Chapter Two

 

“She really hates me, doesn’t she?”

Three five-gallon containers of ice cream later, Aidan glanced over to Becca as he hoisted the massive container of butterfat off the counter and turned toward the industrial size refrigerator in the back room.

Becca glanced over her shoulder at Aidan as she poured the cream into the machine. “She?”

“Leia,” he specified.

He’d told his business partners about his brief encounter with Leia that morning; they were his friends, after all. When it came to advice, Maddox tended to be as useless as tits on a bull. But Aidan had half-hoped that Becca would offer some kind of input.

She eyed him for a moment, then to Maddox who stood statue-still next to the freezer, before her gaze returned to Aidan. “I can neither deny nor confirm that.”

Maddox snorted at her answer.

Aidan grimaced. Becca should have gone into politics with answers like that. “You don’t need to,” he sighed. “I guess it should have been a statement, rather than a question, huh?”

“I guess.”

A stony silence fell among the three of them as he followed Maddox into the storage room to retrieve a five-pound container of toffee made by a local candy maker. Aidan had only been in town for two days but had already picked up on the things that needed to be done before they opened at eleven a.m. Some days, like yesterday, they’d start the morning at a later hour. But today was restocking day, and Aidan had shown up early to learn just how Becca creates ice cream so mouthwatering that it’s become the talk of the town.

“You didn’t tell her I was coming to Annapolis?” he asked.

This time it was Maddox who responded. “Were we supposed to?”

“As close as she is to you both, I kind of pictured you warning her, yeah. I mean, she’s just next door. And she’s your friend.”

“What’s to warn her about?” Maddox almost looked menacing as he glared at Aidan. They’d been SEAL brothers before Maddox had left the Navy, and considered themselves brothers still. But the topic of Leia was a point of contention.

Aidan knew whose side they were on. And he couldn’t blame them.

Becca tapped a scooper onto the side of a metal bowl, letting a clump of succulent ice cream plop into a container. “Look, I’m tired of this whole childish thing you two have going on. I mean, yeah, you guys have a rocky history. But you know what? You’re going to have to figure it out sooner or later. Hopefully sooner.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I’ll be getting married to Liam soon,” she spat out, flashing the ring that Aidan still wasn’t used to seeing on Becca’s finger. “And I’d really like you both to be at our sides when we do it. But I’m not putting up with any of your crap, Aidan. No death glares across the front table at the reception like at Bridget’s wedding last year. No hushed arguments behind closed doors. I’m not up for it. If you do that, I’ll sic my brother on you.”

Though the threat was laced with humor, the mention of Becca’s brother, soon-to-be-Admiral Joe Shey, was enough to make Aidan bristle. “Hey—I wasn’t firing any death glares at Bridget’s wedding. Leia was.” He glanced to Maddox for back-up.

“Yeah. It was mostly coming from her,” Maddox agreed.

“Maybe,” Becca conceded. “And I’m going to talk to her about that. But you definitely inspired it, Aidan.” She used her scary mom-tone, the one Aidan had heard her use on her young son, Brandon, from time to time.

Raising his brow, Aidan looked at Maddox.

“Hey, don’t look to me for help,” Maddox said. “I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea that you deserted her the day after you married her. You reap what you sow, Aidan.”

Aidan wanted to tell them what had happened that day, how the senator had threatened to cut off his daughter, leave her saddled with college debt, and stand in the way of her dreams—all for falling for the wrong guy. But, as always, he stayed silent about it. That was the last thing Leia needed to hear, especially when Aidan imagined the man was probably bankrolling her coffeehouse. “I wanted better for her than what I could give her.”

“Should have thought about that before you married her then.”

“I was twenty-two and in love. There was very little thinking involved.”

Stone-faced, Becca leaned against the front freezer, thumping an ice cream scoop against the inside of her palm as though it was a lethal weapon.

Aidan was a SEAL. Or, he corrected in his mind, he had been a SEAL up until a month ago when his life had exploded into the clusterfuck it was now.

Still, even if his career was poised to change dramatically over the next week, there was no reason for him to be intimidated by his business partner with her tidy ponytail and slight frame. But as a mom, Becca had honed her ability to whittle a person down with the slightest stare.

“So why’d you do it? Did her dad pay you off or something?” she asked.

“Hell no,” Aidan spat. He might stay silent about the threats that were made that day eight years ago, but he’d be damned if he’d let his friends think that he’d given up his wife—and by God, for one precious day she had been his wife—for something to gain for himself.

“Then why?”

“The person I am now isn’t the person I was, Becca,” he muttered, but when she looked unsatisfied, he gave her an answer he knew she’d accept. “Oh, hell. You know how it is, right after you graduate from the Academy. Any of us who happened to be in a relationship felt that urge to run down to the Justice of the Peace and make it official. I wanted her waiting for me when I got back from sea. I wanted her waiting for me for the rest of her life. But she—”

Deserved better than what I could give her. Needed more than I could provide. Would give up everything she’d dreamed about if she walked down the path with me.

“She what?”

“Wasn’t cut out for Navy life,” he answered instead.

“Nice of you to make that decision for her rather than with her, I guess.” Becca’s remark was thick with sarcasm.

