I chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Atta boy. Smart like your mom.” Leaning back in my chair, I caught Harper’s gaze and smiled at the warmth reflecting in her irises.
The same server we had the last time we were here, Adella, approached with her notepad and pen already in hand. “Can I get you started with drinks and appetizers?”
Scanning the table, I noted that Asher and Harper already had drinks. “Iced tea, Mom?” I questioned, and she nodded. “I’ll have a coke, please. Do you guys know what you want?” I directed my question to Harper and Asher, eyes flickering between the two of them.
“I’ll have the grilled cheese,” Asher replied politely, sliding his menu to the edge of the table for Adella to collect. “Please,” he added, catching his mother’s raised eyebrow.
“Sure thing, little man.”
He grinned. “Thanks!”
“And for you?” Adella smiled at Harper.
“The Cajun lobster salad, please. Thank you.”
“I’ll have buttered lobster with a Caesar salad.” My mother said when Adella turned to take her order.
“And I’ll have the buttered lobster with a baked potato.” She nodded, writing out my dish before swiftly collecting the menus.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” she assured us, heading to the hostess stand with the menus.
Once we were alone again, my mother turned to look at Harper. “Calum tells me you opened the bookstore on Main. That’s wonderful! I’ve heard really good things about it. I hadn’t realized you were behind it, though, or I would have made sure to stop in.”
“Thank you,” Harper’s cheeks heated beneath my mom’s genuine praise. “But I couldn’t have done it without my business partner and friend, Ellery. She runs the café, and her treats hook the clientele.”
“Well, I can’t wait to see it. It’s been too long since I visited Mahone Bay for the shops. Usually, I was just passing through to check in on my father. He lived a few blocks from here.”
Although she’d brought him up, I knew my mother wasn’t fishing for information about how Gramps had known about Asher. She’d mentioned him organically and hadn’t spared me so much a conspired glance.
“I hadn’t realized he lived so close,” Harper admitted sadly, glancing at me briefly. I could see the guilt reflecting in her irises. It wasn’t her fault, I’d never mentioned where he lived. Gramps used to come to us for Sunday lunch, and our conversations would always circle around music and Harper’s adventures around Canada.
Gramps had done a lot of touring in his early twenties, and they’d spent many lunches discussing their favourite places in other provinces while Connor and I would listen, bemused and a little jealous. Neither one of us had ever really traveled outside of Nova Scotia at that point. Growing up, my parents hadn’t really had the money for vacations and trips.
“I was sorry to hear that he had passed. He was a kind man.”
“He was. And he loved music, just like my Calum.” Mom smiled warmly before her green eyes moved to Asher. “I hear you play the piano?”
“Yup, I do. I’m pretty good at it—not as good as Dad is at the guitar, but I’ll get there.” He replied with confidence, and I swear my mom’s face nearly split into two with the grin that appeared when she heard how easily he’d called me that.
“Do you take lessons?”
“Yes, at Mrs. Prichard’s.”
“What a small world! I used to take piano lessons from Mrs. Prichard when I was a little girl. She was a good friend of my father’s. She taught your Aunt Connor, too.”
Of course. Between Ted and Margaret Watson and Mrs. Prichard, it was no wonder my grandfather had quietly pieced it all together.
“Really?!” Asher exclaimed; his eyes bright with excitement.
“Really. I can’t believe she’s still teaching,” My mom laughed, shaking her head a little.
“I come from an entire family of musicians?” Asher asked with wonder, turning to look at me with questions in his gaze.
“Well, those of us on the Murphy side are musically gifted, anyway. The Jacobs are more tradesmen or fishermen.” I explained, my gaze drifting to Harper.
“This isso cool!” Asher exclaimed, twisting to look at his mom.
Harper
