“Are you going to tell me why I see the same thing when I look at you?”

His question startled her. “Someday maybe, but right now I just want to enjoy this. Is that okay?” she asked, but she could see the disappointment on his face.

“Sure.” He leaned over to kiss her before he got up. “Bea called yesterday while you were sleeping. She wants to come by to see you today if you feel up to it.”

“That’d be great,” Clare said as she watched him pull on jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt.

“I’ll make us some breakfast,” he said on his way to the stairs.

Clare felt like she’d somehow failed him. He had bared his soul to her, but she hadn’t been able to do the same for him and wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to.

Bea came over after lunch, and they visited in Aidan’s den. He built up the fire in the woodstove for them before he went out to the garage to work on a vintage Porsche he was restoring.

“I’m so glad to see you up and about,” Bea said.

“Thanks for coming. And thanks for the books.”

“My pleasure. We’re reading this one for book club next week, if you feel up to coming.”

“I hope I can. I got the check you sent. I told you I didn’t want you to pay me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I had to pay you. So are you feeling better?”

“Yes, finally.”

“You gave us quite a scare.”

“I can’t believe how fast I went from having a cold to having pneumonia. Thank goodness Aidan knew what to do.”

Bea raised an amused eyebrow. “You two seem pretty cozy.”

“I love him,” Clare confessed. “He’s amazing.”

Bea clapped her hands with delight. “I knew it! I knew you two would be perfect for each other. What did I tell you?”

Clare chuckled. “You were right.”

“That’s wonderful, Clare. You both deserve it after all you’ve been through.”

“He told me about his wife and son. It’s so sad.”

“I know. Have you told him what happened to you?”

“Not yet.”

“What’re you waiting for?”

Clare wasn’t sure exactly why the idea of sharing her past with Aidan was so frightening. But Bea was right. He deserved to know. Now she just had to work up the courage to revisit her painful past one more time.

In the garage, Aidan turned on the kerosene heater and propped open the hood of the old car to peer in at the banged-up engine. He’d found the car in a scrap metal yard a year ago and was slowly bringing it back to life.