She plastered a smile on her face and turned back to him. “Yes, fine, thanks.” Aggie pointed to the ice cream dish. “Is that mine?”
Liam handed it to her and then took a packet of chocolate sprinkles from the cupboard, holding them out.
Aggie took them and covered her dessert. Perhaps he was better for her self-esteem than she’d thought.
Chapter 19
Aggie stumbled out to the living room and glanced at the clock. Great. She had a couple of hours before she had to head to work. The sun was still shining on the water so she made a cup of coffee and padded out to the front deck to enjoy the last of its warmth. When she opened the door, a bouquet of flowers sat at the top of the stairs.
She pulled the envelope off them, knowing who they were from before she opened it.
Aggie, Because you deserve your own flowers. Thank you for last night. Xoxo, Liam
She couldn’t keep the smile from her face. Aggie picked up the bouquet and carried it inside to put on the table.
“Oh, how lovely. Are they for you? Who’re they from?” Gigi floated into the room, her usual bright caftan flying behind her.
“Yes and I’m sure you already know, Gigi.” Aggie put her nose into the blooms and sniffed.
“Such a lovely boy. You could do much worse, you know.” She put a hand on Aggie’s arm and Aggie saw the paint on her aunt’s fingers.
“Been working, I see.” Anything to change the subject.
“Yes. Finishing off one for Drew and April. I wanted it done before they get home tomorrow, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Oh, crap. That came around fast. It’ll be good to see them.”
“It will. It’s been chaos with me living at the house looking after the children, and my time isn’t my own, but I don’t mind. I’ll probably miss babysitting them, to tell the truth.”
“I’m pretty sure you’ll still get to play great aunt. With April working so much, she’ll need your help.”
“Especially with the new baby on the way.” Gigi smiled and turned to get a glass of water.
“You knew?” Aggie had been sure they weren’t telling anyone until they got back from the honeymoon.
“Your father guessed, actually. He said she had that glow about her and now you’ve just confirmed it. But don’t worry; I won’t tell her we know.”
Aggie sighed in relief. “Good. Because they wanted to make sure the prenancy was okay before we all got excited. You know, with what happened to Mom and all. She doesn’t want anyone panicking and hovering over her for the whole pregnancy.”
“I gathered that, honey. But in the meantime, I’ll use my enthusiasm to get excited over you and Liam. It sounds as if you’re weakening where he’s concerned.”
How come she couldn’t get anyone to believe her? “We’re friends, Gigi, and that’s all. Don’t go getting all worked up over it.”
“I hate to state the obvious, darling, but after your dance together and the bouquet catching, well, you can hardly blame me for hoping.”
“Nope. Friends. That’s it.”
“If you say so, my darling. But he is the perfect man for you.”
Aggie shook her head and walked outside, shutting the door between her and her well-meaning but nosy aunt. Bless the woman, she’d helped her father bring them all up after her mother died, suddenly leaving him with twin newborns and three toddlers, but that didn’t make her an expert on love, more was too bad. Still, her common sense couldn’t be faulted. Most of the time anyway.
Gigi hid her affair because she probably thought they couldn’t handle her having a life of her own. As if they were going to get upset because she wanted her own love life after everything she’d done for them. But what did her aunt know about love and loss when she’d spent all her adult life helping her brother raise his family instead of focusing on herself? Not as much as Aggie did.
She leaned on the front deck railing and stared at the ocean. The Hope Island ferry pulled into the wharf on its final crossing of the night. Barely a handful of passengers got off and that suited her fine. The fewer strangers around town, the better for her nerves.
Even after all this time, Aggie still worried when someone came out of the shadows, or a stranger bumped into her in the supermarket. Her training with Ben was helping while she was at the class but after she went home, that confidence more often than not flew out the window. Three classes down, seven to go. She might think about taking it again if it was offered. Aggie was terrified that if it came down to it and she was attacked, she’d forget everything Ben had taught her.
The door behind her slid open and her aunt’s perfume wafted out and enveloped her. Aggie waited until she was beside her. “Gigi, a question. Would it be mean of me to let Liam get closer even if I can’t commit as much as he wants me to?”
“That depends, darling, on what you tell him. If you’re honest upfront and he knows you’re not promising hearts and roses or forever, then no, I don’t believe so.” She leaned into Aggie. “But this is from the woman who hasn’t really been in love herself, so take any of my advice with a grain of salt.”
“Don’t you love David?”
Gigi sucked in a breath. “I don’t know. I have nothing to compare my feelings to. How do you know if it’s love or not?”
Aggie shrugged.
“How does Liam make you feel?”
“Scared, hopeful, panicked, and loved all at the same time. I’m just worried I’ll let him down if I can’t give him what he wants.”
“Give what you feel comfortable with and build from there. That’s the best advice I can share with you.” She kissed Aggie on the cheek. “I’d better go and clean up my paints before Atticus comes home and complains I’m leaving a
