Eight
He didn’t like to admit mistakes, Aidan thought as he jogged along the narrow peninsula of sand that separated the waters of Alleria Bay from the resort’s marina. But now he had a feeling he’d made a big one.
The early morning breeze stirred the nearby sailboat riggings, causing them to bump up against the aluminum masts and ping in a sort of odd harmony. Usually Aidan enjoyed hearing the tinny, echoing sound on his early morning runs, but not today. He was too preoccupied with wondering whether he’d miscalculated or not.
He shouldn’t have followed Ellie and watched her conversation with Blake. And when she walked away, he should’ve let her go instead of intercepting her. He should’ve kept his mouth shut and not said anything about Blake.
What if Aidan’s interference drove her back to the other man? He couldn’t believe she would go back to Blake, but it should certainly be her decision to make.
The sun hadn’t yet risen over the horizon so the beach was nearly deserted except for a few hearty health nuts out for a pre-dawn swim in the bay. Aidan tried to concentrate on the rhythmic pounding of his feet on the soft white sand, tried to match it to the beating of his heart. But it was useless. He couldn’t get the image of Ellie and Blake out of his head.
And why the hell had Blake come back now? Had he gotten word somehow that Aidan and Ellie were together? Not that they were together, not really. But since no one else but Logan knew about their pregnancy pact, it might look that way to outsiders.
“We’re not a real couple…” Aidan heard Ellie’s voice in his mind again and felt the same sharp stab of something….
He shook his head to push those thoughts out of his mind. Blake. The issue right now was Blake. Was Ellie contemplating getting back together with him? We’re not a real couple. Damn it. Aidan had no real standing to make demands on her, so how could he insist that she stay away from Blake? Ellie had agreed that Blake was a jerk, but did she mean it? Or had she just said that to placate Aidan?
“Probably just said it to shut you up,” he grumbled to himself.
Who could blame her?
She was right. They weren’t really together. He had no claim on her. Damn it.
Fine. He’d made a mistake. But if he stepped aside, wouldn’t Blake swoop in? Wouldn’t that be a bigger mistake? Hell. He had to talk to Ellie again. Apologize. She wasn’t pregnant yet, so if she wanted to renew her relationship with Blake, all Aidan could do was step aside. It was the right thing to do, even though Aidan would rather chew on glass than let her go.
Not that it mattered. If Ellie left him for Blake, Aidan could find another woman in a heartbeat if he wanted to. But that wasn’t the point.
“Yeah, what’s the point, knucklehead?” he muttered, as he pounded down the beach.
The point was, he liked Ellie. A lot. More than any other woman he’d ever been with, if he was being honest. Not that it meant anything because Aidan had no intention of ever settling down with one woman. Even though his brother had finally met his match with Grace, it wouldn’t happen to Aidan. He just wasn’t the type to settle down.
Why would he? Look around you, he thought. He loved this place, loved the carefree lifestyle. Loved surfing, sailing, wheeling and dealing, beautiful women in bikinis bouncing around everywhere.
Yeah. The more, the merrier. It was way too easy to love ’em and leave ’em when plenty of beautiful women arrived on the island daily and only stayed for a week or two at the most. He called that a win-win.
On the other hand, if he were the type to settle down—which he wasn’t—Ellie would be the perfect woman to settle down with.
But since he wasn’t that type, he had to give Ellie the space she needed to make her own choices. If she would rather have Blake be the father of her baby, then…fine. Although it grated on Aidan. No, it more than grated. It infuriated him. It made him want to take his fist and shove it right in Blake’s face.
He had a feeling that wouldn’t make Ellie happy, but his own satisfaction quotient would be through the roof.
Aidan reached the end of the peninsula and stopped to breathe for a minute while enjoying the stunning view of clear blue water as far as the eye could see. He grabbed the small towel he’d tucked into his back pocket and used it to wipe the sweat from his forehead and neck. Then he pivoted in the sand and started the long run back to the hotel.
Hell, if Ellie wanted to go back to Blake, Aidan would have no choice but to let her go. And now that he was thinking about it, he had to admit that from one objective angle, it would be the best of all worlds. Ellie would have a father for her baby, someone she cared about (even though Aidan couldn’t figure out why she would care about Blake), and she would stay on the island and raise her kid here and continue to work for Sutherland Corp. That was all Aidan had ever wanted in the first place. It was a win-win-win. Wasn’t it?
