Page 51 of One Chance to Stay
“For?”
“Walter’s wedding?”
Seamus shook his head. His eyes dropped again, and it was as if I watched him retreat inside a cave. “It’s not my thing.” I saw the smile vanish, like it had never been there. Just a man turning back into stone before my eyes. He shrugged before turning away. “I hope you have fun.”
I stood, flabbergasted, as he walked away. Seamus would never be loud and outgoing, but tonight I saw a man having fun. With a simple statement, he reverted to the man who had first invited me in. Civil, but preferring to be a loner at all costs. But I knew better now. He wasn't made of granite. He was just afraid to melt.
It had been Harvey who encouraged me forward. I muttered his words. “Don’t give up on him.” It wasn’t about time invested or wanting to harass him until he cracked another smile.Seamus, in his quiet way, had wiggled his way into my life, and I wasn’t going to leave a friend hurting.
It was time to enlist backup.
NOT DONE CHASING
Patrick: Hey, so we met the other day in Firefly. I need to ask you a favor.
I had ducked out of Valhalla before Evelyn could pepper me with questions. I even made it out of the coffee shop without the barista asking me to verify a wayward rumor. Sipping my coffee, I tried to keep the bitter cold from setting in.
Checking my watch, I still had a few minutes. I crossed the street onto the green and headed toward the library. I couldn’t think of many places in town without prying eyes or curious ears. Even if Tyler overheard, I could swear him to secrecy. The conversation I needed required mustering up the courage to say a lot of things that had been kicking around my noggin.
In the daylight, I could see the preparations for the wedding. It’d be standing room only as the two ascended the stairs of the gazebo to get married. Lining the walkway were dozens of snowmen and colored spheres made from frozen balloons. Firefly had gone all out to celebrate this marriage, though I suspected they’d do it for every person in town.
“What the…”
I found our snowman. I leaned to the side, not sure if it was a trick of the light. Our leaning creation had been straightened. More than that, he now had pebbles in place, making him smile. Two branches had been wedged into its side, looking as if it were doing the wave. I didn’t need to ask how it happened. Atop its head, the snowman wore a bright orange hat complete with ear flaps.
“How are you this amazing?” Saying it out loud made me slouch, as if somebody might be eavesdropping. I wanted to say it out loud. A lot. Tohim. For a man scared of people, he knew exactly how to tug at the heartstrings.
“Two can play that game.”
I turned and rushed to the library. Even as black ice tried to send me on my ass, I made it up the stairs and in the front door. The fireplace might be for show, but seeing the red glow from the fake logs forced a final shiver as I took in the warmth.
Tyler leaned forward at his desk before giving a wave. “At this rate, we’ll need to get you a library card.”
I kicked the snow off my shoes, doing my best not to leave a trail of white to the sitting area. She sat there quietly, waiting, her legs folded and a tall cup of coffee clutched between both palms. I tried not to stare as I took my seat. A gray hat with a neon-pink pompom and flaps coming down over her ear reminded me of her father.
“Hi, Grace.” I kept my voice low, partly because we were in a library, but also because I wanted to keep the conversation between us. “Glad you could make it.”
“I was already packing my bags when you texted.” The confusion must have shown. “Walter’s wedding? Do you think I’d miss the event of the season?”
I held up my cup. “Here’s to the happy couple.” I took a swig, alongswig. I needed a moment to collect my thoughts. Enlisting the help of Seamus’s daughter could go one of two ways. It’deither be endearing that I wanted to know him better, or—the one I worried about—I would be violating his privacy.
“Are you going?”
I snapped back to reality. “I think so? I mean, I have to, right?”
“If you aren’t there, they’ll talk. Though, to be fair, they’ll talk if you’re there. You know how small towns go.”
I nodded. No matter the decision, I’d be thrust into the rumor mill. “What about you?”
She raised an eyebrow. I had missed something obvious. “I’m in the wedding party. Megan is one of my best friends. Audrey has been wonderful for Walter. I couldn’t say no. Finally, a woman who makes him smile as much as Harvey.”
The two elder gentlemen came off like a well-rehearsed comedy act. “It’s an act, right? Ithasto be an act.”
She chuckled. “Walter and Harvey? Oh, that’s as genuine as it gets. Those two have been a permanent fixture in Firefly for decades. Audrey might as well be marrying both of them. I’ll be curious to see if he gets invited on the honeymoon.”
Anywhere else in the world, their relationship would raise an eyebrow or two. There’d be whispers and allegations about what happened behind closed doors. I’m sure they got it from time to time. However, in Firefly, they genuinely cherished these men’s bromance. It spoke volumes to the people who called Firefly home.
“So…” She eased the conversation back to our real purpose.
