Dogwood Hill (A Chesapeake Shores Novel - Book 12) Read online

  “Count me in,” Danielle said eagerly.

  LeeAnn regarded her with amusement. “So much for dieting.”

  “Oh, to heck with it,” Danielle said. “I had a baby. My husband needs to get over it.”

  Liz looked around at her sisters and her mom, all of them suddenly sporting new attitudes.

  “Wow, it’s a whole new day for the Benson women!” she said.

  A surprising spirit of camaraderie filled the room. Even her mom seemed to have been infected.

  “Power to us!” her mom said with real spirit.

  Liz stood up and pulled her into a hug. “I love you, Mom.”

  Danielle and LeeAnn joined them. “Us, too,” LeeAnn said.

  Once again, her mom blinked back tears. “You know you were telling us about the magic that seems to happen in Chesapeake Shores. I have to admit I thought you were crazy, but I’m starting to believe you. I haven’t felt this close to you girls in years.”

  Liz shrugged. “What can I say? This town is all about family. Apparently that affects even those who aren’t O’Briens.”

  17

  Aidan was just coming back from his run with Archie on Sunday morning when the dog spotted Liz and her family crossing the town green. Though he held tightly to the dog’s leash, he was no match for Archie’s determination to break free.

  As the Aussie shot off in their direction, all he could do was shout a warning. “Archie, get back here,” he commanded, then added, “Liz, watch out!”

  She was already laughing when the dog jumped up and began exuberantly licking her face as if he hadn’t seen her in weeks. Her mom and sisters took several careful steps back and watched the scene warily.

  “It seems as if you’re awfully well acquainted with Aidan’s dog,” LeeAnn said, already reaching out to scratch Archie’s head. He abandoned Liz in favor of making a fresh conquest.

  Aidan loped over to join them, nabbing the leash Archie had yanked from his hand. “Sorry,” he apologized, then shook his head as the dog unabashedly moved on to seek attention from both Danielle and Mrs. Benson. “Apparently he has a real thing for the women in your family.”

  “He’s fickle,” Liz said. “No question about it. Cordelia would be mortified. She thought she’d trained him better than that before she turned him over to me.”

  Her mother regarded her with surprise. “He was yours?”

  “Just a houseguest,” Liz explained. “Then he adopted Aidan.”

  Her mother’s lips quirked. “I imagine you had no say in the matter?” she asked Aidan.

  “Not much,” he agreed. “Between Archie and your daughter, I was pretty much doomed. They were very persuasive.”

  Her mother smiled. “Liz was the same way with every stray that came to the door back home. We’d have been overrun with them if she hadn’t had a way of persuading all the neighbors to take them in. I doubt there was a home in the area that didn’t have a pet she’d talked the owners into adopting.”

  “So it’s not a recent development,” he concluded.

  “Heavens, no. Though I wasn’t happy that she gave up teaching, it’s little surprise to me that she’s doing something related to animals.”

  Aidan noted that Liz seemed as surprised as he was by the accepting tone of her mother’s comments. He also noted that she seemed uncomfortable with the sudden shift.

  To change the subject, he asked her, “Are you on your way to breakfast? I noticed when I left for my run that Sally’s is filling up fast.”

  Liz nodded. “I persuaded them not to take off at the crack of dawn and stay for breakfast. It didn’t require much persuasion once I told them about Sally’s waffles and French toast.”

  “Outrageously delicious,” he assured them.

  To his shock, it was Liz’s mother who said, “Would you care to join us? I’d like to make amends for treating you so badly.”

  Aidan regarded her with shock. “You never mistreated me,” he said. Oh, she’d made her displeasure with his presence in Liz’s life clear, but she’d never been outright rude to him. Good Southern manners—or Liz’s immediate defense of him—had kept her from crossing that line.

  “Maybe not overtly, but my behavior was deplorable and you didn’t deserve my suspicions,” she said. “If it’s not too late, I’d like to get to know you better. Mick O’Brien said some very nice things about you last night. So did everyone else I met.”