Of course, there was still the irritating fact that Blake would end up as her baby’s father, not Aidan. And that didn’t work for him at all. That part was not a win. Aidan knew in his gut that he, Aidan, was the one who needed to be Ellie’s baby’s father. She couldn’t trust Blake.
The man had already dumped her once. Who was to say he wouldn’t do it again? And this time, he’d be walking out on a kid, much like Aidan’s mother had done to him and Logan. No, Blake was absolutely the wrong choice for father material.
And hey, they had an agreement together. A binding legal document. So maybe it would be better if he stuck to the status quo and didn’t say a word to Ellie. Why give her a chance to change things when everything was working so well for both of them?
“Hell.” He tried to focus on something else, like the clean, briny smell of the fishing boats moored in the marina. The pungent scent reminded him of the first time he and Logan came to the island. They were on a fishing holiday and the bluefish they caught in Alleria Bay were the finest anywhere. They stayed a week longer than they’d planned and when they set sail for home, they were the new owners of the island.
Aidan slowed his pace as he approached the resort. He’d trusted in his luck back then, he reminded himself, and it had turned out well. He’d have to trust to his luck now, too. It wouldn’t be easy, but he knew what he had to do. Ellie had to be the one to make the choice. And for Aidan, that meant standing aside to give her the room to do so.
He stopped abruptly at the water’s edge. Something he’d refused to dwell on too heavily was the fact that Ellie hadn’t gotten pregnant yet. Ellie hadn’t brought it up and Aidan had simply figured they would continue having a good time until she announced she was pregnant. But now he wondered if maybe she was blaming him for not getting her pregnant immediately. Maybe she was ready to chuck Aidan and try this with someone new.
“That’s ridiculous,” he said aloud, immediately brushing that thought aside. Ellie wasn’t the type of woman who would do something like that. But even if she was having second thoughts, Aidan refused to believe she would ever do anything so crazy as to choose Blake over him. Yet the fact remained that it was still her choice to make.
As he walked slowly across the white sand toward the terrace, Aidan reached an uncomfortable conclusion. He had started out wanting what was best for Ellie and the baby. Now he had to face the possibility that it might not be him.
*
“You want me to what?”
“I want you to go to Blake if you want to. It’s your decision to make.”
Ellie stared at him as if he’d just sprouted a second head. Maybe he had. He couldn’t quite believe he was saying the words either. But they had to be said.
“It’s my decision,” she murmured.
“Yes. I shouldn’t have followed you outside the other night,” Aidan said solemnly. “It wasn’t my place to interfere. Blake has offered you a choice and you need to do what’s right for you.”
Ellie searched his face for so long, he was about to start squirming. This wasn’t easy for him, but it was the right thing to do.
Finally she said, “But you and I have an agreement.”
“That’s true,” he said. “But you’re running the show here, Ellie. I shouldn’t have watched you and Blake when you were talking—it’s just that that guy really bugs me and—never mind. Not the point. It was wrong of me to intrude. And if Blake cares about you…”
“You said he was a liar and a jerk,” she reminded him. “Did you change your mind about him?”
“No, I didn’t change my mind about him,” Aidan said, resisting the urge to scowl. “I still don’t like him. But this isn’t about me. Look, I’m just afraid I might’ve pushed you into something you weren’t ready for. So if you want to reconsider Blake, or any other guy, I need to give you the space to make a measured decision. It’s your choice to make.”
“I don’t know what to say,” she murmured, looking pensive.
He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss away every last ounce of doubt she’d ever had about herself. But he stayed on track and bit out the next words. “You have every right to go back to Blake if that’s what you want.”
“What do you want, Aidan?”
His jaw clenched and he pressed his lips together tightly, then forced himself to say the words. “I want you to do whatever will make you happy. You deserve to be happy, Ellie. And you deserve to make your own decision without me influencing you. More importantly, your baby deserves a father of your choosing.”
And, damn it, she should choose him! But Aidan couldn’t say that out loud.
She nodded slowly. “So you’re saying you’d be fine if I decided that Blake or some other man would be a better choice to be the father of my child.”
