The Rebel's Return (Red River) (2 page)

Why was she here anyway? And why didn’t his father look surprised by the fact that Natalia Puccini, his ex-girlfriend, was walking through his home as if it was something she did every day? He glanced over at his father and frowned.

“In here, sugar!”

Sugar? Aiden turned around to find a stunning brunette walking over to them. God, every single inch of him came alive. Natalia had always been striking, curvy and beautiful. Now the curves had turned into bombshell territory, and her facial features had become more delicate and refined. She was…stunning. She was carrying a paper bag and wearing a smile that actually made him aware that he still had a heart. And other body parts.

He was speechless as old feelings and memories bombarded him, catapulting him back to a time in his life he would have done anything for a woman—not any woman, her.

The moment Natalia spotted him, everything inside him died, because the light left her eyes and the smile left her gorgeous face.

He cleared his throat. “Hi, Nat.”

She lifted her chin, and the paper bag crinkled as she all but choked it. “It’s Natalia.”

This was not going well, but that was to be expected after how they’d left things. He’d trampled across her heart and then left town without looking back. “Right. Natalia. Hi, how are you?” He was going to have to be contrite and deal with the attitude that was being hurled at him in her voice, in those big, expressive brown eyes. He had to; because he was the one who’d screwed up. Badly.

“Aiden,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

He glanced over at his father. “You didn’t tell anyone I was coming home?”

His dad shrugged. “Didn’t think you actually would.”

He turned back to Natalia. “I’m here to help my dad during treatment.”

For a second her features softened, reminding him of the girl he used to know, then they tightened up again, getting pissy looking. She passed him, leaving him with the tantalizing smell of vanilla and sugar and…hell, he didn’t know what else, but it was damn good.

He jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and watched incredulously as she plumped up the pillows behind his dad and then pulled out a cardboard container filled with a sandwich on some dark brown, wholesome-looking bread and a large salad topped with berries and nuts, along with a paper cup with a closed lid and a tea bag string hanging out. Aiden braced himself; there was no way his father would eat this healthy of a meal.

His father grumbled something incoherently. Apparently, Natalia knew exactly what he’d said.

“Now, Mr. McCann, I only want what’s best for you. We’re going to lay off all the sugar while you’re going through treatment. And green tea has excellent antioxidant benefits. I promise, I will bring you one cannolo every Saturday as a reward for getting through the week.”

Aiden tensed, waiting for his fathers sarcastic response to Natalia’s sweet attempt at making him eat healthy food. He was prepared to defend her.

“All right, dear. I can’t say no to a thing you suggest,” his father said, and patted her on the hand.

Aiden stood there, shocked into dumb silence. He had gone plain crazy. Was he truly witnessing this? When he had suggested to his father over the phone giving up a couple of his evening beers during cancer treatment, his father had sworn at him and then hung up the phone.

“Good. Now enjoy your lunch. Have a nice visit with your son, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Wait a second, Natalia,” Aiden said. She stopped in front of him, those brown eyes holding him still, making him forget for a half second what he wanted to say. It didn’t even matter that her eyes were currently, silently, telling him to eff off.

She glanced down at her watch and then up at him, raising her eyebrows.

“I’m here now. You don’t have to keep coming here and bringing my father lunch. Speaking of, what do I owe you for this?” he asked, reaching for his wallet.

“Keep yer hands out of your pants, boy. I’m all square with Nat. And you don’t need to make lunch arrangements on my behalf.”

She shrugged and gave him a smile before walking by. He followed her to the door, ignoring his father.

“Nat—alia, seriously. What do I owe you?”

“I don’t need to be compensated. Your father and I have a friendship that has nothing to do with you. It may surprise you to know that people continued to live their lives after you skipped town. Red River has actually managed to thrive in your absence. I’m glad you’re home for your father’s sake,” she whispered, pulling on her boots. They were black riding boots, and they were pretty hot. Like the girl…woman. He’d missed the sound of her voice. He could stand there all day like a moron just listening to her. Except for the fact that she hated him.

