“It’s the reality of life. So many of us live with loss. Lark’s sister in a coma, Cole’s lost his brother, Henry Markham lost a brother—you know the list. Holidays are tough for people with any big loss—that doesn’t have to be because of the tornado—people like Aaron. I suppose that’s why he’s so sympathetic toward Cole.”
“Aaron?”
Paige’s gray eyes widened. “Aaron’s wife and child.”
Stella stared at Paige. “Aaron lost a wife and child?” she repeated, not thinking about how shocked she sounded.
“Aaron hasn’t told you? You didn’t know that?” Paige asked, frowning. “I thought that was general knowledge. It happened years ago. Maybe I know more about Aaron because of his connection to Cole and Craig.”
Stella stared into space, stunned by Paige’s revelation. “He’s never told me,” she said, talking more to herself than Paige. She realized Paige had asked her a question and looked at her. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I’m surprised he hasn’t told you. I’ve always known— Cole and I went to the service. A lot of people in Royal knew. I think his baby was a little over a year old. The little boy and Aaron’s wife were killed in a traffic accident. It was sudden—one of those really bad things. He’s been single since then. It was six or seven years ago. A long time. I don’t think he’s dated much since, but I know the two of you have been together. I figured that’s because of the storm.”
“He doesn’t talk about his private life or his past and I don’t ask. I figure he’ll tell me what he wants me to know.”
“Men don’t talk about private things as much. Aaron may be one of those who doesn’t talk at all. I know at one point Craig said Aaron was having a tough time dealing with his loss.”
“Paige, I just stayed at his house in Dallas this week. I didn’t see any pictures of a wife and child.”
“He may not have any. That wouldn’t occur to some men.”
“Maybe. I also wasn’t all over the house. I was just in the back part and the guest bedroom. We didn’t even eat there.”
“Well, then, it would be easy to not see any pictures. Especially if he has a big house like Cole. Sorry if finding out about his wife and child upset you.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. It’s common knowledge as you said. I’m glad to know. He’s just never talked to me about it. It does explain some things about him. Well, back to this Christmas drive—” Stella said, trying for now to put Aaron and his past out of her thoughts and concentrate on working out last-minute details of the event with Paige.
They worked another fifteen minutes before saying goodbye. Stella watched Paige walk away, a slender, willowy figure with sunlight glinting on her auburn hair, highlighting red strands.
Stella sat in the car, still stunned over Aaron’s never mentioning his loss. Now she had the explanation for the barrier he kept between himself and others, the door he closed off when conversations or situations became too personal.
No wonder he held back about personal relationships—he was still in love with his late wife. And he’d lost his baby son. That’s why babies were so special to him. Stella was unaware of the tears running down her cheeks. She had to stop seeing so much of Aaron. She couldn’t cut him out of her life completely because of their baby, but she saw no future in going out with him. She didn’t want to keep dating, because she was falling more deeply in love with him all the time while his emotions, love and loyalties were still back with the wife and child he had lost. She was glad he loved them, but he should have leveled with her.