"Sounds like a plan." I leaned against the counter, watching him pour syrup over a stack of pancakes. "Thanks for taking Nyx with you, really. Aurelia invited me to go antiquing today."
"Antiquing, huh?" He handed me a plate, his eyebrows raised playfully.
"Yeah. It's something I've always enjoyed. My ex..." I trailed off, shaking my head at the memory. "He nevergot it. Laughed me out of the house when I suggested it once."
"His loss." Ashton dug into his breakfast. "You should do what makes you happy. If rummaging through old treasures does it for you, then have at it."
"Exactly." I relished the taste of pancakes mixed with the sweet afterglow of the morning's earlier activities. "It's the little things, right?"
"Absolutely." He grinned, and we fell into simple conversation about nothing and everything, the simplicity of the moment making me happier than I could remember being in a very long time. With Ashton, happiness seemed an effortless state of being.
"I'm off then." Ashton grabbed Nyx and putting her in the little pink carrier we'd bought the day before.
"Have a good talk at the clinic." I stacked our breakfast dishes in the sink.
"Will do. You enjoy your day with Aurelia. Find some good stuff."
"Thanks, I hope so." I wiped my hands on a dish towel. "See you later."
"Later." He leaned in, his hand cupping my cheek. The kiss wasn't quick, it was slow and deliberate. A soft meeting of lips, that fed a deep, simmering pool of heat.
He pulled back his breath, warm and intoxicating, "I'll see you soon," then finally stepping out, the door closing softly behind him.
I glanced at the clock. Thirty minutes until Aurelia would be here. Time to get ready. I headed upstairs, pulling my hair into a ponytail as I went. Antiquing with Aurelia—it sounded like the perfect day.
Chapter 25
Erin
I steppedout of the inn's front door just as Skye rolled up in her neon green Jeep Wrangler, Aurelia riding shotgun. The Jeep's top was off, and they both wore wide smiles that were contagious.
"Ready for a treasure hunt?" Skye asked as I hopped into the backseat.
"Absolutely." I tucked my hair behind my ear and buckling up. We set off down the road lined with trees ablaze with bright summer colors.
We arrived in Maple Ridge, the next town over from Stock Creek. Maple Ridge was a quaint little place, quieter and a little more settled than Stock Creek, with a charming main street lined with brick buildings and tall, old trees. Together we wandered through the antique shops, our steps echoing softly on the wooden floors. Every shelf and corner was crammed withartifacts from bygone eras, each holding whispers of its own history.
The day went wonderfully, with a stop for a delicious lunch in a charming little diner called 'The Daily Grind' right on Maple Ridge's main street. The air inside was thick with the scent of grilled cheese and freshly brewed coffee, and sunlight streamed through the tall windows, warming our table. We laughed and chatted over hearty BLTs and crispy fries, sharing stories and easy jokes, the conversation flowing as effortlessly as the coffee.These women were the friends I hadn't realized I needed, but now that I'd begun to bond with them, I didn't want to lose them.
In the last shop of the day, I trailed my fingers over delicate porcelain and inlaid wood, the musty scent of old books and furniture filling the air like a comforting blanket.
"Look at this." Aurelia lifted a tarnished silver locket from a glass case. "It's engraved with someone's initials."
"J.D.," I said. "I wonder who they were."
"Probably someone's old flame," Skye said.
As we meandered through the aisles, the conversation ebbed and flowed around family heirlooms and the stories they might tell. It wasn't long before they coaxed bits of my past out into the open.
"I grew up in an old farmhouse." I examined a hand-carved rocking horse that reminded me of home. "My parents loved restoring antiques. Every piece had a story, a memory attached to it, much like these."
My voice softened as nostalgia washed over me. "Summer days were spent running through fields and helping my dad in his workshop. My mom would paint landscapes of the countryside... It was peaceful, almost magical. "
"Sounds wonderful," Aurelia said, her voice warm.
"It was," I said with a pang in my heart. "Until it wasn't. After they died, though, everything changed. The farm just sat empty. I was in Chicago and never went back. I couldn't bear to see it, I guess, knowing they weren't there anymore, that all the magic was gone. So I accepted an offer, sold it. I used the money to buy the Inn."
Skye placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I bet they'd be happy knowing you're here with us now, making new memories."
