about this?”
“I called her yesterday.”
He cut off another piece of his meat before looking up. “Did she encourage you to ask me?”
“Not really.”
“She doesn’t think it’s a good idea?”
“She’s worried about how it might affect you.”
Unable to keep eating, he reached for his water glass, wiping off the condensation. “Even though she no longer wants to associate with me?”
His sister-in-law squeezed his wrist. “That’s nothing personal, Aaron.”
“It’s very personal,” he said, “and we both know it.”
Giving up on her salad, she shoved her plate away. “She had the worst time getting over you.”
“From what I’ve seen, she’s managed quite nicely. I haven’t heard from her once since she left.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t easy not to contact you. You’re a hard act to follow.”
“But you think Riley can manage it.”
She clasped her hands together. “Riley’s looking for a wife. You’re not.”
He wasn’t opposed to getting married. He was at an age where he should settle down. He just hadn’t met the right woman. A guy needed to be in love to make that kind of commitment, but there were times when he wondered if his heart was even whole enough to give away. Maybe Dylan was capable of such complete devotion, but Aaron feared that part of him had been destroyed in the turbulence of his childhood.
Or he’d been defective from the beginning.
Taking out his wallet, he tossed sixty bucks on the table and stood. “I’ll call you when I decide.”
“Aaron?”
He glanced back.
“It’s a difficult decision to make. I won’t hold it against you if you say no.”
With a nod, he walked out of the restaurant.
8
I t was Sunday night. Somehow she’d come through the weekend unscathed. Presley could hardly believe it. After running into Aaron at Ted’s book signing, then having him at the studio yesterday, he’d been on her mind so much she wasn’t sure she’d make it to Monday without breaking down and calling him. She’d never dreamed it was possible to crave another person so much. Every minute had been a battle—but she’d remained strong. She could breathe a sigh of relief and pat herself on the back.
“It should get easier,” she muttered even though she was alone. Earlier, Chey had called to tell her about meeting Aaron in Sutter Creek, so he was, no doubt, preoccupied with that. If luck was on her side, the artificial insemination would keep him preoccupied until he moved away.
Fortunately, she had other things to concentrate on, too. She’d spent the morning—until Wyatt’s nap—with Riley and his son, helping build the reception area. After they’d finished, Riley and Jacob stopped by her house. While she was grateful for all their assistance, being with Riley just wasn’t as...magical as being with Aaron.
But their friendship was new. She couldn’t expect fireworks from the beginning, not even with an attractive, exceptional guy like Riley. The important thing was that she’d enjoyed herself. They’d laughed and talked while Jacob played with Wyatt, and Riley had flattered her by making a big fuss about the pie she’d baked for him.
Presley could see herself in a relationship with Riley, couldn’t she? Why not? This time she was determined to choose someone who would be a responsible father instead of a man who was as broken as she was. Riley had asked her to join him for dinner on Friday, and she’d agreed. So she was at least going to give him a chance.
She rocked Wyatt to sleep—she loved having a few minutes of quiet time with her baby at night—then changed into a T-shirt and a pair of sweat shorts before curling up on the couch with a blanket and Ted’s new book. Hot and Heavy promised to be his best work yet. But she’d read barely sixty pages when someone banged on the door.
Surprised, she glanced at the clock Riley had helped her hang: ten-thirty. Who would be coming by so late?
Carefully putting down her book,
“I called her yesterday.”
He cut off another piece of his meat before looking up. “Did she encourage you to ask me?”
“Not really.”
“She doesn’t think it’s a good idea?”
“She’s worried about how it might affect you.”
Unable to keep eating, he reached for his water glass, wiping off the condensation. “Even though she no longer wants to associate with me?”
His sister-in-law squeezed his wrist. “That’s nothing personal, Aaron.”
“It’s very personal,” he said, “and we both know it.”
Giving up on her salad, she shoved her plate away. “She had the worst time getting over you.”
“From what I’ve seen, she’s managed quite nicely. I haven’t heard from her once since she left.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t easy not to contact you. You’re a hard act to follow.”
“But you think Riley can manage it.”
She clasped her hands together. “Riley’s looking for a wife. You’re not.”
He wasn’t opposed to getting married. He was at an age where he should settle down. He just hadn’t met the right woman. A guy needed to be in love to make that kind of commitment, but there were times when he wondered if his heart was even whole enough to give away. Maybe Dylan was capable of such complete devotion, but Aaron feared that part of him had been destroyed in the turbulence of his childhood.
Or he’d been defective from the beginning.
Taking out his wallet, he tossed sixty bucks on the table and stood. “I’ll call you when I decide.”
“Aaron?”
He glanced back.
“It’s a difficult decision to make. I won’t hold it against you if you say no.”
With a nod, he walked out of the restaurant.
8
I t was Sunday night. Somehow she’d come through the weekend unscathed. Presley could hardly believe it. After running into Aaron at Ted’s book signing, then having him at the studio yesterday, he’d been on her mind so much she wasn’t sure she’d make it to Monday without breaking down and calling him. She’d never dreamed it was possible to crave another person so much. Every minute had been a battle—but she’d remained strong. She could breathe a sigh of relief and pat herself on the back.
“It should get easier,” she muttered even though she was alone. Earlier, Chey had called to tell her about meeting Aaron in Sutter Creek, so he was, no doubt, preoccupied with that. If luck was on her side, the artificial insemination would keep him preoccupied until he moved away.
Fortunately, she had other things to concentrate on, too. She’d spent the morning—until Wyatt’s nap—with Riley and his son, helping build the reception area. After they’d finished, Riley and Jacob stopped by her house. While she was grateful for all their assistance, being with Riley just wasn’t as...magical as being with Aaron.
But their friendship was new. She couldn’t expect fireworks from the beginning, not even with an attractive, exceptional guy like Riley. The important thing was that she’d enjoyed herself. They’d laughed and talked while Jacob played with Wyatt, and Riley had flattered her by making a big fuss about the pie she’d baked for him.
Presley could see herself in a relationship with Riley, couldn’t she? Why not? This time she was determined to choose someone who would be a responsible father instead of a man who was as broken as she was. Riley had asked her to join him for dinner on Friday, and she’d agreed. So she was at least going to give him a chance.
She rocked Wyatt to sleep—she loved having a few minutes of quiet time with her baby at night—then changed into a T-shirt and a pair of sweat shorts before curling up on the couch with a blanket and Ted’s new book. Hot and Heavy promised to be his best work yet. But she’d read barely sixty pages when someone banged on the door.
Surprised, she glanced at the clock Riley had helped her hang: ten-thirty. Who would be coming by so late?
Carefully putting down her book,
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