CHAPTER 35
Harper
“Good Lord, whose bright idea was it to combine all the school bands into one big mega-band?” Max grouches as she walks into the back tent.
“I didn’t realize they’d just play marching band style Christmas carols non-stop!” Steven tells her.
“Ya’ll shut up!” Carl yells over the chatter. Then he stares at me and Miles at the laptop and asks, “Well?”
Miles shakes his head.
“Are we close?” Shelly barely whispers.
“Not really,” I say, trying to spare them. The truth is we got pretty freaking close, a few hundred thousand dollars away from being profitable. But the fireworks will start soon. It’s over.
Plus, Aiden as has told me again and again, even showing me the development contracts I didn’t understand, we never had a chance.
“But…look out there, we…we did it,” Shelly’s crying now.
I sniff also, “We really did.”
Today was another amazing day by the lake. Hundreds of tourists came in from the city. GoingFull Send Juniper Fallswasexactly the right call. People are here in holiday print swimsuits and I was surprised to see many brought Christmas-themed pool floats with them.
And ’tis the season to spend money, apparently. People paid to join in on all the new contests we concocted, like patriotic karaoke, kite flying, homemade rocket launches, apple pie baking and apple pie eating.
James can hardly keep enough beers at Nogs’ table and earlier, at the booth, I sold out of everything—iced mochas, iced peppermint lattes, donuts, muffins, holiday tree cookies with tiny red, white and blue ornaments on them. Madison said it was crazy at the store, too.
But it’s hard to feel triumphant. Dad has been even more quiet than usual, now that the reality has settled in. His shop is closing. Tyrone isn’t as jolly, though he’s tried to fake it. Shelly was holding out hope, I guess, and now she’s having to finally let go.
Aiden was right.
Our best was not enough.
Not that he’s feeling triumphant either.
I tried to sneak out early this morning, after one of the best nights of my life, but he was already up. Just sitting in the kitchen, staring out the back window. Withdrawn.
Until he saw me, then it was actually adorable. He and Stuart both piped up and stood, excited and smiling. If a dog can smile. But Aiden’s smile didn’t reach his eyes and I didn’t have time to discuss it, since I had to get to work at the shop and then out here.
I give Shelly a tight hug and we all begin to part ways silently.
“Not so fast, you!” Steven whispers as he grabs my hand. “I heard the Dark Lord defended your honor with the twat waffle last night!”
I can’t help but smile, “He did.”
“Was it really a throat punch?” Steven is giddy at the drama. I nod. He shakes his head in wonder, “Aiden Vanderwell smashing his fancy fist into ol’ JimBo.Man,I wish I could’ve seen it.”
I sigh, “It was crazy.”
Maxine’s voice pops back up out of nowhere, “You say crazy but what you mean is hot. Bet it was hot as hell.”
“It was very hot,” I agree, all three of us laughing.
“Hot enough I heard you shacked up with him.Finally,”she says.
“Wha—” I start. Steven just laughs and I give up, throwing my hands in the air. I guess I should never be surprised this whole town knows everything, always. I shrug, “I slept over but it wasn’t…we didn’t…you know, I’mstill freaking married.So we mostly talked, laughed.”
Max puts a hand on her boy little hip, “You did notjust talkto that man all night long.”
