Page 20 of Beneath the Quiet

“Oh, sorry,” I murmur, startled. “Not a lot of room here.”

“No worries.”

His voice has turned down a notch, a little husky, and I shut my eyes briefly before I move out of his reach. My heart pounds against my chest in much the same way it did when he caged me against his fridge, and my belly flips.

This is not good.

My heart might be fluttering, but I know where that’s led me in the past, and it’s not a place I plan to revisit. My heart had better well listen to what my head’s telling me.

And, right now, it tells me that Aidan is in the friend-zone.

It’s best that he stays there.

I pull out my phone from my back pocket as I walk and check the screen to save his number. My stomach clenches when, just below his name, I see five missed calls from Nellie earlier today. I swipe the green button and raise the phone to my ear.

“Maeve?”

“Hiya, Nellie.”

“Oh, sweetie, it’s good to hear your voice. I’ve been so worried.”

“There’s no need for that.”

I raise my eyes and look at the grim clouds above me.

“Have you settled in at the cottage?”

“I’m getting there, slow and steady.”

“Are you doing your exercises?”

“Yes, and walking every day, following the doctor’s orders.” I know I need to be patient with her, and I soften my voice. “I’m fine, Nellie.”

“Good. I’m glad. I…” She hesitates, and I stop walking, needing to catch my breath. “I just worry. You know I do.”

I sniffle and wipe a hand across my stinging nose. “It’s nice that you worry.” I laugh. “But not too much, please. I’m fine.”

“Hmm. Fine.” She sighs. “Have you heard from Colin?”

I cringe. “No, but since we’re not together anymore, I don’t expect to hear from him.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“It is what it is. I have to be because there’s no alternative.” I stop next to the wooden bench that has Cloonmara etched into the back of it and lean my hip against it. “Besides, you don’t think I want to be with someone like him who’ll treat me worse than I deserve, do you?”

“No, of course not.”

I take a deep breath, my eyes searching the distance for something to take my mind off my least favourite topic of all time. I look back towards where I left Aidan, but he’s nowhere to be found anymore. I turn my focus back to Nellie.

“How’s Jack?”

“He hasn’t changed since we last talked, love. Now that the season’s changed, we’ve been getting out a bit more, and when I need to go somewhere on my own, Dot comes by and stays with him. Keeps him company.”

My skin itches, and I work my lips between my teeth, weighing my next words. “Is that a good idea, Nellie? Having Dot so close?”

“She’s my sister, Maeve. She’s all I’ve got.”

“I know.”