A Stranger on the Beach(27)

When it was over, they lay entangled in the sheets, and he caressed her hair, her face. He felt like he could tell her anything. He felt like he wanted to, so there would be no secrets between them. He couldn’t bear it if she heard the bad stuff from somebody else, and thought he’d lied to her, even by omission.

“You say you like that I was honest with you by bringing you here,” he began.

“Yes.”

“I want you to know me, Caroline. I want you to know everything about me.”

“That takes time,” she said. “No need to rush things.”

“Yeah, but there’s something I think you should know up front. Something about my past. So you don’t hear it from someone else.”

She raised herself on an elbow and looked at him quizzically. “Okay.”

With her eyes on him, he hesitated. What if it was too much? What if it drove her away? But she sensed his anxiety, reached out and squeezed his arm reassuringly.

“It’s all right. Whatever you say, I promise, I can handle it.”

He nodded. “I feel like I can tell you anything.”

“You can, Aidan. Don’t worry.”

He took a deep breath.

“I served time for manslaughter. But it’s not how it sounds.”

“Go on.”

“A long time ago, in high school, I had a girlfriend. Her name was Samantha. I thought she was the one. Turned out, she was sleeping with my best friend.”

He stopped. How could he ever explain what came next, without sounding like he was lying?

“There was—”

He looked away.

“Please. Tell me,” she said, and took his hand.

“There was a fight, between me and my friend Matthew. This was ten years ago now. I was seventeen. Matthew had been my best friend since we were kids, until I found out what happened with him and Samantha. I was the one who ought to be mad. But Matthew threw the first punch. She’d got back with me, see. He was upset that she ditched him. The fight started in that cave where I took you. But it didn’t end there. We ended up in the parking lot. He hit his head. It … we … ugh, I don’t want to get into the details. I want you to know that it wasn’t my fault.”

She lay back down, warm against him, her arms around his neck. Her face was a breath from his as she looked into his eyes.

“It wasn’t your fault. You did what you needed to do to defend yourself. That’s all I need to know.”

“Yes. That’s it. That’s it exactly. I defended myself.”

Caroline accepted him for who he was. She took his darkest secret with an air of calm and peace, like she knew what had happened without him needing to say a word. And she was on his side. Other women would have been scared off. Maybe she should have been. Caroline was like the lady in the castle, and he was the hired hand. You’d think he’d have to do something crazy to win her—an act of bravery, or of strength. Fighting a duel or something. But all he had to do was be honest with her, let her see who he truly was. Now she knew the worst thing about him, and still wanted to be with him.

“Thank you. I’m really grateful for your understanding,” he said.

“It’s not only that I understand. I admire that part of you. Because I know that you would defend me the same way you defended yourself,” she said.

“Always. I’ll protect you. I’ll do anything you need.”

“You mean it?”

“Of course. Say the word, and I’ll be there.”

“Okay. I’m going to trust you, then.”

“Yes. You can, absolutely.”

“I told you the terrible way my husband treats me.”

“I know.”

“He brought his mistress to my party. I couldn’t stand for that, so I asked him to leave, and then he left me for her.”

“It’s insane. What a fool he is.”

“He didn’t just leave me, Aidan. He stole my money. He left me destitute. With nothing.”

“You told me that. What an asshole.”

“But even more. I don’t know the extent of it, but I think he may be involved in criminal dealings.”

“What kind of criminal dealings?”

“I don’t know. That’s why it’s so scary. I’m afraid of him. Afraid he could end up hurting me or my daughter, maybe without intending to. Because he doesn’t care enough to protect us.”

“What can I do to help?”

“I need him gone.”

“Okay. I understand that you’re afraid of him. Do you want me to be there when you tell him it’s over?”

“No. That wouldn’t be enough, you see.”

They were sitting up, looking at each other, serious now.

“What then?” he asked.

She leaned over and put her hand to his cheek.

“I need him dead.”

Aidan jumped out of the bed. His boxers were lying on the floor, and he pulled them on, then his pants. Jesus. She’d just asked him to kill her husband. He’d said he’d do anything, but he never expected her to ask for that. Why did she think he’d do it? Because of his past, that’s why. She thought of him as some outlaw, some lowlife. He was so shaken that he didn’t know what to say.