When fiercely independent Aiden Matthews makes a spontaneous decision to visit home after a long absence, what she intended to be a day-long trip turns into an entire summer filled with old friends, new acquaintances... and a rekindled old flame. But after stumbling upon a seventy year old secret and the ghosts it stirs up, Aiden must navigate the sudden challenges to everything she thought she knew about her family history while confronting her deepest fears in order to chase her most fervently held dreams.
View MoreIt all started with a social media post:
'Hey Pebble Point, I’m down for the day! HMU.' --------------------- It wasn’t often Aiden came home anymore. In the handful of years following her graduation from college, many of her friends had scattered from their tiny seaside town and onto brand-new paths. She’d certainly done the same after her Nan had passed away, only too eager to escape that heartbreak and dive into adulthood and adventure in the heart of her favorite City. Nan had raised her since toddlerhood after she lost her parents and, though her roots were and always would be there in Pebble Point, all sense of ‘home’ seemed muted, fading, the longer she spent away. Gone into the ground with those she loved best, and into the wind with everyone and everything she missed most. It was that much easier to justify being away when her life and career were taking off, leading to all the new experiences she’d craved throughout her teenage years. Still, despite getting away from her tiny hometown, not all ties had frayed and snapped - those that remained were well and permanently tethered. She made it back for the odd holiday dinner with her best friend's family, and she stayed in close touch with more than a few of her and Nan’s old friends, too. And then there was the cottage; just a stone’s throw from the beach, the beautiful little home that had been in her family for generations belonged to her now. Though she had trusted friends keeping an eye on things and a management company handling the care of the property, nothing beat coming down to check in herself and make sure everything was still in place and in good shape. Plus it was a nice summer break from the City and, at first, it had been a great way to recharge and reconnect with friends who hadn’t yet left home. But work and life had kept her hands fuller than ever in recent years and, without realizing it, she was starting to go longer than she’d planned between those soothing visits. This time, she hadn’t come back to her childhood home in over a year. A pang of guilt socked her right in the gut and she tried to push it down as quickly as it made itself known, in favor of a deep breath of ocean-soaked air. Even if Nan would have insisted she live her life as she wished, and even if the pandemic hadn't been an even more convenient excuse to stay put, a strange and out of place homesickness had been sticking in the back of her mind, prickling at her consciousness and creeping over her even while in the thick of the most intense work project she’d directed yet. The guilt of staying away, along with a heavy sense of responsibility, had begun weighing on her until the feeling became unbearable. So when the project had concluded and with all the social distancing and masking finally calming down, she’d made the decision to head home at last in an attempt to quell the nagging feeling that she was long overdue for even a short visit. Now that she was here, she wondered why she’d stayed away as long as she had in the first place. The sun was shining brightly, kissing the whitewashed walls of the cottage with warm light as she finished her post and sat back, not really expecting anything to come of the obligatory social media reach-out. It had been ages, and even though she tried to keep in touch with everyone, it was inevitable that friends and events slipped through the cracks as people moved away, got married, had kids, got divorced, and rinsed and repeated. But it didn’t matter if no one was around; it was going to be a gorgeous day and she planned to spend most of it in the sand. She’d gotten on the road hours before, while it was still pitch black, in order to make the most of the trip, the single day out of her banked vacation time she’d allotted herself. The four hours in the snappy, vintage-blue Thunderbird that saw more garage than road time had gone by quickly, accompanied by summery tunes, strong coffee, and some good old on-the-go, NYC-style breakfast. The only stop Aiden had made was to put the top down as the sun finally broke over the horizon and warmed the air, when she was less than an hour from her destination. It had been a glorious sight and even though the breeze hadn’t yet turned salty-fresh and beachy-clean, it still felt amazing to be out of the City for a bit. With her sunglasses slipped up to rest on top of her head, the light wind tickling the ends of long, sandy brown locks, she opened the car door and stepped out, grabbed her purse and beach bag, and put the top up and locked up before heading up the sun-bleached steps to the front door. It was as cute and quaint as she remembered, and a pang of nostalgia washed over her as she opened the front door and took in her first big breath of home in far too long. Warm notes of almond polish greeted her nose, faint but as familiar as the scent of the ocean. She’d kept the same cleaner in the