SHIVER (14 page)

“Really?” Tern cocked a perfectly shaped brow. “You didn’t want to sell them to him in the first place.”

“Make it right.”

Tern sighed. “Fine. I really hate that good-girl streak of yours.” She prepared a new sales slip for Aidan. “Happy with that?”

No. She wasn’t. She still had a problem with Aidan drinking tea from something she’d made. His mouth sipping from the rim she’d carefully molded, taking care to make sure it was smooth and comfortable against the lips.

The bell on the door dinged as a customer entered the store. “Here—” Tern handed her the sales slip, “—get him to sign this, and I’ll finish wrapping his items.”

Raven took Aidan’s credit card and the sales slip into the backroom. In her absence, he had proceeded to unpack the rest of the boxes. Her pottery was all lined up on the table. Pitchers, pie plates, casserole dishes, bowls, platters, mugs, and another tea pot. “What are you doing?”

“You made all of these?” He looked at her, amazement reflected in his eyes.

“Yes,” she slowly answered.

“I’m impressed.” He raked a hand through his hair. Her eyes were caught on how the light reflected in the dark depths, highlighting a bit of red. He needed a haircut. “You are an amazing artist.” He glanced at her again. “Can I see your studio?”

She caught her breath. Her studio was private. Yes, she gave lessons there, had students and family running through there all the time, but Aidan would see more than the others did. It would be like inviting him inside part of her soul.

Tern bumped into Raven, saw the pottery unpacked on the table. “Oh, good. You brought the pie plates for Mrs. Norwick. She just came in, and she brought a friend.” Tern grabbed the pottery and returned to the sales floor, anticipating another sale.

Raven heard oohs and ahhs from the other room, but the storeroom seemed to be closing in on her. Suddenly she was too hot. Yeah, she hadn’t taken off her coat, and it was warm in here, but that wasn’t why. It was Aidan. He was getting too close, asking too much, seeing too much.

“I…uh…I’m going to get that last box.” She turned and rushed out of the room, through the gift shop, not stopping until she was outside at the back of the Suburban, where no one could see her. She fell against the door and unzipped her coat, letting the cold air slap her heated skin.

But nothing seemed to slow the rapid beating of her heart.

Aidan stood to follow Raven, but Tern entered the room.

“You broke Raven’s heart when you left the last time.” Tern blocked the exit and planted her hands on her hips. “Are you going to do it again?”

What?
“She’s the one who told
me
to get lost.” He shook his head. “She broke
my
heart.”

Tern advanced into the room. “She was hurting. You should have waited, given her time. You should have known better.”

“Staying wouldn’t have helped anyone.”

“She needed you, Aidan.”

“I was the last person she needed or wanted to see then.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Your dad had been killed. She blamed me for it.”

“She was hurting, she lashed out. People do that. They hurt the ones they love the most because those are the people who are supposed to stay and be able to take it. If you aren’t here to make amends, then make your trip short. Don’t let her care for you again. It almost killed her the last time.”

Were they talking about the same woman? “She looks like she’s done just fine without me.” There were no signs that Raven had suffered. She had a loving family around her. A business that was thriving. She seemed happy.

“Maybe outwardly it seems that way. But she doesn’t date. Ever. She works too hard, never vacations, never cuts loose like she used to. She’s different. A shell of who she once was.”

“She’s matured.”

Tern shook her head, her long hair flowing around her shoulders. “This is different. She’s old. Not mature. Grandma Coho acts younger than Raven.” She sighed and looked away for a second before stabbing him with her huntress stare. “If you hurt her again, I will come after you this time. I will make you suffer like no one has made you suffer before. Got that?”

“Tern, the situation between us is really none of your business.”

“Have you met my family? Of course it’s my business. That’s the way we work. You hurt her, you hurt all of us. And we defend those who would think to harm us.”

“You done?” Raven demanded standing in the doorframe. Aidan wondered how long she had been listening. How much she’d heard. “Time to go, Aidan. I need to get back, and I still need to stop and get the things on Mom’s list.”

Tern had buttoned up as soon as Raven had announced her presence, but the look she gave Aidan spoke volumes. “I plan on coming out for Sunday dinner,” she said.

Aidan knew it was for his benefit. He’d been warned.

“Fine,” Raven said. “I’ll let Mom know.” She turned and left the room. Tern and Aidan followed. “I left the other box on the counter since you and Aidan were in deep discussion over my life.”

“Raven—”

“You know, Tern, Aidan’s right. What’s between us needs to stay between us.” She tightened her lips and then continued, “I don’t need a keeper.”

“I was just trying—”

“I know what you were doing, but I don’t need my younger sister fighting my battles. I can do that myself just fine.” She glanced fleetingly at Aidan before returning her attention to Tern. “I love you, sis. But enabling me doesn’t do me any favors.”

“Okay. But I don’t like it.” She directed that statement toward Aidan.

“See you Sunday.” Raven left the shop.

Aidan lagged behind her due to the damn boot strapped to his leg, and being careful of the package of teapot and mugs Tern silently handed him. “It was good to see you, Tern. I like your shop.”

Then he left and hobbled toward the waiting Suburban. Raven already had the engine running. He got in, set down his purchase, and buckled his seatbelt. Raven was quiet as she backed up the rig and left the Arctic Tern.

“Don’t do that again,” she said, her voice hard and tight.

