“That is such a ridiculous saying,” Mom scoffed as she took the top off her bottle. “Things don’t happen when people stay inert. And maybe this is exactly the right time. For both of you.”
He looked to where Arianna and his sister stood. Arianna was sampling Mom’s brownies. Autumn said something and Arianna laughed. Her laughter drifted over to him and tickled his ears and made him smile.
“Don’t stand there. Go make the girl fall in love with you,” Mom commanded. “She’s already halfway there.”
Was she? He knew what he felt when he was around her. He felt like a kid, itching to get his hands on those presents under the tree on Christmas morning. When she and Sophie had brought over deviled eggs, seeing her sitting in his living room, his house had suddenly come to life, felt full and happy the way it had when he’d gone over as a kid to build birdhouses with his grandpa or fight with his sister over who got to lick the bowl when Grandma was baking a cake. There’d been a lot of Thanksgiving dinners eaten in that house, a lot of family gatherings. Other than the housewarming bash when he first moved in, there hadn’t been any since Gram died. What would it be like to have family gatherings in there again? What would it be like to have Sophie running around, chasing Buster, to have Arianna sitting across the kitchen table from him? In bed next to him? In his arms?
No, no, he needed to stop that movie. She was dealing with a shitty ex and a sick mom and he was still leery of getting involved with anyone. The timing really was off. Better to be friends. He could help her, watch out for her, but there’d be no complications for either of them.
He walked over to where she and Autumn stood and handed Arianna a wine cooler. “Is my sister bragging about me?”
“Not till you pay me,” Autumn joked. “Seriously,” she said to Arianna, “he’s a good guy, and I’m glad to see his taste in women has improved.”
“Thanks,” Arianna said with a smile.
“Yep, the girlfriend from hell about scarred him for life, about scarred us all for life.”
He wasn’t scarred for life. He was just scarred for... Well, he wasn’t scarred for life.
“She used and abused him like you wouldn’t believe.”
TMI. “Autumn,” he said between gritted teeth.
His sister ignored him. “Every time they came over, she managed to do something to create a scene. You’re not a scene creator, are you?”
“Better. She’s a content creator,” Alden supplied, anxious to move the subject away from his last love fail. “Tell her about your website and your YouTube channel and stuff.”
Being under the spotlight turned Arianna’s cheeks pink. “They’re both dedicated to health issues. I’m doing a lot with my mom right now, who’s battling cancer. I think we’re helping a lot of women.”
“That is amazing,” Autumn gushed. “You know, I thought it would be so cool to go into medicine like Alden, but then I realized I’m grossed out by the sight of blood and I could never poke someone with a needle. I’m so impressed by people who do what you do.”
“You finally admit it. You’re impressed by your bro,” Alden teased.
“I said people,” she retorted with a teasing grin. “And this isn’t about you, so shut up.” To Arianna she said, “Tell me more about your website. And are you on Instagram?”
Alden watched as Arianna warmed to her topic, talking about some of the great sponsors she’d found and her hopes for becoming a positive force for women’s health. “If I can inspire women, and men, too,” she added, smiling at Alden, “to make lifestyle changes and get healthy, I’ll feel like I’m really doing something with my life.”
He looked to where Mia sat, talking to his aunt. It seemed to him like Arianna was already doing something with her life watching over her mom.
“You guys and all your sexy nobility,” Autumn said in mock disgust. “All I have is a shoe shop.”
That lit up Arianna’s eyes. “Shoes?”
“And purses.”
“Purses?”
“Okay, I can see where this conversation is heading,” he said. “I’m going to go hang with someone who wants to talk to me.”
“There’s someone who wants to talk to you?” his sister asked in mock surprise.
He gave her the finger and moved over to where Mia was seated, plunking onto the empty patio chair on her other side. “You having a good time, Mrs. W?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “Your aunt Jane was telling me that they own the house next door.”
“Our own family compound,” said Aunt Jane. “I hope we can keep the properties in the family for years to come. Gathering here keeps us all connected.”
Someone called to his aunt, and she excused herself and moved on.
