Page 81 of A Sweet Mess

“He found your message in a bottle.”

Aubrey bit her lip and nodded for Aria to continue.

“He is so very happy, darling.”

“Is that why he wants to see me? Because of the baby?”

“Oh, Aubrey, no. He’d been looking for a way back to you long before he found out about the baby. He lovesyou.”

“That’s hard to believe.”

Her mind’s screen saver lit up with neon brightness.I’m hopelessly in love with the pastry chef.It was a stupid article he couldn’t have known she would read. But she had to talk to him. The man had some explaining to do. Aubrey had a right to know why he’d broken her heart if he washopelessly in lovewith her.

She might not like what he had to say, but at least she could stop wondering. Stop hoping. Because no matter how hard she tried to play dumb, his article had made her hope, damn it.

Even if he didn’t want her—she would seriously deck him if he didn’t want her after what he’d said in the article and sending Aria to kidnap her—she had her mom, Tara, and the baby. She wasn’t whole without Landon, but she would never be alone again.

“This is crazy. I’m crazy.” At the very least, she could giveherself closure. “I need to pee and let my mom know I’m going with you.”

Her mom gave her a hard hug as though she were pouring her own strength into her and putting a protective layer on her so Aubrey wouldn’t get hurt. She hoped her mom’s magic worked.

Aria drove up to a lovely two-story house near the Kern River and parked in the driveway. Aubrey had been prepared for a long drive to either Santa Monica or Bosque Verde and was surprised to find herself only twenty minutes from Weldon.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Aria asked, studying Aubrey’s face in the fading light.

“Of course I’m not okay, you silly woman.” Aria meant well, but she couldn’t hope for a happy ending. “But I’m here, aren’t I? I don’t plan on plugging my ears to what he has to say.”

“Good girl.” Aria reached out and squeezed one of Aubrey’s cold hands. “Okay, then. My work here’s done. It’s time for me to go home to my love.”

After kissing Aria on the cheek, Aubrey stepped out of the car and watched the red Mercedes drive off. Although she’d put on a brave face, she had no idea what to expect from Landon. What if Aria was playing matchmaker? Maybe Landon had never asked her to bring her here.Sure. That makes perfect sense.Her friend would totally abandon her at a strange house close to sunset. With no car.

Aubrey growled and clamped down on her horror-prone imagination. Running away was a thing of the past for her. Straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin, Aubrey turned to face the house. It reminded her so much of the schoolhouse that her heart stuttered wildly. But there was nopoint in wondering or hoping. If he’d loved her, he wouldn’t have broken her heart. He couldn’t have. It would have hurt him too much. More than it had hurt her.

Confessing her love to him. Sharing her darkest insecurities with him. That had taken every last reserve of courage she’d had in her. Having her love slapped aside and her fears callously disregarded had caused her more pain than her mind had the capacity to grasp. Even then, walking away from Landon was the hardest thing she’d ever done. Witnessing his anguish as she’d left him had broken her tattered heart even more. Aubrey refused to be his secret—she was worth more than that, she deserved so much more—but she’d prayed with everything she had that he would stop hurting. Because she loved him. That was love.

And if he regretted what happened that night in Bosque Verde, he would have owned his mistake and come for her far before this. She was here for closure. She marched two steps toward the house when her hands flew to her mouth to cover a gasp. He was standing at the top of the steps like a statue.

Even in the fading light of the setting sun, her body recognized his tall, broad silhouette framed against the softly lit doorway. Anguish and longing shot through her. The force of her emotions made her hunch into herself, her arms instinctively coming around to cradle her stomach to shield the baby from harm when it was really the pain of Aubrey’s heart breaking all over again.

Although her eyes were scrunched shut as she breathed through the pain, the sound of falling footsteps rang in her ear. Landon was running at breakneck speed to reach her.

“Aubrey.” Warm, strong hands wrapped around her arms. “Aubrey, are you okay? What’s happening? What do I need to do?”

“You need to,” she said in between breaths, “calm down.”

Fucking Braxton Hicks.The so-called practice contractionshad been coming more often lately, and they hurt like hell. This one was likely triggered by the shock of seeing Landon again. But as always, the contractions faded quickly, and Aubrey straightened to her full height, belatedly jerking her arms out of his hands.

“We need to get you to a hospital. Let me grab my keys.” Unfortunately, the panicking man in front of her hadn’t calmed down like she’d instructed. “Fucking hell. I shouldn’t have brought you here so suddenly. I thought I would die if I didn’t see you again. I couldn’t wait any longer. Goddamn it. I’m so sorry.”

“Look at me.” She kept her voice steady even though the words coming out of his mouth kicked her pulse up to an alarming rate. Only after she’d repeated herself a couple times did Landon raise his gaze to hers. “You see? I’m fine, so calm down.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” His eyes darted over her face and body as though she might crumple to the ground any minute.

No, she wasn’t okay. Why was everyone asking her that? Couldn’t they see she was far from okay? Seeing Landon made her so fucking happy, mad, and terrified at the same time. She wanted to curl up into a ball and cry herself unconscious.

“Yes, I’m fine. But unless you’re planning to stand out here to talk, I’d rather go inside and have a seat.”

“Of course. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

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