Page 9 of Whisking It All

As Jamie had suspected, Gavin and Baz were already there when he arrived at The Barclay. The boutique hotel just outside of the downtown center of Aster Bay had an expansive lawn and connected to a private section of the beach. That past summer, Jamie had spent a week at The Barclay for his brother’s wedding festivities, and while he’d always loved the beachfront spot, that week had cemented it as one of his favorite places in Aster Bay. It also had the only ballroom in town large enough to even consider hosting the opening dinner for the food and wine festival.

When Jamie had agreed to chair the town’s largest annual festival, he hadn’t realized just how much was involved. It had seemed easy enough—plan a menu, pair it with wine from Ethan’s vineyard, get Gavin to put together some publicity, sell enough tickets that Baz didn’t worry about the finances. But there was so much more to it, venues and vendors and finding enough volunteers and liquor licenses. Thank God his friends were on board to help. He would not be the reason the festival failed, not when the town was counting on the tourism it would bring, and certain members of the merchant’s association were already wary of letting someone who wasn’t originally from Aster Bay take the lead.

“Sorry I’m late,” Jamie said as he climbed out of his car. “Is Ethan here yet?”

“No,” Baz said. “He said to go ahead without him. Something came up, but he’ll come by Lemon and Thyme tomorrow morning.”

Jamie glanced at his phone to confirm what he already knew—he hadn’t missed a call or text from his best friend. “Wonder why he didn’t tell me,” he mumbled.

“Said he has a surprise,” Baz said with a shrug.

Jamie tensed. “I hate surprises. Did you guys hear about Cheryl?”

“Yeah. I hope she’s alright,” Gavin said, brushing his shaggy blonde hair out of his eyes.

“I saw Ricky this morning. He said it’s just a precaution,” Jamie assured his friend.

“Look at you,” Gavin teased, “up on the town gossip like a local.”

Jamie ignored the way his friend’s comment rankled, like an unexpected brush with a nettle bush. Even after twenty-three years in Aster Bay, he still wasn’t considered a local. He knew Gavin hadn’t meant anything by it, but he couldn’t help but feel that familiar twinge of not belonging, the certainty that he would never belong, no matter how many festivals he chaired.

He planted his hands on his hips and surveyed the hotel parking lot, squinting in the late September sun. “Lot’s smaller than I remember,” he said.

“So’s the dining room,” Baz replied.

Jamie sighed. “We’re going to have to make it work. There isn’t anywhere else.”

Baz grunted and disappeared inside the hotel, prattling on about deposits and administration fees.

Jamie began to follow, but Gavin caught his arm. “Hey, rumor has it you went on a date with Trisha White last night.”

Jamie groaned. “Where did you hear that?”

“Mrs. White and my mom are in the same book club. So?” A knowing grin spread across Gavin’s face. Jerk. “She’s cute.”

Jamie scrubbed his hand over his face, his fingertips pressing into his eyes. “She didn’t even know that short ribs are beef.”

Gavin laughed. “Well, it was a date, not an interview, right?”

“It was a disaster.”

Even though it was true that his date with Trisha had been awful, he didn’t regret it. He never would have met Tessa if he hadn’t been on that date. And Tessa was worth meeting.

“I know that look,” Gavin said, pointing at the smile that had slipped across Jamie’s face. “Must not have been that big of a disaster.”

“Oh, it was every bit that big of a disaster. But after—”

“There’s an after?”

“There was this other woman. At the bar. We may have…had a drink.”

Gavin snorted. “Is that a euphemism? Good for you, man. How long has it been since you…had a drink?”

A long time. Since I started talking to Whisky every day. That couldn’t be right, and yet… Damn.

“When are you seeing her again?” Gavin asked.

“I’m not. It was just a one night thing.” His stomach twisted, his body rebelling at the idea that he wouldn’t ever see Tessa again. But it was out of his hands. She’d disappeared the first chance she got. He pursed his lips against the bitterness rising within him.

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