She turned and walked into the house, very aware of him following close behind. She led him to the kitchen and began pulling food from the fridge as she once again started rambling nervously.
“I bought a cookbook at the farmer’s market a few days ago. Have you ever been to the farmer’s market? It’s really quite impressive. The whole town of Sweetwater is. I really like it here. Anyway, when I bought this cookbook from a woman in town she told me about the Fourth of July barbeque. It was Lacey Buchannan, do you know Lacey?” she asked, looking up from the sandwiches she was preparing.
Aaron was casually leaned against the counter watching her with that same look of amusement he’d had outside. He shook his head slightly, in answer to her question.
“She’s a lovely girl, and she told me about this barbeque. The whole town comes together and everyone brings something. So I decided I needed to figure out what I could bring, and I found this recipe for potato salad which seemed easy enough. I’ve never made potato salad before. Honestly I haven’t eaten it too often either, so I wasn’t really sure if it turned out right. Which is where you come in.” She stopped to take a breath and smiled nervously at Aaron.
He wore a sexy crooked grin, showing one adorable dimple. He was staring at her intently. She felt the need to flutter and check her hair, but she suppressed the urge. Instead she retrieved the bowl of potato salad and added some to each of the plates with the sandwiches. Suddenly she was out of things to do with her hands to keep busy and simultaneously she couldn’t think of another thing to say. She could feel an edge of panic slipping in. She looked to Aaron for help. He stepped forward as if on cue and picked up the plates she’d prepared.
“Well then, let’s try this potato salad.” He smiled at her with that look in his eye. The one that told her potato salad was the last thing on his mind. She smiled sheepishly and gestured to the bar stools that were set up around the kitchen island.
They sat and began to eat as Maggie racked her brain for something to say. She’d basically crammed an entire lunch’s worth of conversation into the first five minutes because she was so nervous. Aaron seemed at ease and he silently enjoyed the food she’d prepared. He was a man of few words and he never seemed to feel the need to fill the silence.
She, on the other hand, was always so anxious, had been her whole life. Which was part of the reason she’d come here, to learn how to relax. She thought of the utter peace of floating in the lake and tried to draw on that memory to once again find that level of calm, however, thinking of the lake inevitably led to thinking of the dream. She flushed immediately and looked up to find Aaron watching her. Of course she knew he could never know what she’d been thinking, but she felt embarrassed for thinking about it all the same.
“So what are you bringing to the barbeque?” she blurted out the question to fill the silence.
“I don’t think I was invited,” he responded calmly. There was no bitterness in his tone, just resignation.
“Of course you are, the whole town is invited,” she insisted. He smiled at her kindly, like someone would to a child who didn’t understand a situation.
“This isn’t my town,” he stated simply.
“I’m not from here either and I’m invited. Surely…”
“It’s okay, Maggie, I don’t need to be invited to the town barbeque.” His acceptance of his exclusion bothered her, but she decided to leave it alone for the moment.
After several minutes of silence she tried again. “So where are you from?” she asked conversationally.
“Atlanta.” His expression had changed. The laughter was gone from his eyes. This wasn’t going at all how she’d hoped.
“I grew up in the Hamptons,” Maggie offered, “but I moved away to Boston for school, so that’s where I’ve been living for the last six years.” She searched his face for any sign of the carefree Aaron that she’d come to know, but something dark was hovering over him now.
“Thank you for lunch, Maggie. The potato salad was wonderful,” he said as he stood. His tone was muted. He was averting his eyes, not meeting her gaze. She stood helplessly. She didn’t want him to go.
“If you come to the barbeque you could have some more.” She laughed at her own silly statement, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled sadly.
“This isn’t a good idea, Maggie.” he said finally, bringing his eyes to hers. There was a deep sadness in their depths.
“What isn’t?” she asked weakly.
“This. Us. I’m… I’m not good for you. You deserve better.” He turned and left with his head hung low. She felt as if someone had knocked the wind out of her as she watched him go.
“Wait,” she called out, just as he’d reached the door. He stopped, but didn’t turn.