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Teddy scowled as he opened the box to find one donut left. “I don’t want to have kids. I just want to see Izzy. Now that Daphne’s not living here, we see her and Iz less.”
“That’s what happens when you meet someone. You become part of their life, and it includes their family,” I said reasonably.
“Well, I don’t like it.”
Dad cleaned the crumbs off the counter. “What are we going to do with that cottage now that it’s sitting empty?”
“You want it?” Wes asked Jameson.
Jameson shook his head. “I prefer the apartment over the garage.”
“I’m not planning to stay in town,” I said even as my chest tightened at the thought of going back to my old life.
Dad’s face fell.
“Should we rent it out?” I asked. “It would mean more money for the farm.”
“I don’t know if I want a stranger living on the farm,” Teddy said.
I racked my brain to think of someone we could offer the space to who wasn’t a stranger. “Charlotte Monroe needs a place to stay. She’s living at the inn temporarily.”
Teddy’s gaze narrowed on me. “No.”
I placed my hands on my hips. “Are you saying that because she’s a Monroe? You know she’s a cousin, right? And has very little to do with the farm.”
“I don’t mind if she lives here. She’s hot,” Jameson said.
Teddy frowned. “How do you know that?”
Jameson shrugged. “I met her when I was hanging out with Daphne and Cole.”
“Now you’re hanging out with the Monroes?” Teddy asked him.
Jameson sighed. “Daphne is marrying one. I figured I should get to know my future brother-in-law better.”
Dad drew up to his full height. “Cole is adopting Izzy. Whether you like it or not, he’s a member of this family. And you need to get over this ridiculous feud.”
His words effectively ended the debate on Charlotte living in the cottage. I had a bigger issue. I needed to figure out where my life was going and soon. I was due to go back to work in a week.
CHAPTER 22
AIDEN
I woke up on Christmas morning to an empty apartment. I hated it. I was used to having Fiona in my bed. We usually made love, showered, then cooked breakfast together. Well, I cooked and she kept me company. It was a routine we’d fallen into, and with our busy days, sometimes it was the only quality time we spent together all day.
Now the day stretched out before me with nothing to do. I never thought of Christmas as a lonely day, but it was. Marley and Heath were enjoying their first holiday as husband and wife. My parents were hopefully gone, and my grandmother was dead. I had no one.
I’d pushed away the one person who seemingly loved me. I could have spent the day with Fiona. This was all my fault.
I’d blamed her for my parents showing up at Marley’s wedding when it rested solely on them. Fiona had no idea that a few innocent pictures on social media would bring my mother to my door, and I was positive she didn’t want that for me.
I remembered the look of concern on her face last night after we’d gotten my parents to leave. She was hurting for me. When had anyone else ever felt pain on my behalf?
I was the one who took care of Marley when my parents didn’t. I shielded her from the worst of it. I’d never let anyone else in. Not like I had with Fiona.
She wanted to be there for me, but I shoved her aside and blamed her for my parents’ actions. It was inexcusable.
I shot off a text to Fiona first thing in the morning, wishing her a Merry Christmas, but I hadn’t heard back. I deserved that from her.
