CHAPTER EIGHT
On Saturday morning just before noon, I head downtown for the first of the Perry pre-wedding events. Downtown Bellevue is hosting its annual Fall Festival, complete with food stalls and a sidewalk sale from local eateries and shops, games and activities for kids, and live entertainment. All of Front Street is closed for the event, but I manage to snag a parking spot near the library, which is the group’s designated meeting spot since it’s one street over from the action of the festival.
I spot Gwen, Evan, Ivy, and Hugh in a loose huddle outside the library doors. They greet me with smiles and hugs. Even though my friends are wonderful and never make me feel like a fifth wheel, I’m glad I won’t be the only single one on today’s adventure. It’s not that I can’t hold my own among couples, but sometimes being the only singleton gives me a bittersweet feeling mixed with a case of FOMO. Especially with super loved-up couples like my friends.
“Where’s everyone else?” I ask.
“Lina dragged Hadley into the library because she wanted to make sure they’ve got copies of her book,” Evan says. “And Jasper got a phone call and wandered away.”
The words are barely out of his mouth before his sisters exit the library. Hadley catches Evan’s eyes and rolls her own, prompting a knowing grin from him. Her attention shifts to me, and she smiles. Before she can speak, Lina jumps in.
“The library has several copies ofMoonlight Over Silver Lake, all of which are currently checked out!” She claps her hands excitedly before clasping them in front of her chest. “The head librarian isn’t in today, but the lovely woman I spoke to is a big fan and she said she’s sure they’ll be interested in having me in for a speaking engagement and signing early next year. She mentioned they were talking about doing a series on local authors, so I’d be a perfect addition.”
As she turns to Ivy and asks her about Pied Piper’s Books and the Village Bookshop, both of which Ivy is a partner in, I realize it’s a good thing Evan and Gwen warned me about how much Lina loves to talk about herself and her writing career. She still hasn’t even noticed me standing here.
“Hello, Willow.”
I whip around to find Jasper a few feet behind me. He’s tucking his phone into the back pocket of his jeans. Hisunironedjeans. Almost more shocking than that is the blue-and-green plaid flannel shirt he’s wearing, and the wind-tousled appearance of his hair.
“You look different,” I say. Because why greet someone like a normal person when you can comment on their appearance? “And hi. Sorry. You just took me by surprise.”
He peers down at his clothes and gives the hem of his shirt a quick tug. “Gwen offered to take me shopping when I arrived in town this morning, and I agreed. She suggested I might find greater comfort in more casual clothes, especially for what she and Evan have planned the next few weeks. I’m not sure it’s quiteme, though.”
Hedoesseem to be holding himself stiffer than usual. And he keeps fiddling with the bottom of his shirt as if he’s resisting the urge to tuck it in. Other than that, he looks pretty damn good to me. “For what it’s worth, I think the look suits you. And since we’ll be spending a lot of time outside, I’m sure you’ll appreciate having comfortable clothes, even if it’s an adjustment.”
“Thank you, Willow. I’m sure you’re right.”
Gwen catches my attention and waves me over to where she’s now standing beside Lina. “Since you two are the only ones who haven’t met yet, I wanted to introduce you before we get going,” Gwen says. “Lina, this is Willow, one of my oldest and dearest friends. Willow, this is Evan’s sister, Lina.”
“So nice to meet you,” I say, holding out my hand for her to shake.
“Always a pleasure to meet friends of Evan and Gwen,” she says with more warmth than I expected, considering all I’ve heard about her. She’s grinning broadly too, which means Jasper is the only Perry whose smiling muscles are rusty and underused. “Gwen tells me you’re a fan. We’ll have to find time to chat later.”
Before I can reply, Hadley says, “Now that everyone’s here, can we get this party started?”
We set off toward Front Street. Various food scents, along with the sound of happy chatter and laughter fill the air, making me smile. After living in Toronto for years, I grew accustomed to noise, even though it was sometimes overwhelming: constant traffic, honking horns, loud voices, people talking on cell phones everywhere you went. I enjoyed hearing the mix of languages and accents, especially since Bellevue is nowhere near as diverse a city as Toronto, but it felt like there was never a pause in the noise or the movement.
This is different, though. As I look around, I see people who appear to be present in the moment rather than hustling somewhere. Naturally, there are people who seem distracted and some who are glued to their phones—you can’t escape that no matter where you go these days—but the general vibe here is less chaotic. Moving back to Bellevue was the best choice for so many reasons. Toronto will always have a special place in my heart—it was the city I escaped to, got lost in,andfound myself in—but I think I’m meant for quieter living. I planted a lot of seeds in Toronto, and Bellevue is where they’re really starting to bloom.
Speaking of blooms, my eye is drawn to a stand outside the flower shop. The variety of blossoms boast a rainbow of colors, but the clear theme is autumnal hues. I eye the sunflowers wistfully; I only have about thirty dollars to spend today, and I plan to sample as much food as possible. To make the festival more accessible to the general population, the eateries that have outdoor stalls are offering samples for two dollars apiece. My purse is currently weighed down with toonies, Canada’s large gold and silver two-dollar coins. There have been a lot of changes to downtown Bellevue in the three years I was gone, so I’m curious to check out all the new-to-me restaurants and find new favorites for when I can afford to enjoy them.
“I need food,” Gwen says, eyes wide as she takes in all the stalls and tables lining the street.
“I second that,” Ivy says. “Where to begin?”
We each point out different things within sight of where we’re standing. My stomach gurgles at all the possibilities. Even if these are just samples, I haven’t had this much choice in ages.
“Okay, I’ve decided where I’m starting,” Hadley says, fishing a toonie out of the pocket of her jeans. “That booth across the street with the purple awning has pumpkin cheesecake. And before you say I shouldn’t start with dessert—” She rounds on Jasper, pointing her finger at him as he purses his lips. “One of the perks of being an adult is getting to have dessert first if I want.”
“I didn’t say a word, nor did I plan to,” Jasper says, holding up his hands. I’m guessing this is a fight they’ve had before. Cautioning against spoiling your appetite with sweetsdoesseem like something sensible Jasper would do.
“I’ll join you,” I tell Hadley. “I’m doing all things pumpkin at the café, and I’m always looking for inspiration.”
“Ivy and I are going to try the chickpea curry at the Indian place,” Hugh says. The way he says ‘curry’ with his Scottish accent makes me grin.
“I spy mushroom risotto over there,” Lina says, already drifting away from the group.
“The spot next to the Indian food has squash soup,” Gwen says. “Evan and I have been craving that since Willow mentioned it the other night. Let’s all get our food and meet back here.”
