“We’re all adults here.” He kisses the side of my head and releases me to dip into the ice chest. “You want a beer?”
When I peer up and Cal’s still staring at me, I shift inside and find a seat as far away from the men as possible, fearing a closer look will give me away.
“Sure.” Cal follows me in and sits on a stool, propping his elbows on the small island countertop. “So, you hanging in there?”
Aden pops the top on the bottle and places it down for his uncle while I check all the available exits and scramble for an excuse to leave. “Better now, thanks to Celia.”
I jerk my eyes to his to find both men looking right at me. My hands knot in the hem of the shirt and I try my hardest for a convincing smile.
“Is that right?” Cal’s scrutiny continues, and a flash of sadness crosses his expression.
“No clue how long it would’ve taken before I finally sobered up,” Aden mumbles, and holds up a bottle of water, accentuating his point. “Cece helped me to pull my shit together.”
“Cece. Interesting.” His words are muffled into the brown bottle as he swigs from it.
“Just happened so quick, ya know, Jenkins.” Aden’s talking softly. “Reminded me of before. Here one second. Gone the next.”
“Understandable.”
I watch as the two men talk using short phrases I don’t totally understand but gather they’re speaking about lingering effects of Aden’s time served in the military. I make myself part of the décor, pressing back against the seat, hoping to blend into the walls, to become invisible until the opportunity to leave presents itself.
“The bank been up your ass?”
“I avoid them when I can, but yeah. They’re not gonna be ignored forever, Cal.”
Aden’s uncle leans back and drums his fingers on the counter. “Might have to just sell the place. Hate it, but those back taxes are killin’ me.”
“Celia took a peek at the books. She pointed out some areas we could cut, told me how much we’d have to pay monthly. Made sense. You never told me she was an accountant.”
“Didn’t I?” Cal’s eyes slide to mine and the steeliness I see there confirms my worst fear.
He knows.
My legs move faster than my thoughts and before I’m even aware, I’m up and moving toward the bedroom.
There’s mumbling behind me followed by the thump of heavy footsteps and the slide of the flimsy door. Grabbing my things I turn and collide with Aden’s chest.
He grips me by my biceps. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“I . . .” I can’t look at him so I busy my eyes searching for something I may have missed. “Forgot I promised Mrs. Jones I’d check in on her today.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand if you don’t.”
Gently removing myself from his hold, I turn my back on him and slip off his shirt to put on my bra. I move quickly because being naked in front of Aden feels wrong now. “I made her a promise. I can’t break it.”
Hands shaking, I scramble with the straps when his warm hands slide up my sides only to grip the elastic and fasten the clasps for me. “You’re a good person, Celia.”
The air in my lungs rushes out in one burst as his words increase my guilt. I bite my tongue to avoid saying that I’m far from a good person. I am the worst kind of person. I’m a liar and a fake and he really doesn’t know me at all.
He helps me with my T-shirt and when I turn he’s standing in my way so I can’t escape. His arms are crossed over his chest and he’s looking at me with an emotion I’ve never seen from him before. A soft, almost lazy smile, his deep brown eyes communicating warmth that I can actually feel expanding in my chest.
“I don’t want you to go.”
I lick my lips, hoping I’m capable of words because the way his soul seems to be drinking from mine leaves me feeling weak and needy. “I made a promise—”
“That’s not what I meant.” He takes a step forward, but his arms stay tucked away and he doesn’t touch me.
This is good, because one touch would send the truth from my lips and my body to my knees to beg his forgiveness.
“I want to date you.”
“Why?” I whisper, and then immediately regret giving my innermost doubts a voice.
His grin widens, but only slightly. “Because I like you.”
“I’m moving back to Phoenix.”
“I’m going to ask that you don’t.”
Oh my God, what? He wants me to stay—not me. It’s Celia he’s fallen for.
Fool me once. I’ll never be deceived again.
His words from the other night flood my mind.
Oh, Aden, if you only knew, you’d never look at me like that again.
“I have to go.” I push past him and he makes no attempt to stop me.
“Think about it, Cece.”
The nickname sends my shoulders to my ears. Without a response I slide open the door, snag my purse from the couch, and with a wave to Cal I race from Aden’s boat, knowing one thing with almost absolute certainty.
Cal’s going to tell Aden who I really am and the truth is going to crush him.
TWENTY
ADEN
“Everything okay?”
When I’m finally able to pull my eyes away from Celia’s retreating back after I made sure she got off the boat okay, I turn to find Cal’s staring down the dock too.
“Yeah, she forgot she had somewhere to be.” Even I know she’s lying about that. Something spooked her, I just can’t for the life of me figure out what it was.
“How long you two been hanging out?”
“Little more than a week. I can see why you talked about her so much. She’s . . .” Visions of her smile, her laughter, her body moving above mine, all flood my vision. I blow out a hard breath. “She’s amazing.”
He frowns. “Mm-hm. Celia was something special.” There’s sadness in his voice that gets my attention.
“You implying now that she’s been sleeping with me she’s no longer special, Cal?” My pulse starts to thrum in my veins.
My uncle’s never been the type to judge anyone, but he loves Celia, and he knows I’m fucked up. I can see why he’d be disappointed, hell, even I know Cece’s too good for me. But I’m his fucking flesh and blood.
“You’ve known her a week.”
“She’s more than just a fuck buddy, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“Aden, think about it.” He props his elbows on the counter. “You’re only replacing one addiction for another.”
“That’s bullshit, Cal.”
“You said it yourself, she cleaned you up, took your mind off losing Jenks.”
“Yeah, but . . .” I fist my hands, my mouth watering for a beer, but I push back the urge. “That doesn’t mean I’m using her for sex.”
“Really?” He shrugs and leans forward on his forearms. Challenging. “Tell me what you know about her.”
“She’s smart, compassionate, patient, and although she’s scared of almost everything she’ll walk through her fears with me.”
His frown deepens.
“I’m serious, Cal. This woman, when I’m showing her something new and helping her through whatever she’s afraid of, the way she lights up . . . When she comes alive like that it makes me feel useful again.”
“You care about her or you just like the way she makes you feel?”
“I care about her because of the way she makes me feel.”