Page 66 of Patio Lanterns

“It’s all there,” Aidan said. “Hopefully, it puts you a little more at ease that I know what I’m doing.”

Rick looked up. “You know it’s not about what you’re doing but what others could do to take advantage of you, right? I just don’t want to see you make the same mistake I did by trusting the wrong people and getting screwed over.”

“Maybe you got screwed over, but you didn’t exactly walk away empty-handed,” Aidan reminded him.

“They stole my company and showed me the door.” Rick’s blood pressure skyrocketed. “No matter how many zeroes may have been on the cheque, it will never compensate for how I was mistreated.”

“Yeah, you got a shit deal, no doubt. But you also got to retire ten, fifteen years earlier than most guys, come back here, and live in Mom’s cottage,” he said. “I’d say things turned out pretty well for you.”

Rick sighed. “I’m sorry that you’re still having a hard time accepting the terms that your mother and I had worked out thirty years ago. No one kicked anyone out, no one stole anything from anyone. I bought the cottage, it’s my name on the property deed. I always intended to come back here to live in it.”

Aidan shook his head. “I was the one who did those renovations. I put all that work into the Maple Leaf for her, not you,” he said sharply before walking it back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound the way it landed.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure you did. You’ve made it perfectly clear on numerous occasions,” Rick said.

“It’s just that I wanted to make it nice for Mom so she could enjoy the upgrades for a few years before I eventually got the cottage.”

“Because you assumed I wasn’t coming back?”

“I didn’t have much reason to believe that we’d ever see you again. Your life was on the West Coast.”

Rick took a deep breath. “You have every right to be mad, Aidan. I know I was a shitty father, okay? And I know that it must suck that things didn’t turn out like you expected. When the time comes, the cottage is yours if you still want it, but I’m telling you now, I’m in no hurry.”

“Keep it,” Aidan said. “Someday, I’m going to build my own exactly the way I want it.”

“Look, son, I understand how hard it is to let go of something you’ve invested so much of yourself in, whether it’s a cottage, or a marriage, or a business,” he said, holding up the envelope in his hand. “That’s why I’m only trying to save you more heartache.”

Aidan bowed his head. “I get it. And I appreciate that you’re only looking out for me.”

“I’ll review this as soon as I get home, and you’ll have an answer by tomorrow,” Rick said. “I promise.”

“Thanks,” Aidan said. “And again, sorry for what I said. Guess I’ve had too much sun.”

“It’s okay,” Rick told him. “And hey, thanks for making your old man feel useful this week. It means a lot.”

22

Robin

After washing away the day in a long, hot shower, Robin padded downstairs for a well-deserved beer. She opened the fridge, reached into the back to pull out a cold one, and then slammed the door sh—

“Jesus, Lark!” She shrieked, her hand over her pounding heart. “Do you get your jollies scaring the living shit out of me?”

Robin pulled back the tab on her beer, releasing a lazy hiss, and stepped around her sister as she chugged and walked.

“Stop!” Lark’s eyes glowed hot. “Not so fast, missy.”

Robin swallowed, wiping the foam from her lips. “Now what?”

“What’s going on between you and Rick Hunter?”

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit. Robin gulped another sip, trying to play it cool. “Huh?”

“You were just talking outside,” Lark said. “Since when are you two so friendly?”

Robin shrugged. “He’s a friendly guy. So what?”

“I saw him touch you.” Lark jabbed her with the pointy end of an accusation.

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