Page 26 of Where Roads Lead

“I was busy.”

“So were we.”

“You were fully staffed,” I told her, feeling a twinge of guilt. “I had Theo there helping out.”

I usually spent a good part of the day at the café, only running out during the slow points, but Elsie had taken up more of the day than I was anticipating.

“Yes, but—” Ava started, until Mom’s voice cut through the second I stepped over the threshold into the kitchen.

“There’s my handsome son!” She set aside her task of tossing the salad to come embrace me as if she saw me once a year, rather than the reality of once a week—and quite usually more.

“Hi, Mom,” I said, shaking out of her reach.

Yeah, I really wasn’t much of a hugger.

Stepping around her, I bee-lined for the fridge, pulling out a beer and leaning back against the counter.

“Henry!” My mother’s voice rose a few decibels as she hollered my father’s name. “Will’s here. Come down for dinner!”

And then, the next twenty minutes were spent the same way they’d been spent every Friday night for the last three years.

My father came down the stairs. Exchanged the same dialogue I’d heard my whole life, centered on the meal we were about to eat, how good it smelled, and how grateful he was to my mother for cooking it. We brought the food to the table, made a few more pointless remarks, and then dug in.

My mother would ask how the café was going, Ava would answer for us both, finding some sick sense of satisfaction that we were always lumped together as a duo. My father would inquire about profits and sales. And everyone would avoid the topic of Matthew, despite him being the sole reason any of us were here in the first place.

I loved my family, but sometimes it was exhausting. If someone was on the outside looking in, they’d think we were all following some type of script with how predictable the conversation went. Which is why it didn’t surprise me at all when my mother asked, “Have you two heard that old Mr. Briggs’s place has a new tenant?”

I took a swig of beer.

“Oh, we know,” Ava said, eyeing me conspiratorially. “Your son here almost ran her out of town her first day.”

“William Hughes!” My mother threw her napkin down on the table.

“It was a misunderstanding,” I said, shooting a glare in Ava’s direction.

“Well, you be nice to the girl. God knows this town needs a few more young people to liven up the crowd.”

“Do we?” I asked, not particularly eager to sit around talking about Elsie with my family.

“Well, it certainly wouldn’t hurt.” My mother huffed. “Now, tell me about the girl. Is she pretty?”

“Why does that matter?” I asked.

“I just think there’s a few men in this town who would do good to settle down with a nice, pretty girl.”

“You haven’t met her yet, and you’re trying to marry her off to a townie?”

My father chuckled at the other end of the table.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea, Rose.” Ava beamed at my mother. “Maybe I could introduce her to Tim. Or maybe Colin?”

“What?” I reeled, gaping at Ava. “Why would you set her up with anyone?”

“Oh, Will.” My mother tsked with a frown. “I think it would be nice. We aren’t arranging the girl’s marriage. It would just be a nice welcome to town, introduce her to some people around her age.”

The idea rubbed me the wrong way instantly.

“Just leave her alone,” I told them. “She’s only here for a few months to write, and then she’ll be gone. I doubt she’ll want to spend her time mingling with people like Colin.”