Her heart swelled. “Cait?”
“All three of us have lost our mothers. I’m totally fine with spending it together if you are.”
“I am, thank you.” Abby was elated. “I wish Dee were here. She’d have so much fun with us.”
“You could invite her,” Aiden suggested.
“She’s in the middle of a huge case at work. She won’t come, but I’ll text her anyway.”
The kitchen smelled heavenly, and when they finally sat down to eat, Abby’s nerves tingled as Aiden’s dark eyes moved over the beet salad, perfectly browned chicken surrounded by creamy sauce, mushrooms, and chunks of potatoes and garnished with sprigs of thyme and bay leaves.
“Talk about presentation,” Aiden said. “I feel like I’m in a five-star restaurant.”
“It looks like the cover of a cookbook,” Cait added.
“Thank you.” Abby waited anxiously as they took their first bites, and the blown-away look on their faces made her giddy.
“Mm. Abs,” Aiden said as he finished his bite. “This is incredible. Delectable. The sauce is rich and sweet, and the chicken is savory with a hint of spice. It’s absolutely perfect, and I’m not just blowing smoke because my talented date cooked the meal.”
“I’ve never eaten anything like this. It’s . . . I don’t even have the words to describe how good it is, but I can show you,” Cait said, eating another big bite.
Abby was elated and relieved. “I’m so glad you like it. Thank you!”
Aiden took another bite and said, “Babes, this is really spectacular. If you can whip up something this gorgeous and delicious on a whim, I can only imagine what you can do with a planned menu and all of the accoutrements at your fingertips.”
“Does that mean you think my sisters and I can really make a go of this?” she asked nervously.
“Not just make a go of it, Abs. You’ll outshine every other restaurant around.”
She let out a squeal. “I’m so excited!”
Aiden raised his glass and said, “To new partnerships, new relationships”—he put his hand on Abby’s leg, giving it a squeeze—“and new beginnings.”
They all clinked glasses.
Their easy conversations and good-natured ribbing were everything Abby had always dreamed her life would include. They lingered over dinner, and as they savored dessert, Aiden and Cait spoiled her with more praise. She wished Deirdra were there, eating the food they’d made together, talking about their parents’ restaurant, and filling the kitchen with positivity and laughter, just as it had been when both of their parents were alive. Abby felt her father’s magic all around them as the happy moments of the last few days took root beside some of her favorite childhood memories, and she knew without a doubt she was finally on the right path.
When they finished eating, Aiden said, “Abigail de Messiéres, if we keep this up, I’m going to have to hit the gym and start running daily.”
“You and me both,” Cait said, standing up to clear her plate.
“I’ll get the dishes.” Aiden pushed to his feet and began stacking plates.
“You don’t have—”
“Abs, you’re worse at relaxing than I am. I’ve got the dishes. I’m good at this.”
“Then how about if Cait and I clear and you wash?” Abby suggested.
“Sounds like a plan. But first we need to take a picture of the three of us to prove to my sister that I had dinner with new friends.”
Abby waggled her finger at him. “Oh, no you don’t. We talked about business, and she specifically said no talking business. I haven’t met your sister yet, but if I ever do, I don’t want her thinking that I let you skirt the rules.”
Aiden glanced at Cait, nodding in Abby’s direction, and said, “Who’s the super nerd now? Did you know she was so straitlaced?”
“I’m not straitlaced,” Abby insisted.
“Your mouth is twitchy. I think you’re fibbing, which means you suck at lying, and that makes you a rule follower,” Cait said.
Abby rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I don’t want his sister to hate me.”
“I’m pretty sure it would be impossible for anyone to hate you, Abs. But we won’t send her a picture. I don’t want to be a bad influence. At least not about something so innocent.” He winked and said, “Besides, you won’t hear me complain about spending more time with you two.” He set the plates on the counter and drew Abby into his arms for a quick kiss. “I’m the luckiest guy on this island.”
Aiden washed the dishes as Abby and Cait cleared the table. As Abby dried the last pot, Cait’s phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and excused herself to take the call. Heat sparked in Aiden’s eyes. He swept Abby into his arms, and his mouth descended on hers in a kiss as urgent and greedy as she felt, unleashing the heat that had been simmering all evening. “I’ve been waiting all night to kiss you,” he practically growled, and reclaimed her lips, backing her up against the counter as he took the kiss deeper, sending her body into a frenzy of desire. Their hands moved feverishly over each other’s bodies as they feasted on kisses like they’d never get enough. His hips pressed forward, sending need pulsing through her core. She grasped at his shoulders as he tangled his hands in her hair, taking the kiss intoxicatingly deeper, rougher. Her thoughts fragmented, and as if he felt the change, a gruff, hungry sound escaped his lungs, searing into hers. He grabbed her shoulders and tore his mouth away, leaving her breathless and confused. But then Cait walked into the kitchen, her head down as she thumbed out something on her phone, and she realized Aiden must have heard her coming.
Thank God.
Abby had been lost in a sea of scintillating sensations, which were still vibrating through her body and wreaking havoc with her brain. She tried to school her expression, to find her voice, but her lips burned, desperate for another kiss as Aiden stepped beside her.
He slid an arm around her waist, whispering huskily into her ear, “I think I’d better take off before I get us both into trouble.”
She didn’t want him to leave. For the first time in her life, she wanted to run toward trouble, but her lust-fogged brain refused to string words together.
“Well, ladies, thank you for a wonderful night,” he said, drawing Cait’s attention and finally kicking Abby’s brain into gear.
“It was fun,” Cait said, and looked down at her phone again.
Aiden brushed his lips over Abby’s cheek and lowered his voice. “See you in the morning for breakfast before we get to work?”
“You’re sure you want to spend another day in the trenches?”
“Abs, stop asking. I don’t do things I don’t want to do.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek and said, “I very much want to help you and spend more time with you.”
“Okay, but if you’re going to keep helping me, then we’re playing hooky Sunday after Cait leaves and tackling your Let Loose list.”
He embraced her and whispered, “That list is not the only thing I want to tackle.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
SATURDAY PASSED IN a flurry of cleaning and stolen kisses. Aiden had finished removing the remnants of the wallpaper at the Bistro, while Abby and Cait had scoured the kitchen. They’d found a few loose cabinet doors, which Aiden had tightened, and a broken shelf, which he’d replaced. More problematic was the discovery that the largest of the range-oven units was on its last legs. Aiden’s first instinct had been to make a few phone calls and buy Abby the best unit on the market, but he’d once again held back. At least as best he could. While he couldn’t step in and take over, he had suggested making an inventory of appliances and equipment and researching repair and replacement costs in order to put together a maintenance budget. It was a move in the right direction and a way he could help Abby avoid mistakes without stepping on her toes. She and Cait had jumped on the suggestion, working on it for the rest of the afternoon. Since Cait was leaving in the morning, he hadn’t wanted to monopolize Abby’s evening, so after Cait had gone back to the house, he and Abby said goodbye in the parking lot. What had started as a kiss had turned into a full-on make-out session, complete with groping, grinding, and lascivious noise making.