  Still startled by the attitude adjustment, he turned to Liz, who merely shrugged. LeeAnn and Danielle were clearly amused.

  “Then I’d be happy to join you,” he said. “Just let me take Archie upstairs and change out of my running clothes. I’ve tried leaving the dog outside Sally’s, but he looks so sad when he watches me through the glass that everybody thinks I’m heartless.”

  “Well, it’s obvious to me that he adores you,” Mrs. Benson said, that rare note of approval still in her voice.

  “I won’t be long, but go ahead and order without me,” he suggested.

  “We don’t mind waiting,” Mrs. Benson said, clearly determined to be cheerful and accommodating. “Take your time.”

  As Aidan headed upstairs, he couldn’t help wondering what the heck had gone on among these women after he’d said good-night at the party. The atmosphere had gone from frosty to warm overnight. Maybe it didn’t really matter. Whatever had changed finally seemed to be working in his favor.

  *

  “Boy, when you decide to be more open-minded, you throw yourself right into it, don’t you, Mom?” Liz said, regarding her mother with astonishment.

  “Well, there’s not much time left, and Aidan seems to be important to you, so I figured I’d better not waste a minute.”

  “And we’re always happy for a little eye candy,” LeeAnn chimed in.

  “Amen to that,” Danielle added.

  Liz laughed when their mother regarded them with disapproval.

  “Girls! Behave yourselves,” she scolded. “You’re grown women with husbands and children.”

  Danielle, for once, didn’t look even slightly intimidated. “Are you seriously trying to tell me that you haven’t noticed what a hunk Aidan is?”

  A guilty flush stained their mother’s cheeks. “Whether I have or I haven’t, I’m not so indiscreet that I’d blab about it.”

  “She’s noticed,” LeeAnn said triumphantly. “I mean, Dad’s a good-looking guy for his age, but Aidan is swoon-worthy, right, Mom?”

  Their mother shook her head. “I sometimes think you must have been raised by a pack of wolves. Daughters of mine would never say such inappropriate things about their own parents.”

  LeeAnn nudged her with an elbow. “Just admit it, Mom. You finally see what we see in Aidan, don’t you?”

  “He’s an attractive man,” she conceded grudgingly. “But it’s character that really counts.”

  “Amen to that,” Liz said in heartfelt agreement as she led the way into Sally’s and claimed the last available booth in the crowded café.

  Fortunately they were several tables away from the various O’Briens, who were already eating, though no place would be far enough away from their prying eyes and smirking gazes once Aidan arrived.

  When he walked in the door, she noticed him looking around for an extra chair, but there were none to be had. Her mother obviously noticed that, too. She waved him over.

  “Just squeeze right in beside Liz and LeeAnn. They don’t take up much space.”

  Grinning, he glanced at Liz. “Is that okay with you?”

  Before she could reply, LeeAnn was already sliding over toward the wall.

  “Come on, big sis. Make room for the man.” A huge grin spread across her face. “Or you could let him sit in the middle. That would be cozy.”

  Liz slid closer to her sister. “This is fine, thanks.”

  “Darn! I was hoping to have a real story for my husband about getting up close and personal with his football hero.”

  “I doubt he’d have been overjoyed abo
ut that,” Liz said.

  “Oh, he’d have been no more upset than you,” LeeAnn taunted. “I notice it only took you about two seconds to make sure I didn’t get that close to your guy.”

  She turned to her sister with a frown. “Will you stop that, please! Aidan is not ‘my guy.’”

  To her surprise, she heard a chuckle from her mother.

  “I swear this takes me back to when you were teenagers. LeeAnn knew exactly how to get under your skin. Apparently she still does.”

  Hiding her own smile, Liz challenged her mother. “Are you any better at controlling her now than you were then? Or do I have to come up with some way to keep her quiet so we can enjoy our breakfast in peace?”

  “You girls are old enough to fight your own battles,” her mother replied. “Aidan, do you have siblings?”

  “No, ma’am. I was an only child.”

  “Then you have no idea what you missed,” she told him.

  “You mean the constant squabbling?” Liz asked.

