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The line crackled with tension, as if even the phone connection sensed the chasm between us. I leaned against the restaurant wall, my fingers tracing circles on the surface in an attempt to ground myself.
“Stella,” Aiden finally broke the silence, his voice carrying a tinge of pain that knotted my stomach. “I don’t know what else to say. You’ve been gone for a whole week—no calls, no texts. A whole lot of nothing.”
“I’m sorry.” I sighed, feeling the weight of my neglect. “It’s just been… overwhelming here. The health inspection scare took over everything. I had to make sure Orchid came out clean.”
“I get that,” he said, and I could picture him running a hand through his hair, a gesture he made when he was frustrated. “But not even a quick message to let me know you were alive? That maybe I actually meant something to you?”
I wilted, closing my eyes momentarily. “I should’ve found a moment. I didn’t mean to ignore you. But don’t overreact here—this inspection was a huge deal. That’s not fair.”
“Fair?” He laughed without humor. “Stella, I was hoping we were past high school drama shit. This is about us. About being there for each other, even when things get messy. You can’t just ghost me.”
I gasped, my heart nearly stopping in my chest. Did he just use that word? My anger ratcheted up. No, my fury. “I ghosted you? Are you kidding me? Because I was dealing with a work emergency for a week? You moved away and completely left me behind! Don’t you dare lecture me about ghosting!”
Aiden sighed. “Stella, I get it—your restaurant is your world. But I thought I was part of that world too.”
“Of course you are,” I snapped, frustration bleeding into my words. “But let’s be real, Aiden. We don’t know where this is going! You don’t even have a home. You live on a sailboat, for God’s sake. Ready to float wherever the wind takes you. It’s not exactly a foundation for… for anything permanent.”
There was a long beat of silence, heavy and charged, before Aiden spoke again. “You think that’s what I want? To just drift away? I’ve poured my heart into my practice here. I’ve rooted myself in this town. And I thought I was doing the same with you. My God, Stella. We’ve been together for months! I thought we had the kind of relationship where awful days actually made us want to see the other person. Maybe even lean on them a little.”
“I don’t know what we’re doing, Aiden.” My voice still had a hard edge to it.
“I’ve bent over backward to give you the space you needed. To be the man you needed. What do I need to do to convince you?” Frustration dripped from his voice as his question hung in the air like a sail waiting for the right gust of wind to catch it.
“I don’t even know if I can be convinced.” My voice wavered, and I cleared my throat quickly. “I’m not looking to be some housewife with two-point-five kids, Aiden. If that’s your dream future, then maybe?—”
“When have I ever said that?” I could picture his face, his blue eyes widening in shock. “Marriage, kids… none of that has ever been on our radar. I want you. Only you. Are you trying to find excuses because you’re scared?”
“Scared?” The accusation stung, more so because it rang true. I was scared—terrified of letting him in, only to be left shattered again.
“Look at what I’ve built here. Do you honestly think I’m looking for an escape?” His flat, angry voice cut through the static of my fears but did nothing to ease them.
“I don’t know what to think,” I said, the honesty scraping raw against my heart. “Maybe I am looking for reasons not to believe you’ve changed. Maybe I’m terrified of taking that risk.”
“Aren’t I proving that I’ve changed every damn day? By supporting you, even though you push me away at every turn. Stell, please…”
My heart felt like it was twisting in half. “I’m sorry I ignored you for a week. You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that. But I’m just not ready for… more.”
“Then what do you want?”
“I don’t know, Aiden. I really don’t.”
After ending the call, I leaned against the building’s surface as I grappled with tension that refused to dissipate. A tension filled with unspoken fears and unresolved feelings, leaving us both adrift in a sea of doubt.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Aiden
I nursed the Queen Conch IPA, the froth of beer leaving a temporary mark on my upper lip—a badge of my sullen mood. I wiped it off with a paper napkin as I took in the Conch Republic with a sweep of my gaze. The wooden bar top was polished to a shine, reflecting the soft glow of the lights suspended from the open ceiling and its metal ductwork. The low hum of murmured conversations from the few patrons blended with the tinkling of glasses and the soft clinking of silverware, creating a peaceful backdrop. Too bad I felt anything but peaceful. I bit into my burger, the comfort of juicy meat and melted cheese comforting me for a fleeting moment.
Luke, ever the observer behind the bar, raised an eyebrow as he polished a wine glass. “Bit of a departure from your usual healthy diet fare, isn’t it, Doc?”
“Don’t give a crap tonight,” I grumbled between chews, the saltiness of the fries stinging my tongue with every bite.
“Yeah, I caught that vibe. What’s eating you?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the bar.
“Stella. Things are still a mess.”
I rested my jaw in my palm, scowling. We’d had our blow-up over her inspection nearly two weeks ago. The day before yesterday, I even reached out to talk to her, but she’d let me know loud and clear she was still pissed. I’d complained to Luke numerous times, and since he was a bartender, I figured he wouldn’t mind listening to me vent. During our last call, she’d thrown that ghosting comment in my face again. “She won’t let me get close to her.”