Hell, no! Was she going to make him say it out loud? Aidan wasn’t sure he could. Finally he uttered the only thing left to say. “If that’s what you want to do.”
*
Ellie couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. Her heart felt as if it were breaking in a thousand little bits. Did he really want her to choose Blake, or did he think he was being noble, offering her a choice? She had to remember that in the beginning, all Aidan had really wanted was to keep her on the island. If she went back to Blake, that goal would be achieved. As Aidan would say, it was a win-win.
Of course, there was no win for Ellie because apparently Aidan would be perfectly happy to see her go, and yet she would never return to Blake. She wasn’t about to admit that to Aidan, though. Not now, with him so unwilling to take a stand either way.
Her head was spinning in confusion and pain. Could he really just let her go? She pressed a fist to her heart. Why did it have to hurt so much? She had tried so hard to avoid those pitfalls into which her mother had descended and now she herself was spiraling down into her own personal hell.
Right now there was only one thing she knew for sure. She needed to get away and think this through. She needed to stay away from Aidan and sadly, she couldn’t do that if they were having sex together.
“What’s going on, Ellie?” he said, a note of concern in his voice. “What are you thinking?”
She took a deep breath and gazed up at him. “I need some time to think, Aidan. I admit you’ve confused me. I need to stay away from you for a little while, just until I can put things into perspective.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “Exactly what does that mean, Ellie?”
“It means we won’t be having sex for a while.”
“What?” he said. “Why the hell not?”
He looked so outraged that she squeezed his hand to comfort him. “I’m so sorry. I know our arrangement is strictly business, so maybe this is unfair of me to say. But I have to be honest with you. It’s upsetting to hear that you don’t have a problem with my going back to Blake. I thought we were having so much fun together, but now I see…well, I’m not sure of anything right now. Please just give me a little time to figure out what my next move will be.”
“What if you find out you’re pregnant?” Aidan said.
“Oh.” She had to blink back a sudden wash of tears. She hadn’t even taken that possibility into consideration. She took a few more deep breaths, then said, “I hadn’t even thought about that. But if I find out I’m pregnant, there’ll be no need to wonder who the father should be.”
*
Ellie folded another crisp cloth napkin and added it to the pile. Ever since she was a young girl, whenever she needed to think about something important, she liked to do it while ironing. It was a mindless yet productive activity so she was able to accomplish something while doing almost nothing but allowing words and images to zip around in her head.
There was no way in the world she would ever start dating Blake again. Didn’t Aidan know that? Of course he did. He was just feeling guilty about trying to influence her feelings about Blake.
But what annoyed the holy heck out of her wasn’t the fact that Aidan had come to offer her a choice to go back to Blake or not. No, it was the fact that he didn’t care one way or another what she chose to do! That’s what bothered her most. It hurt, frankly. She was bewildered and uncertain and just a little panicky about what to do next.
The smartest thing to do would be to avoid Aidan for the next two weeks, until she found out if she was pregnant or not. It wouldn’t be easy because every time she saw him, all she wanted to do was kiss him and jump into bed with him. And that would be wrong. Although she couldn’t quite remember why.
But at least she had told him the truth. At least he knew that he had upset her. The truth was important, she thought. But while she was telling Aidan the truth, maybe it was time for her to face the truth about herself. She was her mother’s daughter. Was she turning into that woman? Ellie hated to think so, but she did seem to be wrapping herself up in Aidan’s world more and more. And if that continued, she would eventually lose herself. And that frightened her more than anything else.
She stared at the stack of twenty neatly ironed napkins and the three smoothly folded tablecloths beside them. She wasn’t nearly finished thinking about her problem and glanced around for something more to iron. Would it be too silly to iron her dish towels?
“Oh, no, you’re not obsessed much,” she muttered, and quickly put the iron and ironing board away.
*
He never should’ve said a damn word.
Knowing he’d upset Ellie was like having a drill pierce a hole through his gut. Over and over again. Her words played constantly in his head until he thought he would go crazy. He still couldn’t believe that she’d apologized for being unfair to him. She’d tried to comfort him, for God’s sake.