He didn’t pretend he didn’t know what she was talking about. “Tern’s quite your protector.”

“I know.”

“Why does she see herself that way?”

Raven sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “I had some rough years. She stepped in and straightened me out. Now she thinks she’s responsible for me, I guess.”

“What kind of rough years?” Had he really broken her heart? Even though she’d been the one who demanded he left. Was Tern right? Had it been Raven lashing out because of the pain she felt over her father’s death? Maybe she didn’t blame him completely.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“One thing I’ve learned is that you don’t heal without talking about it.”

She pulled into the parking lot of Fred Meyer’s, put the vehicle in park, killed the engine, and turned to look at him. Disbelief in her expression. “A man who wants to talk? Get real. I’m going to go and get what’s on Mom’s list. You stay here.”

“I don’t want to stay here.”

“Too bad. I want to hurry.” She glanced at his leg in the boot. “And you will slow me down.” She handed him the keys. “In case you get cold.” She opened the door and stepped onto the running board. “Don’t go anywhere.”

She slammed the door and left. He watched her walk into the entrance of the grocery store. He didn’t like having to stay in the car. He wasn’t a kid, or a dog. It was boring in the car. He looked around the parking lot. Mountains made of plowed snow were in the corners of the lot. Before break up, dump trucks would come and carry it all away to the river, far outside of town to help prevent flooding. For now, they were great places to climb and slide down, when the lot was empty. He remembered when he was young, coming to town and seeing kids do that. Not that he ever had. Earl hated town. Aidan hadn’t gotten here often as a child, unless his mother needed a booze run and he conned his way into going along.

He rubbed his hands together, blew on his fingers, and noticed a Starbucks sign outside the building. Fred Meyer’s had a Starbucks? He didn’t have to think. He got out of the Suburban and made his way inside. He’d be back before Raven could get the many items on Fiona’s list. He’d get her a cup too. Maybe that would sweeten her up.

Ever since he’d mentioned wanting to see her studio, she had shut down on him. No, that’s wrong. It went back to when he’d told her he’d missed her when they’d been at the overlook on Hagelbarger. He walked into the building, enveloped by a blast of heat. Starbucks was off to the right. The smell of ambrosia, and suddenly he missed Seattle. He ordered a Americano with double espresso and a Carmel Macchiato for Raven.

He paid for the drinks, took a sip of his, almost burning his tongue in his haste, and savored the bold, rich espresso as it warmed him all the way down to his toes. Now this was more like it. He bought a bag of house blend to take with him. Who knew what he’d find at Earl’s place? Earl had been a fan of canned coffee. Bitter and lifeless. Much like the man.

Aidan limped his way back to the Suburban and found Raven, her feathers ruffled, waiting outside with a cart.

“I told you not to go anywhere.”

He held up the coffee cups. “Starbucks.” He handed her the keys so that she could unlock the rig while he put the coffee in the cup holders and then went to help her unload. “You were faster than I thought you’d be.”

“I told you I was in a hurry.”

“Who would have suspected you could get a list of groceries faster than I could get a cup of coffee?” He helped load the last of the bags.

Her lips twisted. “What did you get me?”

“You? I got me two cups. It’s Starbucks. It isn’t like I can get my favorite cup of Joe in Chatanika.”

“One of those cups had better be for me, or you’re going to have a long walk back to Chatanika.”

He smiled. “I always thought you were the Caramel Macchiato with a pump of chocolate type. Is that okay?”

She didn’t quite smile, but it was better than the frown she’d been sporting. “Sounds good.” She looked at him from under her lashes. “Thanks.”

They climbed into the Suburban and headed back down Airport Way, past Lathrop High School where he and Raven had graduated. “Did you make the ten year reunion?” he asked.

“Yeah, you didn’t miss much.” She glanced at him. “Same people doing the same stuff, just ten years older. You could have made it. They held it at the end of July. Isn’t fishing season over by then?”

“You were glad I didn’t attend.”

She was silent for a moment. “I was relieved, but I really didn’t think you would’ve made the effort.”

He’d wanted to. If things had been different. He’d been wishing for different all his life. He changed the subject. “Could we swing into Big Ray’s? I need a warmer coat.”

“As long as we make it fast.” She made the left hand turn on Cushman.

“Why do you need to hurry?” He glanced at his watch. It was just after eleven. “Fox isn’t out of school for another three or four hours, right? Or is it because you don’t want to spend any more time with me than you have to?”

She tightened her lips. “I have things to do.”

What did she have to do? Pottery? Work at the lodge? Just how busy was her life? He wanted to know. “Like what?”

She sent him an evil look. He threw his hands up. “I was just asking. Making conversation.”

“You know that for the last three days I have done nothing but play nursemaid. My life has been on hold. I need to get back to it.”

He gave up on conversation and looked out the window as they traveled down Cushman. She turned onto 2
^nd
Avenue and pulled into Big Ray’s. He was glad to see it was still in business and that a big chain from the lower forty-eight hadn’t taken it over. “I’ll make this quick.” He opened the door and got out.

She opened hers. “I should get a new pair of gloves for Fox.”

They walked into the store together, but separated. He headed toward the large array of parkas, while Raven viewed the gloves and hats on the opposite side of the store.

“Aidan Harte! As I live and breathe, I never thought to see you again.” A big bear of a man slapped him on the back, knocking the air out of him.