I’ve just steppedinside when Bea bustles over, pulling my phone from her apronpocket. “Forget something?”
“You’rea lifesaver, Bea. Thank you.” I take the phone and tuck it in mypocket.
“Noproblem, honey. Gotta tell you, it did my heart a lot of good tosee you and Wesley together tonight, just like old times.” Herpleased smile takes on a hint of mischief. From the way her eyesgleam, I know what she’s going to say before the words even form onher lips. “Any chance of you two—”
“No” Isay firmly, cutting her off. “Like Wesley said, we’re just reallygood friends. Always have been, always will be.”
“Reallygood friends,” Bea says slowly, nodding her head with exaggeratedunderstanding. “Okay, honey. It’s just…Inever looked atmyfriends the way you two look ateach other.”
Before I can sayanything, Horatio calls to Bea from the back. He waves when he seesme, blowing me a kiss I pretend to catch and hold to my chest. Icall good night to him and promise Bea I’ll see her soon as shehurries away toward the kitchen.
Backoutside, I pause and close my eyes, breathing in the crisp air andreveling in the way it caresses my warm cheeks. My eyes pop open assomething Bea said hits me. I have no trouble believing I might notbe able to hide my feelings for Wesley, especially from someonelike Bea, who’s known me most of my life. But she said ‘the way youtwo look ateach other’.
Which begs thequestion: how does Wesley look at me?
CHAPTER FIVE
“Youwere out late last night.”
At the sound of myvoice, Stella blinks at me from across the room where she’s justemerged from her bedroom. She looks adorable and sleep-rumpled, herdark-blond hair with its fading blue streaks a mass of tangledknots, and her Mandalorian pajama pants twisted around herlegs.
She holds up afinger for me to wait as she trudges to the kitchen and poursherself a glass of water and a cup of coffee. She brings both tothe living room and sets them on the coffee table before floppingonto the couch across from me.
She glances at mesleepily as she reaches for the glass of water. Her hand freezeshalfway as she takes in the ear buds connected to my ancientDiscman. A low laugh starts in her chest and spills from her mouth,making my lips twitch.
“Wheredidthatcomefrom? And what are you listening to?”
“Ifound this in a box in my closet,” I tell her, lifting the shinysilver portable CD player. I don’t add that the box is full ofevery CD and cassette tape Wesley ever gave to or made for me. “Ihad an old Walkman in there too. And my very first flipphone.”
Stella throws herhead back and laughs. My heart feels light and fizzy at the sight.It’s so good to see her having moments of lighthearted happinessagain. “That’s amazing. What are you listening to? And what broughton the sudden need for a nostalgic walk down memorylane?”
I set the Discmanaside and reach for my own coffee. I’ve been awake for over anhour, curled up in my favorite armchair with Wesley’s birthday mixplaying quietly in my ears. When I got home last night anddiscovered Stella was out, I poured myself a glass of wine, turnedthe lights down low, and put the CD in the stereo. I listened to itall the way through, grinning like an idiot and tearing up onseveral occasions as the songs brought up countless memories, someof which were so powerful I felt like I’d been transported throughtime.
Before going tobed, I went in search of my old mixes from Wesley and discoveredthe Discman. It felt fitting to listen to his newest mix again onthis old relic, since most of the songs are from the ’90s and early2000s, when I rarely left home without my Discman and a sleeve ofCDs.
“Theanswer to both of those questions involves your brother,” Isay.
Stella’s eyesbrighten. “Is he back in town already? Have you spoken tohim?”
“I raninto him yesterday after I left Mom’s, and we hung out at the dinerfor a few hours. He gave me this CD before we parted ways lastnight.”
“Howwas it? Seeing him, I mean?” Stella reaches for the jewel case andscans the list of songs. “You look kinda moony. Moony andswoony.”
“Moonyand swoony,” I mutter. I suck in a breath and let it out on a long,slow exhale. “Seeing Wesley was…wonderful. It stirred up a lot ofold stuff, though.”
Stella makes asympathetic face, her eyes flicking from the song list in her handsto me. Whatever my expression is, it catches her attention becauseshe lifts her head and holds my gaze. Stella knows about myfeelings for Wesley; in fact, she knew I was falling for him beforeI even realized it. She wasn’t one of those friends who proclaimedher brother off limits or warned me to stay away from him. Quitethe opposite, actually. Since our families were already soconnected, she hoped Wesley and I would get together someday andcement the familial bonds.
“Do youwant to talk about it?” Stella asks.
“Notreally?” It comes out sounding more like a question than astatement. “What is there to say? He lives in Ottawa and has aserious girlfriend.”
“Ugh,thegirlfriend.”
I hold in a laughat the way she rolls her eyes and wrinkles her nose. Stella hasnever made her dislike of Wesley’s girlfriend a secret, even thoughshe’s only met her a few times. Wesley wasn’t fond of Stella’sex-husband either, which drove a bit of a wedge between thesiblings over the last few years. Since Stella moved back to town,she and Wesley have been communicating more, so I’m hoping they’reon their way to regaining the close bond they once had.
“Anyway,” I say pointedly. “What were you up to lastnight?”
The way sheappears to gather herself and straighten her spine tells me I’m notgoing to like the answer. “I was out with Tannis.”
