Best Of My Love. Susan Mallery

offered a fork in the road, so to speak. Either you learned your lesson and were a better person for it, or you got crushed.

      He’d been successful at everything else he’d put his mind to—his current situation wasn’t going to be any different. He didn’t like who he’d become, so he was going to change. Find a better way.

      “The blonde is pretty,” Fay added playfully in a low voice. “Last I saw, you were on a blonde kick. Of course, redheads and brunettes are nice, too.”

      He didn’t bother glancing at the group. “No, thanks.”

      She raised her eyebrows. “Aren’t you feeling well?”

      “I’m fine. I’m not going to do that anymore.”

      Her expression turned quizzical. “I don’t understand.”

      The college students left. Aidan leaned against the counter. “I’m not going to date tourists anymore.”

      “You don’t date them. You do them. Or whatever it’s called. Hook up. It’s not a relationship.”

      A blunt assessment made all the more uncomfortable by the honesty behind it. “I’m giving up women.”

      Fay laughed. The sound was light and happy. She touched his arm. “Oh, honey, I don’t think so. You, give up women? That’s not possible.”

      He resisted the need to step back. “I can do it. I want to. I’m changing.”

      She laughed again. “Uh-huh. I’d pay money to see that. I give you a week. Maybe two. Then you’ll be seducing the next pretty tourist so fast, you’ll break the sound barrier.” She was still chuckling when she walked into the storeroom.

      Aidan knew that Fay liked him a lot. She did a good job of running things, but more than that, she cared about him and trusted him. Last year, he’d been the one to teach Kalinda to ski the few weeks they’d had snow. Because of her burns, she had lots of scar tissue that limited her movements. But she’d managed to figure it out and he’d been right beside her when she’d taken her first run down the mountain.

      So he knew that Fay’s teasing came from a place of affection. But it still bothered him that she didn’t think he could manage a little self-control. He wasn’t that much of a dog, was he?

      He dismissed the question as soon as he thought it. He could do anything he put his mind to. He was a decent guy who’d lost his way. He could change and he was going to. He knew why he’d gotten where he was, which meant changing it couldn’t be that hard.

      Shelby’s offer loomed large, as it had since she’d made it. He had to admit there was a certain logic to her plan. He liked the idea of being friends with a woman. He wasn’t sure how to go about it, but maybe they could figure it out together. Plus he would be helping her and that made him feel good. Maybe if he was a part of her healing, he would make up for past behavior. Like karmic justice.

      With Shelby, he could learn to see women as people. Not just objects of desire. He would grow and change. That would be good.

      “I’m going out for a while,” he yelled toward the back of the building. “I have my cell.”

      “I’ll call if I need you,” Fay told him.

      She said something else, but he didn’t hear her. Nor did he bother asking her to repeat it. No doubt she’d made some crack about his inability to change. Well, he was going to prove her wrong. He was going to prove everyone wrong.

      He left his truck in its parking spot and walked across town. Midweek in the winter meant fewer tourists. Aidan had to admit he enjoyed the quiet times. Yes, there was less business, but sometimes it was nice when it was just the residents. That would change soon enough. The festivals came regularly, even in winter. And with them came the crowds.

      He crossed the street and headed for the bakery. He was going to tell Shelby yes. He would be friends with her for six months and use that time to break his pattern with women. Then he would start over—a different kind of guy. Better. As if he’d grown up with sisters or something.

      He walked into the bakery. Shelby stood at the counter. As soon as he saw her, he was struck by how delicate she looked. A headband held her hair off her face while the back was caught up in some kind of nearly invisible hairnet. She wore a silver-and-white-striped apron over jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. She was helping Eddie Carberry pick out cookies.

      “Do those have a lot of butter?” the eightysomething woman asked, pointing at a sugar cookie that had been dipped in chocolate. “My doctor told me to watch my cholesterol. I told him I’m too old and he can watch it for me. Now I’m feeling defiant, so I want cookies with butter and later I’ll have a steak.”

      Shelby’s mouth twitched, as if she was holding in a smile. “That’s one way to handle it,” she murmured.

      “No one can live on salads and nonfat dairy,” Eddie informed her. “Because that’s not living at all. It’s surviving. Life’s too short. Now give me a couple of brownies to go with the cookies.” The old lady, dressed in a bright violet tracksuit with a matching down coat, looked him up and down. “You’re working out more these days.”

      He was, but how did she know?

      “Gladys and I see you on the treadmill when we’re at the gym for our water aerobics class. You should wear tighter clothes.”

      “Ma’am?”

      Eddie rolled her eyes. “You know what I’m saying, Aidan. You’ve got the goods. Let’s see them. Share the bounty. Take off your shirt once in a while. Put on tighter shorts.” She sighed heavily. “Young people today. You’re not as bright as my generation. That’s for sure.”

      Eddie paid for her treats and left. Aidan stared after her.

      “I honest to God don’t know what to say,” he admitted.

      Shelby laughed. “I so want to be her when I grow up. Speaking my mind and ogling younger men. It’s fantastic.”

      “Not if you’re the younger man.”

      “Afraid?”

      He grinned. “Terrified.”

      She held up a chocolate-dipped cookie. “How’s your cholesterol?”

      “Excellent.”

      She passed over the cookie.

      “Thanks.” He took a bite. “I’m starting to wonder if you’re in league with Eddie. Feeding me all this stuff so I have to work out more.”

      “While it’s a great plan, I never would have thought of it.”

      “Eddie would.”

      She laughed again. “Yes, she would, but I promise I have no ulterior motive for offering you a cookie.” She raised one shoulder. “Okay, maybe I have one reason, but it has nothing to do with Eddie. Did you think about what we talked about?”

      He nodded as he finished the cookie.

      “A lot?”

      He nodded again.

      “And?”

      She was pretty. He liked how she met his gaze steadily. He didn’t have a type so much as he enjoyed all women, and while under other circumstances he would be tempted, he knew his relationship with Shelby wouldn’t be about sex. It would be about something far more important.

      He thought about what she’d told him about her past. How her father had hurt her. He felt the anger rise up inside of him again, along with the need to protect. Not that he could do anything, but he told himself it was good that he still had that much empathy. He wasn’t a total jackass.

      He wanted to be different and as far as he could tell, Shelby’s plan offered a way to make that happen.

      “I’m in,” he said.

      “Yeah?”