Always, For Love by Fiona Grace

Author:Fiona Grace [Grace, Fiona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fiona Grace
Published: 2023-10-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A soft dusting of snow covered the ground outside Leeside B&B. Inside, the warm light of the kitchen flickered against the darkened windows, offering solace from the chilly winter air. Ariel Hawthorne stood by the counter, her fingers wrapped tightly around the handle of a chef’s knife. The prep work she had been doing for dinner service was all but forgotten. She stared off into the distance, her mind far away from the cozy atmosphere of the B&B.

"Hey, Ariel," called Darcy, her sous chef and confidant, as he wiped his hands on his apron. "You've been pretty quiet since you got back from your walk. Everything all right?"

Ariel sighed, her breath hitching slightly. "Not really, Darcy. Miles and I had a fight."

"Ah, that's rough. What happened?" Darcy leaned against the counter, concern etched onto his face.

She hesitated, delicately probing the tender thoughts that threatened to unravel her composure. "It's complicated. I wanted to do something nice for him – a surprise for Christmas – but it turns out I didn't know the situation as well as I thought I did."

Darcy frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Remember when he was at the bar that morning, talking about that old friend of his?" Ariel glanced at Darcy, her eyes filled with guilt and confusion. "Well, I found him. And I took him to see Miles. It turns out that friend was the one who embezzled from Miles's first business and ruined his life."

"Yikes," muttered Darcy, his eyebrows knitting together in sympathy. "No wonder Miles was upset."

"Upset doesn't even begin to describe it," Ariel said, setting aside the knife and rubbing her temples. "He was furious. And I feel so guilty for not knowing about it. How could I not have known something so important about the man I'm going to marry?"

As she recounted the argument, her voice trembled with distress. The pain of their disagreement was still fresh, and the weight of her guilt hung heavily in the air.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Darcy reassured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We can't know everything about the people we love. And you were just trying to do something thoughtful for him."

"I know, but it's hard not to feel responsible," Ariel admitted, her eyes brimming with tears. "I've always been so afraid of making a mistake, of hurting someone I care about. And now I've done exactly that."

The kitchen seemed to close in around her, the warmth suddenly oppressive, as she grappled with the realization that she had unknowingly brought up one of Miles's most painful memories. Despite the comfort of her surroundings, she felt untethered, adrift in a sea of doubt and confusion.

Darcy squeezed her shoulder gently. "It'll be okay, Ariel. You two will get through this. Just give it some time."

"Thank you, Darcy," she whispered, wiping away a stray tear. "I hope you're right. I just feel like I’m messing so much up. Katie’s annoyed with me that I’m on the fence about her going to this summer art thing.

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