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Two months later…
When I stepped off the plane a couple months ago, I was relaxed, as if I had just been massaged from head to toe. That’s not the case anymore. I came home to a stack of bills that need to be paid. I haven’t fallen behind yet, but tourist season was down for me compared to prior years.
I push away all those pressures, walking into the auction Clara is having to raise funds for the library extension. Even with business being slow, I donated an item because that’s what you do in a small town.
My stepbrother, Xavier, is already seated, his body tense and stiff. I take the seat next to him and he glances in my direction. We joke around about the grandmas in the front row before Clara bangs the gavel for everyone to quiet.
Clara auctions off what I think are all the items, and I’m about to get out of my seat when she continues. “For our next item, we’ve been donated something extremely unique and special. To explain each item in better detail than I could, let me bring up the talented man responsible.”
“Shut up,” I murmur.
“What?” Xavier asks.
“Everyone, this is Noah,” Clara says.
“As in our nephew?” Xavier laughs, but I’m flabbergasted.
My eyes follow Noah’s journey up the narrow path of plastic chairs. He’s dressed in dark clothes with his hair pulled back again.
“Who’s he?” Xavier asks.
“Midge’s grandson.”
“And we like Midge’s grandson?”
I turn to hide my blush.
“Do we like Midge’s grandson?”
“Shut up, Xavier. We don’t. He’s just… he just spends some time at the inn on occasion.”
“Okay.” Xavier says nothing else, but I know what he’s thinking.
Noah goes up to the podium and I realize how petite Clara looks next to him. I wonder what the two of us look like to everyone when we’re next to each other. Lord knows I’m a lot curvier than Clara.
Noah picks up a framed photo and places it on an easel. “This is a picture of a moose lying down with the mountains behind it.”
He explains where he took the shot and how hard it was to capture. And that’s not all he’s got. For the next fifteen minutes, Clara auctions off framed art of a bald eagle with its wings spread, flying in the air; a bear and her cub fishing for salmon in a river; wolf packs; and sea lions. All while Noah explains where and how he got each shot.
“The man is talented,” Xavier mumbles.
“Yeah, he is.”
“I wonder if he’s as talented in other areas.” Xavier waggles his eyebrows, and I elbow him in the ribs.
The pictures go for what I’m sure is less than Noah is used to getting, but what is still a huge amount of money for the people in this town.
Clara heads back up to the podium. “Okay, that’s all for tonight. I can’t thank—”
“Nope. I have my own donation.” My grandma stands.
Xavier and I share a look because this can’t be good. I don’t know exactly what this is, but I know it’s not good—for someone.
“Oh, Ethel, I didn’t know. I’m sorry. What is it?” Clara says, always the polite one.
Grandma looks around the room until her gaze stays on Xavier.
“Shit,” he says under his breath.
