His brain was working at about two-thirds speed this morning. He felt like hell, both physically and emotionally. He was the biggest jackass around and he just wanted to crawl into a hole until he figured out how he was going to fix the problem. Which would come after he figured out what had gone wrong.
But all of that didn’t explain why Shelby Gilmore was grilling him. Maybe one of her New Year’s resolutions was to right wrongs. Sort of a seeker of justice for those whose hearts he’d accidentally broken.
He searched his memory for what he knew about her. She’d been in town maybe a couple of years. She worked in the bakery. Or possibly owned it—he couldn’t remember, exactly. He’d seen her around. He was sure she was perfectly nice, not to mention Kipling Gilmore’s sister. Kipling ran the local search-and-rescue department. Aidan knew him from that, and because it was Fool’s Gold—a town where everyone knew everyone else’s business. Oh, yeah. He and Kipling were part owners of a local bar. Which explained why he was having this conversation in the first place. Or did it? He looked at her.
“What was the question?” he asked.
The smile returned. “Why tourists? You’re a good-looking guy with a successful business. Why aren’t you married?”
“I don’t want to get stuck,” he blurted before he could stop himself. “Is this a job interview?”
“No. I don’t mean to be intrusive.”
“But you’re going to keep asking questions?”
“Something like that. Stuck how?”
He finished his coffee. Before he could think about standing up to get another, Patience, the owner of Brew-haha, and about forty-seven months pregnant, waddled over with a pot.
“You look awful,” she said cheerfully. “Still hungover?”
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s not like you. I can’t remember the last time you got drunk.”
Aidan didn’t bother responding. There was no point. He and Patience had known each other their whole lives. One of the advantages—and disadvantages—of living in Fool’s Gold. There weren’t a lot of secrets. Which meant everyone from here to the Nicholson Ranch would soon know exactly what had happened last night.
Shelby frowned at her friend. “Why are you working? You’re due any second.”
“I know.” Patience rested her left hand on her incredibly large belly. “I’m so ready for him to be born. I thought maybe standing on my feet for a few hours would hurry things along. I’m not sleeping, so why make someone else get up early on New Year’s Day?”
Another nice woman, Aidan thought grimly. They were everywhere. He shouldn’t even be looking at her, let alone having a conversation.
“Want some aspirin?” she asked.
“No, thanks. I’ll be fine.”
Patience grinned at Shelby. “I don’t believe that, do you?”
“Not for a second, but it’s fun to let him pretend.”
They were mocking him. He was about to protest that he was sitting right there when he remembered that he deserved it. That and more.
Patience finished refilling his mug and then walked back to the counter. Before Aidan could refocus, Shelby leaned toward him.
“How would being married make you stuck?” she repeated.
She wasn’t going away. He got that. So fine. He would tell her the truth. “If you love someone, you’re stuck. You have to do things you don’t want to do.”
“You’re not talking about going to restaurants you don’t like, or taking out the trash, are you?”
“No.”
“I didn’t think so.” She studied him. “So the tourists were a way to stay safe.” The smile returned. “And get laid. A twofer.”