Читать книгу Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove - Sarah Bennett - Страница 15

Chapter Six

Aaron cursed a blue streak in his head as he listened to the quiet, desperate sobs in his ear. He should have left well enough alone and let the answerphone catch the call. Head buried in the plans for the barn while he sipped his coffee and waited for Daniel to return from running Mia to the station, he hadn’t even thought about what he was doing when the handset on the table started to ring. He didn’t know much about Kiki; Daniel had mentioned some estrangement between the sisters to do with Kiki’s marriage, but hadn’t gone into details. Instead of minding his own business, he’d blathered on, shoving both feet firmly into his mouth, it seemed, by mentioning the reason behind Mia’s trip to Exeter.

A harsh, wracking noise ripped from her throat, so pain-filled it hurt to listen to it, and Aaron couldn’t help himself. ‘Is there anything I can do to help you?’

‘He… he’s gone now. Gone for the summer and I waited… I thought it would be best to wait… and I just assumed it would be okay…’

He tried to make sense of the jumble of words. ‘Who’s gone? Your husband?’

‘Yes… yes, with his new Helen.’ More tears followed and he gave up trying to understand the broken sounds she was making.

Feeling wretched and useless, he offered what comfort he could. ‘It’s all right, Kiki. Everything will be all right. Don’t try and talk, just let it out for a minute. Shh, now.’ He continued to mutter whatever soothing nonsense words came into his head until she finally grew quiet.

‘I shouldn’t bother you with this,’ she managed at last.

‘Just talk to me, Kiki. You sound like you need a friend.’

She laughed, a hollow little sound that stabbed him deep, as though the concept of a friend was alien to her. When things had gone to hell on Cathy’s birthday he’d jumped on the train to Butterfly Cove without a second thought, knowing Daniel and Mia would be there for him. What must it be like to not have a security net of friends you could turn to? He tried another tack. ‘Mia has her mobile with her. Why don’t you call her?’

‘I can’t. She doesn’t need me spoiling her day.’ The hopelessness in her tone stirred something ugly in his gut. Someone had done a real job on this woman if she honestly believed her sister would resent her reaching out when she was in such obvious need. If Luke ever tried to hide anything like this from him, he’d wring his bloody neck.

‘Then tell me. Whatever it is, we’ll find a way to fix it.’

She laughed a second time and if he never heard the bitter, mirthless sound again it would be too soon. ‘I’m leaving my husband. Well, I’m trying to, but I can’t even manage to do that properly. I assumed there would be room for me and the children at Mia’s, but you know what they say about assuming anything… Oh God, Neil was right, I am stupid.’

When he had time to think about it later, he couldn’t decide what made him say his next words. Whether out of loyalty to his friendship with Daniel and Mia, or his horror at hearing another person speak about themselves with such self-loathing, or his own vulnerability after losing the only place he’d ever really thought of as home, he didn’t know. ‘You can stay with me.’

Shocked silence. Then, ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

He tucked the phone under his ear and leaned back in the kitchen chair. ‘What’s ridiculous? I’m the proud new owner of a four-bedroom cottage, which is less than two miles from your sister’s doorstep. I’ll be out most of the time, either meeting with clients for work or here helping Daniel with the barn. I can probably move into one of the attic rooms at Butterfly House if you’d rather have the place to yourself.’

‘I couldn’t possibly turn you out of your own home.’ She sounded thoughtful, though, which was a step up from outright rejection.

‘You have two children to think of, Kiki. You can do whatever you need to. When were you hoping to travel down?’

‘The car’s already packed.’ Her sheepish admission settled it as far as he was concerned.

‘Then come.’ The back door opened and his eyes met his best friend’s. ‘Daniel’s here now and he agrees with me. Get in the car and drive. You’ve made the hard decision and everyone here will help you in whatever way you need.’ He let his absolute conviction ring through his words. He knew Mia and Daniel would back him, Madeline and Richard, too. They’d pulled together when Daniel had needed them to resolve the crisis at the gallery caused by his former agent trying to sell his photographs behind his back, and they would do so again to help this poor, lonely woman.

‘You make it sound so easy.’

Aaron shook his head, even though she couldn’t see him. He’d never had a serious enough relationship to endure a messy break-up, but he understood loss better than most. ‘It’ll get worse before it gets better. But at least you won’t have to face it on your own.’

