Page 6 of Make You Stay

“She’s fine. Actually, she was a tremendous help. I didn’t know how to work the stove—”

“You don’t know how to work a stove? What do you use in Manhattan?”

My fingers tighten around my mug, shocked by his biting remark. What crawled up his ass and died? Hell, I didn’t tell him to wear the dead animal on his face. That was entirely his decision.

“I live in an apartment building that has a boiler and a maintenance crew.”

“Of course, you do.”

“Dad, leave her alone,” Natalie interjects, glaring at her father.

“Go wait in the car,” Aidan repeats, holding his ground until the front door closes. “I’ll tell Natalie to keep her distance.”

“She’s more than welcome here. Anytime.”

“Won’t that cramp your big city style?”

And just like that, my big citytempershows up to the party. “Contrary to whatyoubelieve, living in a city doesn’t mean I’m without manners or morals. There are actually very nice people in Manhattan.”

“Sure, there are.”

“Truth is, I’ve met far more hostile individuals down here in North Carolina.”

“Is that comment pointed in a specific direction?” His eyes flash at me, but I’m not backing down.

“Yes. Yours. I don’t know why you hate me, Aidan. I have done nothing.”

“Exactly.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Aidan takes a step closer, pointing an accusatory finger in my direction. “Betsy was one of the sweetest women I’ve ever known. She loved everyone, and everyone loved her, except for her daughter, who was noticeably absent right up until her funeral. Too busy living your glamorous life in New York to kowtow to your mother, huh?”

This self-righteous son of a bitch. “The Betsey you knew and the one I knew are two different women. You’re correct that my relationship with my mother was strained, but I will not own all the blame for it.”

“How can you not? She was right here, day after day. Look around you! There are photos of you everywhere.”

I storm into the back room, motioning to the framed photos on the wall. “Look closer, Aidan. Do you notice she isn’t in any of them with me? Why do you suppose that is?” Sucking in a deep breath, I search for my center, but it’s nowhere to be found. “I will not do this with you. Think what you want. Tell Natalie what you want. Just leave me alone.”

* * *

My first order of business?Getting this house packed and ready to sell. I need out of North Carolina and fast.

If I thought I was unwelcome before, Aidan solidified it with his biting commentary. The man apparently hates me, and I’m not sure how to handle it.

I’ve never had a perfect stranger hate me before. God only knows what Betsey told him about me. To be honest, the woman knew very little about me, but the truth is often a minor detail.

As I walk through her century-old farmhouse, my eyes catch on several half-finished construction projects. Wonderful. Now I have to find a contractor to repair… whatever it is she was doing. I don’t even know who started the job or if they have any intention of returning.

This is the added bonus of someone dying unexpectedly. There are a billion loose ends everywhere, and now it’s the job of someone else—in my case, a virtual stranger—to muddle through the muck and figure it out.

Per Betsey’s lawyer, she went in for a minor routine procedure. She fully expected to come out. That’s the crux of irony.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

I wonder if Aidan would have been so terrible had Betsey survived. Would he have been neighborly and friendly at the holiday gathering or taken me to task over my Yankee upbringing?

Funny, my mother often spoke about how she thought Aidan and I would be a splendid match.

---