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Honor turned her head toward the entrance. Joshua had just walked in with Theo. He was holding Violet in a baby carrier. She dragged her gaze away from the sight of him.
“That’s him,” she said in a cool voice to Grace.
“I saw him at the memorial for Bud. Quite a me
morable face,” Grace said, her lips tilted upward into a smile.
“He was always handsome,” Ruby added. “It used to get him out of a lot of scrapes when he was younger.”
“Not enough though,” Honor said, remembering all of Joshua’s brushes with the law.
“He has a kind vibe,” Grace noted. “And that baby is adorable.”
“I’m surprised they showed up here, although Hazel has made it quite clear she’s crazy about those Ransom brothers,” Ruby added.
“Let’s not stare at him,” Honor said, feeling a bit flushed. “He’ll think we’re talking about him.”
“But we are,” Ruby teased, her brown eyes full of mischief.
Honor watched with interest as the Ransom brothers navigated their way around the party. Honor would have guessed that Joshua would rather eat glass than show up at a birthday celebration at her brother’s establishment. Perhaps Hazel herself had been the inducement. There wasn’t a single soul in town who didn’t adore Hazel. And she had helped Theo and Joshua host Bud’s reception. Clearly, she was a fan.
She caught his eye from across the café. He waved in her direction. She nodded back. In his dark shirt and a nice-fitting pair of faded jeans, he made an eye-catching figure. Her palms began to moisten. Honor reminded herself to breathe deeply in and out. Inhale. Exhale. Why did the sight of Joshua rattle her so badly?
“I—I should go check on the cake,” she muttered before turning on her heel and heading toward the kitchen. She let out a deep breath as soon as she was away from the main area of the café.
It was fairly pathetic that she was hiding out in the kitchen rather than socializing with everyone. Leave it to Hazel to have invited the Ransom brothers to her birthday party. Her kindness was legendary, and she’d always harbored a soft spot for Joshua. Back in the day it had been sort of sweet. Now it was an annoyance.
“Everything okay in here?” Hazel barked as she entered the kitchen.
Honor turned her back to Hazel as she pretended to wash her hands. Without turning around, she answered, “I’m fine. Just washing up.”
“I was worried about you. You disappeared as soon as Joshua arrived. I can’t help but think you’re running away from something. Old feelings, perhaps?”
Honor turned around and faced Hazel. “It’s just a coincidence, Hazel. You’re being a bit fanciful, don’t you think?”
“Believe it or not, I know a little something about love,” Hazel said. “After all, I pined after Jasper for years when he barely knew I was alive.”
“That’s your story, not mine. I’m not pining for Joshua,” she protested. “He’s an ex. We’re trying to be civil with one another considering we’re at odds regarding the Diamond R. There’s nothing more going on between us.”
“Maybe not, but ever since Joshua’s come back, there’s been something different about you. It’s as if you’re lit up from the inside. You radiate a certain type of energy now that wasn’t there before.” She squinted at Honor. “Reminds me of how you looked when you first fell in love with Joshua. Your cheeks were always pink and you had stars in your eyes.” Hazel leaned in and peered into her eyes. She nodded and let out a sound of satisfaction.
“Yep. I knew it,” she said, clapping her hands together.
Honor shook her head, words of denial dancing on her tongue. What was Hazel talking about? She was being absolutely ridiculous.
“Hazel!” she said in a sharp voice. “Just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean you can just spout such nonsense.”
Hazel looked at her knowingly. “You don’t need to say another word. Some things are as plain as the nose on your face.”
There was no point in arguing with Hazel. She always liked to get the last word on any given subject. And her middle name was matchmaker. According to Hazel, she had paired up more people in town than Operation Love.
“I’m going back to the party,” Honor said. “You should, too. After all, it isn’t every day you turn...thirty-five.”
Hazel burst out laughing. “Bless you, Honor. A girl after my own heart. I’ll catch up to you later on.”
As soon as Honor walked back in the room, she spotted Joshua standing with Grace and Paige, who were each holding her nieces in their arms. It seemed as if they were introducing Violet to their girls. Even from this distance, Honor could see it was achingly sweet. She felt a little hitch in her heart. If her own child had lived, he or she might be standing alongside his or her cousins. Her chest tightened as she watched from a distance.
She stood there for a moment, unsure of whether to join the group or walk off to another area. Hazel’s comments were still ringing in her ear. Paige saved her from having to make that decision for herself.
