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“Good.” Aiden glanced briefly in the direction Hunter had gone. Then he turned to me with a smile that warmed me even further. “Come on. There’s a can of varnish with your name on it. Let’s go, missy.”
As we strolled down the sidewalk, the salty breeze tugged at my hair. Aiden’s presence was comforting and sexier than hell, yet a part of me held back. Despite our easy banter and the undeniable chemistry, I wasn’t ready to dive in headfirst.
Inside me, the battle raged—a longing to give in to the feelings swirling within me, warring with a stubborn streak that urged caution. My heart was a compass spinning wildly. I needed time, time that Aiden seemed willing to give. For now, I’d enjoy the gentle sway of the boat beneath my feet, his laughter mingling with mine under a pale blue sky.
But commitment? That was something else entirely.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Aiden
The exam room was soothing yet professional with its clinical whites and blues. After washing my hands, I leaned against the counter and my gaze fell upon eighteen-year-old Kayla, whose eyes were heavy with the impending weight of unexpected motherhood. Beside her, a woman stood with a deeply lined brow and hands that couldn’t seem to find stillness—her mother, Gloria.
“Kayla, how are you feeling? You doing okay?” I asked, trying to navigate the tension that seemed to thicken the air between them.
Kayla’s eyes darted toward her mother before settling back on me. “I… I’m not sure yet,” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. “My head’s still spinning.”
“Gloria, maybe it’d be best if Kayla and I chat alone for a moment,” I suggested gently, fully aware of the controlling undertow in the older woman’s stance.
“Doctor Mitchell, we’ve already decided she’s going to give the… child away,” Gloria replied defensively, barely able to acknowledge the idea of her grandchild. Her arms were crossed as if to ward off any challenge to her maternal authority. “I’ve already contacted two agencies.”
Kayla’s eyes dropped to the floor and my heart twisted.
“I understand this is difficult.” I locked eyes with Gloria in earnest. “But Kayla’s eighteen. She’s legally able to make her own decisions regarding her care and the baby she’s carrying. Plus, from what I’ve seen, she’s plenty smart enough too.”
The room fell silent, save for the distant hum of the air conditioner. Kayla fiddled with the hem of her shirt, a sign of her nervousness that I’d come to recognize over the past few appointments. Gloria’s posture softened slightly, and I seized the moment, pressing on with the delicacy the situation demanded.
“Kayla has options,” I continued. “And the best thing we can do for her is ensure she—” I narrowed my focus and Kayla met my gaze. “That you know all of them and feel supported no matter what you choose.”
It felt like navigating a minefield, each word carefully placed to avoid detonation. Gloria took a deep breath, finally nodding. “I just want her to be safe… and happy.” She sighed, the storm in her eyes giving way to a flicker of vulnerability.
“Then we’re all in agreement,” I said, flashing a smile. It was a small victory, but those were the ones that kept me anchored in this profession. The room exhaled, and so did I. “Maria has a list of resources for you to explore. Take some time to make this decision. Both you and the baby’s father, if he’s in the picture.” From the tight anger flashing across Gloria’s eyes and the hope in Kayla’s, I had a feeling he would be the next battleground. But today was a win I intended to savor.
As I left the exam room, I gave Maria a surreptitious thumbs-up. She gathered up the stack of brochures with a relieved smile and headed toward the young mother’s exam room. The situation with Kayla was one of our biggest worries at the clinic. But as I headed toward my next patient, I had a sense that things were finally going her way.
The sunset was a swathe of crimson on the horizon by the time I made my way to the marina. The air was thick with the scent of brine as I stepped into the cabin of my boat.
With careful strokes, I applied light gray paint to the galley kitchen cabinets. The color was muted and calm, like the Dove Key shore on a still morning. The boat was coming along, the deck now fully refinished, and the cabin interior was shaping up too.
My gaze drifted to the bed tucked into the bow, and an involuntary sigh escaped me. It had been three days since Stella and I had last tangled together in those sheets, three days of echoing silence from her end. I told her I’d take what she could give, but the truth was, I wanted more. Hell, I craved it like a ship lost at sea craves the sight of land.
“Stop thinking about her,” I muttered and focused on the brush in my hand. But my mind wouldn’t obey.
Stella had slipped through the cracks in my carefully constructed life more than I had anticipated. I knew I couldn’t rush her, couldn’t push for more than she was ready to offer. But that didn’t stop the yearning. Didn’t stop me from falling in love with her. Again.
I set the paintbrush down and surveyed my work, then turned my attention to the list of potential boat names scrawled on a piece of paper. The name had to be just right, something that captured the essence of my journey from the overcautious boy who almost let fear steal his dreams to the man who was trying to chart a new course.
“Sea’s Embrace? No… Odyssey’s End?” I read aloud, trying each one. They felt foreign on my tongue, placeholders. “Driftwood Heart?” I paused, my lips curling into a half-smile. But no, these were all too serious. I wanted a touch of whimsy in the name.
The slap of flip-flops on the deck above announced Luke’s arrival. Grabbing a six-pack out of the fridge, I trotted up the stairs to join him.
“There you are,” he said, dropping into one of two canvas camping chairs I’d set up. “You won’t believe the day I’ve had.”
“Try me.” I tore off a can and handed it to him. With the day’s fading heat, the chill of the aluminum was welcome against my skin.
“The bar was slammed, and this one lady…” He trailed off, shaking his head as he cracked open the brew. “Man, she was relentless. I felt like a goddamn piece of meat. Had to pry her off me like she was superglued.”
I laughed, popping open my own can. “You getting tired of the single life?”