‘Mummy? Who are you talking to?’ The faint voice of a young boy reached his ears.

‘I’m talking to a new friend of ours, Matty. How would you like to go and stay near Aunty Mia for a while?’ Relief flooded him at her words. She was going to come.

Aaron listened to the excited chatter for a few moments before interrupting. ‘Kiki, do you have a pen?... Good. Write down my number and send me a text when you’re on your way.’ He reeled off the digits, making her repeat them back to him before ending the call.

He looked up at Daniel who was standing next to his chair, arms folded across his chest. His friend inclined his head towards the phone. ‘Mia’s sister?’

Aaron nodded. ‘She’s in a bit of state, trying to leave her husband and had a bit of a panic when she couldn’t get hold of Mia.’

He took the pronouncement more calmly than Aaron expected. Clearly, he knew more about the circumstances surrounding Kiki’s decision to leave her husband. ‘And she’s definitely coming?’

‘She’s promised to text before she sets off.’

Daniel scrubbed a hand through the close-cropped beard covering his chin. There might be one or two threads of silver showing in the dark hair, but Aaron didn’t think he had looked better in years. Mia had saved him, taken him in when he hit rock bottom and given Aaron something invaluable back in return—his best friend. If he could do even a fraction of the same for her and Kiki, he’d move heaven and earth in the process. Daniel stood. ‘Let me know when you hear from her and I’ll speak to Mia.’

Aaron nodded. ‘Of course. I meant what I said to her. She can stay at Honeysuckle Cottage for as long as she needs to.’ It was fully furnished, even if the décor was outdated and a little tired. Dave and Karen had left the bedrooms mostly intact and the contents of his flat had been enough to fill the gaps created by the furniture they’d taken with them. Single man and spinster might be a clash of styles, but he doubted the children would notice, or that Kiki would care about any decorative shortcomings. There was plenty of food in the fridge and it would take five minutes to make the beds up if Kiki took him up on the offer of a place to stay.

Daniel nodded. ‘Cheers, mate. We’ll let them sort it out between them when she gets here.’ He checked his watch. ‘Jordy will be here with the lads any minute, might as well get on while we can.’

Aaron had just crossed the yard to the barns with a thermos full of coffee when the phone in his pocket began to vibrate. He fished it out, unable to stop a sigh of relief at the three-word message from an unknown number. On our way. Continuing inside, he showed the message to Daniel, then made his way over to where their young project manager waited. ‘Where do you want me?’

‘First floor, if that’s all right with you? Plaster should be dry enough to start undercoating in Suite One.’ Suite sounded grand for the studio apartments which would house visiting artists, but the specs Daniel planned for them were of a high enough quality to carry it off. The main painting would be carried out by qualified contractors, but Aaron was happy to turn his hand to the grunt work where a strong back and decent work ethic were all the skill a man required.

He grabbed a pair of loose-fitting white overalls and tugged them on over his shorts and shirt, then made his way up the temporary staircase to the mezzanine above. Some helpful soul had already taped dust cloths across the newly laid laminate flooring. A box of disposable shoe covers sat on the table next to an industrial tin of undercoat and a set of rollers. Music drifted from an adjacent room, a familiar song already threatening to be one of those catchy summer hits the stations seemed to play every five minutes. It was still just the right side of new enough not to be annoying and he hummed along to the tune as he started to work. If he tried hard enough, he might even convince himself it was just a day like any other, though the flutter of anticipation in his gut told a different story.

He received two more texts during the day from Kiki, noting her progress when she stopped for petrol and a break. Richard had been dispatched to the station to collect his wife and Mia, and the two women were busy in the kitchen cooking up a welcome meal. Mia was insistent that Kiki should stay at Butterfly House, and Aaron had left Daniel to argue it out with her. Personally, he agreed with his friend that cancelling guests was a bad move so early into a new venture, but it wasn’t his call to make.

Richard had agreed with him and they’d retreated to the barn to tidy things away. It was make-work really, as Jordy ran a tight crew and they kept the work area in good order, but it would keep them out of trouble. Madeline had no such qualms about voicing her opinion and agreed with Daniel that Honeysuckle Cottage would be the best place for the new arrivals. She’d even gone so far as to offer Aaron a room at their place, and a small, selfish part of him hoped Kiki would take the cottage just so he could have Madeline fussing around him. She was a force of nature, a whirlwind of kindness who’d swept both Aaron and Luke into her makeshift family. Her affection for him was a bittersweet balm to the wounded boy who lurked in his soul. If only Cathy could do the same.

‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride,’ he murmured under his breath. Gravel crunched outside and he and Richard gravitated towards the open door of the barn. A dark-blue hatchback sat on the driveway. Sunlight reflected off the windscreen, making it impossible to see the interior. Aaron started towards it, but hung back when the kitchen door of Butterfly House flew open, disgorging Mia, with Daniel and Madeline close on her heels. She ran for the car and tugged the driver’s door open with a cry of welcome.

‘Stand back darling, give poor Kiki chance to get out.’ Daniel placed his hand on Mia’s shoulder urging her to make some space.

A slender figure emerged, and Aaron found he’d closed the distance between himself and the car without noticing. The woman, Kiki, skirted the open door and half fell into her sister’s waiting arms. Her profile afforded him teasing glimpses of her features, a button nose, the same slightly prominent chin which gave Mia’s face a heart shape. Same deep-brown hair, although Kiki’s looked a lot longer than Mia’s spiky mop from the tangled knot at the back of her head.

Gentle sobs rose from the pair, but when Kiki lifted her head to glance at him over her sister’s shoulder, her cheek was tear-free. He raised a hand, and she offered him the ghost of a smile. His chest grew tight; the tiny tilt of her lips transformed her face. Too pale, too haunted with those dark shadows ringing her eyes, but damn, she might just be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. A beautiful woman who wasn’t even a day free of her unhappy marriage. Get a bloody grip, Spenser.

‘Mummy?’ A little boy, his pale skin and wounded eyes a match for his mother’s, clambered out of the back of the car.

‘I’m fine, poppet. Can you give your sister a hand?’ Kiki tried to disentangle herself from Mia, but Madeline was quicker.

‘I’ve got her.’ The older woman opened the opposite door as Richard hurried to her side to lend a hand. ‘Hello, darling. Look at your pretty dress, don’t you look gorgeous? Shall I help you with your buckle?’ Keeping up a constant stream of light chatter, Madeline fussed and flattered the little girl as she helped her out. Perched on Madeline’s hip, brown hair a riot of curls around her head, Charlotte cast a wary eye over the gathered group of strangers. Her lower lip wobbled and her face screwed up in an expression Aaron well remembered from when Luke was that age. A heart-rending wail split the air and fat tears began to roll down her plump cheeks.

‘Oh, Charlie, don’t cry, sweetheart.’ Kiki broke free from Mia’s arms and rushed to her daughter’s aid. She gathered Charlotte into her arms and rocked her back and forth, kissing her head and whispering endearments to try and soothe the fractious child.

A light touch on his arm caught Aaron’s attention and he stared down into Matthew’s big, blue eyes. ‘She needs Mr Bunny.’

Aaron crouched down so they were the same height. ‘Mr Bunny?’

The boy nodded. ‘He’s magic, he takes all the sad things away. Mummy packed him in the boot by mistake.’

‘We’d better find him then, eh?’ Aaron rose, turned to grab the keys from the ignition, then circled to the rear of the car. He pressed the unlock button and slipped his hand under the handle to release the catch.

‘Careful! It’s a bit full…’ Kiki’s warning came a fraction too late and Aaron found himself grabbing for half a dozen overflowing carrier bags as they tumbled from the top of the haphazard pile crammed into the small space. His lightning reflexes, honed on the rugby pitch, saved the day, or so he thought until the thin material of the supermarket bag hooked on his little finger began to tear. With his arms spread, trying to hold everything else in place he couldn’t do anything other than watch the orange plastic turn white as the weight of its contents stretched it beyond breaking point. Shoes, clothes and, well, hello, a flamingo-pink bra fell to the ground.

Tearing his gaze from the scrap of lace trailing over his foot, he looked up into a pair of horrified, amber-flecked eyes. The little girl resting on Kiki’s hip let forth another howl of utter wretchedness and Aaron had to bite his lip to stifle an inappropriate laugh. He looked from the embarrassed woman, past the tear-stained moppet, down to the solemn-faced boy at his side and back again. If he did nothing else, he’d put smiles on all their faces before the summer was through. ‘Welcome to Butterfly Cove.’