“We have four nos, three maybes, and seven vendors I haven’t heard back from yet. I’m gonna send an email to nudge them after this meeting, but I think it’ll be a good turnout even if no one else confirms,” she said, her eyes widening slightly as an email pinged into her inbox.
“What is it?”
She snapped her head up, shooting me a silly grin before flipping her phone around for me to read. “Guess who just confirmed the cover band?”
“Really?” I snorted as I skimmed the message, my eyes snagging on the band’s name. “The Midge Bites?”
“Isla and I listened to their demo. Local kids. They’re actually pretty good.” She squeezed my elbow, and a thrill of sensation shot up my arm. “We promised they could close out the festival.”
My lips twitched. “If they’re awful, I’m never going to hear the end of it from this lot,” I whispered, leaning in to buzz my lips against the side of her jaw. Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink.
“You’re supporting youth and the arts,” she replied. “It’s a good look.”
I arched my eyebrow. “You’rea good look.”
“Lame.” She rolled her eyes even as her blush deepened. “We can push the arts angle with PR. Kincaid Energy needs all the boosts it can get. Cynthia will love it.”
I hummed. “Well, just so you know, I’ll expect you to make it up to me when Tam turns the pub against me.”
“I doubt that. It might be hard to believe with all their bickering and complaining, but I think this crowd has actually warmed up to you quite well.” Her voice dropped even lower. “Some might even say they like you.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” I teased. “I think the craft ales are Tam’s last straw. So you should probably start thinking about how you’re going to make it up to me.”
Lena’s breath caught, but her eyes flashed with something cheeky. “Careful what you wish for, my liege.”
My grin twisted into a smirk. “I think I can handle it.”
“Oh, can you?” she said, eyebrows raised, a challenge in her voice.
My pulse throbbed in my chest. I wasveryeager to rise to that challenge and show her just how much I could handle.
“Hey,” Isla said, hurrying up with her phone in hand. “Can I steal you two for a moment?”
Lena’s face pinched, and I could tell Isla’s tone had concerned her. “What is it?”
Isla inclined her head away from the crowd, and we followed her across the hall. She looked sheepish as she handed over her phone. “I posted this on the festival Instagram earlier.”
It was a reel showing Gran and Grandad before flashing to an image of Lena and me. Isla had caught a candid photo of us—it was an impressive shot. The way we were looking at each other made us look hopelessly smitten.
“The response was…” Isla trailed off. “Umm…scroll down and see for yourself.”
Lena tapped a finger against her lips as she read through the comments. I glanced over her shoulder, my gaze catching on Narissa’s account name. Shite.
Love birds, really?Narissa’s comment said.More like sham birds. Their entire relationship is a lie and they should be ashamed of themselves.
Pain shot through my jaw from how hard I was clenching it. In another comment, she went on to say that we were scamming the entire town, pretending to be the perfect couple when that couldn’t be further from the truth.Goddammit, Narissa!Lena reached out, catching my hand, as if sensing I needed to be brought back down to earth before I hit the roof about it.
“I didn’t mean to start anything,” Isla said awkwardly, looking between us. “I don’t even know who?—”
Lena gave her phone back and rubbed her arm gently. “No, of course not. This isn’t your fault. Don’t worry about it.”
“Narissa is my ex,” I explained, trying to deal with my frustration before it got the better of me. “And she’s not handling the fact that I’ve moved on very well.”
“Ah,” Isla said. “That explains a lot.” She laughed uncomfortably. “Well, I apologize for apparently setting her off.”
Lena forced a smile.
“Personally,” Isla continued. “I think she comes off sounding a bit like a conspiracy theorist.”
