Slow Burn - a Novel: The Elite (24 page)

I clapped him on the shoulder. “Shouldn’t be a problem!”

Aaron stared at the plane for another long minute and it dawned on me what he must be thinking about. “Your old man would be proud,” I said.

He gave a firm nod, his jaw set tight. “He would.”

Aaron turned back around and we went into the hangar. He told one of the other pilots to taxi the plane back inside and lock up. I arched a brow at him, the museum would be open for another hour at least. “Adams and I are going out for a drink!”

I laughed and followed after him. When the boss wanted to take me out for a drink, I wasn’t going to argue.

Aaron and I headed to Harvey’s and took two stools at the bar. Happy Hour was getting ready to kick off, but we’d arrived early enough that we got our drinks within minutes of arriving. We shot the shit a little about the flight and the plans for the air show.

“So, now that the F-4 is ready to go, it’s time we talk about your future with the museum,” Aaron said, turning to face me shortly after we’d ordered a second round.

I perked. It was the conversation I’d been waiting to have for the last month. “All right. Let’s talk.”

Aaron grinned. “I’d love to have you come on staff, full time. I think with your experience, speed, and attention to detail, you’ll make a great asset to the business. I have quite a few projects in the works, most of them are under wraps, which is why I didn’t say anything earlier. But, if all goes through, it looks like the Rosen Air Museum will be launching a second site on the East Coast. I’m planning to keep the shop here in Holiday Cove, but with a second museum to stock, I’m going to need a full time mechanic to keep everything up and running while I focus on acquisition and opening the new museum.”

“Congrats man, that’s awesome!”

“Thanks. It’s all still sinking in at this point. It’s hard to believe the growth and expansion, but I was made an offer to enter a new market and I couldn’t turn it down. It’s another tourist town but the warehouse space will be double the size.”

I whistled. “Shit.”

“Yeah.” He laughed. “So what do you think? You want to stay on full time? You’ll get a pay bump, vacation time, benefits, all that jazz. Lana is working on the full offer so you can have it in writing, but I wanted to start the conversation and see if you’re even interested.”

I couldn’t help but think back to Carly stalking out of my bedroom that morning. The flash of memory threw me out of sync with the conversation.

“You don’t have to answer now. If you want some time to think about it,” Aaron offered, his tone laced with confusion.

I held up a hand and gave a shake of my head. “No, no. I don’t need time. I want the job.”

Aaron arched a brow. “I thought so, but…”

“I do. I was just thinking about something else for a second there. It’s been a long couple of days.”

Aaron relaxed and laughed. “I know. I don’t know how Gemma does twelve hour days all the time. That woman is made of steel or something.”

I joined him in his easy laughter, throwing in my agreement.

“Carly too, she works about that doesn’t she?”

I nodded and paused to take a pull from my long necked bottle. “Yeah. She’s gonna run herself into the ground…” I thought back to my suggestion earlier that morning. “You know anyone that would be looking for a part time job? I’m trying to get her to hire someone now that Alesha’s leaving and won’t be around to help out.”

Aaron considered it for a moment and then snapped his fingers. “Yes, actually, I do. I have a cashier at the museum, you’ve probably seen her, dark, short hair, probably eighteen, nineteen. Her name is Lindsey and she’s always bugging Lana for more hours. I’ll tell her to go bug Carly for an application. Maybe that will get her going on hiring someone.”

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem. I bet she’ll be happy to hear you’re staying in town,” he added, grinning at me.

“I hope so…”

Aaron set down his bottle. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing. I’m sure you’re right.”

Aaron eyed me but didn’t push for more information. He polished off his beer with another long swig.

I changed the conversation to the air show and we talked about the other planes that were scheduled to be there with the F-4 and downed a plate of nachos before winding down. When the plate was empty, Aaron checked his phone and sighed. “I should probably call it a night. Damn, it’s not even seven o’clock and I’m done drinking for the night,” he said after pocketing his phone. “I’m turning into Boomer. I used to always make fun of him for being an old man. Now look at me.”

