“The house is going amazingly well, thanks to Gus. Your brother-in-law has impeccable taste in contractors.”
“Chase is outstanding at what he does,” Brenna agreed as we headed up the staircase. “How about we continue our tour on the way to lunch? We’ve got a great local diner, and I can point out some places on the way.”
“That sounds wonderful. I’m more than ready for lunch.”
The Island Breeze Bistro was a classic small-town diner, all red vinyl booths, black-and-white checkered floors, and the delicious, life-affirming scent of burgers on a flattop grill. We tucked into a booth by the window. A middle-aged, plump waitress with a friendly face and a name tag that readMargecame to take our order. We both ordered cheeseburgers and iced tea, a decision that required zero deliberation on my part.
After Marge delivered our food, I patted the pink box on the table. “It was very nice of Liv to give us dessert.”
“Too bad she couldn’t join us, but duty calls. She seemed happy we dropped by.”
I had to admit that as much as I liked my new bakery-owning friend, I wanted a little privacy for this conversation. I stuffed a French fry in my mouth and took a sip of iced tea.
“I’m glad to hear things are going well at Heron House.” Brenna leaned forward conspiratorially. “Which brings me to my next question. How are things on the neighborly front? Is my brother still a world-class grouch, or has he at least stopped scowling at your general existence?”
I couldn’t help laughing, even as a blush crept up my neck. This required some tact. As nice as Brenna was, I had no idea how she would feel about me dating her brother. “Let’s just say we’ve turned over a new leaf. I initiated a pastry offensive that appears to have brokered a fragile peace.”
“A pastry offensive?” Brenna grinned. “Iris, I love that. So you’re just pelting him with baked goods until he surrenders? That’s a brilliant strategy. I’m surprised no one’s tried it before.” She took a sip of her water. “So he’sbeing civil? That’s progress, I suppose. I was worried he’d put up a barbed-wire fence and aNo Trespassingsign aimed directly at your porch.”
I wriggled in my seat. I couldn’t keep this from her, no matter how she reacted. She was my friend, and I owed her honesty. “It’s a little more than civil, Brenna.”
Her teasing smile faltered slightly, replaced by genuine curiosity. “Oh? What does that mean? Did he actually help you with something without you having to bribe him with a whole pie?”
“He helped me with the siding, actually,” I said, the memory still warming me. “And he’s been… well, wonderful. We’ve been spending a lot of time together.” I let the words hang in the air, watching her face.
Her lips curved further. “A lot of time? That’s great. It’s good for him to have a friend next door.” Then her face went blank, and she tilted her head. “Wait. What kind of time are we talking about here?”
I took another deep breath, my heart galloping. “That kind. Like… he’s been over almost every night for the past week.”
The reaction was immediate and profound. Brenna’s fork, which had been poised over her coleslaw, clattered onto her plate. Her eyes widened, losing their teasing light and filling with absolute shock.
Oh no. She hates the idea of me with him.
Before I could respond and try to pull our friendship train back onto the tracks, she held up a palm. “Wait. Every night? As in… that kind of together? As in, Austin Coleridge, the man who considers small talk a form of psychological warfare, is in a relationship with you?”
A cold dread washed over me, extinguishing the warm, happy optimism I’d walked in with. I had overstepped.
“Oh, dear. Oh Mylanta. Brenna, I’m so sorry,” Irushed out, my voice filled with sudden panic. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. I know it’s unexpected with the rocky start we had, and he’s your brother. Please don’t let this be weird between us. I really value your friendship.”
Brenna just stared at me, her stunned expression becoming unreadable. Then her face became calculating. I could see the wheels spinning as her eyes darted over my face. “Oh, Iris. Honey, no. It’s a little weird, but I’m not upset.” Her gaze was shrewd now, intensely focused. “I’m just shocked. How long has this been going on?”
I laughed, though it came out nervous. “Well, I don’t know if we’re putting labels on it yet. It’s new. Like I said, only a week or so. And I know we didn’t hit it off right away. I practically flooded his yard. He was probably ready to have me arrested.”
“No,” Brenna said, shaking her head slowly, her eyes still locked on mine. “No, Iris, you don’t understand. It’s not about you. Or the sprinkler. Austin doesn’t do relationships. Not for a very long time.”
Goosebumps pebbled my arms at the realization that her reaction wasn’t about me being with her brother.
It was about him being withanyone.
The mood at our table shifted from lighthearted gossip to something heavier. I picked at the coaster under my iced tea, my cheeseburger now unappetizing.
“He hides a lot behind that grumpy persona, doesn’t he?” I said, testing the waters. “I’ve seen another side of him. A side that’s kind and really protective.”
Brenna nodded, her gaze soft with affection for her complicated older brother. “He’s both of those. Austin cares more deeply than almost anyone I know. And he’s the most dependable person on the planet. He built walls a long time ago, Iris. He built them high and thick, for a reason.”
The unspoken hung in the air between us, a ghost at our lunch table. “A reason? Brenna, what happened to him?”
She was silent for a long moment, her gaze drifting out the window to the sunny Main Street traffic, a sad look in her eyes. When she looked back at me, her expression was full of a pained apology.
