“I’m bringing you lunch today,” she said into the phone.
Aiden’s voice filled with surprise. “To what do I owe the honor of lunch?”
“For fixing my stairs.”
“I said that you didn’t need to repay me.”
“Well,” she replied, tucking her left arm under her right one, “what if I told you that I must repay you, that no good deed that is done for me ever goes unrequited?”
He laughed. “Then I suppose that I’d have to take you up on lunch.”
“Great. That’s what I was hoping. Now. Where’s your house?”
“My house is in one place, but I’m not there.”
“Oh, mystery man, I see,” she teased.
“Not a mystery. I’m in my office.”
She frowned. “Office? This is the first I’m hearing of that.”
“It’s a long story. But you’re welcome to bring lunch here—on one condition.”
“Oh, you have conditions now?”
“Yes, I do, and that is to join me.”
Not a hard decision at all. “Done. Where am I driving to?”
He gave her directions, and a few minutes later she headed out in her sedan, rolling the windows down to let the briny ocean air wind around her hair.
She reached the marina, and just past it was a line of buildings. After parking in the lot, she retrieved the picnic basket and headed inside one office with a sign overhead reading, GULF BOAT ADVENTURES.
Dozens of local businesses offered day fishing and shelling trips for tourists, but she’d had no idea that Aiden owned one.
She walked in and found him behind a desk. When she entered, he rose and came out to greet her. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”
Her stomach fluttered at his words. “I’m sorry your eyes are sore.”
He smiled. “I’m not.”
Their gazes locked for several seconds before she remembered the basket in her hand. She lifted it in offering. “Your lunch.”
He took it. “I can’t wait to see what you’ve packed me. Come and sit. I’m sure there are plates and silverware around here somewhere.”
While he gathered those, she unpacked the basket, which was filled with fresh fried chicken, a bag of potato chips, fruit salad and pecan pie bites. Those were bite-sized pastry shells filled with pecan pie filling—corn syrup, eggs and brown sugar.
“That looks like heaven,” Aiden said, entering the room.
“I can’t promise that it’ll taste like heaven, but I can only hope.”
“If you made it, it’ll be amazing. Sit and let me serve you.”
She scoffed. “I should be serving you.”
“Let me.”
When he gently took the box of chicken from her hands, his fingers skimmed her knuckles, sending a jolt of fire down her spine. He plated the food, and she exhaled a shaky breath, leaving her wondering if she’d ever get ahold on her feelings.
She watched as he expertly plated the food and then set it in front of her. “Eat,” he commanded.
She giggled. “Are you demanding it?”
“I am.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because you went to all this trouble, and you deserve to enjoy it as much as I do.”
Jack never would have served her like that. He would’ve expected her to make the food and serve it. But Aiden didn’t mind doing it at all, and that brought a smile to her face.
“Why’re you smiling?”
She shrugged. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just thinking how much I appreciate you divvying up the meal.”
He glanced at her, his blue eyes locking with hers. “It’s the least I can do.”
Butterflies soared in her stomach, and she looked quickly down at her plate, diverting her attention from his striking eyes and how whenever she looked into them, it felt like she was falling.
“So,” she said after he was seated across from her, “what’s this business? Are you now charting fishing trips for tourists?”
“Sort of. I’m co-owner, but my partner needed me to buy him out so that he could pay his mom’s medical bills.”
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes, and he kept track of all the paperwork. So I’m trying to figure it out.”
“Sounds fun,” she joked.
“It’s not.” He took a bite of chicken and moaned. “Ginny, really, you should’ve opened a restaurant years ago.”
“But then I wouldn’t have moved here.”
“Good point. Speaking of, isn’t it lunchtime at the café?”
“Yes, but I got the girls to cover the second sitting for me. It’s our slow day.”
“I didn’t know you had one of those.”
She smiled. “Believe it or not, we do. But back to the story. You bought out his side of the business?”
“Basically.” Aiden wiped his fingers on a napkin. “It wasn’t easy, and I had to pay him what the business is worth. So now I’m stuck making sure it’s successful, which it can be; it just needs a little advertising. There are lots of charter companies, but not one this close to Sugar Cove.”