He shook his head as he hopped down from his stool and I followed suit. Aaron settled the tab with the bartender and we headed back to the lot where he’d parked his old Army Jeep. He drove us back up to the museum and pulled up alongside my truck to let me out. “Hey, why don’t you take the day off tomorrow and enjoy the long weekend with Carly and her fam. I’ll see you Monday and we can talk numbers and sign your paperwork.”

“Sounds good. Thanks again, man.”

He tipped his chin and I slid out of the Jeep and headed to my truck.

Inside the cab, I let out a long sigh and laid my head back, staring at the roof for a long moment before starting the engine and heading home to an empty house.

Carly

“You need any help packing?”

Alesha looked up from her place on the floor of her room. She had her suitcases open and what looked like half of her expansive wardrobe packed away already. She’d barely wore any of her designer duds after the first few days and I couldn’t figure out why they were scattered in piles on the bed and the floor around her. She’d started packing right after dinner, but it didn’t look like she’d made much progress from the last time I’d checked on her.

“I’m good. Thanks,” she answered, her tone deflated.

I sighed and stepped into the room. “Girl, cheer up. I hate that you’re so sad all the time. You’re going home, it’s not like Dad’s shipping you off to the circus or something.”

“The circus sounds like more fun,” she grumbled.

“I doubt that.” I smiled and took a seat in the overstuffed chair on the opposite side of the room. “You’re only a couple of hours away. So when Dad really starts to drive you batty, I can fly out and see you and the baby. We’ll go shopping or something.”

Alesha smiled. “I’d like that.”

I was reminded how long it had been since my last visit to Phoenix. Over the last few years, I’d only been out for holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. I always told myself it was because I had to take care of the business, but in reality, it was just an excuse. The handful of times I’d visited home, Dad and Kelli had been too busy to spend much time with me, and Alesha had a full life with her friends and school activities. It served as a reminder of how different things were, now that we all had our own lives. The growing distance between all of us.

“Well you’ll hardly be able to get rid of me then,” I said, hoping to offer her some comfort.

She leaned back against the bed and smoothed a hand over her barely there baby bump. “If you can ever get away from
The Siren
,” she said, not meeting my eyes.

“I’ll find a way.” I pulled my legs up into the chair and tucked them underneath me. “Nick thinks I should hire someone to help me.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me. Are you going to listen to him?” she asked, her brows furrowed.

“You say that like I never take anyone’s advice!”

She gave me a pointed look. “Well…”

“I’m thinking about it. Okay?” I wasn’t in the mood to continue the debate Nick had started.

“I hope you do, Carly. I don’t see how you’re going to be able to visit if you don’t and I’m going to need you.”

Her words were like a punch in the gut. It was a simple enough sentiment, but coming from Alesha, it meant a lot more. “I will, Leash. I’ll find someone to help me.”

She nodded and dropped her hands to her lap and wrung her fingers. “Dad will be here tomorrow.”

“And Kelli.”

Alesha wrinkled her nose. “I’m sure she’ll be
delighted
to see me.”

“It’ll be fine.” I pushed out of the chair. “Come on. Let’s go out and get some ice cream or something. You have all weekend to pack.”

Alesha smiled and offered me her hands. I helped her up from the floor and led the way downstairs. We drove over to the ice cream parlor in the next town and after getting two scoops of rocky road—our childhood favorite—we went outside and took them down to the beach. The sun was starting to set so we stuck to the boardwalk and didn’t go down to the sand.

“Have you heard from Brian?” I asked, my tone gentle. I knew it was a delicate subject.

Alesha nodded. “He called me last night.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, mostly wanted to know how I’m feeling.”

“Well that’s nice. A start…at least.”

Alesha nodded. “He apologized for saying that he didn’t want to have anything to do with me and the baby. I don’t know what’ll happen.”

“Do you love him?”

“I thought I did. Yeah.”

“What’s he like? You haven’t really told me much about him. Do you have a picture?”

Alesha nodded and pulled her phone from her back pocket. With a couple of flicks, she pulled up a picture and handed the phone to me. The guy in the picture looked closer to twenty-five, like an overgrown version of the stereotypical high school hunk cast in teeny bopper movies. Handsome, with a chiseled jaw, tousled sandy brown hair, and a perfect, just had the braces taken off smile.