house Nan had, and the housekeeper made sure to use it during her once a month visits. The bells on the doorknob jingled in time with the beach-glass wind chimes, and she at last stepped inside, immediately overwhelmed with a peaceful joy. Perhaps the only thing that could dull the moment was knowing no one was home to welcome her with open arms, no immediate sight to greet her of Adelaide pottering around the big open kitchen, the butcher block counters littered with pots and pans in anticipation of one of her famous clambakes or lobster boils. Aiden plopped her bags down inside the door with a sigh and dropped her keys in the dish on the sideboard table, as she ever had, before heading over to the kitchen for a glass of water. On the way through the open-plan first story, her gaze caught all the little details she’d always loved, but hadn’t really learned to appreciate until she was away. The seaside decor her Nan had so carefully picked out over the years, like the shelf full of interesting-looking shells, some of which they’d collected together, or had been gifted. The whimsical touches, like the old, funky driftwood sculptures, or the insanely cool octopus teacup holder on the freshly waxed counter. The way the wall hangings were positioned just so to capture different parts of the daylight, and later, the moonlight, through the walls of floor-to-ceiling windows facing the ocean. Her Grandad had passed just before Aiden was born, and after she’d grieved for a bit, Nan had sold everything she owned further inland to focus on making the little cottage into a year-round home. She’d spent the better part of twenty five years making it truly hers and that alone made it something Aiden refused to part with. Well-meaning friends sometimes tried to convince her to sell it and use the money to buy a place of her own, or to bankroll the event planning business she vaguely considered opening one day, but even that lofty goal wasn’t reason enough to part with it, no matter how hot the market was. She loved her job and made enough to live comfortably and to maintain the cottage, so there was no real reason to let it go. Losing the hundred-something-year-old place would feel like losing a limb, she was sure of it, no matter how long she was away. She was just polishing off her glass and about to set it in the sink when the back door’s bells tinkled, startling her into dropping it instead. No one was supposed to be there besides her that day. Without thinking, she made a grab for it just as it hit the enameled sink and shattered, and a hiss of pain sucked through her teeth as she felt a jagged piece slice deep.A few hours later, they had both stirred at last and Aiden gave a delicious, delicate stretch with a soft, satisfied grin playing on her lips. Her body ached with muscle memories, still sore in all the right places, and she realized, all at once, that she wanted to feel that way every day she could. She couldn’t recall a time she’d felt happier, safer, more content than she did now. Usually, she was ready to bolt right around this time of a new thing, but this time… this time, she only knew she wanted more, could not get enough. And it wasn’t just the sex, either… it was all of it. She wanted to be near him all the time, hang on to his undivided attention, continue wading through all the discoveries to be had, both self and otherwise, with him at her side. That alone should have had her running for the hills, or right back to the City, but she knew it had to be because it was him. Her Mitch, her familiar, comfortable, solid Mitch, who also happened to be a great person in general, hot
A short while later, she stirred against him from where they’d collapsed back on the sofa. She felt him give a twitch from deep inside her, sending off another throb of pleasure to spill down her spine. She couldn’t help but arch her hips back, a move that had him springing back to life before she could even so much as gasp. “Hey Mitch?” she murmured dreamily, rocking gently against his lap, feeling his hands slide to cup her breasts and pull her tighter against him before one worked its way down to toy with her clit again. “Hm?” He barely replied, but didn’t stop his relentless work, sending little shockwaves through her as she drew it out as long as she could, slowly and steadily building the friction that she just couldn’t get enough of. “We’re not gonna make it to the beach, are we?” He gave a short, hoarse laugh at that, leaning up to press a kiss to the nape of her neck. “I don’t think so, but I’m still bent on taking you out tonight,” he breathed, unable to keep his hands o
This time, when he kissed her, it was slow and sweet, full of promise. She blindly set her coffee down and turned in his arms, clinging to him for all she was worth. She kissed him back with fervent need, an urge to seal her confession with something stronger than words.She inched further up, moving to straddle his lap, never breaking off the kiss. Her arms snaked around his neck as she rocked gently against him, her body making its silent request of his.Both his hands cupped her face, fingers delving into her hair as his mouth searched hers, never quite able to get enough of what he sought from her.“Fuck you taste so good,” he growled, sending a thrill to trip down her spine, her fingers already working at his shirt and his shorts, desperate to feel his skin beneath her touch.
