Page 72 of Patio Lanterns

Holy shit. He’s gonna kiss me. On his couch. In his trottage. This is it. Everything I used to dream about. Only… only…

Only, I don’t think I want this anymore.

“No.” Robin sucked in a breath, pressing her hand flat against Aidan’s chest. “We can’t.”

He immediately pulled back. “But I thought this is what you always wanted.”

I thought so too. Or at least, I used to. The old Robin would’ve impulsively jumped in with both lips, but now it seemed far too… reckless. Not to mention what it would do to Rick. Hurting him certainly isn’t worth a quick thrill.

Her fourteen-year-old self would probably kick her sorry ass for rebuffing Aidan’s advances. The very thought of playing tonsil hockey with him was all she used to breathe, eat, and sleep. Now that she actually had the chance to make out with him, she was blowing it. Blowing it!

Consider the consequences, Mrs. C said.

She was right again, as always. That’s some voodoo shit right there, I tell ya.

She sighed. “I’m so sorry, Aidan, but this just doesn’t feel right. We’re like… family.”

He flopped backward. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

She didn’t want to hurt his feelings and tried to pump him up. “I swear, it’s not you. You’re great. Maybe if we’d been in another place and time. Or maybe, you know, I’d just built it up in my head for so long, it couldn’t possibly live up to my youthful expectations.”

Or maybe it’s because I’d rather be kissing your dad.

He shrugged, seemingly over it already. “That’s okay Robbie. Some people are only meant to be friends.”

She angled herself to face him. “Let’s not mention any of this to Lark, okay?”

“Don’t mention that I struck out with her sister?” Aidan smirked. “Won’t be a problem.”

“For some reason, she seems to think we’d make a good match. She’s been pushing me to go out with you.”

“Funny, she’s been pushing me to ask you out. Not that I didn’t want to, because I think you’re really cute and fun to be with. But to be honest, you’re not the type of girl I usually date.”

“Let me guess,” she said. “Tall, leggy brunettes with God complexes?”

He squinched up his face. “Merely a coincidence.”

Plot twist. Aidan was secretly in love with Lark. Knowing that he now understood the heartache of unrequited love, it was hard not to feel just a wee bit self-righteous and bask in the schadenfreude. My, my how the tables have turned.

“Does Lark know how you feel?”

He smirked. “You’re kidding right?”

“No, really,” she said. “You should tell her.”

“Oh sure, Rob. I’m just going to pour my heart out to her while her marriage is in shambles. No thanks. I don’t want come off like a creep who swoops in to take advantage of the situation.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Robin sighed. She reached for her beer on the table, accidentally knocking a small stack of papers to the floor. As she bent down to retrieve the loose pages, she immediately recognized the name—

“Polaris North Property Development Corporation?” Her jaw dropped. “Aidan, what the hell is this?”

“That’s my partnership agreement,” he said. “I made a copy for Dad to look over.”

The papers rustled in Robin’s trembling hand. “Polaris North? You’re in business with these guys?”

“Well, not yet, but I hope to be very soon,” he said, checking his watch. “Maybe as soon as tomorrow.”

“Mom received a letter from Polaris North about buying the Blue Canoe. It spelled out an offer for eighteen and a half percent over current market value, which is the exact same offer that the Koskies received for their cottage. The same offer that a few other neighbours around Lake Whippoorwill have been getting.”

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