“You could take folks out to St. Vincent Island. Just be sure to warn them about the bees.”
He chuckled. “Those were right out of a seventies movie—Attack of the Killer Bees.”
“I think we dodged a bullet on that one.”
It was his turn to chuckle. “You’re right.”
Their gazes collided again. Ginny didn’t look away. Neither did he. She felt the air thicken with tension. There was so much of it that her cheeks warmed.
“Listen,” he told her.
“Yes?” she replied, picking at her fruit salad.
“I was wondering if you were free Saturday.”
“Saturday? Is something special going on?”
“Let’s just say I’d like to repay you for some of the kindness you’ve shown me.”
A laugh bubbled up from her throat. “Kindness that I’ve shown you? You’re the one who’s given me so much. You repaired those steps without me even having to ask.”
“It was nothing.”
“It was something to me.”
He smiled, which made the corners of his eyes crinkle, making him even more handsome. “After this meal, let’s call that even.”
“It’s not even close,” she teased.
“For me it is. But, as I was saying…”
“Yes, as you were saying.” She was grinning now, her cheeks hurting because the smile was so big. “Please do continue.”
“I’d like to treat you to something special. That’s if you’re free.”
“I’m free.”
“Good. Then it’s a date.”
Her heart stuttered. “A date?”
“Is that okay?”
“Yes.”
They’d been out before, so she didn’t know why the word date had startled her. Maybe it was because they’d gone out to dinner, but Aiden had never formally announced their plans as a date, and that meant she could hide from the truth.
But by actually calling the gathering exactly what it was, a little bit of fear mingled with excitement whirled in her veins.
This was a date. A date.
How did she feel about that?
She couldn’t imagine going on one with anyone but Aiden. She liked him—a lot, and he liked her.
“Are you sure that’s okay?” he prodded.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because you looked scared.”
“Oh, I’m not scared.” She pressed her left hand to her neck. “Not at all.”
He studied her and she wanted to squirm. “Ginny, I don’t want to pressure you into anything that you’re not ready for.”
They’d been to dinner; he’d taken her on his boat. Those had both been dates, she knew that. It was time to get over her worries.
“You’re not. I’m excited for whatever surprise you have in store for me.” Time to stop talking about dates. “Speaking of surprises, I met your ex-wife the other day.”
His eyes widened. Had she said the wrong thing? “How did that go?”
“Fine. She didn’t try to scratch my eyes out or anything.”
“She wouldn’t do that—at least not to your face.”
She balked. “What?”
“I’m joking.” He covered his hand with hers and her skin tingled. Warmth seeped into her skin, and when he pulled away, she immediately missed his touch. “Ellen is the past.”
“I hear she’s still in love with you.”
He shrugged, glancing toward the front door. “If she is, that’s on her. I made it clear a long time ago that our relationship was over. It’s been done with a long time.” His eyes locked with hers. “There’s nothing to worry about with her. I promise.”
“Okay.”
“However,” he added in a voice that made her stomach twist, “she’s a bit on the dramatic side.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means,” he added with a sigh, “that she still hasn’t gotten over the divorce, even after all these years.”
“Is that something I need to worry about?”
“I don’t think so.” He clapped his hands. “Now. How about some dessert?”
Ginny grinned as he pulled the bite-sized pecan pies from the basket. “Reece made those just this morning. They should be wonderful.”
“I can’t wait.”
He gave her two, and she stared down at the delicate pastry filled with the corn syrup, molasses and brown sugar medley. Reece had topped each one with roasted pecans. Ginny took a bite and it melted in her mouth.
“These are great,” he told her. “Please give my compliments to the chef.”
“I certainly will.”
As they ate, her mind drifted back to what he had said about Ellen, about how Aiden had said she could be a bit on the dramatic side. He’d also told her not to worry about his ex.
But for some reason Ginny couldn’t stop worrying. She just couldn’t, because in the back of her mind a thought poked at her. She shouldn’t be worried about Ellen, but Ginny had the feeling that she should be. She felt that she should be very worried indeed.