Monday?!Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice sounded off, a taint of disappointment clear in there that the blissful little bubble they’d created was going to burst in less than five days. She knew, of course, that he had to go back. That the few days off he’d taken for himself were finite and that he had a load of responsibility to get back to. But she couldn’t help feeling crestfallen knowing that she was going to be on her own most of the days for the foreseeable future. She wondered what it would look like after Monday, if he would still have time for her, or if they would fall, predictably, into a more casual thing. She certainly didn’t like the slither of discomfort that wound its way down her spine at that thought. Because here in the bubble it felt like anything was possible. Maybe even that long elusive des
Mitch read over her shoulder, pensive. “I think we should start making a list of all the things we or a private investigator should look further into. I know just the guy, if you want me to reach out to him. Former cop, he lives in town.”Aiden nodded in agreement, drawing in a slow breath as she reached for a notebook and Mitch handed her a pen. She smiled, grateful, as she accepted and began to sketch out a basic list of leads to look into.“First thing, the lease agreement for that beach house,” she said. “The police reports from all the incidents. My parents’ accident report. Maybe talk to Vinnie, the mechanic. I think he’s still alive…”Mitch nodded. “And maybe tal
An hour or so later, Aiden sat in stunned silence, surrounded by photos, police reports, Bill’s own accounting of what had taken place. Mitch was rubbing a hand over his chin and mouth, peering at the sheer mountain of information before them. "So… if I’m reading this right, it looks like a series of small incidents that, on their own, could be easily explained away… does that sound right?”Aiden nodded, it was essentially what she was thinking, too. Brakes failing on Grandad Bill’s car, causing a bit worse than a fender bender, despite being recently serviced. The police had ruled it an accidental oversight on the part of the mechanic for failing to replace the fluid. The mechanic had absolutely lost his mind over the suggestion, too. Aiden remembered him; he swore by his work and Nan had never stopped going to him for her auto repairs before he retired. She had believed him and that meant something. Then Bill was mysteriously locked in a walk-in freezer during a building inspectio
Hours later, Aiden was plopped on her sofa, freshly showered, with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, just waiting for Mitch to finish up his own shower. She had taken advantage of the short respite from her inability to keep her hands off of him to read some more of her Grandad’s journal. As she delved deeper into it, a frown creased her brow, deepening as she continued onward. "…if anything happens to me, Baby Girl, just know that your Nan is going to give you enough love for the both of us. We’re already so in love and so excited to meet our first grandbaby. She hasn’t stopped chattering on about all the wonderful things you’ll do. I don’t know why, or how, but I have a sneaking suspicion that someone is coming after me. There have been threats, and some bad blood here and there, but one fella stands out as someone who’s had it out for me for a long time. I look over my shoulder a lot these days. Your dad has the same feeling. I’ve shared my thoughts with him on that; hopefully it
The morning sun was brilliant in its greeting the next day, but Aiden barely registered that it had risen at all, in favor of snuggling in deep against the man who was starting to feel like he’d always been there. At the very least, like he belonged there. They had had their fair share of all-night conversations over the years, had woken up on the squashy sofa in the Davis’ sunroom on mornings just like this, curled up next to one another where someone had kindly tucked them in with cozy blankets sometime in the early hours. But this morning, she was wrapped around the man in question, under her very own soft, warm duvet. Something she had let herself do in her sleep again, and something she was quite unwilling to undo. He was still fast asleep; exhaustion had won out over the appeal of sex and they’d passed out before she could even count to ten. She kept her eyes closed as everything from the prior day slipped around her mind. There was so much to process, so many moving parts. Some
“So… If money were no object, how and where would you plan your wedding? What would be the ideal dream day?” Aiden asked her best friend with a lackadaisical expression on her face, a relaxed slant to her posture. Her body language was giving nothing away, but Mitch, the only one of the group who knew what she was about to share, caught the mischievous glint in her eye and couldn’t help the smile he quickly hid behind his napkin. The meal of tapas-style small plates had been nearly finished and the most recent round of wine had been drained from oversized glasses. Jessie had been happily downing virgin mocktails all night, trying the most interesting concoctions on offer and had declared about halfway through that they were so good, she didn’t even miss having a glass of wine with dinner. And now, as they waited for dessert, Aiden finally broached the subject she’d been dying to share with them. Having thought over the best way to tell them, the wedding had crossed her mind more tha
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