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There was something intimate about walking Fiona to her room. It wasn’t something I’d been able to do when we dated. I didn’t get an opportunity to knock on her door, talk to her dad, and be grilled by her brothers. Then kiss her on her porch at the end of the night. I never thought I’d missed out on anything until now.
Back then, I didn’t think I was good enough to meet a girl’s parents. That no one would want me to show up on their doorstep to take out their daughter. But things were different now.
When we reached her door, Fiona paused and turned to face me. “Thank you for being there for me tonight. You didn’t have to.”
My heart squeezed at the grateful look on her face. I reached out to cup her jaw, wishing I could lean in and touch my lips to hers. Instead, I let my hand drop away. “Anytime you need me, I’ll be there.”
I expected her to argue with me, to say I was the one who’d already walked away. I wasn’t there when she needed me. But instead, she merely nodded, then turned to open her door. “Good night, Aiden.”
“Night, Fiona.” I fisted my hands so that I wouldn’t knock on her door and kiss her like I wanted to. We were slowly easing into a friendship, but there was no way she was ready for anything more.
* * *
A few days later, they were calling for a big snowstorm to come in earlier than expected. Most of the guests were checking out early, cancelling their stay, or pushing back their check-in date. It sucked, but I couldn’t control the weather.
There was a lot of excitement in the air about the impending storm.
I’d kept busy with Fiona in the bowling area, building the new shelves. She was my assistant, and every so often I lost her when she consulted with Marley or Heath. Heath had brought in a crew to start work on the theater.
We hoped to open the theater sometime in the New Year. I would have loved to schedule a private showing around Christmas for us and maybe the Monroes. For now I kept those plans to myself.
“Do you want to go to your dad’s for a few days?”
“Why would I do that?” Fiona asked as she continued to measure and mark the wood. She measured, and I cut; it was a good routine we’d established. It had the added benefit of me getting to work closely with her.
“The storms coming in. You might get stuck here for a day or two.”
Fiona paused what she was doing and looked up at me. “You want me to stay in my dad’s house.”
“You said Daphne’s cottage was available.”
“Yeah, but I’d be by myself.”
I checked my phone when I got an email notification. “The last guest just checked out early, and all the incoming ones have delayed or cancelled their reservations.”
“Are you saying we’ll be here by ourselves?” Fiona asked.
I nodded. “If you stay here, we can continue working.”
Fiona smiled. “Let’s do that. Not that I don’t love my family, but it doesn’t make sense to stay at the cottage by myself when I can help you here.”
“This project isn’t interfering with your ability to spend time with your family, is it?”
Fiona shook her head. “You know, I see them most evenings.”
When another notification buzzed on my phone, I pulled it out again.
The family is going through the light display tonight. It will be a private event. We’re closing the farm because of the storm. You want to come and invite Fiona?
Heath had already left for the day, and we were working late. “Heath wants to know if we want to see the light display tonight. It will just be the Monroes.”
“Are you sure they want me to come?”
“Heath specifically invited you.” I showed her the text exchange.
“Will Daphne be there?”
“I can ask.”
