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Juniper shrugged. “Probably not,” she said, carefully pouring polished silver stones into the bowl.
Usually, Mikayla would take Juniper’s words at face value but there was something about the way she looked at Mikayla that had her thinking that’s exactly what she believed. Well, that didn’t make sense. What did she mean?
“Anyway, see how he is the next time you see him. Maybe I can talk to him if you think that’d be helpful.”
Relieved, Mikayla nodded. “That could be a really good idea.” Feeling that there wasn’t much more to be said on the subject, she paused for a long moment, carefully considering how to ask another question that was concerning her. “So, have you had all the RSVPs back?” Juniper flicked her a look, shadowed with pain, and Mikayla’s heart sank. “They said no?”
“They said no. My sister as well.”
“Assholes.”
Juniper sighed. “Yeah.” Her family had completely disowned her when she’d told them she was pregnant with her beautiful little boy and that she planned to raise the baby on her own. There had been some talk that maybe her getting married would bring her family around since she would no longer be a single mother. Mikayla had always hated that idea, because she felt very strongly that they didn’t deserve Juniper and her son, Billy, if they couldn’t appreciate and love them just as they were.
Mikayla rubbed her arm in sympathy. “I’m so sorry. It was such a good chance to mend the fences.”
Juniper shrugged. “I guess it’s the final confirmation and I can really move on now. And hey, I can’t really complain, can I? Gorgeous fiancé, beautiful child, great friends. Plus, I live at an artist’s colony. It can’t get much better than that.”
Mikayla smiled at her. “That’s the spirit. So, what is the latest with the colony?”
“We’re nearly ready, just waiting for John and Callum to finalize a few bits and pieces in the first round of accommodation huts, and we’ll be good to go. Should be ready to take in the first group not long after we get back from the honeymoon.”
“So exciting!” She was distracted at that moment by some bustling at the main door and turned to see Leah, her arms full with a big box, trying to push the door open with her foot. She bounced up and rushed over, swinging the door wide to allow Leah to enter. “Hey! What have you got there?”
“Table linen. No, it’s ok, it’s not heavy, just bulky,” Leah said as Mikayla tried to take the box from her. “Hold the door, there’s more coming.”
Mikayla looked through the doorway to see Rafe, William and her brother, Callum, coming across the grass carrying two large candelabra each. She smiled at them as William came through the door, but her smile died as she looked past him to Rafe, who’d stopped in his tracks.
“I didn’t know you’d be here.” He didn’t seem that pleased to see her.
“Well, I am.”
“Thought you were going to your Mum’s.”
“Well, I didn’t.” She gestured with her arm for him to come inside, closing the door after him. Since she felt that dealing with his weirdness was beyond her, she turned away without a further word. She stalked back to the table to sit with Juniper, trying desperately to curb her irritation with him. “Fucking moody bugger,” she mumbled to herself, grabbing the bag of chips and crunching angrily on a corn chip.
“What’s going on?” Leah asked as she took a seat at the table and started sorting through the box of linen.
“Rafe is being a massive weirdo.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I have no idea.”
“Why not just ask him?”
Mikayla watched as Rafe moved about at the other end of the long room while he helped William assemble the bar. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t feel she could just ask him outright what his problem was. He was pissing her off but underlying that was an edge of genuine concern. What if it were something really serious and he just didn’t know how to tell her? She turned away, angling her body so that she couldn’t see him, and gave Leah a shrug.
A few hours later, Mikayla was following Juniper around the room with a box of candles as she put them on the candelabra, when she heard Rafe say goodbye to Callum and William. She watched him walk towards the main entrance, giving her a casual wave before heading out the door. Her temper snapped. He’d practically ignored her the whole time he’d been there. She dropped the box on the floor, saying, “Be right back,” and scurried out the door. “Hey!” She strode across the lawn to Rafe. He was standing by his car, his back turned—still ignoring her! But when she was just a few steps away he turned around. She stopped short. There was something about the expression in his eyes that had her anger dying before it had really begun. A flare of something quickly shuttered. Something big that she was too afraid to explore. So instead, she put her hands in the pockets of her hoodie, eyeing him for a moment before saying, “All set for the game on Saturday?”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, causing her heart to do a slow tumble in her chest. Weird. “Sure. You? It’s the big one for you, a hundred and fifty games for the Blessed Inlet Bombers.”
“Yeah, don’t make a big deal about it.” As the team captain, it was up to Rafe to motivate the players and there was nothing like a teammate’s milestone game to get everyone going.
“You serious?” He tilted his head, his eyes dancing mischievously.
“Nah. It’s a hundred and fifty games, you’d better make a big deal about it!”
He laughed, turning away from her and getting into his car. “See you later.”
