Just For A Moment by Kate Carley

Chapter 2

Aaron duckedhis head under the hood of the aircraft he’d been working on. The purposeful action was filled with more than just motivation to complete the tune up on Dax’s single-engine plane.

No. The busyness of the job helped Aaron ignore the heaviness that felt as if someone had parked their Gulfstream on his chest. And he sure didn’t need to drop a few hundred bucks on a visit to a doctor. A shrink would tell him he was suffering from grief—didn’t take a PhD to realize that.

From the moment he’d heard about his friend’s death, he’d felt this weight. He missed Win like crazy. Edwin Ross had been a great man in this community and a great friend. He’d treated Aaron like a son. And Aaron’s seven-year-old daughter, Piper? Win had treated her like a princess.

Win had opened his home to them and shared his vast knowledge of WWII at the same time he’d sweet talked Piper with his favorite treat—mint chocolate chip ice cream. And every time he and Win had gotten together to work on Darling Belle, Win had some interesting fact he’d just learned and couldn’t resist sharing. All those tiny memories of his dear friend had tugged at Aaron’s heart and played across his mind over the past six weeks since Win’s sudden death.

An infection of some sort had put him into septic shock. From what Aaron had heard, the entire thing had gone down fast. Win had been visiting his daughter, Grace’s mom, when it had happened. The fact that Win hadn’t been alone in that huge house of his was a blessing in Aaron’s mind. The idea that no one might have found Win’s body for days horrified Aaron when he thought about it. So rather than considering that unsettling possibility, he kept the memory of that last time they’d hung out fresh at the top of his mind.

Aaron grabbed a screwdriver and loosened the two small screws on the front of the air filter grate on Dax’s Cessna. It might be old, but it was still in great condition—a fact that both Dax and Aaron, as the mechanic, took great pride in. The air filter grate came off easily, and Aaron took a moment to clean the built-up grease and grime from the metal. Then, he checked the internal filter housing to ensure it was still intact. Then, he installed the new filter and reattached the grate, and all the while, his mind turned with thoughts of Win.

And of Gracie Jane Holland. Grace.

Something about meeting Grace had Aaron turned upside down and flipped inside out.

No way should he be doing the final ten-point check—the remaining step before he called Dax—until he had his brain together. Tomorrow morning, it would be the first thing on Aaron’s schedule.

Back in his office, he glanced at his computer to check his schedule for the rest of the afternoon—free—and then downed the final sludge in his coffee mug. Cold, but that thick jolt would do him good and get him through the rest of his day. He grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and locked up his office as he left.

He started his crew-cab truck and headed toward his ex-in-laws’ place. Even though he and Mel were divorced, Cal and Dolores were like family. What would they think if they knew how meeting Win’s granddaughter had affected him?

Grace Holland wasn’t anything like he’d expected. Yes, she was gorgeous, which was an attribute Win had failed to mention, but Aaron wasn’t blind. God, that long, dark blonde hair with strands of caramel and chestnut, falling in soft curls past her shoulders was straight out of a wet dream. What he wouldn’t give to tangle his fingers through that while he took her full, pink lips in a toe-curling kiss. And the way she’d met his gaze with those wide brown eyes? When he’d offered his condolences, her beautiful eyes had teared up, and Aaron had held himself in check to keep from drawing her into his arms.

There was an honesty in those eyes of hers that had reached down to his very soul. And that heaviness on his chest? It had vanished for a moment. He’d wanted to bask in her presence forever.

Hell, talk about honesty. Based solely on the hardness of his dick, he’d wanted to take her to bed and explore her tight, wet pussy.

How could he be such a fool?

God, if they had met over at Benders, he would’ve bought her a drink and asked her for a date.

If he had hugged her when she started to tear up, if he had bought her a drink or asked her for a date, she would’ve rejected him without a care in the world. Because that was who Gracie Jane Holland was.

And to prove it, she’d rudely shut him down when he’d asked if she was ready to see her grandfather’s planes—Win’s pride and joy. It was more than Aaron could take. Proof positive that Grace was only interested in herself. Just like her parents.

Eight years ago, when he’d first gotten to know Win, Aaron had learned that Win’s daughter and granddaughter never came to town to visit. Every few weeks, Win had traveled to Grand Rapids to visit them. He’d stayed for a couple days and then traveled home to Oak Bend. Never once had Aaron heard of any relatives visiting Win.

To Aaron, that had seemed selfish and uncaring.

Of course, Win had set Aaron straight with the story of his oldest granddaughter’s death and how it had ripped Grace’s family apart. Win had only spoken of the incident a few times, but of course, Oak Bend was a small town, and Aaron had caught whispers of it on occasion. So, after eight years of listening to Win talk about his relationship with Grace and her mom, Aaron had decided there really was love and caring in their relationship.

But then today, in about two seconds flat, that brown-eyed beauty had upended all that and left him wondering how he’d been so very wrong. Well, Win might’ve thought the world of Gracie Jane, but Aaron knew she was as selfish as the day was long.

Aaron navigated the same path back to his in-laws’ home every day. Technically, they were his ex-in-laws, but they felt more like his own parents. He loved them as such, and the light and joy of his life, Piper, did too.

When he and Mel had settled in Oak Bend, he’d never imagined this life—divorced with full custody of a daughter and interacting with Mel’s parents every day. And all the while, Mel traipsed from one place to another, doing anything and everything to avoid being Piper’s mom.

The thought killed him as much as it hurt Cal and Dolores Green. And Piper? Of course, she didn’t know that her mom had never wanted children. Had never wanted her. She just knew she didn’t have a mom interested enough to call or visit.

