Page 86 of Manors & Mischief

“I’m tired.”

I can see I’m testing his patience. As good of a friend as he is and always will be doesn’t mean he still wants to put up with my shit.

I find a table near the cider and sit, inwardly cursing my stupid leg. The fact that I’m tired is true, but I’m also hoping that sitting will give me a sort of camouflage from the rest of the farmer’s market goers.

“I’ll get us some cider.”

I nod appreciatively, then actually tell him thank you. As soon as he leaves, though, I go back into my hell of a brain. I study the area around me, telling myself that I’m not looking for Ember, but I know I’m lying. I crane my neck to look around groups and don’t spot her anywhere. I guess that’s good. I’m sure if we ran into each other it wouldn’t be welcome to either of us right now.

Hopefully, in the future, we can meet indifferently. What we had would just be a blip on the timeline. Friends would be stretching it but it’s not beyond the possibility because I have absolutely no ill will toward her, but that doesn’t mean she can say the same. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out she felt the exact opposite.

Mrs. Morris stops by, squeezing my shoulder. “I really wanted to see all the work you put into Sleepy Hollow yesterday. I was sad when it was shut down.” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “I swear those Nicholses say they only want good things for Harvest Falls while secretly trying to upheave why we all love it here. Give Ember my love.”

I thank her and agree to do as she asked even though I’m quite sure Ember wouldn’t want me approaching her right now.

I hope she put in the new proposal. Or talked with Mom. Or dug up some dirt on Nichols so we—I mean, she—can put him on blast. I hope she’s not just sitting back stewing about me and letting all of this fall by the wayside.

Mom always says how stubborn I am, and sometimes, it’s a curse. I wish I could just call up and ask my mom right now if she spoke with Ember. I even pull out my phone, but think better of it and put it on the table. Instead, I peer around again, simultaneously looking for Ember and my mom.

If my mom sees me here, no doubt she’ll be surprised. At least I can make someone else happy today.

“Devon Richard Lachey. I could smack you upside the head.”

I freeze, knowing the voice is Bea’s. I peer up to find both Bea and Trav staring down at me with frowns. Bea has her hands crossed over her chest.

I understand this look. She’s spoken to Ember. I resist the urge to ask about her. This was the plan.

“I can’t believe you didn’t say anything to me,” Trav states.

I shrug because there’s really no answer to make. I certainly didn’t feel like talking about it and I knew something like this would happen.

“I’m doing fine. Thank you for asking,” I bite out instead.

“Oh, good. Yes. Which leg is it because I might just ruin the other for being a jerk.”

I blink at Bea. She is beyond furious, but I can tell underneath it all, there’s concern and a lot of it. “You might as well,” I counter.

“Alright, alright. Let’s talk without blaming.”

Trav has always been like this. I think it’s because he’s a middle child, he likes to be the mediator in everything, and he absolutely despises when people around him fight. It’s what makes him such a good pub owner. I can’t think of anyone who has ever fought there.

“Did she write the proposal?”

“Ask her,” Trav and Bea say at the same time.

“Oh, come on,” I mutter. “I don’t think she wants to hear anything from me. I’m just worried about the manor.”

“Let’s just say she’s doing as well as she can since her partner abandoned her.”

“I wasn’t her partner.”

Bea laughs. The sound comes out so maniacal that I’m surprised. “You know you were.”

“I agree with the sentiment,” Trav says while he talks Bea down, “but let’s try to understand one another.”

“You know you were great together,” Bea says, her voice softening. “The two of you ran that manor together. It’s been a long time since it was Ember’s house and you were just the contractor. You two ran it together.”

It certainly felt like that. Everything had been clicking into place. If it weren’t for this stupid leg. “I don’t need to be a distraction to her.”