He thought he’d been doing the right thing for Ellie, but he was wrong. All he’d really wanted was for her to choose him over Blake. He’d wanted to hear her say the words. Like his own ego needed so much massaging? What the hell was wrong with him?
“Damn it,” he muttered, as he slammed the tennis ball across the net. She was so sweet, he obviously didn’t deserve her. But screw that. Even if she was too good for him, the bottom line was she was stuck with him. And let’s face it, if she was too good for Aidan, then she was way too good for Blake. And that settled it. She wasn’t going back to that worthless guy again. Not as long as Aidan had breath left in his body.
“Heads up, bro,” Logan called from the other side of the net after the tennis ball whizzed right past Aidan’s ear. “You’re completely out of it today.”
That was pretty much true, Aidan thought. The fact that he hadn’t found Ellie in his bed that morning, for the first time in weeks, had rendered him almost useless today. He was going to have to do something about it, and soon. But he wasn’t about to admit any of that to Logan.
“I can still beat you with one hand tied behind my back,” he yelled. “Serve another one.”
*
It was day seven without sex.
Aidan saw Ellie every day in the office, where she was the epitome of professionalism. She worked as hard as she ever had and was cordial and helpful at all times to Aidan and everyone else in the company.
It was driving Aidan insane. He had reached the end of his rope. Telling Ellie she was free to go back to Blake was surely the worst idea he had ever come up with.
Last night he’d actually gone into the bar to find a woman, any woman, to have no-strings-attached sex. He’d seen a few attractive women he knew would be willing to go for it, but every time he approached one of them, he changed his mind. They weren’t that appealing, after all.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
Aidan looked up and saw his brother standing in the doorway of his office. “Buzz off.”
Logan ignored that and walked over to his desk. “Your temporary secretary is threatening to quit and Sarah from the mail room is in tears. What is your problem?”
“She forgot to sort my mail,” Aidan griped.
Logan leaned closer. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I heard you right.”
Aidan refused to repeat the idiotic complaint he’d just uttered. Instead, he grumbled, “You heard me.”
“You’re right, I did. And I’m wondering something.”
“What?” Aidan glared up at him.
“Who the hell died and made you King?” Logan shouted in his face. “Sort your own damn mail!”
That’s exactly what he was doing, but he wasn’t about to admit it to Logan. “Thanks for your advice. Now you can leave.”
“Not until you tell me what bug crawled up your ass and died.” Logan began to pace back and forth in front of his desk. “You’ve been acting like a jackass for days now and everyone in the hotel is fed up with you. So pull yourself together. Either take a damn vacation, or get a hobby, or go get laid, but do something. Work it out, for God’s sake.”
“I can’t get laid,” Aidan muttered.
Logan stopped in his tracks. “Excuse me?”
“I said, get out of my office.”
“No,” Logan said slowly. “I think you said you can’t get laid.”
“Never mind what I said. I’m busy. Get out.”
Logan grinned. “Is there a medical issue I should be concerned about?”
Aidan stood and pointed to the door. “Get. Out.”
But Logan wasn’t going anywhere and he had the nerve to laugh. “Oh, wait a minute. I know what this is about.”
“You don’t know jack, man.”
“Yeah, this is about Ellie.”
“It has nothing to do with Ellie.”
“Really?” Logan thought for a second. “But when Grace talked to her, she said… Well, you probably don’t care. Okay, I’ll be going.”
“Wait. What did Grace say? What did Ellie tell her?”
“Sorry. Gotta go.”
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Logan snorted with laughter. “Oh, this is rich. You’re in love with her.”
“Get out.”
“Okay, I’m going.” He snickered and headed for the door. When he got there, he stopped and turned. “But do us all a favor and just admit it to yourself.”
“There’s not a damn thing I need to admit to anyone.”
Logan held up his hands in surrender. “Fine, be miserable. Just stop taking it out on the staff.”
Logan closed the door. Aidan sagged back in his chair and wondered what horrible sin he’d committed in a previous lifetime that had cursed him to be born a twin.
*
The following night, Aidan prepared to work later than usual on the contracts for another new restaurant in Tierra del Alleria, the island’s only town. Tierra, as the locals called it, was a Victorian-era port town that overlooked a picturesque harbor that had grown in the last five years from a lazy fishing village to a hub for wealthy yacht owners, sports fishermen and the occasional small cruise ship. People came to experience the stunning views, laid-back charm, fabulous weather and world-class restaurants that lined the beach and pier.
