Janelle?Her parents had been left alone for a few minutes with Hawk’s mom, and they were already on a first name basis?
“I’m sorry to hear that,” her father deadpanned.
The tightness dropped from Janelle’s face, making her look lost.“It happens.People grow apart.But more importantly, he had no right to treat one of our vendors the way he did.And for that I am truly sorry.”
Lilian couldn’t believe what she was hearing.The Carlisles, Hawk’s parents, were separating over this.She’d never understood the relationship between the king and queen.Hawk didn’t seem to either.But theywerethe faire, the founding royalty, the glue that held everything together.Weren’t they?
A horrible thought hit her.“What does this mean for the faire?”
“Don’t worry about that.The faire will be fine.We plan to make some adjustments, but it will be back again, same time next year.Better than before.Hopefully, I can win back the talent that made us great to begin with.Which brings me to the second reason for my visit.I would be honored to host Bodice and Brawn next year and would also like to offer the cottage at a discount for all the trouble.”
Lilian held her breath.After everything that had happened, and even with the award nomination, she’d never considered returning to the faire an option.“Did Hawk put you up to this?”
“No, my son…” Janelle stopped herself short, rethinking how much she should say.And Lilian hung on the pause.“I’ve told him that I plan on offering you a place at the faire, and that is it.”
The answer didn’t tell her very much.She knew Janelle didn’t owe her any information on Hawk either.“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want any special treatment.”
“Special treatment?”A smile pulled at Janelle’s lips like the idea amused her.“You’re not getting special treatment.I am doing this because I loved what your store brought to our faire.”
“But the Winter Ball.You changed the theme because I gave youThe Raven King.”
Janelle cocked her head to the side.“I did change it, yes.But that wasn’t my idea.Hawk was the one who suggested a change in theme.”
Hawk?
“No, that can’t be right.He barely knows whatThe Raven Kingseries is.”
Janelle gave her an inquisitive head tilt.“Oh, he definitely knows what the series is.He’s read it all.”
“What?”She’d never seen him with a book in his hand.When did he have the time?
“Oh, yes,” Janelle continued.“I admit I was pushing him a little to do it, but he read it all after talking to you.Next thing I know, he was doing market research and telling meThe Raven Kingtheme would be more popular than the historical.That’s why we decided to change it.And he was right.We’ve never sold so many tickets before, and at a marked-up price.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.Hawk had been the one to change the theme.Hawk had read the books.
Why hadn’t he told her?He’d never even asked her to go to the ball.So why go through all this?
“He never told me.”
Frustration flickered across Janelle’s face.“I figured as much.He’s so much like Marcus sometimes.”She shook her head, then refocused on Lilian.“I can’t speak for him, and I’m not here to encourage you into giving him another chance.But I will say Hawk has been a different man this season.For years, I tried to get him to loosen up and enjoy the faire, but nothing ever worked.When he met you, though, all that changed.
“He hasn’t read a fantasy novel since he was six, but he did for you.And I don’t think he and I would’ve seen how bad things had gotten with Marcus without your help.I…” She exhaled.“I didn’t know about Reject Woods.Or that people were being pushed out.That’s on me.”
Janelle’s voice steadied.“I need to take a page from my son.From you.And focus on the health of the business.The faire…myfaire.”
She repeated the phrase like a reminder she was still learning to believe.Lilian couldn’t help but smile, recognizing the tactic.
She’d had no idea there was so much happening in the background.
She’d thought Hawk had opened up to her, but he'd still been making decisions in the background without once talking to her.
Not that he needed to.He wasn’t your boyfriend.
Right.
“So, Lilian…” Janelle said.“Would you be willing to give me and my faire another chance?”
“I would love to,” Lilian started, “but I need to think about this.I’ve decided to make Bodice and Brawn a real store.”
