“Yes.” Lana took a deep breath and tried to smile. She turned to Raven. “It was nice to meet you.”
Raven nodded and watched the petite beauty walk out of the restaurant and into the main part of the lodge. She turned back to Aidan. “What’s going on?”
“Lana is really fragile right now. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t scare her to death.”
“What are you talking about? I was perfectly pleasant.”
“You were not. My skin is still burning from the scorching look you gave us.”
“Whatever,” she scoffed. “Want to tell me why she’s here?”
“Not really,” he said, under his breath.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m tired of being judged by you.” He leaned across the table, his eyes hard, direct. “Things are going to change between you and me, starting now. First, I’m Fox’s father, and nothing you can do will keep me away from him. I suggest you don’t even try. Second, you need to quit blaming me for what my father did to yours.”
She sucked in her breath and opened her mouth to object. “Aidan—”
“I’m not finished. Third, until I say different I don’t want you and Fox out at Earl’s place.”
That she hadn’t expected, and it took the heat out of her anger. “Why?”
His jaw hardened. “You don’t want to hear why. For your and Fox’s safety, I don’t want you there.”
Not that she wanted to return to Earl’s, but to be told she couldn’t, didn’t set well.
“Now,” he continued, “about yesterday.” He rested elbows on the table, his brows settling heavy over his eyes. “You made love with me. We didn’t use protection. Whether or not you can love me again, doesn’t matter. You are not pushing me out of your life this time.”
It took her a moment to catch her breath. “That sounds like an ultimatum.”
“Call it whatever you want, but you’re stuck with me.”
“Nice to see you two getting along.” Pike came up, plunking down a cup of coffee in front of her. “Might want to take your ‘discussion’ somewhere more private. You’re garnering attention.”
Raven glanced around the dining room. Sure enough they had become the entertainment. Chatanika was a small town, barely a town, more like a village. Whatever had been said this afternoon between her and Aidan would be shared with the whole population. Great.
“Thanks for the heads up,” Aidan said.
Pike put a hand on Aidan’s shoulder and looked at Raven. “You tell him?”
Raven paled.
“Tell me what?”
Pike cocked a brow.
Raven studied the table and drew circles with her finger on the surface. “I hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”
Pike harrumphed. “Lot of things you seem to take your time with getting around to.”
His disappointment weighed heavy on her shoulders. “A meeting was called,” she said to Aidan. “I informed everyone that you were Fox’s father.”
Pike slapped Aidan on the back. “Welcome to the family, son.”
Aidan looked up at Pike, speechless. He swiveled his gaze toward Raven.
“You’re Fox’s father. Apparently, that makes you one of us.”
Aidan swallowed, glanced between the two of them, and suddenly stumbled to his feet. “I have to go.”
She watched him rush out of the restaurant. What was that all about?
“Don’t just sit there.” Pike reached down and hauled her to her feet. “Go after the boy.”
“Why?”
Pike grabbed her coat and shoved her toward the door. “You aren’t that dense.” He shook his head. “Actually, with Aidan you’ve always been minus a fat load of brain cells. That man has always longed for a loving family. Now get out there, and fix this mess you’ve made.” He opened the door and pushed her out into the cold. Aidan was standing next to his rental, staring off toward the sunset.
Raven struggled into her coat. Where did she start? “Aidan—”
“What does that look like to you?” Aidan pointed toward the direction of Earl’s cabin.
A plume of gray and black smoke rose above the trees, staining the sunset in purple bruises.
Fire.
Aidan nodded as though he’d heard her dreaded thought and wrenched open the door to his vehicle.
Without thinking, Raven ran around to the passenger side and jumped in.
“You aren’t coming with me.”
“I’m not letting you go alone.”
“Things have changed. I don’t want you anywhere near me.”
She tried to deflect that barb. “You’re wasting time. There won’t be anything left if you don’t get this thing moving.”