The new restaurant owners planned to take advantage of the growing trend in gourmet artisanal vegetarian fare. Aidan figured the menu items would appeal especially to visiting celebrities and the wealthy wives of all those cigar-smoking yacht owners.
Thinking about the town reminded him of the dinner he’d shared there a few weeks ago with Ellie. They had snuck away from the hotel for the evening to wander and shop along the quaint waterfront. It was the most normal evening he’d spent in years, he thought. They had stopped for dinner at one of Aidan’s favorite restaurants, a French bistro with phenomenal food and an excellent wine list. They were seated at the most prized table with a stunning view overlooking the scenic harbor and the sea of blue water that stretched on forever.
Ellie had ordered a rich cassoulet and Aidan the steak frites. The meat was tender and rare, the French fries deep fried to perfection. There was béarnaise sauce that Ellie had practically swooned over and each time she dipped a fry in the sauce and bit into it, Aidan felt himself grow more taut. They had rushed back home and made love for hours.
Damn it, where had that thought come from?
Aidan dragged himself back to the work before him, forcing himself to read through the various contracts for the new restaurant until he realized that one of the subcontractors’ agreements was missing. He flipped through the file, but it wasn’t there. Without much thought he buzzed Ellie, knowing she would be able to track it down for him.
A few minutes later, she walked into his office and his eyes drank in the sight of her. She wore a fire-engine-red dress with a short matching jacket and he wondered what the hell she was doing getting all dressed up like that.
As she approached the desk, he caught the scent of something irresistible. Was she wearing a new perfume? For some reason, that thought irritated him almost as much as the alluring blend of vanilla and citrus blossoms did.
He meant to thank her for bringing the contract by, but somehow the words came out differently. “What the hell did you say to Grace?”
She stopped and stared at him. “I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me,” he said as he stood up and rounded the desk. “I don’t want you talking to Grace without clearing it with me first.”
“Really?” she said, tilting her head at him. “Is that some kind of new partnership rule? I’m not allowed to have a conversation with my girlfriends?”
That wasn’t what he meant, was it? He scowled. “Not if it’s about… Never mind. I just don’t want you to—”
Her eyes narrowed and she stepped closer. “You don’t want me to what?”
“Look, Ellie,” he said, trying to sound reasonable. “It’s none of my business if you and Blake…”
“What about me and Blake?” she said, her tone challenging.
He gritted his teeth and changed the subject. “Never mind. Just give me the file and go home.”
“I’ll give you the damn file.” She slammed it down on his desk.
“Temper,” he chided.
She pursed her lips and got right up in his face. “But who says I’m going home?”
A red haze of fury filled his vision at the thought of her going off to Blake’s house.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said, his voice low and threatening.
“Oh? And who’s going to stop me?”
“Me.” He grabbed her by her jacket lapels and yanked her against him and his mouth covered hers in an act of overt possession. She returned the favor with equal passion, her hips writhing against his already rock-hard erection as her lips searched his in a needy quest for more.
It was wonderful, Ellie thought, her mind drifting in a fog of sensual pleasure. Aidan was wild. Dangerous. Better than ever before. Or maybe it only seemed that way because it had been a lifetime since he’d kissed her.
Not that it meant anything. It was just sex. Wild, hot, fabulous sex, but still. It didn’t mean anything more than that to Aidan. Or to her, she reminded herself. So even if he thought he could make demands on her, he still had no intention of ever settling down with one woman.
Ellie had been trying for seven long days to resist him, but she couldn’t do it anymore. She knew she’d been obsessing over him, but she couldn’t help herself. The good news was that she had finally recognized what her mom must have been going through all those years ago. It wasn’t easy, but in her heart, Ellie had finally forgiven her. That was a big step.
And as for Ellie, she simply didn’t want to deny her true self anymore. She resolved here and now to just enjoy what she and Aidan had for as long as she could. She was tired of obsessing about obsession. If fun was all Aidan was offering, then fun is what she wanted to have.
He grabbed her hair and pulled gently, wrenching their lips apart. “I mean it, Ellie. You’re not going to see Blake.”
