Summer's End (Wildflowers #5) - Jill Sanders Page 0,27

he’d grown more sexually frustrated. He’d teased her, flirted with her, and didn’t give a shit who had watched or known about it.

He could tell she was pissed about it, but then again, he was pretty sure the rest of the Wildflowers knew already. Especially since, the morning after the wedding, Scarlett had saved him a spot next to Aubrey at breakfast and lunch.

Even Liam had mentioned his excitement about him and Aubrey. His assumptions were confirmed almost a full week after the wedding when Owen stopped him at the jobsite over at Hammock Cove. The crew was just finishing up pouring the pool deck when Owen drove up in his new truck.

“Hey, I was just about to call you,” Aiden told Owen.

“Saved you a call then.” Owen shut the door of his truck. “I was coming out here to see how things are going. Looks like they’ll be done early?”

Aiden sighed. “If we can get the rest of the permits on time, we should be on time. Yeah.”

“So.” Owen glanced around, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Hannah and I were talking wedding and, well, she mentioned something about you and Aubrey being an item. Honest, she didn’t hear it from me. Anyway, Hannah wanted to know if you two would be a joint invitation.”

He chuckled. “If I can swing it, yes.”

Owen’s eyebrows shot up. “Problems? I thought you two had just gotten started.” He moved aside for a group of contractors.

Aiden leaned against his own truck and crossed his arms over his chest. “Going on three years.”

“What?” Owen glanced over at him. “Seriously?”

“It started shortly after we began rebuilding the camp. Aubrey only wanted it to be… physical.”

“Now?” Owen asked.

“I’ve never met a woman more afraid of the L word in my life.” He sighed.

“Isn’t that usually the man’s problem?” Owen joked.

“Oh? You have that problem?” he asked him.

Owen laughed. “For a while, yeah. But then I realized how stupid I was being and… well, you know the rest.”

“As far as I can tell, the two of you are stupid happy together,” he added with a chuckle.

“We are.” Owen’s smile grew. “Wedding fever has struck, especially after last week.” He motioned to the clubhouse, which was almost finished. “Now we’re thinking of adding our own new place to the grounds.”

“The nice thing about Hammock Cove is its location,” Aiden added with a shrug. “I’ve been debating snagging a lot for myself. Building a home of my own as well.”

Owen slapped him on the shoulder. “Say the word and any lot is yours.” He leaned closer to him. “I have an in with the developer.”

That evening, he ran into Aubrey and knew that the rest of her friends were starting to be an issue with her. When he tried to wrap his arms around her, she pushed him away.

“Do you have to keep doing that?” she asked him. “Now everyone knows about us. And we aren’t even an item anymore.”

“Aren’t we?” he said, pulling her even closer. He smiled when she relaxed into his arms. “Normal couples date before… moving on. Just because we’re moving backward doesn’t mean this isn’t still us together.”

“We are not moving backward.” She tensed again. “Away. We’re moving away.”

He chuckled and nodded to her hand on his arm. The fact that she was holding him close and not pushing him away made his point.

She dropped her hand instantly. “I’m beginning to let my guard down around you.” She groaned and stepped back. He let her go, since they were once again heading in the same direction.

The fact that he still had a tool belt strapped to his hips and worn work boots on while she was draped in silk and wore heels was just another barrier he knew had to be broken.

He’d come a long way in the past three years, from starting his own business with just three crew under him to working with more than two dozen crewmen on two major projects. He’d been excited knowing that he could financially afford a place in Hammock Cove. It made it more possible to have a future with Aubrey, if she’d have him.

“Our little secret is out in the open now.” He changed tactics.

“It was bound to get out sooner or later.” She sighed. “I should’ve prepared for this. I guess you could say I’ve always hated being a planner.” She shrugged.

He’d known that she was a fly-by-the-seat person from the moment he’d met her. She could easily be convinced to drop everything at the drop of