“He’s cute,” I said, handing it back to her. “Your baby will be ridiculously cute.”

Alesha laughed quietly and dropped her eyes to the phone. “I just hope he’ll be there to see her, or him.”

“Me too, honey.” I quirked my lips, unable to add anything else to comfort her. It was hard to admit—but it was one situation I had absolutely no control over.

All I could do was be there for my baby sister and her new little one.

* * * *

When I turned onto our street, I spotted Nick’s truck parked in front of my house. Alesha saw it too. “Nick’s here?”

“I guess…”

I pulled into the drive and when the headlights hit the front of the house I saw him sitting in one of the wooden chairs on the front porch.

“Good luck with that,” Alesha said before hopping out of the car. She went up the steps, said hello to Nick in passing, and went inside.

“Hey,” I said, taking the steps slowly. Nick stood from the chair. “I called but no answer.”

I patted my pockets, searching for the familiar lump that was usually there twenty-four-seven. “Sorry, Alesha and I went out. I must have left it here.”

Nick tipped his chin to acknowledge me. “You two okay?”

I gave him a small smile as I nodded. “Yeah, really good actually. We just went out to get some ice cream.”

“That’s great, Carly. I’m happy you guys pulled it together before she leaves. I know that was important to you.”

Carly
. I’d become so used to his flirtatious nick names that for him to call me by my proper name felt odd. Stilted. Another reminder of the gap between us.

The one I’d wedged there that morning.

It was official. If there was a blue ribbon for girlfriends, I wouldn’t even be in the running. Not even an honorable mention. What the hell was wrong with me? Nick was everything I could want in a man. And yet, I insisted on pushing him away as soon as he tried to get close.

I sucked.

Big time.

Nick stood a few feet away and I wanted to go to him, to run my hands up the soft fabric of his faded t-shirt and let my fingers explore the ridges of the muscles I knew so well. To feel his heart beating against my palm. To tease him and make him smile at me.

I couldn’t do it though. I was frozen by the sad, faraway look in his eyes.

Instead, I pocketed my hands and bobbed my head. “How about you? How’s the plane?”

“Running like it’s better than brand new,” he replied, giving me a half grin.

A rush of relief spread through me at the small change in his expression. “That’s amazing! Congratulations.”

Nick nodded. “Thanks. Just under the wire but it’s done and it feels pretty damn good.”

“I’ll bet.” I went stiff as the weight of his news sank in. If the F-4 was finished that meant that the job was finished too. Was he here to tell me he was leaving Holiday Cove?

My stomach flip-flopped at the thought.

“So, does that mean I need to order an extra-large apron?” I teased, recalling the joke that he could come work in
The Siren
if Aaron kicked him to the curb. I knew he’d never take me up on it and truthfully, I couldn’t afford to keep him on staff. I didn’t know how much money he made, it wasn’t my place to ask, but I figured it was easily double what I could afford to pay him.

“Tempting.” Nick gave a half-grin. “But actually it looks like I’ll be sticking around at the museum for a while. After we finished the last test flight, Aaron took me out for a couple of beers and offered me a full time, permanent position. He’s going to be expanding into a second location and won’t have time to do any more of the mechanic work himself. He’ll be too busy filling up the new space and launching the sister museum.”

“Oh? Wow. I had no idea.” It surprised me that Aaron hadn’t mentioned it to me in any of his recent visits to the shop. Then again, we’d never really talked business all that much beyond the occasional “how’s it going” and I hadn’t even seen Gemma for a couple of weeks. “Double congratulations then!”

Nick’s smile widened but faded all too quickly. “Thank you.”

“It’s good news, isn’t it? I mean, that’s what you want? Is to stay?” As soon as the question left my mouth, I held my breath, waiting for the answer. The dark look in Nick’s eyes had me unsettled and unsure of the answer that I would have bet money on a week ago. A day ago.

Before I’d fucked everything up.

“I want to stay here, Carly. I love my job, the museum, this town.” His eyes searched mine. “Being with you.”

I nodded, a prick of tears stinging my eyes. “I want you to stay, too.”

“You do? Cause this morning it felt like you couldn’t wait to get away from me.”