“Well…I’m glad everyone’s doing so well without me around. Are you running your parents’ bakery?”

She nodded, picking up a large black purse. “Yes, my parents have officially retired.”

At one point in his life, the Puccinis had been like a second family to him. Natalia’s older brother, Dominic, had been his best friend. But that was before Aiden screwed everything up. “That’s great. I know your dream was to take over the business one day.”

She pursed her lips. “I’m surprised you remember. None of this matters anyway because you left.”

Hell. She didn’t waste any time, so he wouldn’t, either. He wasn’t above the truth. “Every damn day I regret leaving.”

Her face visibly relaxed for a moment, her mouth opening slightly, then she snapped it shut and narrowed her eyes on him. “Like I said, I’m happy for your father’s sake that you’re back. See you around.”

He didn’t want her to leave just yet. “Thanks for bringing my dad lunch…every day?”

She paused, her hand on the doorknob, and then turned, glancing at him over her shoulder. “Not a problem. My pleasure. I was so worried when I heard. But he says everything should be fine, right?”

She was a softie. Even though she hated him, she lingered long enough to find out about his dad. He gave her a nod. Yeah, the doctors had said it had been caught early, thanks to some routine blood work Evan had ordered. But regardless, his dad had to do daily radiation therapy for seven weeks. It had rattled him and Dylan. He was pretty sure his dad was scared, too. Cancer was the dreaded word in their home—ever since they had lost their mother to it. Since then, their relationship with their dad had been strained, to say the least. Too many memories of whiskey and harsh words. “Yeah, everything should be good.”

She looked down at the ground. “He’s a tough goat. You’ll see. It means a lot to him, knowing you’re here.”

Aiden grunted, looking over at his father who was currently inhaling the sandwich.

“Thanks. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to be in the same room as me, let alone come here and help my father.”

“I hate hating people. I just dislike you intensely, Aiden. Don’t mistake my being kind to your father as kindness toward you. As for being civil, I can do that, too.”

Ouch.

“Great. Well, now that we’ve cleared the air… I’m glad things won’t be awkward between us while I’m here.”

“No worries.”

God, this was going to be a long eight weeks. “Fine. So you hate me.”

She shook her head. “That’s such a negative emotion. Also, too strong of an emotion for a man I haven’t thought about in ten years.”

He crossed his arms. “You haven’t thought about me in ten years?”

“Nope. Not. At. All.”

He took a step closer to her, mostly because he couldn’t resist. “I think you’re lying.”

“And why would you think that?”

“You bring my father food every day.”

She took a step closer to him. “Because I feel bad for him, not because of you.”

“Well, you must think about me every time you walk into the house.”

She rolled her eyes.
“More like a passing thought. Like if somebody puked after eating Chinese food, then every time they saw Chinese food, they made the association.”
He was torn between laughing and being insulted. He glanced down at her mouth, and his stomach clenched. She still had the nicest mouth he’d ever seen. Soft, kissable lips, and he knew, remembered, exactly how she tasted. He was pleased to notice her gaze kept going from his eyes to his mouth. So maybe she thought about other things besides puking when he was around. Not that he’d let on. “When you think about me, you’re thinking about vomit?”

She nodded. “Pretty much. Welcome back to Red River, Aiden.”

And with those endearing words, the woman he’d thought he’d one day marry opened the door and walked out. He remained fixed in that position, refusing to give in to his need to go after her and tell her the truth. But the other truth, the one that made him leave town in the first place, was stronger. He’d hurt a lot of people here.

He kept his hand on the door a minute longer. He needed to get through these eight weeks, keep his emotional distance, and then get the hell out of Red River for good.

Chapter Two

“So…Aiden McCann is officially back in town.”

Sabrina, lifelong best friend extraordinaire and partner in crime, put her oversize latte cup down on the bistro table in the bakery and stared at Nat with a mixture of what had to be shock and pity. “What? Are you serious? Has this been confirmed?”

