Page 96 of You Were Invited
Julian released her from their hug and smiled. “I’d love that.”
thirty-six
The surprise party for Molly and Peter was postponed for a few weeks, and ultimately turned out to be a fantastic success. With a little extra time to plan, Julian helped Annie brainstorm and refine a few extra details. Family and other friends gathered to help celebrate Molly and Peter, surrounded by fun decorations and some of the best appetizers Julian had had in years– courtesy of Annie.
After the party, while he helped Annie pack her things, Julian took a few days getting to know Annie’s best friends better. He wished that in the years he’d known them in passing that he’d been a more active neighbor.
“Sometimes timing is all it takes,” Peter said a little wink.
With Annie’s belongings loaded into her car and Julian’s truck, they headed to back to Northgold, filled with anticipation for their next chapter.
Julian agonized the following month over what to get Annie for her birthday. He settled on a silver locket with a low-relief projecting a sparrow and flower design. And, digging deep into his well of old and dusty romantic ideas, he also carved a small heart out of wood. He embellished it with “JL + AT.”
“Oh, I love it!” Annie gushed, clutching the little heart to her chest while Kitty sat on the couch beside her.
It felt like it shouldn’t have been a shock to him that she was more excited for his handmade surprise than for the jewelry. For lunch, they went to NWD.
“The usual?” Teagan asked them at their booth.
“Sure,” Julian answered for them. “And throw in a banana cream pie. It’s Annie’s birthday. My treat.”
Teagan laughed under his breath. “Birthday, eh? If I tell Ellie, she’s gonna make me come back and sing.”
“If you tell Ellie, she’ll also comp our entire meal at her own expense. I won’t tell if you don’t tell?”
“Now, now,” Annie said. “What if I wanted to be embarrassed in front of the entire restaurant?”
“Do you really?” Julian grinned and raised an eyebrow.
“Hell no,” Annie laughed.
Their table looked out over the parking lot. A few minutes into their light chit-chat, the tone for Annie’s email buzzed.
“Oh, gotta chime in real quick,” she said, smiling. “The new issue goes to print today.”
Julian nodded. Although he didn’t garden, he enjoyed reading her articles. Her enthusiasm was infectious.
He turned his head to look out at the parking lot again. A white Dial-A-Shuttle pulled up. Most of the elderly gentlemen and ladies in town rode it for their lunch hour. Ellie had already pushed three tables together towards the back of the restaurant in anticipation for their arrival. A few white-haired, hunched figures ambled their way down the bus steps, each step taken carefully as if it were going to be the death of them. They streamed towards the diner.
At the tail end of the group, a younger man stepped off. Retirement age, but not elderly. He was heavier-set with river-silver hair. It looked like he’d slept in his t-shirt and had a slight limp.
Julian frowned to himself.Must be the social-outing babysitter.He wondered for a moment why he’d focused so intently on this one guy, before it hit him like he’d been slapped in the face.
Dad.
The elderly guests shuffled in and sat down like grizzled knights about to celebrate their latest victory. Clive Lincoln lagged behind. The haunting strike of the bell over the door tightened the uneasy feeling in his gut.
This interaction was not prefaced by a letter in his mailbox. Nor an easily dismissable department of corrections inmate call. He glanced across the table at Annie, who sat with her back to the door. He had seconds before she noticed his shift in energy.
Clive found a booth alone on the other side of the restaurant near the other old folks, sitting with his back to Julian and Annie. The room erupted with chatter as Teagan rushed out with an armful of menus. One of the other waitresses followed on his heels with a tray of waters.
Fury raged through Julian’s veins like a wildfire, consuming every rational thought. The man didn't deserve to walk free. Ever. Not after the havoc he’d wreaked.
It had been such a lovely day, too. He’d wanted Annie to have the best day. Now it was ruined.
No, let’s salvage what we can. He will not ruin her birthday.
“You… okay?”
