Page 31 of Summer Ever After

“Hey, Mark, I need a restraining order,” he said flatly, laying out the situation in careful, precise detail. He explained the trespass, the threats, and the way Ian had tried to intimidate him. Every word reinforced the seriousness of the situation. The lawyer listened, asked clarifying questions, and assured Aaron that he’d start the paperwork immediately.

“We’ll get it filed first thing tomorrow,” Mark said easily, “and we can expedite it if necessary.”

Next came the second call. Aaron dialed a local security company he trusted. When they answered, he requested they come and install security cameras around his property’s entire perimeter—driveway, porch, barn, even the garden. Everything. He had an appointment for them to start the install first thing the day after tomorrow.

He spent the rest of the evening pacing his property. He was out with the horses, watching the last light of the day fade over his field, when Pickle wandered up close and bumped his shoulder with the soft, questioning nudge that meant, are you okay?

Aaron gave the horse a small scratch behind the ears, but his mind wasn’t on the animals or the orchard or even the garden he’d meticulously tended. It was on Beth, on the soft curve of her lips as she’d kissed him in the boathouse, on the way she’d pressed against him as if she belonged there, and the knowledge that Ian would stop at nothing to ruin that peace.

The thought hardened something in his chest. He would not let Ian intimidate her, not here, not anywhere. Cameras, restraining orders, legal recourse—he’d build every wall, every line of defense necessary. And he’d be there. Always.

The sun had completely dipped below the horizon, and the porch lights created a warm glow lighting his way back to the house. Inside, Aaron finally allowed himself to sit. A cup of iced tea in hand, he stared into the darkness, the tension slowly leaving his shoulders but the resolve in his chest tightening.

The fight wasn’t over, but he was damned sure he would be ready for whatever came next. And nothing, not even Ian, was going to take his chance with Beth away from him. She deserved happiness. Deserved to be with whomever she wanted. He’d be lucky if she chose him, but if not, he was still going to do everything in his power to make sure that choice was hers.

The next morning, he rose before the sun had a chance to light the sky. His jaw throbbed faintly, a dull ache that reminded him of Ian’s quick temper and even quicker fists. He ran his thumb over the faint purple bruise on his chin and winced slightly.

The thought of that fist touching Beth at any point had kept him up half the night.

By the time he arrived at the camp, the sun was high and bright over the waters and casting cool shadows through the trees.

After checking in and getting his walkie-talkie, he headed towards the main building, already anticipating seeing Beth. He had no intention of letting yesterday’s fight, or Ian, overshadow what they had started.

Inside, Beth was busy welcoming new guests with an ease that always impressed him. While she chatted about the camp and all its amenities, her eyes moved over to him, and he noticed the brief hitch of concern in her expression.

Finally, when the couple were on their way to their cabin, he stepped forward.

“Morning,” he said, keeping his tone light, though he could feel her scanning his face again.

“Morning,” she replied softly, her eyes narrowing just a fraction. “Did you get in a fight with your coffee maker this morning?” She motioned to his jaw.

He chuckled and shook his head. “Naw, just the toaster. I made out better. I’m stopping off to get a new one on my way home.”

She smiled but he could tell she wasn’t buying the easy routine.

“You… are you okay?” Her gaze fell again to the bruise along his jaw, and Aaron saw her chest tighten for just a beat.

“Yeah,” he said with a shrug, brushing it off with casual ease. “It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before.” He felt slightly guilty for not bringing up Ian, the confrontation, or the way his anger had boiled hot. Some things were better left unsaid at work.

Thankfully, Beth didn’t press him any further. She turned back to her computer screen, but he caught the subtle tension in the line of her shoulders. She was thinking about it, about Ian, about him, about all of it. Aaron gave her a small, almost imperceptible smile, and she met it briefly before looking away again.

“I was heading in for a smoothie. Can I grab you something?” he asked.

She lifted a glass that had been hidden under the desk and shook it. “This is their new one, Peach, Love & Happiness.” She took a sip. “It’s even better than Smooth Criminal.”

He chuckled. “I guess I’ll give it a try. Thanks,” he said before heading into the employee cafeteria to grab one for himself to enjoy while he circled the grounds.

Later, as the morning wound down, he stopped by the front desk again. When she saw him, Beth straightened and gathered her paperwork. “I… uh… are you heading out on your rounds again?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, casual, though Aaron could hear the slight edge of worry.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’ve gotta check the cabins. You know the routine.”

“Do you have a few minutes? I have a break.” She stretched her shoulders.

“Sure.” He motioned towards the doors. “Want a walk to the beach?”

Aaron followed her out the double doors into the warm summer air. The camp was fully awake now with the hum of guests enjoying scheduled events or one of the three pools on the grounds. He could hear the squeals from the zip lines and saw a group of horses with riders pass by on the outside of the pathway. There was the occasional roar of engines from the jet skis out on the water. As they headed to the right, the sounds were replaced by the steady rhythm of the ocean waves, calm and inviting. When they reached the white sugar sand, he let himself take in the peacefulness for a moment.

Beth kept a measured space beside him, but her eyes kept flicking to face. He knew she wanted to ask, wanted to push, but he also sensed her holding back, respecting the unspoken boundaries he’d set the day before. That thought made him tighten his grip on his own composure. He couldn’t let her worry any more than she already did.