For Aaron, it was just as well. He didn’t want Piper’s life in emotional upheaval based on the whims of someone who wasn’t fully committed.

Finally, Aaron pulled into the long gravel driveway that ran between stands of maple, oak, and birch trees and then opened into a sprawling yard with a two-story farmhouse in the center. It was a nice house with a wraparound porch meant for drinking lemonade or a cold beer on a hot summer day. And sometimes after work, he’d do just that before gathering up Piper and heading home.

As always, Cal was out in the yard, puttering away on some gardening or landscaping project. Come winter, he would be laboring in his wood-working shop in the basement. Because even though he’d retired and now rented out his parcel of farmland to a neighbor, the farmer in him just couldn’t sit still.

When Aaron shoved the truck into park and hopped from the cab, he caught Cal glancing at his watch.

“You’re done early today,” Cal said, setting down his hedge trimmer and climbing the three steps on the porch to the side door. “Dolores and Piper are busy cooking. Don’t know if they’re done yet.”

“That’s fine,” Aaron said, following Cal into the kitchen. “Hey, ladies! Whatcha working on?”

“Daddy!” Piper shouted and then charged at him, flinging herself into the air, always with the expectation that he would catch her and swing her up into his arms. Aaron wasn’t going to disappoint her today, and he caught her mid-leap, thankful she was still a tiny thing. With his sweet Piper in his arms, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, he hugged her.

“I missed you today.”

“I missed you, too. Grandma Dolly and I are making dinner.” Piper gestured wide and gave him a big grin. He was prepared for her next gymnastic maneuver as she leaned backward, hands overhead, into a backbend and then out of his grasp into a walkover.

“Good job,” he said, sharing a fist bump with his bouncy daughter before she returned to her grandma’s side.

“You two make me crazy.” Dolores let out a nervous laugh as she pressed the lid onto the glass baking dish. “I’m so worried someone’s gonna get hurt.” She gave a pointed look at Aaron. “You’re no spring chicken, ya know?”

Aaron chuckled. His ex-mother-in-law was a good woman, but she worried about him and Piper all the time. Ever since Mel had left him—three months after Piper’s birth—without a backward glance, Cal and Dolores Green had doted on their granddaughter and treated him like the son they never had. Even after the divorce was final.

Now the four of them had a nice routine. On Mondays, Dolores created two casseroles—one for her and Cal, one for him and Piper to take home. Usually, that was enough food for several meals, including lunches for Aaron.

Calvin and Dolores just had a way of simplifying Aaron’s life. He often wondered if they felt guilty that their daughter had abandoned her family.

“What are we having for dinner?” he asked Piper.

“We made creamy chicken and rice. Right, Grandma?”

“That’s right. Directions are on the post-it note.” Dolores pointed to the silicone cover on the casserole.

“I’m sure it’ll be delicious,” he said, shoving his fists into his front pockets of his jeans. “Go pick up your toys, Piper. Then, we’ll head home.”

“Can we stop at the park?”

“After we put the casserole in the oven, we’ll go play for a bit.”

Piper rushed off to accomplish her task. Dolores had encouraged a pick-up-as-you-play methodology, so the mess was generally minimal.

“Did you meet her?” A Cheshire cat grin curled Dolores lips.

“Who?”

“The Holland girl. Grace.”

“God, is nothing a secret in Oak Bend?”

“Marianne over at Harvest Market called to let me know she saw Grace drive through town. Is she pretty?”

“Doesn’t matter. She’s not nice, and that isn’t pretty in my book.”

Dolores tipped her head as concern filled her eyes. “I always thought she was nice.”

“Well, she was fourteen back in your eighth-grade English class. She’s changed since then.”

“Maybe. But she didn’t seem like that kind of girl. I’m surprised.”

“Don’t be. She was rude and snippy. She seemed preoccupied.” No matter what Win had told him, it was obviously selfishness that fueled her.

“Hmmm? I thought maybe you might like her.”

Aaron grunted out a humorless laugh. “You know I love you, but matchmaking doesn’t become you, Dolores.”

“I know, I know. Mind my own business.” She flashed that smile at him again. “I just want you to be happy.”

“All done!” Piper came racing around the corner and into the kitchen.

“Hugs?” Dolores asked.

Piper rushed to her grandmother’s side with a lot more caution than she’d shown Aaron. It was a skill they’d been working on, because his daughter did most things in life with an abundance of enthusiasm.

“So, we’ll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early?” Aaron asked. While her grandparents had been watching her every workday since she was a newborn—in a couple weeks when school started, they’d watch her before and after school—he always felt inclined to ask each day if it was still okay.

“Of course. I’ve got plans for you, my Piper girl.”

“See you tomorrow, Grandma Dolly!”

Piper rushed out the door while Aaron gathered the glass casserole dish with the dark green lid. “Thank you for dinner, Dolores.”

“You’re welcome. Thank you for letting us spend time with our granddaughter.”

“You’re welcome.”

Those words had become their final goodbye of the day. After years of trying to pay them, Aaron had finally settled on thanking them for everything they did for him and Piper. He wasn’t sure just how he and his little girl would get on without their help every day. Yes, they would survive, but with his ex-in-laws in their life, things were so much easier.

Aaron stepped onto the porch and found Piper. She was holding onto Cal’s hand as he explained that cutting back the lilacs would make them grow really pretty next season.

“Have a good night, Piper,” Cal said, stooping to give her a hug.

“See you tomorrow, Grandpa.”