She smiled. “Of course I’m not.”
“Ever again,” he warned.
“I already told him a week ago.”
“Good. Come here,” he muttered and kissed her again.
*
Two weeks later, the Duke cousins arrived on the island for the wedding of Tom Sutherland and Sally Duke.
Aidan and Logan greeted everyone as they climbed out of the limousine.
He gave Sally a hug. She stared up at him and pressed her hands to his cheeks. “Oh Aidan, I’m so happy you’re my family.”
The words struck him like a punch to the solar plexus.
“I’m happy, too,” he managed, before Sally turned to Logan. Surreptitiously he blinked back a few drops of moisture that sprang to his eyes. Where the hell had that come from?
“Oh, look who’s here,” Sally cried, and rushed across the porte cochere.
Aidan turned in time to see her greet Ellie with a big hug and kisses on both cheeks. He frowned. How did those two know each other?
Logan elbowed him just then and chuckled. “Check it out. You are so dead.”
Aidan was suddenly reminded of Sally’s reputation as a matchmaker and was instantly suspicious. “How do they know each other?”
Logan shrugged. “They must’ve met on Sally’s last trip here. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it’s all friendly and harmless.”
“Dude,” Aidan said quietly. “On her last trip here, you accused her of being a witch.”
“A good witch,” Logan reminded him under his breath.
“Right, but still.”
The last time Sally had visited Alleria, she’d spent a long time talking to Grace. Their cousin Brandon Duke had caught up with Aidan and advised him to warn his brother Logan that Sally liked to play matchmaker—and she played for keeps. She had uncanny luck in that area and the three Duke brothers were living proof. All three confirmed bachelors were now happily married with babies and the whole deal.
“You thought I was crazy for being concerned,” Aidan said. “Remember?”
“Yeah, and I was right,” Logan said. “You were crazy.”
“I was just looking out for your best interests. And what good did it do? Look at you now. Happily married.” His tone it was tinged with pity.
“True,” Logan said cheerfully. “And now it looks like Sally and Ellie are new best friends. Hmm. Coincidence? I think not.”
“Damn,” Aidan muttered as he watched the two women chattering up a storm. “I’m gonna have to watch their every move now.”
“Why bother?” Logan said, chuckling. “Just give in to the inevitable.”
Aidan scowled. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Wanting everyone else to get married just because you were dumb enough to get shackled.”
“Yeah, that’s me.” Logan scratched his head. “What was I thinking? I like Ellie. Why would I want her to be stuck with you?”
“Very funny,” Aidan said derisively.
“Dude, you just refuse to accept the fact that you’re in love with Ellie.”
“Oh, great,” Aidan said. “One more delusional statement from the newly married man.”
Logan slapped his back. “I’m gonna love watching you fall, bro.”
*
Tom Sutherland and Sally Duke were married two days later surrounded by their closest friends and family. The setting was a secluded lagoon and waterfall nestled in the foothills of the rain forest with Alleria Bay as a backdrop.
Ellie was honored to be invited and was thrilled for Sally and Tom, who seemed so happy to have found each other after many years of living on their own. It was amazing to Ellie that Sally, a widow who had spent so many years trying to track down her late husband’s missing brother, Tom, had finally found him.
With a soft sigh, Ellie thought that nobody deserved her very own “happy ever after” more than Sally Duke.
“Everything is so beautiful,” Grace whispered. “Thanks for helping with the decorations.”
“There wasn’t much to do,” Ellie said. “This setting is perfect just as it is.”
“It’s my favorite spot on the island,” Grace said shyly.
Ellie smiled. Her friend had confessed to finding the hidden lagoon while spore hunting one day and had returned to enjoy it many times with Logan.
Ellie wished she could return here someday with Aidan. It had to be the most romantic spot she’d ever seen. That thought reminded her of Aidan and she glanced over at the handsome twin brothers standing by their father’s side.
As the ceremony began, Ellie paid special attention to the vows the couple spoke. The words were so simple, yet filled with so much emotion and love that Ellie was almost overwhelmed by everything she was feeling. As Grace passed her a tissue, Ellie chocked it up to the simple fact that this was a wedding, after all. She’d choked up during her sister’s wedding, too. And Logan and Grace’s nuptials had been lovely, as well.
