‘Nope.’ A kind chuckle softened the denial. ‘This is a really bad game of twenty questions. My name’s Aaron, I’m a friend of theirs, a neighbour, too, I suppose you could say. What did you say your name was?’
She hadn’t. ‘I’m Kiki.’ She hesitated for a second. ‘Mia’s sister.’
‘Ah, yes.’ The way he said it sounded like he knew who she was, which left her wondering what else he knew about her. She sank back into her chair. In all the scenarios she’d played out in her mind, she hadn’t once assumed her sister wouldn’t be there when she needed her.
Heat prickled behind her eyes and she bit her lip when it started to wobble. ‘Do… do you know when Mia will be back?’
‘She’s gone dress shopping with Madeline, so it could be all day. Butterfly House is booked solid for the season, so this is one of her few chances to get out and about.’ Dress shopping? Mia’s wardrobe ran to jeans and jumpers in the winter and shorts and vest tops in the summer. There was something about the inflection in his voice, the way he had stressed the word. If she was dress shopping… A sob escaped her as the realisation struck. They’d become so estranged she didn’t even know her sister was getting married again. She’d waited too long to respond to the messages of support. The unanswered texts lurking in the inbox on her phone.
At first, she’d been too angry, too blinded by her own shame to reply to Mia’s overtures after the fight they’d had during her recent visit home. As the days slipped by, the anger had faded and she’d promised herself she would answer… tomorrow. Pat and Bill had called, even taken the children out for the day, and she had taken it as a sign Mia still cared. That she still had time to build bridges between them.
Of course, Mia still cared. Brushing aside her hurt, she focused on the more critical piece of information Aaron had imparted. It sounded like Mia’s new venture was already a success. Fully booked could mean only one thing—there would be no room for her and the kids. She shivered, as though a cold wind had blown over her and her plans scattered like straw on the wind once more. The last thing Mia needed was her barging in and causing chaos. Kiki tried to stem her tears, but it was like she’d opened the flood gates and didn’t know how to close them again.
Aaron cursed a blue streak in his head as he listened to the quiet, desperate sobs in his ear. He should have left well enough alone and let the answerphone catch the call. Head buried in the plans for the barn while he sipped his coffee and waited for Daniel to return from running Mia to the station, he hadn’t even thought about what he was doing when the handset on the table started to ring. He didn’t know much about Kiki; Daniel had mentioned some estrangement between the sisters to do with Kiki’s marriage, but hadn’t gone into details. Instead of minding his own business, he’d blathered on, shoving both feet firmly into his mouth, it seemed, by mentioning the reason behind Mia’s trip to Exeter.
A harsh, wracking noise ripped from her throat, so pain-filled it hurt to listen to it, and Aaron couldn’t help himself. ‘Is there anything I can do to help you?’
‘He… he’s gone now. Gone for the summer and I waited… I thought it would be best to wait… and I just assumed it would be okay…’
He tried to make sense of the jumble of words. ‘Who’s gone? Your husband?’
‘Yes… yes, with his new Helen.’ More tears followed and he gave up trying to understand the broken sounds she was making.
Feeling wretched and useless, he offered what comfort he could. ‘It’s all right, Kiki. Everything will be all right. Don’t try and talk, just let it out for a minute. Shh, now.’ He continued to mutter whatever soothing nonsense words came into his head until she finally grew quiet.
‘I shouldn’t bother you with this,’ she managed at last.
‘Just talk to me, Kiki. You sound like you need a friend.’
She laughed, a hollow little sound that stabbed him deep, as though the concept of a friend was alien to her. When things had gone to hell on Cathy’s birthday he’d jumped on the train to Butterfly Cove without a second thought, knowing Daniel and Mia would be there for him. What must it be like to not have a security net of friends you could turn to? He tried another tack. ‘Mia has her mobile with her. Why don’t you call her?’
‘I can’t. She doesn’t need me spoiling her day.’ The hopelessness in her tone stirred something ugly in his gut. Someone had done a real job on this woman if she honestly believed her sister would resent her reaching out when she was in such obvious need. If Luke ever tried to hide anything like this from him, he’d wring his bloody neck.
‘Then tell me. Whatever it is, we’ll find a way to fix it.’
She laughed a second time and if he never heard the bitter, mirthless sound again it would be too soon. ‘I’m leaving my husband. Well, I’m trying to, but I can’t even manage to do that properly. I assumed there would be room for me and the children at Mia’s, but you know what they say about assuming anything… Oh God, Neil was right, I am stupid.’
When he had time to think about it later, he couldn’t decide what made him say his next words. Whether out of loyalty to his friendship with Daniel and Mia, or his horror at hearing another person speak about themselves with such self-loathing, or his own vulnerability after losing the only place he’d ever really thought of as home, he didn’t know. ‘You can stay with me.’
Shocked silence. Then, ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
He tucked the phone under his ear and leaned back in the kitchen chair. ‘What’s ridiculous? I’m the proud new owner of a four-bedroom cottage, which is less than two miles from your sister’s doorstep. I’ll be out most of the time, either meeting with clients for work or here helping Daniel with the barn. I can probably move into one of the attic rooms at Butterfly House if you’d rather have the place to yourself.’
‘I couldn’t possibly turn you out of your own home.’ She sounded thoughtful, though, which was a step up from outright rejection.
‘You have two children to think of, Kiki. You can do whatever you need to. When were you hoping to travel down?’
‘The car’s already packed.’ Her sheepish admission settled it as far as he was concerned.
‘Then come.’ The back door opened and his eyes met his best friend’s. ‘Daniel’s here now and he agrees with me. Get in the car and drive. You’ve made the hard decision and everyone here will help you in whatever way you need.’ He let his absolute conviction ring through his words. He knew Mia and Daniel would back him, Madeline and Richard, too. They’d pulled together when Daniel had needed them to resolve the crisis at the gallery caused by his former agent trying to sell his photographs behind his back, and they would do so again to help this poor, lonely woman.
‘You make it sound so easy.’
Aaron shook his head, even though she couldn’t see him. He’d never had a serious enough relationship to endure a messy break-up, but he understood loss better than most. ‘It’ll get worse before it gets better. But at least you won’t have to face it on your own.’
‘Mummy? Who are you talking to?’ The faint voice of a young boy reached his ears.
‘I’m talking to a new friend of ours, Matty. How would you like to go and stay near Aunty Mia for a while?’ Relief flooded him at her words. She was going to come.
Aaron listened to the excited chatter for a few moments before interrupting. ‘Kiki, do you have a pen?... Good. Write down my number and send me a text when you’re on your way.’ He reeled off the digits, making her repeat them back to him before ending