  Her mother gave her a chiding look. “I was thinking about the bond the three of you share. No one knows your history the way the three of you do.”

  Liz turned to Aidan and was surprised to see a hint of real regret in his eyes.

  “You’re right,” he told her mother. “I can’t imagine what that must be like.”

  Since Liz knew the way her mother’s mind worked, she decided to forestall all the likely questions about Aidan’s parents. That would definitely lead down a path it was best not to follow. She knew from experience how upsetting that would be for him.

  She held up her menu. “Have you had a chance to look over the specials yet?”

  “I was leaning toward the waffles before we ever came through the door,” LeeAnn said at once. “And once I got a whiff of that aroma in the air, I was completely sold.”

  “Ditto for me,” Danielle said.

  “Mom?” Liz asked.

  “I probably ought to have the oatmeal,” she said without enthusiasm.

  “Mom, this is a special occasion,” Danielle said. “If I can treat myself to waffles, so can you. You can go back to being healthy when we’re back home.”

  Liz saw her mother’s expression shift from disappointment to resolve.

  “You’re absolutely right. I’ve eaten enough oatmeal this past year to soak up every ounce of cholesterol in the state of North Carolina. I’m having waffles with butter and syrup and I’m going to enjoy every bite.”

  “Way to go, Mom!” LeeAnn said. “And we promise not to tell Dad.”

  “Oh, phooey on that,” she retorted. “Do you think he’s been eating bran flakes and a banana every morning while I’ve been gone? I imagine I’d find the wrapping from a whole pound of bacon in the trash, if I looked.” She sat back, hesitated, then said, “Come to think of it, I want bacon with my waffle, too.”

  Liz stared at her with surprise. “Mom, when was the last time you had bacon?”

  “A week ago,” she replied without a hint of apology, then added piously, “Not for breakfast, of course.”

  “Of course not,” Danielle mocked, laughing. “But how can you possibly have a BLT without the bacon? You know perfectly well once the summer tomatoes start ripening, Mom’s disapproval rating for bacon goes right out the window.”

  “Of course it does,” her mother declared. “You tell me if there’s anything better than a ripe tomato and bacon sandwich on a hot summer day? I doubt you’d turn one down.”

  “Never have,” Danielle quickly agreed.

  Liz turned to Aidan. “I don’t imagine you had a garden growing up in New York.”

  He smiled, his expression nostalgic. “You’d be wrong. My mother commandeered a part of the roof on our apartment building and planted tomatoes, peppers and herbs. You’d be amazed at what can be grown in such a small space.” He looked at her mother. “If gardening’s one of your interests, I think the two of you would have had a lot in common. I still miss those BLTs she used to make when I’d come in from playing.”

  To Liz’s shock, her mother reached across the table and patted his hand. “I’ve left a half dozen ripe tomatoes from my garden with Liz. You make sure she gives you a couple.”

  “Or she could make you a sandwich herself,” LeeAnn suggested slyly. “They do say that the way to a man’s heart—”

  Liz cut her off. “We need to order breakfast,” she said hurriedly, gesturing for Sally.

  Aidan leaned in close and whispered, “I’ll be looking forward to that sandwich.”

  “Maybe you should get my sister to make it for you,” she replied tartly.

  “She’s leaving. You’ll be right here.”

  “I can give you a couple of tomatoes and you can make your own.”

  His hand somehow landed on her thigh, even as he managed to maintain a completely innocent look for the benefit of everyone else at the table. “Not the same, sweetheart. Besides, it’s about time I found out whether you can cook.”

  “A BLT hardly qualifies as cooking,” Liz said with a laugh that came out more as a croak when his sneaky, clever fingers wandered just a little farther up her thigh. Since there was not much she could do to express her distress short of slapping at his hand and causing a scene, she sat back and enjoyed the sensation, praying that no one would notice the heated flush that surely must be climbing up her neck and staining her cheeks.

  She vowed, though, to get even with him later. In fact, she had a couple of fascinating ideas that ought to work quite well. Not a one of them involved fixing him a meal.

