The bell above the door jingled, despite the ‘Closed’ sign, and Maya bustled in with a box of pastries.
“I saw your light was still on,” she said by way of explanation. “And I had these left over. Thought you two might need a sugar boost after such a busy day.”
“You were watching us?” Eveline asked, eyebrow raised.
“Of course,” Maya said with a grin. “You looked rushed off your feet.”
Emery accepted a pastry. “Thanks, Maya.”
“Actually, I'm glad I caught you both,” Maya said, a gleam in her eye that made Emery instantly wary. “I'm having a little gathering at the bakery this weekend. Just a small birthday celebration. Nothing fancy. You’re both invited, of course.”
“Oh, I don't know,” Eveline began, but Maya cut her off.
“No excuses, Eveline. You haven't been to a social event in months. And Emery, you simply must come. It wouldn't be the same without you.”
Emery looked at Eveline, who seemed torn between irritation and resignation. “I'd love to come,” she said. “If Eveline is going.”
Maya beamed. “Wonderful. Saturday at seven. Don't be late.” She deposited the pastry box on the counter and swept out as quickly as she'd arrived, leaving a trail of flour dust in her wake.
Eveline sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I suppose we're going to a party, then.”
“Looks like it,” Emery said, trying to ignore the way her heart raced at the thought of seeing Eveline outside the bookshop. “It might be fun.”
“Fun,” Eveline repeated, as if testing out an unfamiliar word. But there was a hint of a smile on her lips, and when she looked at Emery again, something soft flickered in her eyes. “Yes, perhaps it might be.”
Emery smiled back, the envelope in her pocket momentarily forgotten, replaced by the warm glow of anticipation.
Chapter Thirteen
Emery tugged at the hem of her dress as she approached the bakery. Maya had transformed the space for her birthday. Fairy lights twinkled in the windows, and the normal display cases had been pushed aside to make room for guests. Soft music drifted out each time the door opened.
She took a deep breath and checked her reflection one last time in a nearby window. She'd spent an embarrassing amount of time getting ready, trying on outfit after outfit before settling on a simple blue dress that Jax always said brought out her eyes. Her curls were as untamable as ever, but there wasn’t much she could do about that.
“Are you planning to go in, or just admire the decorations all night?”
Emery caught her breath at the sound of Eveline's voice behind her. She turned to find the bookshop owner looking effortlessly elegant in a dark green dress, her dark hair loose around her shoulders instead of in its usual practical knot.
“I was just…” Emery gestured vaguely at nothing in particular. “Working up my courage.”
Eveline smiled. “It's only Maya and her friends. Nothing to fear.”
“Says the woman who tried to wiggle out of coming,” Emery said.
Eveline laughed. “Touché. Shall we face the lion's den together, then?”
Emery nodded, trying to ignore the flutter in her chest as they walked side by side to the door. Eveline seemed different outside of the bookshop, softer somehow, less guarded. Emery wanted to commit every detail to memory, knowing it would all find its way into her manuscript later tonight.
Maya spotted them the moment they came in, abandoning her conversation to rush over with outstretched arms. “You came! Both of you! Together!” She looked between them with obvious delight.
“Happy birthday,” Emery said, handing over the gift she’d bought, a vintage cookie cutter shaped like a book that she'd found in a secondhand shop.
“And many more,” Eveline added, offering a bottle of wine that Emery suspected was far more expensive than her own gift.
“You're both darlings,” Maya said, accepting both with a beaming smile. “Now come in, get drinks, mingle.”
Before either of them could protest, Maya was steering them toward a table laden with food and drinks. Emery felt instantly overwhelmed by the crowd, most of whom seemed to know each other. She reached for a glass of wine, thinking it might help her relax.
“Nervous?” Eveline asked, taking her own glass.
