Time After Time (Sweetbriar Cove #14) - Melody Grace Page 0,8
and it lodged, bitter in his throat. So he said his goodbyes instead and hung up the phone, with a promise to check in with their mom and keep her off the wedding train. Then he turned on the sound system, playing music loud enough to shake the empty house, and took a long, cold shower, trying to cool off.
What was he going to do now?
The question had been spinning in his mind for weeks, ever since he’d seen those wretched numbers flashing on his computer screen. Because he was finished in finance, he knew that much – and if his gut instinct wasn’t good enough, then all those awkward voicemails made it crystal clear. You didn’t come back from a failure like this.
But his career had been everything to him. The status. The success. He was lucky enough to have savings put aside, but it wasn’t just about what he would do with his days now. It had taken him years to get to the top, and now, without that crisp business card announcing his title, Aidan felt unnervingly adrift.
Who was he now, if he wasn’t on top?
The doorbell sounded, breaking through his thoughts. Hank’s AC guy, thank God. Aidan shut off the water, and slung a towel around his hips, dripping a trail of water as he quickly went downstairs to let him in.
Except it wasn’t a guy standing on the doorstep. Not even close.
And Aidan realized, that shower hadn’t been nearly cold enough.
3
Did the guy not own a shirt?
Stella stared at Aidan in disbelief. This time, at least, he wasn’t naked, but still, that towel was slung dangerously low around his hips…
“You, uh, needed the AC fixed?” she asked, averting her gaze.
Stella help up her toolbox as evidence. “He said you were paying triple.”
It was the only reason she’d taken the gig. That, and she was just a tiny bit curious to see the inside of this place – and maybe erase that sweaty, bedraggled second impression she’d given him earlier that day. Stella usually dressed down on the job, but she hadn’t been able to stop herself from picking out a nice summery top and adding just a hint of mascara, too.
She at least wanted to show the guy she owned a clean pair of jeans.
“I guess you better come in,” Aidan said, and held the door ajar for her. But everything about him screamed reluctance.
Was she really such an unwelcome visitor?
“You know what? This is clearly a bad time. I can go—” Stella began, but Aidan cut her off.
“No! Stay!” He dragged a hand through his wet hair, suddenly looking worn out. “I’m sorry, I know you’re doing me a favor, coming on such short notice. Forgive me, it’s not you.”
Stella relaxed a little.“Long day?” she asked, following him inside.
“Long month.” Aidan sighed, and for the first time, Stella noticed the dark shadows under his eyes and the tense set of his jaw.
“Well, let’s see if we can take the temperature in here down a notch,” she said. Aidan looked confused. “The AC,” she explained gently. “Where’s the main unit?”
“Out past the kitchen.” Aidan nodded. “I’ll, uh, be right back.”
He disappeared up the stairs, hopefully in search of a shirt, so Stella took another few steps inside, taking a curious look around.
The place was immaculate, about as far from her cluttered farmhouse as it was possible to get. Steel girders. Vast flat-screen TV. White couches. White! Stella couldn’t imagine the kind of life that let you keep upholstery so spotless. Five minutes at hers, and they’d be smeared with ketchup and dog hair. Clearly, this guy had zero messy commitments in his life.
And a regular cleaning service, too, she was guessing.
“Did you find it?” Aidan’s voice called down the stairs, breaking Stella’s nosy exploration.
“Umm, yes, thanks!” She quickly headed in the direction he’d pointed, through the gleaming kitchen, and out to the side porch. Sure enough, there was a high-tech unit there, gathering dust. She was just checking the main screen when Aidan stepped out to join her, wearing a faded blue T-shirt and jeans.
She took it back: nearly naked might have been better. He had a whole ‘fresh from the shower’ look now, with the fabric of his T-shirt hugging his body, looking soft enough to touch. And as for those jeans…
Stella cleared her throat.
“I tried to figure out the problem,” Aidan said, looking awkward. “But I couldn’t get past the main menu.”