“Come on. It worked out for the best. She got what she wanted. She’s doing exactly what she wanted with her life.” He paused thoughtfully. “How’s her business doing, anyway? When I was here last, you said it was still struggling. And I noticed The Buzz opened a food truck up the road. That’s got to hurt her.”

“Ask Leia,” she said smugly.

He glowered. “So you get to ask questions, but I don’t?”

“You never had to answer them.” She disappeared into a storage closest, pulled out a box of napkins, and then headed toward the front room. Stopping in the doorway, she turned suddenly. “But I will say this. You say you’ve changed from the man you were when you got married to her. She’s changed, too. Maybe you should try to get to know each other again.”

She stalked out of the back room, leaving Aidan in silence.

He could only hope that she would give the same advice to Leia.

Eyeing the clock, he walked into the front room, brushing by Maddox.

“Where are you going?” he asked. “We open in fifteen minutes.”

“I need some coffee,” Aidan grumbled.

“At Leia’s?”

“Yes, at Leia’s. It’s a free country. And I’m tired of this childish bullshit, too.”

Taking in a much-needed breath of fresh air as he walked the thirty or so feet to the next storefront, his eyes glanced upward to the “Crabby Before Coffee” sign above the front window of Leia’s coffeehouse. It was a cute sign, donning a cartoon-like version of one of Maryland’s famed blue crabs holding a cup of coffee in its claw.

Fitting name for the place, considering its owner, he thought as he pushed open the front door. The smell of coffee slammed into him, probably a welcoming aroma to most people in the morning. But he’d never been a big fan of coffee.

That was one thing he and Leia didn’t have in common.

Her eyes glanced toward him at the sound of the door chimes above him. There were a few people sitting to themselves, their laptops open as they took advantage of the free Wi-Fi. It wasn’t packed, but at least the place wasn’t empty. That was a good sign for business.

Besides, she’d be less likely to murder him with three witnesses innocently sipping their lattes.

A frown curved the edges of her lips—lips he swore he could still taste even though it was closing in on a decade since he’d last kissed her.

Her mouth opened, eyes stern, then snapped shut when she glanced over at her customers, then back to him. She raised a single eyebrow at Aidan.

“May I help you?” Each word dripped with distaste.

“Yeah. I’d like a coffee. Small,” he said, glancing up at the menu above her head, feeling slightly intimidated by all the Italian words. When did people stop drinking just a simple cup of coffee?

“American roast or a special blend? I have six.”

“Anything that’s not laced with arsenic.”

Her frown deepened as she stepped back to pour his coffee.

“So, do you have anyone else working here? When I was here for the wedding, I seem to recall seeing a couple other faces behind the counter when I passed your shop.”

“Not anymore. Tanya only comes in to cover for me if I’m sick or something, and I had to cut back on Harper’s hours this past month.”

“Why’s that?”

She sighed at his attempt at small talk. “Business decision,” she answered evasively.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his credit card. He glanced around, tempted to sit for a few minutes in the comfortable seating area she’d created. It was one of those spaces that beckoned a person to sit down for a while.

So he did just that, letting his eyes glance out the window to the sun-soaked street. He swore he could see the two of them walking along, arm in arm, so many years ago, and hear her voice, spiked with excitement as she talked about the life ahead of her.

“I want it to be more than just a place to get a cup of coffee and leave,” she had said that day to him so long ago. “I want it to be a destination, you know? Someplace that feels like home, with built-in shelves stacked with old books. And a little area where I can have someone come in to play music on Friday nights. And the place would have character. No cookie cutter décor like The Buzz. Maybe some of those antiques scattered around—you know, the ones you can find up on Maryland Avenue. Nautical ones. I mean, The Buzz is great, don’t get me wrong. But that place could be anywhere. I want my customers to never forget that my chain of coffeehouses originated right here in Annapolis.”

The jingle of door chimes behind him tore Aidan from the memory as his eyes rested on the ship’s wheel hanging from the wall in between a set of antique bookshelves. Well-worn leather chairs were gathered around glass-topped crab traps used as coffee tables.

She’d done it, he thought.

There was no mistaking that Crabby Before Coffee had been founded here in Annapolis. And while she might not have the chain she’d envisioned when she’d talked to him years ago, she was well on her way.

He turned to her again. Her eyes were locked on the customer in front of her. Locked, as though she was fighting the urge to glance his way. He opened his mouth, wanting to extend their brief conversation. But he shut it again, deciding to stop while he was ahead.

Giving a quick glance at the empty chairs in the place, he stood and moved to the door, nudging it open.

“Are you in here to talk about your car?” Leia’s voice stopped him in her doorway. “Because I meant what I said about covering any damage. Just tell me the number.”

“I’m not in here about my car. I’m in here because—”

He stopped himself short.

I’m in here because hearing your voice, seeing your face, seems to fill a space in my heart that’s been empty for eight years.

But he’d never say it.

“—because I wanted a cup of coffee.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You hate coffee.”

He grinned. “I’ve changed a lot in eight years, Leia.”

She pressed her lips together and sadness touched her eyes as she gave a nod. An instant before he shut the door behind him, he’d swear he heard her reply softly, “So have I.”