Finding Me (Love's Not Easy Series Book 1) by Nicole Rickman Page A

it was good; so, he offered me a sip of his. Actually, he fed me a spoonful of soup.”
    The room filled with laughter. Piper was holding her side. “He fed you soup?”
    “One spoonful. Anyway, somebody took a photo and sent it to Ava.”
    “Seriously?” Lexi started laughing harder. “I bet she is livid.”
    “Yeah. She is pretty mad.”
    “Hey, hot, intelligent lady. Pizza is here, so you and your friends need to come down.” Colin yelled from the stairs.
    “He is so dead.” Aimee headed for the door.
    “What is this about?” Piper was right behind her.
    “LJ.”
    When the girls made their way down to the kitchen, Colin handed Aimee a plate. “I can feed you, if you prefer.”
    She playfully hit his arm. “I can manage.”
    “I guess only Aiden gets that pleasure. Sounds like you had a good night; Aiden fed you soup, and you put LJ and his dad, in their place.”
    “How long did you talk to LJ?” Aimee glared at Colin.
    “Not long. But, long enough to torture you for days.”
    Aimee turned to Aiden. “Everything ok?”
    Aiden gave her a side hug. “Don’t worry, she is not mad about you anymore.”
    Colin hit Aiden on the back. “How did you manage that?”
    “I told her I was not going to the Fall Ball.”
    “Why not?” Lexi asked.
    “We have testing the Monday after, and two reports due, as well.”
    Colin sat at the table. “Man, you are going to pay for that.”
    “Give Ava a break guys, she cannot be that bad.” Aimee was wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt.
    “It’s ok, Aimee. They are right.” Aiden answered.
    “Ok, then. Is this pizza good or am I starved?”
    Colin pretended to give her a bite. “Both.”
    Sophia sat up straight. “Someday, Aimee, I will make you a real gourmet dinner.”
    “No pickle beets and goat cheese.” Aimee grinned.
    Sophia giggled. “I promise, no pickle beets and goat cheese.”

 
    Chapter Five
    Aimee sat in the living area alone, studying. Everyone was out today preparing for the Fall Ball. Aiden was in his room studying. Aimee was in need of a break for from studying Professional Development.
    So, she spread out some of her mom’s pictures, along with a list of names she found at her dad’s. None of them seemed to be connected to Neahovia. Aimee was on a free database site trying to find anything she could about her mom when Aiden came down.
    “I need a lunch break. How about you, Aims’?”
    “I just called an order into the Mexican place down the street. I ordered enough for two.”
    “Thanks. What are you doing?”
    “Trying to find out some information about my mom or grandmother.”
    Aiden sat beside her on the floor. “What do you have to start with?”
    “Not much. I can’t even find their names on any database I search.”
    “You mind if I try?”
    “Not at all. Maybe you will have better luck.”
    “I have private access to a few sites. Let me see what I can gather. Let’s start with your grandmother. What is her name?”
    “Edna Rose Townsend.”
    Aiden started searching the sites; but, just like Aimee, he was coming up short. He was trying every trick he knew. “Do you know what city they lived in?”
    “No.”
    “Let’s try your mom. What was her full name? I am assuming her surname was Townsend?”
    “Lillian Rose Townsend.”
    Aiden tried searching her name on several sites while Aimee went to pay the delivery boy. When she returned, he told her no luck.
    “Is your name Aimee Rose?” Aiden took his food.
    “Aimee Roselyn.”
    They spent the next hour searching information on her mother and grandmother, with no luck at all. She showed him some pictures of her mom. She thought that some of them may have been taken in Neahovia, but she couldn’t tell. Aiden offered to take them to a Historian friend of his family. After that, they went to work on their reports.
    Sunday morning, Aimee went to church; then, met up with Lexi for lunch.  Lexi had a lot to tell her about the Fall Ball. Apparently Ava showed