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He hadn’t said anything about enjoying our time together. He seemed to be more worried about the work we hadn’t completed.
“Is everything okay?” Aiden asked as he sat on a stool and grabbed a sub, taking a large bite.
“Of course.” I ate a chip, looking outside at the sun doing its best to melt the snow.
“We only have a week until Christmas.”
“Do you have any holiday events leading up to the big day?” I asked lightly.
“I was hoping we could get the movie theater ready for a small showing for family before the grand opening in the New Year.
I frowned. “You think it will be done in time?”
“We replaced some of the seat covers with temporary ones until they can be reupholstered. Heath ordered new curtains because he couldn’t salvage the old ones. The wallpaper is gone, and he painted the walls.”
“What’s left to do?” I asked, not believing that our work was coming to an end.
“I need to get the projector room cleared of the old equipment while Heath works on the concession stand.”
“I didn’t realize he’d worked so quickly.” The night we watched the movie together the theater was dark, and I’d been so wrapped up in Aiden, I hadn’t noticed that so much had been completed.
“The repairman called to say he can come today to work on the lanes. So I’ll help Heath with the concessions.”
“Do you need me?” I asked, thinking I might have been asking about more than the renovations.
Aiden smiled. “You can help us clean.”
“I should probably spend some time with my family.” I hadn’t seen them much since Daphne’s housewarming party. And I needed to distance myself from Aiden. Yesterday was a big deal for me, but I wasn’t sure he felt the same way.
I didn’t want to find myself in a position where I liked him more than he did me. Did he see this as some kind of vacation fling? The thought sat like lead in my stomach, making it difficult to eat. I twisted off the cap for the water and drank.
Aiden ate quickly, then grabbed a few water bottles to take downstairs with him. “Heath just pulled up. I’m going to get back to work.”
I smiled as he left the room, wondering why I was here. He didn’t need me. I could consult with Marley on design elements over the phone and via email.
I wasn’t needed, and that brought back how I felt after Mom died and then Aiden left. I was adrift. It was why I’d buried myself in classes, then work.
Could I go back to that? That solitary existence where I lived in hotel rooms across the country, making notes, and offering suggestions for improvements no one would take. Instead, they’d cut back on amenities, offering cookie-cutter decor that you could find in any hotel.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to my old job, but what else did I have? Marley didn’t need me here. Not really. Even though I enjoyed the work I’d done, Marley and Aiden could survive without me.
They had Heath, and they could call in any expert that they needed. Shaking my head, I headed downstairs to clean the display case on the concession stand while Heath and Aiden worked around me, pulling out the old popcorn machine and installing a new one.
The movie theater would be ready to go soon, and there wouldn’t be anything for me to do.
Surely, Marley could manage the bar and the game room by herself, even if my heart longed to offer suggestions for improvements and to see the finished project.
Long before Heath and Aiden were done, I said I was going to my dad’s house. Aiden barely looked up when I left. He might have been trying to hide what was going on between us from Heath, but it still hurt.
We’d never be able to share our relationship with anyone because we didn’t have a future. Aiden already realized that, and I needed to get on board. This thing between us was a fun way to pass the time. It had the added bonus of our shared history. But that just made it more treacherous for my heart.
I showered and headed to my dad’s, wishing I could bring Aiden with me. That he wanted to spend time with my family. But he saw what I hadn’t. We didn’t fit into each other’s lives. That’s why we’d kept them separate even when we were together as teens.
Daphne and Cole were already at Dad’s. I parked next to Cole’s red Monroe Christmas Tree Farm truck and went inside.
As soon as I opened the door, Izzy flew at my legs, helping me forget my trepidation about being in my childhood home. “Aunt Fiona. Where’ve you been?”
I patted her back. “I was helping Marley renovate the movie theater at the inn. You should come see it. It’s almost done.”