Natalia nodded, dunking her biscotto in her own latte. The dunking quickly turned into stabbing until it threatened to break. “I saw him.” She waited for the impending gasp from her BFF. Once it had happened, she continued speaking. “I was at his dad’s house delivering lunch right after Francesca’s bridal shower, and there he was, standing in the living room looking like…” Her voice trailed off, and she began jabbing the cookie again, angry at just how good he did look.

“What? What does he look like?”

She groaned and hunched over her destroyed, soggy biscotto-filled latte as the image of Aiden flooded her. It wasn’t fair—he was back and looking better than ever. It also wasn’t fair that she was obviously not over him. She should have been over him. A decade was a long time. In that decade she’d dated, thought she’d fallen in love, been humiliated—but also built herself back up—and taken on business challenges. She wasn’t the same girl that was so naive she’d let two men fool her. Nope. But none of that could erase the impact Aiden had had on her yesterday.

Sabrina grabbed her wrist for a second. “I can’t watch you stab that anymore. Tell me. About Aiden.”

She closed her eyes with a sigh. “Even better than when he was younger. So unfair. Because now he’s all like…manly.” She opened her eyes. “Real man stubble. Real man muscles. And still with that air of badass. And the dimple. It still exists.”

“Oh nooooo. I’m so sorry this is happening to you,” Sabrina said.

She nodded. “Thanks. Your sympathy is appreciated.”

“What are you going to do?”

She shrugged, leaning back in her chair. “I refuse to let myself be bothered by this. I’m going to have to suck it up and pretend like it’s no big deal. He’s no big deal.” But he was a big deal. Aiden was her first everything. It didn’t matter that he’d basically broken her, at one time he’d been everything to her. “So now I have that stupid wedding to go to, and I have to deal with Aiden being back in town.”

Sabrina leaned forward. “How long?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “Weeks upon weeks,” she whispered.

“Oh God, that’s a long time.”

She looked into her friend’s green eyes and knew Sabrina was aware of how badly Aiden’s departure had ruined her. It was a long time ago, sure, but she had never truly gotten over him. No one had ever got her like he had. No one had ever made her laugh until she cried. No one had ever been able to hold her in just the right way that she felt as though the world couldn’t touch her. No one had ever kissed her like they could never get enough of her. And no one had then proceeded to rip her young heart out and make her think that her instincts had been all wrong. After Aiden betrayed her, she’d made mistake after mistake, and she’d never really found her place in the world again.

“Okay, know what?” Her friend was sitting up now, shoving their cups to the other side of the table and grabbing her iPhone. “We are going to forget him. We have plans, right? Big plans, and Aiden McCann coming back to town doesn’t mean they are going to be derailed.”

She groaned and settled back in her seat. “You’re right.”

“Then get excited.”

She waved her hand around. “I am, I am.”

“I have two open houses scheduled every weekend this month.”

“I know, and thanks again for giving me the catering deals for them.”

“Obviously. And you’re forgetting the best news in the form of that cute SUV parked out front and all the business it’ll bring your delivery service.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” she said with a sigh. Yesterday, everything Sabrina was saying had filled her with excitement. Right now, it almost meant nothing. “The paint job on my car is helping with the advertising.”

They both glanced out the large window at her freshly painted Volkswagen Tiguan. It was now sporting Pepto-Bismol pink with the bakery logo and phone number on the sides.

“See? Well on our way to success. Plus, you have to stay focused because there’s Francesca’s wedding.”

She threw her head down on the table. “That isn’t something I’m looking forward to, remember?” The mere thought of attending her traitorous cousin’s wedding turned her stomach into a ball of anger. When had her life become so miserable? Surrounded by people who had hurt her. And what did she do? She greeted them with a fake smile and pretended like everything was fine while she was dying inside. She needed to make some serious changes in her life. Pronto.

Okay. She had a lot of good things going for her. Yes, she’d stayed in Red River and close to her parents, but she had a lot to show for it. She had a great relationship with them, and with Dominic. She had the best friend in the world. She had also expanded the family business. After her university business courses, she had convinced her father to let her handle the business side of things as well. Within a year, she’d had dozens of new accounts. They supplied bread to many different chains of supermarkets. Delivery trucks were out bright and early every morning loading up to ship their goods to local stores. She had also worked on low-glycemic baking and was now carving out a niche market and ready to pitch their new diabetic-friendly desserts to Whole Foods and other health food stores. Now her latest idea, baked delivery service, was taking off as well.