  *

  Aidan knew he’d been testing Liz’s limits over breakfast. It was the most fun he’d had in a long time. He’d also detected a glint in her eyes that suggested he’d pay later for his impudence. That promised to be fun, too. Her attitude toward him—toward them—was slowly loosening up. He intended to take full advantage of that.

  After breakfast, he walked back to Liz’s with the women and said goodbye as they drove off to return to North Carolina. He noted that Liz actually seemed sorry to see them go.

  “The weekend went better than you’d anticipated, didn’t it?”

  She nodded. “It had its share of surprising moments,” she told him. “I think maybe we finally put some things from the past where they belonged, behind us.”

  “Your mother certainly did a turnaround when it came to me,” he commented as they walked back across the green so Liz could open the store. He glanced her way. “So did you, or am I wrong on both counts?”

  She smiled. “Oh, your charm definitely paid off with my mother.”

  “But?”

  “I think what really did it for my mom was convincing her that it was okay for me to stop grieving my late husband.”

  “How did you accomplish that?” he asked as she unlocked the door to Pet Style.

  Liz sighed. “Maybe that’s something we should discuss when we can really relax and talk.” She seemed to hesitate for a very long time before meeting his gaze. “We could have those BLTs later.”

  “Are you cooking?”

  “I can microwave the bacon and slice the tomatoes,” she told him, sounding as if she were making a magnanimous gesture. “But you have to make your own sandwich.”

  He laughed. “It’s good to know where the line has been drawn. Should I bring wine, dessert? Maybe my own bread?”

  “Actually it wouldn’t hurt for you to pick up a loaf of white bread. I know whole grain is very healthy, so that’s what I have at home, but proper BLTs should be made on plain old white bread slathered with mayo.”

  “Agreed,” he said at once. “What time? Six-thirty? Seven?”

  “Make it seven, so I have time to shower and change after I get out of here.”

  “Done.”

  “And maybe you should bring some wine, too. If we’re going to have a particularly heavy conversation, I’m going to need it.”

  Aidan frowned at that. “Liz, I know we’ve promised to bare our souls and all that, but if it
’s going to be that difficult for you, I can wait for answers.”

  She shook her head. “No, now’s the time. We need to get this stuff out in the open. It’s the only way we’ll ever know if it’s even possible to move on. In case you haven’t noticed, I have a lot of hang-ups about that. I’ve made some progress recently, but I’m not 100 percent certain they’re behind me.”

  She lifted her gaze to meet his. “How about you?”

  “Not even close,” he admitted. Worse, if full disclosure was on her menu for tonight, he couldn’t share everything anyway. He’d made a promise to Thomas, and no matter how badly he wanted to be open and honest with Liz, he couldn’t do that until they’d found out the truth and agreed that the time had come to share it. He had a feeling the delay, reasonable though it might be, was just one more thing he’d wind up holding against his father.

  *

  Liz’s nerves went a little crazy every time she thought about her plans with Aidan. She knew it was time to be open and honest with him about her past, but the thought of telling him about that terrible night, the humiliation of discovering that her marriage was a sham, then the tragic accident that had followed made her sick to her stomach.

  “You look a little green,” Bree commented, coming into the store just before closing. “Too much champagne last night?”

  “No, it was a wonderful party,” Liz said, forcing her brightest smile. “You deserved to have a celebration. The play was brilliant and the food and champagne lived up to that high standard. No Broadway after-party could have been nicer.”

  Bree waved off the compliments. “You and Aidan seemed to be getting closer,” she said casually. “There were reports of a romantic rendezvous on the terrace.”

  “Do the members of your family not have better things to do than spy on me?” Liz asked testily.

  “Not lately,” Bree said with no hint of apology in her voice. “Dad’s gotten his own kids married off, as well as Uncle Jeff’s and even his first granddaughter. He’s at loose ends for the moment, at least until Carrie’s love life shows signs of heating up. I don’t think he’s in a big rush for that to happen, not until he’s sure she’s not going to let that cheating, hotshot fashion designer back into her life.”