AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There I was, larger than life. My image was splashed across the billboard with a confident smile, Orchid’s logo gleaming beside me. “Head Chef Stella Markham. Home of the Best Fresh Catch of the Day Specials in the Keys.”
Laughter bubbled up from deep within, unrestrained and pure. It was perfect. Orchid wasn’t just my workplace—it was my canvas, where I painted flavors and crafted experiences. Shaking my head, I hopped back into the car, the engine purring to life before I rejoined the road. The billboard shrank in the rearview mirror, but its image was imprinted on my mind, a reminder that sometimes, coming home could lead to the most unexpected of journeys.
The marina was still a busy hive of activity when I arrived. Aiden was already sitting on the deck of his boat, his hair ruffled by the sea breeze. He looked up from the bottle he was coaxing open, his warm eyes reflecting the sun’s light.
“Hey, beautiful.” The corners of his mouth tipped up in our shared secret smile.
“Hey, yourself.” My voice was lighter than air as I stepped onto the deck, the gentle rock of the boat beneath me like a welcome embrace.
He popped the cork with a practiced twist, and the sound mingled with the soft lapping of water against the hull. Aiden filled two glasses with champagne, the bubbles rising eagerly to the surface as they tried to escape into the warm air. He handed me a glass, and our fingers brushed—a spark, an acknowledgment.
We clinked our glasses together, a toast to the unspoken but deeply felt. The cool liquid fizzed on my tongue, but it was the anticipation of his lips that had my heart racing. I set my glass down, drawn to him, and wrapped my arms around his neck. He responded, his hands finding the small of my back and pulling me closer. Our kiss was deep and searching, a tender exploration that promised more.
Always more.
When we finally parted, there was a shade of happiness in his eyes that surely matched the one in mine.
Aiden laughed, a deep, melodic sound that resonated through me. “What’s got you so giddy?”
I shook my head, overwhelmed by the whirlwind of emotions—the surprise of Hunter coming home, the excitement of the billboard, and most of all, the contentment here in Aiden’s presence. My heart swelled with the sheer wonder of it all. “I don’t even know where to start! But if I had to pick the most important item… How would you like to join me and my family for a picnic?”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Aiden
As I took a sip, the frothy head of the beer tingled against my lips. The cool liquid was a welcome respite against the balmy September sun that draped over Shark Bait. Stella sat beside me on the side bench as we waited to leave the island, our arms and legs brushing. Whenever we were together, which could never be too often as far as I was concerned, I couldn’t stand not to touch her. To convince myself that she was really here.
“Where are they?” Gabe muttered. His eyes searched the area near the canal, his brow creased beneath the brim of his worn baseball cap.
Hailey, with her sun-kissed cheeks and expectant gaze, tapped his shoulder. “I know what you said, but maybe we shouldn’t wait…”
“Not yet, angel,” he told her, his eyes softening.
I cocked my head, trying to figure out their exchange, then let it go, too happy and content to muse over mysteries. Around us, the deck of Calypso Key’s dive boat played host to nearly the entire clan of Markhams. Maia and Wyatt stayed close to daughter Skye. Now over a year old, she toddled on legs made even more unsure by the boat’s gentle movement, her bright pink life vest making her seem bigger. Stella’s face was covered in a huge smile at seeing all of her family gathered. Even Nona was there, her spry form eager for the adventure.
As Stella and I savored the moment, Gabe’s voice cut through the chatter, tinged with a note of impatience. “Here they are.”
I turned to follow his line of sight. April and Liv approached Shark Bait with hurried steps. April, her long blonde hair catching the light, offered an athletic contrast to Liv’s voluptuous figure crowned by a long tumble of curls. They climbed aboard amidst apologies for their tardiness, citing a friend in need of comfort.
“Let’s go! Off to Sugar Beach,” Gabe announced with the authority of a captain taking charge of his ship. He climbed up to the wheelhouse, and the motor thrummed to life. After Wyatt untied the boat, we motored out of the canal at a slow idle. Across from us, Liv and April grabbed soft drinks before settling next to Evan. Gabe smoothly throttled up as he steered us out to sea.
“What’s up?” Stella’s inquiry was gentle but edged with concern as she alternated her gaze between the two women.
“Brenna Coleridge,” Liv said, tipping her head in a gesture of compassion. “We’ve become friends in our book club, and she just had a nasty breakup with her boyfriend. He didn’t take it well, so April and I wanted to be there for her.” Her voice held a note of apology, not for their lateness, but for bringing a shadow over the day.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
Liv confirmed with a nod, yet something in her tone suggested it wasn’t quite the end of the story. Beside me, Stella remained quiet, her attention drifting. Following her gaze, I noticed Hunter, rigid as if carved from stone, his stare fixed on Liv and April with burning intensity.
“What does ‘he didn’t take it well’ mean, exactly?” His voice was a low growl as he leaned forward.
April hastened to reassure us. “Brenna’s fine. Just shaken up. Her ex can be a jerk. But now he’s in the past, right where he belongs.” She raised her can of soda in a salute to end the conversation, and maybe trying to ease Hunter’s blazing expression. “Enough drama, we’re getting close!” With a bright smile that washed away any lingering tension, April redirected our focus to the horizon and pointed.
I stood and shaded my eyes with my hand, a smile stretching my lips. Stella had told me where we were going, but she didn’t do it justice. A long strip of sand slowly appeared out of the turquoise water, a sandy shoal that only appeared at low tide. The tropical sun quickly dried the powdery white grains, making it the perfect setting for a picnic.
After safely dropping the anchor, Gabe handed me a dry backpack filled with picnic supplies while shrugging into one himself. Evan and Hunter did likewise, and we all eased into the water and waded to shore. I turned back to check on little Skye, but she squealed with delight as both parents held her hands and her life vest kept her easily afloat.
I laughed at the sight. “Guess I don’t need to worry about water emergencies, considering both of that little one’s parents are professionals.”
