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I let myself look up the stairs one last time before I left.
* * *
Starting that Thursday, I didn’t have much time to think about Alivia. The Summer Daze sale had started and I didn’t have room for anything else in my brain. The whole Sweet family was going from before the sun rose to after it went down.
In addition to doing all the marketing and planning, I also helped out at the booth in front of the bakery, handing out the treats and surveys for people to vote on. We also sold the bakery merch (which I had recently redesigned) and handed out cup after cup of free coffee.
Linley came out on Saturday afternoon to check on me. She’d been alternating between the kitchen and helping out with the booth.
“How is it going?” she asked.
“I think I’m developing an eye twitch,” I said, pointing to my eye. I could feel it trembling.
“I don’t see anything,” she said. “But is it possible to fall asleep standing up? Asking for a friend,” she said.
“What did I miss?” Gray asked, walking over with another box of t-shirts. At this rate we were going to run out by tonight.
“Nothing. Your fiancée is exhausted,” I said, and he immediately went into concern mode.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I just need to nap for a thousand years,” Linley said through a yawn.
“That’s it, you’re taking a break,” Gray said, taking her by the hand. “I insist. I’m a medical professional.”
“You’re a phlebotomist,” Linley said sleepily.
“Whatever. We’ll be back later,” he said. “Can you tell her parents?” I waved at him as he dragged Linley back to where he’d parked his car.
Martha came out to check on me and ask where Linley was.
“She was asleep on her feet so Gray took her home to rest,” I said, making change and handing over another shirt.
“Okay, that’s fine. I’ll finish up what she was working on. Thanks so much for all your help.” Martha kissed me on the cheek and rushed back inside.
In addition to the sales bonanza to boost all the downtown businesses, they’d also added a fireworks show this year on Saturday night.
We finally ran out of everything just past seven, so we were able to close down both the bakery and our booth and all head to watch the fireworks from the back parking lot.
A local band played classics that everyone could sing along to, and the lobster roll truck was there. I was absolutely starving, so I inhaled one, and then got a hot dog for good measure.
Martha and Mitch had set themselves up with lawn chairs and blankets for the whole family, so I sat with them until Linley and Gray made their appearance.
Linley looked much better. And she’d brought someone else with her.
“Look who I found,” she said, and I struggled to say something as I looked up into Alivia’s green eyes. Fortunately, Paige and Esme arrived then, followed by Em and Natalie.
We spread out, commandeering more space.
Esme offered to get everyone drinks, and I put in an order for a cold beer. Alivia asked for the same.
Somehow, in the scramble to get everyone seated, she ended up next to me, her chair squished right up against mine, our legs almost touching.
Instead of her more formal work wear, or what I’d seen her wearing on the trail, she had a pair of ripped jean shorts and a white tank with the logo of the inn on it.
Esme handed our drinks back to us.
“Your parents aren’t here?” I asked. I still hadn’t seen them.
“No, they’re not really firework people. They’re at home.”
