“Look what I made!” She thrusts a second flower crown toward me, this one even more precarious than the one on her head, with daisies and buttercups woven haphazardly through twisted stems. “It’s for you.”
“For me?” I press a hand to my chest, genuinely touched. “It’s beautiful, Isla.”
She beams, bouncing on her toes. “Put it on!”
I lower my head, and she places the crown on my hair with all the seriousness of a royal coronation.
“How do I look?” I ask, straightening up.
“Like a princess,” she declares.
Callan laughs beside me, and I shoot him a warning glance before turning back to Isla. My pulse kicks up when I see Aidan approaching, his hands still tucked into his pockets but with something almost like a smile tugging at his lips.
“Look!” Isla squeals, launching herself at his legs. “A flower crown for me, one for Miss Lucy, and one for Nana.”
Aidan scoops her up with one easy motion, settling her on his hip. His eyes linger on mine, and I resist the urge to fidget under his gaze.
“Beautiful,” he says quietly, and the simple compliment sends heat blooming across my cheeks.
Beside me, Callan clears his throat loudly. “I should get back to Bree,” he announces, not even trying to hide his smirk. “She’ll be wondering where I’ve gone.” He gives Aidan a brief nod before shooting me a look that clearly says we’ll be discussing this later.
Once he’s gone, I turn my attention back to Aidan and Isla. “How’s the festival treating you so far?”
“Good,” Aidan replies, gesturing to the bustling crowd around us. “Isla’s won just about every game she’s tried.”
“Did not,” Isla protests. “I didn’t win the ring toss.”
“Only because your arms aren’t long enough yet,” Aidan says, his voice softening as he adjusts her on his hip. “Give it a few years.”
This tiny glimpse into their relationship makes my heart swell. “Well, I’ve still got a few lemon scones left if anyone’sinterested?” I offer, already reaching for the pastry I’d set aside earlier.
“Me!” Isla’s hand shoots up, nearly toppling her flower crown in the process.
Aidan sets her down gently, his eyes meeting mine over her head. “What do we say, Isla?”
“Please, Miss Lucy,” she chirps.
“Yes, of course,” I say, handing Isla a scone wrapped in a napkin. “Careful, it might crumble a bit.”
I grab the other scone I’d saved and offer it to Aidan. “For your heroic table rescue earlier.”
His fingers brush against mine as he takes it, sending that familiar spark dancing up my arm. “Thanks,” he says, his voice low enough that only I can hear it. Then he turns to Isla. “We really need to find your nana before she spends any more money on you.”
Isla mumbles in acknowledgement through a mouthful of crumbs before they both offer a wave goodbye. We don’t really know each other beyond a handful of shared smiles and a few messy, thrown together moments. And yet, it stings as I watch them walk in the opposite direction.
The festival winds down as the day stretches into late afternoon, and the crowd thins as families head home with painted faces and pockets full of trinkets. I’m packing up the last of my supplies, carefully folding the tablecloth and stacking the empty trays, when I sense someone watching me.
I glance up, expecting to see Callan ready with another teasing comment, but instead, it’s Aidan. He’s standing just a few feet away.
“Hey,” I say softly.
He shifts his weight, and our eyes meet for the barest second before he looks away. “Thought you might need help packing up.”
A warm flutter sparks in my chest, but I tamp it down. “I think I’ve got it,” I say, forcing the words out steadily. “Thank you, though.”
For a second, I think he’s going to turn and leave. Instead, he steps forward, reaching for one of the heavier boxes. “Let me at least carry this to your car.”
I hesitate, my pride warring with practicality. The boxisheavy, and my car is parked at the far end of the lot. “If you’re sure…”