To keep herself from dissolving into tears, she stared straight at Aidan, knowing his presence would help to ground her. He looked so incredibly handsome standing with Logan and Tom, surrounded by all that natural beauty.
At that moment, Aidan turned and winked at her. Ellie smiled at him. And realized it didn’t matter that someday he might be the father of her child. Didn’t matter that they’d signed a legal agreement. Didn’t matter that she seemed to have succumbed completely to being her mother’s daughter when it came to obsessing over one man. Didn’t matter that she’d never expected to fall in love and marry a man. The plain fact was that she loved Aidan Sutherland with all her heart and wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. Even if she was never lucky enough to have a baby, she would always want to be with Aidan.
And that was impossible.
All of a sudden, she couldn’t breathe. She stood abruptly and stumbled to the aisle. Grace grabbed her hand and Ellie mumbled an apology as she left the ceremony. She made her way along the flower-petal-strewn path and staggered down the hill until she reached a bend in the trail. There she was able to sag against the trunk of a coco palm tree out of sight of the others.
“Oh, God. Oh, God.” In a panic, she struggled to get enough breath into her lungs so she wouldn’t pass out. Because she was suddenly struck by the immensity of her feelings. She was truly and irrevocably in love with the man.
Yes, yes, fine, she had always been attracted to Aidan. She’d always cared about him. But this was so much bigger than what she had felt before. Her heart ached with the enormity of it all. Did it show on her face? How could it not? There was no way she could return to the ceremony now.
“You fool,” she whispered. She’d known all along that Aidan would never settle down with one woman. He clearly had some aversion to commitment that would never allow him to give himself to Ellie alone. Just look at the endless line of bikini-clad women he’d dated over the years. So now what?
“Ellie?”
She whirled around and saw Grace tiptoeing toward her. “Are you all right?”
Ellie gulped back tears. “You should go back to the ceremony, Grace. Logan will miss you.”
“Logan’s fine. I’m more worried about you.”
Ellie shook her head, but didn’t say anything.
“Oh, what’s wrong, sweetie?”
“I can’t talk about it,” she whispered.
Grace sighed and took hold of Ellie’s hand. “Weddings can be treacherous events, can’t they? So unfair to us sensitive types.”
“It’s true,” Ellie whispered.
Absently, Grace pushed an errant strand of Ellie’s hair behind her ear. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
Ellie nodded.
“Is it Aidan?”
Ellie’s eyes widened, but she clamped her mouth shut for fear that if she spoke one word, her eyes would let loose a flood of epic proportions.
“I know you love him,” Grace said gently.
“Oh, God,” she moaned. “You can tell?”
“Of course, sweetie,” Grace said, nodding. “It’s obvious to me how you feel, but apparently not to him. Men can be such dolts.”
Ellie giggled. She wasn’t prone to giggling, but she couldn’t help it around Grace, who was such a brilliant scientist, but whose words were completely down to earth.
“Especially Sutherland men,” Grace added. “They can be a real bummer to a girl’s self-assurance. But who can blame us for falling for them? Let’s face it, they’re hot.”
Ellie sighed. “I’ll say.”
“I’m just impressed that you were smart enough to recognize the signs for yourself.” Grace shook her head in dismay. “I was totally clueless.”
“But you’re a genius,” Ellie protested.
“Some genius,” Grace scoffed, then smiled wickedly. “But I’m getting smarter every day.”
“Then you must see how useless my feelings for Aidan are. He has no intention of ever settling down.”
“No, of course he doesn’t,” Grace said seriously. “Never. Not Aidan. No way.”
“You’re not helping.”
Grace laughed lightly. “Ellie, Aidan would have to be a complete fool not to fall in love with you. And my husband’s twin brother is no fool.”
Ellie smiled. “I appreciate you saying that, even if it’s complete nonsense.”
Grace laughed and rubbed her arm. “You look like you’re feeling a little better. Can I coax you to come back to the wedding?”
“I guess so,” Ellie said. “But will you promise not to tell anyone how stupid I was?”
“You’re far from stupid, but if it makes you feel better, I promise. Now let’s get back before the Sutherland men miss us too much.”