AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It seemed sad that she was always by herself. Maybe it was good for her to hang out with us. Once Linley made the introductions with her parents and Alivia, Martha started talking Alivia’s ear off about the wedding, and her life, and the inn.
That was Martha, though. She was so friendly you didn’t realize you’d spilled your entire life story until after it had happened.
Alivia did answer her, but didn’t give a ton of detail, except when it came to talking about the inn. Apparently, it had been a massive undertaking and they’d gone way over budget.
“Tell me about it. We’re looking at space to renovate and turn into a commercial kitchen, and it’s almost more trouble than it’s worth,” Martha said.
That line of conversation really got Alivia going, and I learned all kinds of things about the inn, and I also got to watch her face as she talked, and when she used her hands to emphasize something.
She was mesmerizing.
As the sun went down, I watched the play of light on the angles of her face.
I couldn’t help myself.
The daylight finally vanished from the sky, and it was time for fireworks.
They weren’t spectacular, but still fine for Castleton. They had been more spectacular for the Fourth of July.
In between marveling at the fireworks, I also kept Alivia in the corner of my eye.
She was lovely, her upturned face bathed in the bursts of colored light, a small smile on her face.
All too soon the fireworks were over, and everyone clapped for the pyrotechnic team out on a barge in the water.
It almost felt like a letdown to fold up the chairs and the blankets and get ready to go home.
I had to be back at the booth for Summer Daze tomorrow morning, and I was ready for bed. I would be so happy when things were over tomorrow. At least I had a whole year to recover before the next one.
We all hugged and departed to head to our cars.
“Where did you park?” I asked Alivia.
“I walked here from the inn,” she said. The temperature had dropped, and I wondered if she was cold.
“Do you want a ride? It’s not super safe to be out walking this late. A lot of people have been drinking,” I said, unlocking my car with the press of a button.
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” she said, shaking her head.
“Come on, get in. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to you,” I said, and then wanted to smash my head against the steering wheel. “I mean, I would feel that way about anyone.” I tried to cover for myself, but the damage was done.
Alivia got in the car.
* * *
The drive to The Honeysuckle Inn was made longer by everyone trying to get home at once, so we were stuck in the parking lot in a line of cars.
“Did you like the fireworks?” I asked by way of making conversation. The radio played softly in the background.
“They weren’t quite the same as the ones in the city on the Fourth, but they were still good. I’ve always loved fireworks.” Interesting. I filed that little fact away in the back of my mind.
“We go all out for the Fourth. And randomly on a Tuesday night because people will set them off for just about anything,” I said with a laugh. “Natalie’s sister had them at her baby shower, and at her wedding. I was shocked she didn’t have them at the hospital while she was giving birth,” I said.
“Her sister’s name is Gretchen, right?” Alivia asked as I was able to inch the car forward a few feet.
This was going to take forever, but I wasn’t upset about it.
“Yeah, and her husband is Wyatt, who’s Paige’s ex,” I said.
