“A million years ago.”
“April and I took up crochet a few months back. She had this plan to handmake all of her baby clothes. It didn’t go well.”
Callum snorted, gripping her hips. “Understatement.”
“Only because your demon rabbit ate through my yarn.”
“I told you: it smelled like you. It’s a compliment.”
Teddy’s eyes pinged between them as they bickered with matching smiles on their faces.
Callum smoothed his hand up Juniper’s spine and into her short hair. “I should get back to work, I’ve got back-to-back surgeries this afternoon, a border terrier in with a broken femur.” He dropped a kiss onto her lips. “I’ll probably be home late.”
“You want this to go?” I offered as he stopped at the counter.
“Aye, thanks Isla.” I felt his eyes on me while I worked. Not probing or leering, but curious.
“What?” I finally asked, surprised by the demand in my voice as I pushed the lid down on his coffee. “Sorry—” My cheeks burned.
“Don’t be. I’m just wondering how you did it?” He pulled the lid off, added a single sugar and stirred.
“Did what?”
“Alistair.” A single word that he somehow made into a full sentence. Even more surprising was that I understood it.
I knew few cold, hard facts about my neighbour beside his love for silence and expensive Italian shoes. But those were surface level, a curated image that Alistair allowed people to see.
Because I’d always been a creepily observant person, likely a trauma response from growing up in an often-volatile household, I could read the stuff he didn’t want anyone to see. Like the way he stood apart from his family at the committee meeting. How Callum’s car occasionally pulled up outside the cottage, idled and left without him ever climbing from the driver’s seat.
And now, I knew Alistair probably wouldn’t want me discussing this without talking to him first. I went with avoidance. “Looks like the grapevine is working overtime.”
“The family group chat hasn’t been this active since Mal discovered GIFs.” He must have caught my wince, because he continued in a hurry. “Alistair didn’t say anything. It was Heather, once she picks up on something, she’s impossible to shake.”
BloodyHeather.
“It’s new,” I hedged.
I hadn’t anticipated this part when I’d agreed. Hadn’t really thought past the image of me standing on the winning podium, an oversized cheque in my hands.
The Macabes were good people. Now I had to lie straight to their faces.
His brows lifted. “New is good.”
“You seem surprised. Because I’m not his usual type?” Because I wasn’t leggy, sophisticated or university educated.
“Oh, I meant no insult to you; it’s just that Alistair is kind of . . .” He trailed off.
“Repressed?” Juniper suggested.
Callum poked her in the ribs, but continued, “I’d love him to finally feel . . . I don’t know, settled here, I guess. That’s all I meant.”
Why was he looking at me like I was the answer to all that? When I was the only person who knew Alistair was leaving.
I’m in way over my head.
I cleared my throat, making a show of scrubbing the counter.
The ring of the bell saved me from answering. I glanced up, a relievedWhat can I get for you?building in my throat, only to be greeted by a “Hey, baby”.
