“Caelan James!” Ms. Dorian shouted, standing under the shade of my awning. “I would like a lemonmeringue!”
I bristled, and the smile fell from my face. If she’d used the royalwe, the woman couldn’t have been more imperious. She made it sound like she’d been waiting impatiently when the picnic didn’t even officially open for another twenty minutes at least and the only people here now were helping to setup.
Yeah, it was safe to say I would never enjoy the customer service aspect of owningFanaille. I bit my tongue against the need to make a cuttingremark.
“Ms. Dorian! I’m happy to help you,” Ash said, walking toward her with a wide smile. “I love that red and white striped blouse with the blue polka dot shorts! Not everyone canownAmericana after the Fourth of July, you know? You won’t believe it, but I made these meringues myself just this morning…” He started in on the kind of chit-chat that I found absolutely draining but came effortlessly to him, charming Ms. Dorian so thoroughly the woman was nearlyblushing.
“He fits right in here,” Julian said wistfully as Ms. Dorian ate a meringue and exclaimed in delight. I wouldn’t have thought the woman capable of flirting with anyone, but she was giving it a damn good try right now with myboyfriend.
“He does,” I agreed. He fit into the town, into my life, into mybakery.
But what was he giving up? And was he going to resent it at somepoint?
“S’cuse me, Dr. Ross!” One of the Siegel girls - I could never tell them apart - came running up, her brown hair trailing behind her as she panted. “Mr. Michaelson asked me to get you. He said he found a little fawn in the woods and it’s maybeabandoned?”
Julian’s face flushed. “Mr. Michaelson?DanielMichaelson?”
The girl’s face screwed up. “Maybe? The super tall one, like Mr. Ash, but with lighterhair.”
“Right,” Julian said, eyes wide. “Can you show me where he is, Sivan?” She nodded and he turned to us. “Uh. I need to go check on this. Ethan, canyou…”
Ethan saluted and came forward to take Captain from Julian. “Chief pug-watcher and table-minder, reporting forduty.”
Ms. Dorian tsked. “Julian Ross, I’d hoped once you became a professional you’d stop running off after every woodland creature. Don’t you havepayingcustomers who need your attention? And Daniel Michaelson isstrange. Came to town without knowing a soul, and got himself that house out in the middle ofnowhere…”
“Every creature deserves sympathy and kindness, Ms. Dorian,” Jules said firmly, grabbing a black nylon bag from the back of his truck. “Not just the tameones.”
I wasn’t sure whether he was talking about the deer or the man. Maybeboth.
Ms. Dorian took two more meringues and walked away in ahuff.
“Maybe the pastries will sweeten her disposition,” I saidsourly.
Julian rolled his eyes. “That one? Not likely. I’ll be back!” he called as he jogged off afterSivan.
“Who’s Daniel Michaelson?” Ethan asked as Ash’s phone chirped with a textmessage.
“New guy who moved to town last spring,” I said. “Don’t ask me. I’ve seen him maybe twice. He’s kind of a loner. Which is one step away fromserial killerin this town, as you know.” Isighed.
Ethan nodded. “Ohhh, yes. Poor guy. I had to move to a city with over half a million people to finally become anonymous.” He didn’t sound like he was entirely thrilled with the results. He wandered back to his booth with Captain in hisarms.
Ash looked up from his phone. “Good news and bad news,baby.”
I sighed. “To live is to suffer.Hit me with the bad newsfirst.”
“Was that a Nietzsche quote in there?” he teased, grabbing my hand and pulling me intohim.
“Maybe,” I allowed. “What’s thenews?”
“Maura’shere.”
My face blanked and I stared at him. “Don’t toy with me,Ashley.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t, I swear. She’s back early and claims she’s, quote,hyped to cover the booth while we take a break.She’s getting her stuff from the parkinglot.”
“Miracles are real,” I breathed. Then I blinked away my excitement. “Wait, what’s the badnews?”
“Well, notbad,exactly. My mom wants us to come over for dinner tonight. Hang out with her andRae.”
