As I watched him interact with Lilly, his words came back to me.
“Their innocence has a way of washing away all the bad I’ve seen over the years.”
Oh, Aiden. How bad was it?
After Lilly tired herself out, the four of us headed back to the main house. Lacy and Lilly parted ways with me and Aiden while we made our way to the barn to pick up Ben.
The moment Ben saw Aiden, he tried to scramble out of Grace’s arms. Aiden grinned and promptly took him from Grace, gushing over him.
“My goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him take to someone like that before,” Grace said as she held out her hand to Aiden. “Grace Barnes—we met a long time ago when you were a young man.”
I was stunned to see Grace flush slightly as Aiden flashed his brilliant smile, dimples and all. I had never seen Grace Barnes swoon over any man, not even her own husband, and it only added to the knowledge that there wasn’t a woman on Earth who didn’t notice how handsome Aiden O’Hara was. When Grace gently smoothed her light brown hair with streaks of gray back behind her ears, I noticed how her coffee-colored eyes beamed.
I pressed my lips tightly together to keep from smiling as Aiden took her hand in his.
“Aiden O’Hara. It’s a real pleasure to see you again, ma’am.”
“I simply adore Rose and Carl,” Grace stated. “I’m sure they are both tickled pink you’re home.”
Aiden nodded. “They are, yes. I’m lucky to have them in my life.”
That seemed to make Grace fall even harder for Aiden. I didn’t blame her one bit.
Focusing on Ben, Aiden asked, “Want to go on a little adventure today, little man?”
Ben tried to speak, but it came out more as a babble than anything else. My son’s bright blue eyes gazed up at Aiden, and I couldn’t help the little pang in my heart. He had never looked at his own father that way, and most likely never would, especially since his father had zero contact with him since the divorce, and hardly any before it.
“I think that means let’s do it,” I said with a chuckle as I tickled under Ben’s chin, causing him to laugh and bury his face in Aiden’s broad chest. Suddenly, I was jealous of my own son.
Grace looked at me. “You kids are spending the day together?”
Oh goodness. The rumors were going to start. Before I had a chance to say anything, Aiden replied.
“We are indeed. We should probably get going so I can run that errand before lunch, Willa.” I nodded as Aiden faced Grace once more. “It was nice to see you again, Grace.”
I could already see the wheels turning in Grace’s mind. The moment we left, she would call my mother, who then would call Aiden’s mother, Rose. The three of them would plan lunch in order to start planning the wedding.
“Ready?” Aiden asked as he turned to me.
“Yes. Did you want to drive your truck back to your place, and I’ll follow?” I asked, feeling Grace’s eyes on me. I didn’t dare look at her.
“That sounds like a plan,” Aiden said, tipping his head to Grace as he said his goodbyes.
Before I could follow, Grace took hold of my arm and pulled me to a stop. With her voice lowered, she stared at Aiden while she spoke. “Well, I heard he was still just as handsome as ever, but my goodness. He’s sex on a plate.”
I pulled my brows in. “Sex on a plate?”
Grace nodded. “Very, very handsome.”
I closed my eyes and sighed as I watched Aiden put Ben in his car seat. “I think you mean sex on a stick, Grace.”
Grace waved me off. “Stick, plate, what does it matter? Sweetheart, you’d better not let that one get away.”
“Grace, we’re—”
Before I could even finish, Grace pushed me toward my car, hard, nearly causing me to stumble. “Don’t keep him waiting now, dear! You kids have fun.”
I stared at her in disbelief before I spun on my heels and made my way over to the car. Ben was already buckled in, and Aiden held my door open for me.
“I’ll meet you at your house,” I said, finding myself glancing down at his mouth like some strange force of energy had pulled me to it. The memory of his lips on mine earlier sent tingles through me, and I felt my teeth dig into my lower lip.
Sex on a stick indeed.
Aiden reached up and pulled my lip free and for a moment, I thought for sure he was going to kiss me. If he had, Grace would surely be on the phone with my mother before the kiss ended, immediately filling her in.
“See you there, Willa,” Aiden whispered.
And just like that, his touch was gone and butterflies took flight in my stomach. I watched him walk toward his father’s truck. Once he’d opened the door and got in, I slid into my car, started it, and followed him down the long drive that would take us off the orchard.