Once the treat bags were in place, it didn’t take long for the rest of the tasks to get checked off Harper’s list. With twenty minutes to spare, we headed to the café side for coffee.
We chatted while we caffeinated, Harper and Ellery telling us about how they’d met at college and decided to start a business together.
“We picked Mahone Bay because we both wanted a tinier tourist town on the coast, and this building came up for sale.” Ellery was explaining when the bell chimed over the door.
A little boy with a shock of dark hair and eyes a familiar glacier blue came into the bookstore ahead of Harper’s parents. Those blue eyes took in the decorations, widening with excitement.
“Whoa, it looks awesome!” he declared, running up to his mother to hug her.
“I’m glad you like it.” Harper smiled, hugging him back. Calum grinned, ruffling his hair.
“Your mom throws a good party, doesn’t she?” he said, chuckling.
“The best!” Asher agreed, looking around at Evan and me curiously. “Are these your bandmates, Dad?”
The effect that word had on Cal was evident. He grinned, nodding. “Yup, that’s Dare and Evan.” He pointed us out in turn. “These guys here are basically my brothers, so I guess you can consider them your uncles.”
“Nice to meet you, Asher, thanks for letting us crash your party.”
“Any time! Any friend of my dad’s is a friend of mine!” Asher stated, and we all laughed.
A throat cleared behind us, and I turned my head, seeing Jack and Caroline Morrison. I’d met them a couple of times back in high school, and they hadn’t changed much.
Jack stepped forward, offering his hand out to Calum to shake. They exchanged a nod, then Jack moved on to shake my hand and Evan’s.
“Good to see you fellows again,” he said politely, while Caroline smiled tightly. She seemed to be put off by Calum. Perhaps she was still angry at him for leaving.
Calum did his best to not let it affect him. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it, as the little party guests had started to arrive in waves. Only a few parents stayed, the rest dropping their kids off practically at the door.
The noise level jumped tenfold with all those little bodies in one space, stuffing sugar in their mouths and wired from the thrill of a birthday party. Evan and I sort of drifted away, lingering near the gift table. It seemed to be the farthest place from all the action, which suited us just fine.
“Ellery issmokinghot,” Evan remarked, his eyes on the pretty baker talking to Harper’s parents. “I think I’m going to ask her out.”
“Go for it,” I said, half-distracted as I kept most of my attention on the door. I was waiting for Connor to arrive, hoping it’d be soon.
In addition to avoiding coming over when I asked, she wasn’t exactly chatty with me. She said she was distracted with school and worrying about her placement, but I sensed there was something more at play.
The bell chimed, and in walked Calum’s parents and Connor. Maeve and Connor were carrying the gifts while Michael carried his signature incessant scowl. Michael spotted Calum and Harper standing together, his eyes zeroing in on Cal’s hand on her hip. His frown deepened.
Maeve noticed, slipping her hand through his and whispering something to him. He smiled for her and was still smiling when Connor glanced at them. She looked forward again, assuming all was well. But then Michael’s attention landed on Asher, and he stilled.
Connor made her way over to Cal and Harper. “Hey, Harper.” She smiled, giving her a one-armed hug. “Where do we put the gifts?”
“Over there along that table would be great, thank you so much,” Harper replied, pointing at the table behind me and Evan.
Connor’s eyes flashed to mine for the briefest of moments. “Here, Mom, let me take that,” she said, placing her gift on top of Maeve’s. She took the gifts and started walking in the direction of the gift table—in my direction.
I stepped forward with my hands outstretched, ready to help her, but she moved past me, placing them on the table before heading over to say hello to Asher.
Frowning after her, I tried not to let her brush-off get to me, but it did. Evan knocked his elbow into mine. “Uh oh. What’d you do to get in the doghouse?”
“Not a clue,” I said, grinning to mask my unease. The more Connor avoided me, the more Iknewsomething was up—something more than just hiding our relationship from those around us.
CHAPTERTHIRTY
Connor
The tension between my parents—mainlyDad—and Calum was thick enough to cut with a knife. Mom had insisted on Dad coming, despite the complaints he’d put forth on the matter.
