Page 32 of His to Cherish
Chapter 7
I climbed out of my car, taking care not to spill my coffee all over my lap as I dragged my shaking limbs out of the driver’s seat.
“Hey,” I said lamely, and shut the car door.
Aidan licked his lips and his hands fell to his sides. With a nod of his head, he said, “Come on. Something I want to show you.”
Really? He’d avoided me for a week, acted like a jerk the last time I saw him, and he thought he could just boss me around? I didn’t think so. “Typically when you haven’t seen someone in a week the polite thing to say first is ‘hello.’ ”
He silenced me with a look that chilled me to my bones.
It wasn’t angry. It wasn’t even upset or sad. It was something completely different and something I hadneverseen directed at me from anyone.
I gulped, and found myself walking toward him when he turned and began heading toward my fence. He pulled open the gate and walked through like it washishouse.
“Um,” I said. What was happening? My fingertips dug into the cardboard coffee cup when he turned back to me, this time holding out a hand, gesturing for me to walk through the gate into my own backyard.
“Just wait.”
I glanced from the gate to Aidan, whose other hand was gripping the top of the wooden fence. He shifted on his feet, and I hated how I wanted to reach out and soothe away all the grief that was buried in the lines across his forehead and the purple bags under his eyes.
It all seemed permanently etched into his features and my heart clenched with hurt for him, despite being angry at how he’d treated me and confused as to what was going on.
I blew out a breath, trying to stem the odd sensation in my chest. Little flutters of hope were pointless.
Across from me, I saw Kate’s house and recalled the odd way she spoke to me, ushering me out of her shop. I frowned and a dozen questions came to mind.
Instead of voicing them, I licked my lips before nodding. I wasn’t only confused about why he was there, I was also curious.
“Okay.”
Aidan watched me as I brought my eyes to his. I blinked, almost blinded by the sudden brightness in them. It was new. And different.
I liked it. A lot.
The gold in his eyes shined and the green was like the grass. Maybe the sun was hitting him right, because I still saw the tightness around his eyes and the sad tilt to the edges of his lips.
Even with the sadness, he was still the most beautiful man I’d ever met.
“Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”
Curiosity won out over anger, humiliation, and confusion. I stepped forward, avoiding his outstretched hand.
I didn’t think I could handle him touching me.
When I moved in front of him and that same hand fell softly to my back, guiding me into the backyard, I knew I was right.
My knees almost buckled, and he was barely touching me.
Still, I didn’t speak. I let him gently direct me around the bushes in my backyard until we were at my patio.
I gasped and my fingers covered my mouth in shock from the sound and the sight in front of me.
Dozens of tasty treats from Kate’s Kakes covered my table. There were four carafes filled with different juices, and piles of cupcakes. Plates of muffins. Tubs of cream cheeses. Butter in a dish. Bowls overflowing with bagels.
He bought out the freaking bakery and placed it on my patio table.
“Holy crap,” I muttered.
