.”

“Right, yeah. Cut!”

Tam glanced over her shoulder to Aiden, huddled down on his haunches—he was terrified of popping up into frame once again—and then over to Finn. “Bugger off, you two.”

Aiden waited until he was sure that Finn actually switched off the camera before standing up. He brushed down the back of his shorts, watching as Finn hurried to fix whatever he’d placed in the car to cause the smoke.

Aiden had limited knowledge in plumbing—car engines were an entirely different sea of fish. “FiFi, will you lock up for me?” Tam asked, wrapped up in her wife and clearly having zero plans to return to work for the day.

“If you’re all right with me nicking some treats,” replied Finn. “Think we’ve earned it.”

“Mhm?” Tam was distracted. Adie’s fingers ran through her hair. “Yeah, whatever.”

“And some bikkies.”

“Can we get bánh bò nướng?” Aiden asked quietly, because if Finn was going to take advantage of the situation and grab biscuits, then he wanted a say in this.

They locked up the shop and secured the goods before heading back to Finn’s to get started on the footage. Or, in Aiden’s case, sit back on the couch and watch over Finn’s shoulder as he edited.

“Do you ever regret not going into film?” Aiden asked, eyes trained on Finn’s long fingers stroking against the keyboard as he worked.

“Sometimes,” Finn said, voice distant and mind half on the task at hand. “I always thought I’d use it with scuba diving. Film underwater. But that’s bloody expensive. Best I can do is a GoPro.”

Aiden hummed thoughtfully, wondering if he should bring up the issue with the boat. If that was his business to get involved with in the first place. He was more than aware that Finn had shared more of his life than he had any obligation to. And if he wanted Aiden to be a part of his life, even for this short amount of time, then maybe it would be okay for Aiden to have an active interest in it.

Finn guffawed, loudly and unbridled, startling Aiden out of his thoughts.

“You didn’t have to do a fucking belly flop outta shot. Jesus,” he said through a wheeze.

Leaning forward, watching the playback of him dive to the ground in the middle of what was supposed to be the height of the romantic reenactment, he groaned. “Please tell me you can delete that.”

“Even if I could, I wouldn’t. This is golden. They’re gonna love it.”