Gigi put down her fork, and dabbed at her lips with a napkin. “You’re that keen to get away from us? For some reason I thought you’d be here forever the way you were dragging out the renovations.”
He ignored the wink she sent his father. “You know that’s not true. I would like to think I’ve grown up enough to have my own space. I can’t live at home forever. It’s been convenient with work being as crazy as it has lately, but I will move out.” And he had to prove to himself that his life was on track and everything was under control. The perfect picture he had of his future was almost complete.
Atticus cut a piece of bacon and stabbed a mushroom before rolling it in sauce. “You don’t have to prove it to us, son. I wish you could understand that you don’t need to prove it to yourself either. That’s what all this has been about for the last few years with a good dose of denial thrown into the mix.”
Chapter 4
“I’ve always loved this place. Once I got over feeling scared that is.” Aggie carried Tilly’s suitcase through the front door of the house while the little girl struggled helping her brother with his. “Which is Tilly’s room?”
Leo let go of his case and ran down the hallway, peering into one room then the next. “This one’s mine.” He ran in and jumped on the bed, squealing as Tilly followed him.
“I guess you have your answer then.” April carried a box of paperwork into the house and put it down on the small round dining table. She could imagine sitting here for breakfast, in the alcove beside the big picture window with views of the harbor. “I didn’t think I’d brought quite so much stuff.”
Aggie walked back out into the lounge room and gave her a blank stare.
“Well, I didn’t.” She looked back at the car’s trunk before heading back out for another load. “And I have to go grocery shopping yet.”
“Go to the farmer’s market. They’re on this morning, rain or shine.” Aggie followed her down the stairs. “Hey, let’s take the kids and stock up your fridge. You can get just about everything you’ll need for the next few days. It’ll be fun.”
April pulled another box from the trunk, the idea sparking interest that quickly built. “That would be nice, actually.”
“Great. Let’s get this done then and off we go.”
“Did I tell you that Gigi called me last night?” Aggie looked at her, waiting. They both knew how bossy, but gentle and conniving, Gigi could be. “I’d already promised to take the children over to see them after school next week, but she’s decided that since we’re only a stone’s throw away we should go over for dinner tonight.” She hoisted the box onto her hip, acknowledging the grin on her best friend’s face. “I couldn’t get out of it.”
“No, I can imagine. It’s better to not even try. I swear she hasn’t changed any since you’ve been gone either.”
April led the way up the path to the front door, pausing to look at the tiny seaside daisies tucked into a rocky crevice in the garden. “I had hoped she’d at least mellowed a little.” She moved into the house, and put the box in the kitchen on the counter. Inside were her favorite kitchen items that she couldn’t bear to part with.
“Nope. Not a chance in hell. Still the same Gigi.” Aggie read the tag on the box she had in her arms and headed to the bathroom where she left it for April to unpack.
“Perhaps you’ll have to try and marry her off. It’s time she had her own life, isn’t it?”
Aggie’s smile spread and she leaned against the doorframe, watching April sort out her knife block. “She has someone.”
“No!” She hadn’t seen that one coming. How very interesting.
“Yep. Quite a dish too by the look of it, but I’ve only seen him once or twice and not close up so I don’t know who it is.”
April leaned her hip against the counter, a steak knife in her hand, and shared a glance. “Did you ask her about him? Maybe now you’re grown up she might be more willing to share some gossip with you.” Gigi had always been keen to discuss relationships unless it involved her own, much to the girl’s annoyance. Growing up there was nothing more interesting than the idea of a budding romance for Aggie’s widowed father or his spinster sister.
“Oh I tried, believe me, but she turned it back onto me. As if I have time for love anyway!” She seemed more annoyed to miss out on gossip than on love.
“You never do tell me about what’s happening in your life apart from the bakery. Isn’t it time you spilled the beans?”
“You have more chance of love than I do right now.” A small cloud of pain filled Aggie’s eyes and she bit her bottom lip. “Sucks being stuck on this island some days. I never get to meet anyone new unless they’re a tourist and who wants a one-night stand? Not me.” There was more to that statement than either of them wanted to talk about.
“There are two and a half thousand people on this island, Aggie. Surely we can find someone for you.
