“And Jagger?” Abby asked.
“He and Dolly are a big hit.” The laid-back guy was as good a cook as he was a musician, and Abby had hired him to do both—on a loose schedule, of course, because that was how Jagger rolled.
“I’ll zip out when I get a chance.” Abby looked over her shoulder and said, “Dessert at our table later?”
“You know it.”
They’d set the table Aiden had bought when he’d first come to the island on the patio with a sign that read RESERVED FOR ABBY AND AIDEN, which would change to read RESERVED FOR MR. AND MRS. ALDRIDGE after they were married that fall. News of their impending wedding had spread like wildfire. It seemed all the women on the island were aflutter with wedding talk.
Aiden took one last long look at Abby, his heart overflowing with love for her and for the life they were building together. Over the last few weeks they’d transformed her mother’s house into a bright new beginning for the two of them, with newly painted walls, refinished floors, several of her father’s paintings, and pictures of Aiden, Abby, and their families. They’d turned the junk room into a glorious master bedroom and her mother’s bedroom into an office, complete with the couch where they’d first made love. They’d moved Abby’s things from New York and some of Aiden’s things from his house in LA, filling in the rest with furniture and art they’d chosen together from local shops. Like with any couple, it wasn’t always smooth sailing, but they were learning to navigate troubled waters together. Aiden still had a lot to learn about not trying to do everything for Abby all at once, but she was gracious with her teachings. When he had surprised her with the conversation pit she’d admired at the furniture store for the Bistro, she’d started to give him a lecture. But she’d stopped herself and surprised him by thanking him for being so thoughtful instead. When she’d come home that evening and found another conversation pit on the deck out back, she’d simply laughed and said, What am I going to do with you? She’d approved of the sensual ideas he’d come up with, and he’d happily endured his punishment.
He was looking forward to surprising her with a new kitchen for their house as a wedding gift—and suffering through the penalty for doing so.
Smiling with the thought, Aiden made his way back out to the patio.
He spotted Shelley and Steve chatting with Leni, Jules, and Jock and felt a wave of gratitude. He’d confided in Shelley when he’d decided to stay on the island and work from Silver House after his and Abby’s argument last month. Staying away from Abby had been the hardest thing he’d ever done, but she’d asked for space, and he’d wanted her to know he’d heard her. But he’d been losing his mind with worry, and he’d needed someone he could trust to check on her and make sure she was okay. Shelley had graciously done the deed without exposing his whereabouts.
On the other side of the patio, a swarm of young women was gathered around Jagger, who was sitting on a stool playing his guitar with Dolly at his feet.
Deirdra sidled up to Aiden in her high heels and silk blouse, giving Jagger what Abby called the stink eye. “Can you believe the hippie has a harem?”
Aiden chuckled. While he, Abby, and Cait had become good friends with Jagger, Deirdra still refused to call him by his name. “He’s definitely a welcome addition to the Bistro.”
She scoffed. “I can’t even imagine what he and my mom had in common.”
“From the things he’s said, it sounded like he and your mom were just unlikely friends. I think he’s a good guy.”
“Yes, well, we both know your judgment needs tweaking.” Deirdra arched a brow. “I still can’t believe you didn’t have me sign a nondisclosure agreement when you sent me your life history.”
Aiden had called Deirdra the morning of the competition announcement to apologize for upsetting Abby and to let her know he’d planned on proposing. While Deirdra was chewing him out, the package he’d sent her detailing the names and addresses of every business and property he owned, as well as a formal background check, for which he’d paid, had arrived.
“I trust you, Deirdra, and I wanted you to know that you could trust me.”
She sipped her wine. “I do trust you, and after Abby told me what you’d done and why she was so upset, Cait took me aside and filled me in on everything you’d done for Abby. I knew in my heart you were a good man. But it was Cait’s sketches that sealed the deal, not those documents.”
“She could have made up the way I was looking at Abby.” He and Abby had framed and hung up Cait’s drawings. He’d had no idea Cait had captured so many moments between them. They were better than photos, because their love had touched another person so deeply, she’d said she had to put it on paper.
“No frigging way. Nobody has that good of an imagination.”
As if she’d been summoned, Cait hurried over and squeezed between them, looking cute in a Bistro tank top and jeans, with all her tattoos on display. She was still figuring out a more permanent schedule between working at Wicked Ink and the Bistro, but she and Abby had hired enough staff to cover the times she went back to the Cape. Tonight she was hostessing, and Aiden had been keeping his eye on several guys he’d seen checking her out.
“You’d think it was a full moon or something,” Cait said. “All the wolves are out tonight.”
He followed her gaze to Wells and Brant, talking with Mason and Ben across the patio. Ben was holding his son, Christopher, and Mason’s watchful eyes were on Olive, who was sitting on the beach in front of the Bistro talking with a teenage boy whose father was eating dinner on the patio. Brant’s gaze was locked on Cait. Wells winked in her direction, and Cait’s arm slid across her belly. Brant glared at Wells, then flashed his dimples at Cait. Aiden imagined cartoon sparks appearing beside those dimples. He had seen Wells ogling Leni all night and wondered if his flirting with Cait was more about getting under Brant’s skin than getting into Cait’s pants. But what did he know? He was no expert on love. Although he sure hoped to become an expert on loving Abby.
Cait scoffed. “Do I have a sign on my forehead that says flirt with me, or have Wells and Brant lost their minds?”
“I’m going with the latter,” Deirdra said. “Oh! There’s Sutton. I want to talk to her. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
“Uncle Aiden!” Patrice, adorable in a pink fluffy dress, ran ahead of Remi.
The adoption for the girls had been approved two weeks ago, the same day Remi found out she was pregnant. Life was getting more beautiful by the day.
“Hi, Cait! You’re going to be my aunt one day!” Patrice exclaimed as Aiden lifted Patrice into his arms.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Cait tickled Patrice’s belly, earning the cutest giggles. “But if you’ll excuse me, I have to go put blinders on.”
As Cait walked away, Patrice said, “What are blinders?”
“That’s code for Cait doesn’t want to see guys looking at her,” Aiden said as Remi glided gracefully to his side, gorgeous in a long orange tank dress, with a warm smile in her eyes that never failed to remind him of their mother.
Patrice wrinkled her nose. “I wish Olive wanted blinders. She hasn’t spent any time with me tonight.”