“You’re not fucked up,” Abby said, wiping her tears.
“I am, but I’m not going to let that mess you up anymore. You’ve had enough of your dreams stolen out from under you. We both have. I’m sorry for going off like I did. I don’t want to steal your dreams. I love you, Abby.” Tears spilled from Deirdra’s eyes, drawing more tears from Abby. “I’m sorry I feel differently than you do about this place, but that’s my shit, not yours. You can have my inheritance to use toward the restaurant, and I support you one hundred percent. If your lemonade gets moldy, we’ll clean up Mom’s old garden and grow more freaking lemons.”
Abby pushed to her feet, tears streaming down her cheeks, and threw her arms around Deirdra. “Thank you! Thank you so much! I’ll call the attorney in the morning and let him know we’re turning down the offer. I love you, Dee.”
“I love you, too, you starry-eyed pain in my butt.” Deirdra wiped her eyes.
“Cait? Are you one hundred percent sure about turning down the offer?”
“Two hundred percent,” Cait said.
“Thank you. I won’t let you down.” Abby pulled her to her feet and hugged her. “I’m so glad you didn’t run away from our craziness.”
“Speak for yourself,” Deirdra said. “I’m not crazy.”
Cait arched a brow and said, “What was that, little sister?”
“So this is what it feels like to be outnumbered,” Deirdra said.
Abby put an arm around each of them and said, “No, this is what it feels like to be a family in the making.”
CHAPTER SIX
“LOOK AT YOU, wearing a T-shirt and sneakers!”
Aiden’s heart took off like a freaking jackrabbit at the sound of Abby’s voice across the Bistro parking lot Friday morning, where he’d been pacing, anxiously waiting for her. He spun around just as she put down her bike’s kickstand. She looked gorgeous, with her hair all windblown, wearing skimpy gray shorts and a black sweatshirt.
“You’ve even got the whole backward-baseball-cap thing going on,” she said playfully as he closed the distance between them. “Now you’re starting to look like a regular guy on vacation. Well, you would if regular guys looked like underwear models.”
“I came dressed to work,” he said, earning one of her magnificent grins. He reached for her hand and said, “Get over here, Abigail Best Lips on the Planet de Messiéres.”
He drew her into his arms and took the kiss he’d been craving since last night. She wound her arms around his neck, pressing her soft curves against him, allowing him to savor and linger. When their lips parted, he kept her close and said, “How are you, beautiful?”
“Better now,” she said breathlessly.
She’d snagged his hat and put it on her head, looking adorably sexy, which seemed to be her constant state. They walked around the Bistro hand in hand to their table, where breakfast from Keira’s awaited. He’d arranged their chairs closer together, rather than across from each other, which allowed him to touch her hand or lean in for a kiss as they talked. He’d never needed to be near anyone. He liked his primarily solitary life, but he was drawn to Abby like a moth to a flame as she chatted excitedly about how things had gone with her sisters and how thrilled she was to have their support.
“I emailed the attorney this morning and turned down the offer on the Bistro. I swear it felt like a gorilla climbed off my back.”
As worried as Businessman Aiden was about Abby having the financial means to take on the restaurant, Island Aiden was pleased that she would have the chance to follow her dreams. “Good. I think you did the right thing.”
He leaned in for a kiss as a sharply dressed, attractive brunette came around the corner of the building, and Abby jumped to her feet. “Deirdra. What are you doing here?”
Ah, the older sister.
“I came to say goodbye and to check out the guy who’s treating my sister to fancy breakfasts.” Deirdra extended her hand and ran an assessing eye over Aiden as he rose to his feet. “Hi. I’m Deirdra, Abby’s sister.”
“Aiden,” he said, shaking her hand and doing his own three-second assessment. Navy skirt, white silk blouse, expensive heels, pin-straight posture, chin up. The lawyer in her was rearing its powerful head, letting him know she was there on a mission. “It’s nice to meet you, and I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s passing.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Abby hiked a thumb toward the door and said, “If you guys will excuse me for a sec, I’m going to run inside and use the bathroom.”
As Abby headed inside, Aiden waved to her chair and said, “Would you like to sit down?”
Deirdra sat down and crossed her legs, her eyes locked on Aiden as she said, “Since Abby’s going to be gone only a minute, I’ll make this quick. I don’t know what your deal is, but if you have your eye on Abby because you think she’s a sugar mama due to her inheritance, you’re barking up the wrong tree.” She broke off a piece of Abby’s muffin and popped it into her mouth, as if to say Take that.
He liked knowing she had Abby’s back, and he respected the hell out of her for taking a stance, even if she was way off base. “I admire your candor and your gumption, but I assure you, Deirdra, my interest in Abby is nothing but honorable.”
Deirdra half laughed, half scoffed. “We both know that’s not true. She’s a gorgeous woman, and I saw the sparks flying between you two.”
“I said honorable, not saintly.”
She seemed amused by that and broke off another piece of muffin, accentuating her words with it as she said, “Listen, Abby’s got a heart of gold, which is worth more than all the money in the world. So keep that in mind, because people have been known to kill for less.”
“You don’t mince words, do you?”
She smiled and said, “Not usually.”
“I don’t, either. You should know that I’m not the kind of guy that goes out looking for flings, and I’m not into drama. I like Abby a lot. I’m as drawn to her positivity, warmth, and intelligence as I am to her outward appearance, but I have a younger sister, so I completely understand where you’re coming from. I’m not out to hurt Abby, or anyone for that matter. I’m here for three more weeks, and hopefully Abby and I will enjoy that time together.”
Abby came out the front door, her bright eyes landing on him. How could anyone hurt such a sweet, beautiful woman? He pushed to his feet and said, “You can have my seat, Abs.”
“That’s okay, Aiden. I have to go, or I’ll miss the ferry.” Deirdra hugged Abby, whispering something Aiden couldn’t hear. When she turned to say goodbye to him, her expression was warmer, her tone kinder. “Nice chatting with you. Enjoy the rest of your vacation.”
“Thank you. I hope we’ll see each other again.”
Deirdra raised a brow, her eyes shifting to Abby as she said, “We’ll see.”
She turned to leave, and after she was out of earshot, Abby said, “Sorry I had to leave you two alone. My coffee went right through me. Did Deirdra grill you? If she did, I’m sorry. She can be blunt.”