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“That’s kind of sad. You let one moment dictate your future relationships.”
I frowned, wondering if she was right. “I’m not ready to settle down, so there’s no point in pursuing a relationship.” I dated and had fun, but I never got serious. Work always came first. I made that clear to anyone I spent time with. Aiden’s rejection was never far from my memory. Maybe that’s why breaking up with Don wasn’t even a blip on my radar. I wasn’t emotionally invested in the relationship.
“Are you sure you’re okay with spending time with him now?”
I flashed her a smile. “He was being nice bringing me a tree.”
“Is that a service he provides to all his guests?” Daphne hadn’t resumed packing, but I kept my gaze on the stack of books, rearranging them in the box.
“It’s something Marley wants to do, but it’s a lot of trees. I suggested making it a paid service. An add-on to the room.”
“That’s not a bad idea. But I don’t understand why Aiden went out of his way to get you a tree. Especially if he didn’t have any residual feelings for you.”
“I think he feels guilty. That’s the kind of guy he is. He feels badly he left Marley with their parents, and he feels regret over hurting me. But it’s not necessary. I’m fine. I’m not that same girl.” I wasn’t that naive kid who thought I’d marry the love of my life, and that guy was Aiden. I wasn’t sure I even believed in it anymore.
“I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t mean anything.” It couldn’t. I wouldn’t let it mean anything more than a nice gesture from an old friend. One who wanted to relieve his guilt over his part in the breakup.
“If you say so.” Daphne resumed folding Izzy’s clothes.
I wasn’t used to sharing my feelings with anyone. I usually felt the need to put up walls, to keep people out. Mainly because I worked in a male-dominated field where emotion was frowned upon. Besides, I’d been vulnerable once, and it had bitten me in the ass. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
“You have any boxes that can be taken to the truck?” Cole asked from the doorway.
“You’re here,” Daphne said as she stood and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He leaned down to give her a soft kiss.
I couldn’t look away. The movement was so natural for them. As if they always greeted each other this way.
That was something I’d done when I was with Aiden. But we were teens and each other’s first love. We felt things so deeply back then. I thought adult relationships were more practical, forged out of a friendship and a desire to be with one person the rest of your life. I hadn’t expected the display of intimacy that Cole and Daphne were sharing.
Daphne stepped back and gestured at the few bags and boxes we’d managed to pack. “We have a few things ready, but we’ve been talking.”
Cole crossed his arms over his chest. “About what?”
Daphne looked at me. “Fiona was telling me how she’s spending some time with Aiden.”
In an effort to stop her from telling the story about the tree, I interjected, “He wants to renovate the old movie theater in the basement of the inn. He asked if I’d help with the project.”
Daphne dropped to her knees to put the last of the clothes in the suitcase. “Are you going to?”
“It’s the kind of project I’d love to be involved with. But he’s thinking about renovating the entire basement, and I won’t be around long enough for that.” It was probably best that I go back to my job in Chicago and look for a new one. I couldn’t stay even if I wanted to see my family more often. Not with Aiden living here full time.
He may have moved on, but it was clear I had unresolved feelings when it came to him.
“Aiden mentioned that you’d dated when you were younger,” Cole said.
I knew he’d talked to Aiden, and I wasn’t sure what he’d told him. “We were young, and we went in two different directions. I was at college, and he enlisted. We wouldn’t have worked.”
Daphne’s brow furrowed. “It sounded like you wanted a future with him. That you were willing to—”
“I don’t want to talk about it. It’s over. There’s no point in rehashing what happened. We were young and stupid.” I was an idiot to think that Aiden would want to stay with me. I was going through so much back then. My mom had died; I’d decided to stay in school. I wasn’t willing to give it all up to go home and be another mother to my siblings, even though Teddy had done something similar.
Selfishly, I thought Aiden would join me, and we could rent an apartment together. That he could get a job doing something. I wasn’t sure what.
“Sometimes, you only get that one chance at love,” Cole said.
