Best of My Love (Fool's Gold, #20)

“Shelby, stop—”

That was all he got to say before she felt the first spasm. She dropped the bottle and clutched her stomach. Seconds later, all the water came up as she vomited.

The retching continued for several minutes. When she was done, she collapsed to her knees and braced herself with her hands on the dirt.

“I hate biking,” she managed between gagging and coughing.

“It doesn’t seem to be your sport,” he agreed. “Can you sit?”

She rolled onto her butt and rested her head on her knees. She was hot and sweaty and humiliated. What was she supposed to say after something like that?

He kneeled next to her and used a damp cloth to wipe her face, then handed her the bottle of water.

“Sip,” he said firmly. “Wait twenty seconds, then sip again.”

“I’m sorry.”

His mouth turned up. “Don’t be. It happens a lot. Nobody listens and then they pay the price.”

“I’ll never doubt you again.”

He laughed. “If only that were true.”

She got down a few sips and began to feel better. The mountain air cooled her and her heart rate returned to normal. Even the view was more appealing than it had been.

And while she would love to sit and admire it, there were decisions to be made and things to talk about.

“Thanks for offering to help with Starr’s party.”

“Are you kidding? It’s going to be the best. I’ve gone online and looked around. There are a lot of great things we can do.”

“I never thought you’d enjoy planning a party for a sixteen-year-old girl.”

He touched his chest. “You wound me. Why wouldn’t I? I like Starr and turning sixteen is a big deal. I wonder if Kipling’s teaching her to drive.”

Shelby started to take a drink of her water. She put down the bottle and stared at him. “No! We are not having that conversation. Don’t you think there’s enough going on without us dealing with whether or not Starr learns to drive?”

“She has to learn. I just worry that Kipling doesn’t have time. Not with Destiny and the new baby. Starr shouldn’t get lost in all of this.”

“Now I feel guilty,” she admitted. “You’re being more sensitive than me.”

“I’m a very sensitive man.”

“Apparently.”

All humor aside, he had a point. Starr needed to learn to drive. It was a rite of passage for every kid in America, plus it would be a big help at home. Destiny was already overwhelmed. Shelby could understand that. Hearing her to-do list had been shocking. Wasn’t it enough to have a new baby, a new husband and a half sister in the house? But there was everything else.

“It’s really hard when you’re a better person than me,” she grumbled. “Fine. We’ll talk to Kipling about the whole driving thing.”

“I am pretty amazing,” Aidan said with a grin. “You’re very lucky to have me.”

“All I hear is buzzing,” she told him.

He laughed.

The happy sound drifted across the mountains. She sipped her water and let herself enjoy the moment. A couple of problems solved, and a few more waiting in the wings. Wasn’t that always the way?

“Ready to talk about it?” he asked quietly.

She knew what he meant. The “it” in question was Amber and the bakery. “Sure.” Not that she knew what to say.

“You kind of have to go first,” he told her. “I can guess, but I’ll probably get it wrong.”

She looked at him and smiled. “You’re saying the W word. Won’t you be drummed out of your gender?”

“Not if you don’t tell on me.” He touched her face, then lowered his hand to the ground. “What are you thinking?”

She was thinking that it felt nice to be with him. That she’d puked up her guts and he was still right there. She was thinking he was a great guy and she’d done well when she’d chosen him. She was thinking she didn’t want the friendship to be over in six months. Oh, sure, they’d still be friendly, but it would be different. He would be dating and she knew that would change everything. They wouldn’t have organized time together, like now, and she would miss him.

There were other thoughts, too. Swirling images of their kiss and how that kiss had made her feel. She’d known he was right to pull away. That getting involved on a physical level would change everything. But... How was she supposed to forget? How was she supposed to let it go? It wasn’t the wanting that haunted her, it was the rightness of it all.

Which was nothing but a distraction. A handsome distraction, but a distraction all the same.

“I don’t know what to do about the bakery,” she admitted. “I know what I want. But is that what makes sense? I’m still in shock, of course. I didn’t see this coming. I knew Amber was pregnant, but it never occurred to me she would walk away from her business.”

“You want to buy her out.”