At least she could say she’d done that.

Aiden, well, he’d gone on to see the world, and build somewhat of an empire with his brother. He’d never been afraid of anything. He’d never played by the rules. Maybe the thing that had disappointed her most about him was that he’d seemed so genuine. He hadn’t ever pressured her. He had always been so sweet to her. He’d shown her a side of himself that he had never shown anyone else. But it had all been a lie.

“No, of course seeing that little witch get married to that two-timing, spineless loser isn’t something you’re looking forward to. I don’t know how you can even be in the same room as her, let alone be her maid of honor.”

“What am I supposed to do? You know the way my family is! I have to pretend like her jabs don’t bother me.”

“It’s not fair… Wait a second,” Sabrina said, sitting up, a very scary gleam in her eye. This was the gleam that usually spelled impending doom.

“Do I want to know?”

“You need Aiden to be your date at her wedding.”

Her stomach dropped and heat rushed through her body. “Are you insane? He is the last person in the world I’d take. So many reasons.” She was about to start listing them when Sabrina interrupted.

“No, think about it. Francesca loves the fact that you are still single and she’s the one who’s getting married. And you know she’s going to keep mentioning how she’s marrying the man—”

“Who cheated on me with her?”

“Exactly. Wouldn’t it piss her off to know you’re getting back together with Aiden, and he’s all grown up with a successful business and hotter than ever?”

“Except he also cheated on me. Do you see a pattern here? I’m the girl who’s never enough for any guy.” She could only voice these deep insecurities to Sabrina, who’d stood by her through everything.

“Not that crappy logic again. It was their fault. Franco I can see being a cheat. Totally. I’m sure he’s even cheating on Francesca. But Aiden…I still don’t get it. But he was so messed up, he had so many problems, and he was so young. Look, he’s only here for a little while. It could be worth it…”

She tried not to yell at her well-intentioned friend. “You have a point. Yes. That would royally piss her off. I can’t even stay in the same room as Aiden without wanting to rip his head off. It wouldn’t be good for either of us. Also? She’d throw it in my face about how Aiden cheated on me.” She scrunched up her napkin into a ball, hating that those words said aloud still hurt her.

“It was a long time ago,” Sabrina said softly.

“What are you saying? That I should give him another chance?”

She shrugged lightly and sat back in her seat. “It was a long time ago. You were practically kids. I’m sure he regrets it.”

She covered her face. “It doesn’t matter if he regrets it. I can’t do it. I’ve been humiliated too many times to even consider giving him a second chance. I can get through Francesca and Franco’s wedding alone. By that time, Aiden will be done in Red River, and I can move on with my life.”

Sabrina toyed with the corner of the mailer, not looking at her. “And what about Dominic? Does he, um, have a date?”

She resisted the urge to groan out loud. Her poor friend. “You need to get Dom out of your head. He’s my brother, and I love him, but he’s…” What was the word to describe her older brother? “Not a guy who’s going to settle down.” She would also never, ever tell Sabrina that Dominic dismissed her as just Natalia’s silly BFF.

Sabrina nodded rapidly, smoothing the now bent corner. “You’re right. I’m not holding out for him or anything.”

Her heart squeezed for her best friend. Sabrina hadn’t had the easiest life, and Natalia knew she’d had a crush on her older brother for years. “We need to forget about these guys. Both of them. Aiden and Dominic.”

“You’re right. I’m inviting myself to the bachelorette party,” Sabrina said.

“Excellent. It’s not going to be anything special, anyway. She’s having it at the Roadhouse, and then she’s going to trash it up in the city after.”

Sabrina giggled.

“I plan on coming up with an excuse and leaving after the Roadhouse.”

“Perfect. I’ll meet you there.”

“Great. She won’t even notice us. I’ll make an appearance, and that’ll be fine. I’m not spending any longer with her and her friends. Her backhanded jabs at me are getting worse and worse.”

“You’re a freaking saint,” Sabrina said. “If she were my cousin, I’d have told her off years ago.”

“She’s my father’s sister’s daughter. I can’t. I’m fine. It’ll be a distraction.”

“It seems like emotional suicide: Francesca’s wedding, Aiden, not having a love life…” Her voice trailed off, and the sympathy that was oozing from her best friend was sincere but not what she needed right now.

“I’ll be relieved when it’s all over,” she said, hoping to God she was right and that she could take all this on.

“I know, babe. I know you’re tough as nails. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

She drank the now cold latte, and a revelation hit her. “Sab, why am I trying to get through other people’s major life events all the time? Why am I not the one
in
the life events? I keep standing around waiting for things to happen to me.
Omigod
,” she said, raising her head and clutching her friend’s forearms. “I’m like Kate Winslet in
The Holiday
. I’m not being the leading lady of my own life.”

Sabrina sat up straighter and gave her a triumphant smile. “There you go. That’s it. You gotta get it back, sweetheart.”

She nodded her head with determination. “I’m going to start jogging. Tomorrow.”

Sabrina’s smile dipped slightly. No doubt her friend was remembering her past attempts—and failures. For some reason she’d never been able to jog. She didn’t have the endurance, which was infuriating. She had no follow-through. She
felt
like she was in shape. She walked half an hour to work and back every day. Why was jogging so much harder for her? “This time I’m going to do it. I’m going to see if I still have that Couch to 5K app on my phone, and I’m going to set a deadline.”

“Isn’t the deadline on the app?”

She picked up her phone and opened the app, confirming the timing. She nodded. “Yes. Perfect. Seven weeks.”

“And by then, Aiden will be long gone and your normal and newly improved life will start.”

“I’ve already forgotten about him,” she said with a wave of her hand.

Sabrina turned to the window. “I’m going to keep my eye out for him. Maybe he’s not as hot as you think he is. Maybe it was just rage and bitterness, and it blurred your eyesight. As your loyal BFF, I will inform you if the hotness factor is accurate.”

“Oh God,” she whispered, catching sight of the object of their conversation crossing the street.

Sabrina leaned forward. “What?”

“He’s crossing the road!”

“Don’t look!” Sabrina said. “I’ll look for you… Omigod,” Sabrina groaned, clutching the side of the table.

She stared at her friend, not daring to look in the direction of the window. “What?”

“Your original assessment may have been correct. I’ll know more if he approaches. But, dear God, those jeans. You didn’t tell me he walked like that. And that, um, oh yes, stubble. The chin. The dimple. It’s still there. Dear God, he’s coming this way. Wait—tell me, what did he drive into town? Motorcycle or car?”

“Harley,” she whispered.

Sabrina picked up the glossy, postcard-sized mailer and fanned herself. “We are toast.”

Take a deep breath. You’re not eighteen anymore.
“I think we’re reverting to the maturity level of the last time he was in town. We need to be the calm, cool, collected businesswomen that we are. I run a bakery. You are the best realtor in town. We are having a business meeting. We are not in high school anymore,” she said, cringing at the screechy sound of her voice. She snatched her friend’s makeshift fan and put it back in the pile. “Let’s get back to work. Your new mailers are great—let’s focus on that.”

Sabrina nodded and sat up straighter. “Right. Exactly.” She leaned forward. “What do we do if he walks in here?”

She let out a frustrated breath. “He won’t. I was so rude to him there’s no way he’d even attempt coming in here.”

Sabrina’s eyes widened to frightening proportions. “He’s opening the door.”

She closed her eyes and prayed that when she looked down at herself she’d be wearing something other than the
italians do it better
T-shirt that Sabrina had given her for Christmas along with a pair of leggings that certainly weren’t hiding the cannoli she’d been stress eating this month. Cannoli. Those had been Aiden’s favorite. Being the beautiful bastard that he was, he’d been able to scarf them down by the dozen and never put on a pound.