Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
On a whim, Ant and Lou joined Xavier and May at Harvest Fest. Having lived in the Cove her entire life, May had been to the festival a few times, so she was accustomed to the decorations being more childlike and approachable than scary movie/ haunted house.
The setup at the Anderson home across from Library Park had been the same every year, right down to the skeleton in the yard wearing a pink dress.
That gem had been courtesy of the former librarian, Mrs. Anderson.
She’d passed away last year, but it appeared her husband, Tom, was keeping with tradition.
May sipped her warm apple cider, grateful that another week hadn’t brought worsening morning sickness symptoms. She’d experienced a bit of nausea but nothing major. It had subsided after her morning tea at work, and for that she was eternally grateful.
Xavier held her hand as they weaved around stacked haybales, bundled corn stalks, and various autumnal decorations. Ant and Lou trailed behind them. Cool wind curled around them, bringing with it the smell of fall.
She’d been reconsidering her stance on not wanting summer to go. Likely because Xavier was adamant that fall was the best time of year and had argued its merit on multiple occasions.
“Everything dies in the fall,” May argued back. “What’s so great about it?”
“Fall is the literal best. Bonfires, crunchy leaves, a bite in the air.”
“No more short skirts. Goodbye, boat season,” she countered.
“Hmm. I do like you in short skirts.” He narrowed one eye. “But I also like you in boots.”
“I’m losing an argument because you like me to wear boots?” she asked with a smile.
“Are we having our first real argument?”
It hadn’t been an argument, not really. He’d amended that he did enjoy her bare legs more than boots, and she’d come his way by admitting she loved s’mores. Then they’d laughed, which had led to kissing, which had led to sex.
They definitely had a pattern.
In his bed that night, they’d tucked their arms beneath their pillows, faced each other, and talked about anything other than having a baby come next summer. It was like they’d silently agreed to live in denial—an odd comfort zone, but one that was working.
That was the only night she’d seen him last week. He’d been busy with Salty Dog and working on the app for Jewell. It’d been a nice surprise when he’d called last night to ask her to come with him to Harvest Fest.
Ant and Xavier split off and headed for the beer cart parked near the stage.
Rumors were flying that Asher Knight would not perform tonight, despite the posters promising otherwise.
She’d seen Asher perform here twice. If he didn’t show, it would be a bummer.
The man knew how to draw a crowd. As infatuated with Xavier as she was, she wasn’t impervious to the rock star’s sex appeal.
May and Lou perused booths selling fall decorations and other arts and crafts for anything worth buying.
Lou lifted a jarred candle to her nose and took a whiff. “Yum. This one is called Witch’s Brew. Do you want to smell?”
An almost cloying sweetness wafted off the unlit candle and attacked May’s nasal cavity. She immediately pressed her fingers to her lips and shook her head.
“Sorry! The pregnancy nausea, I forgot.” Lou quickly capped the candle.
“I’m not repulsed.” May swallowed thickly. “But whatever is in Witch’s Brew isn’t agreeing with my funnel cake.”
“Understood.” Lou returned the candle to its display. “Are mornings still rough?”
“Not terrible, but I’ve been taking things very slowly after I wake up. Once I’m at my desk, I’m good. Although there was a touch-and-go moment at Xavier’s the other night. All he did was say the word cheeseburger and I almost barfed.”
“You poor thing!” Lou said through a giggle.
“We ate chicken tenders instead.”
“And what happened after that?” Lou waggled her eyebrows. “Like I couldn’t guess.”
“Oh, you could guess. I could guess.” May rolled her eyes. “Everyone could guess.”
“It’s what got you into this mess,” Lou whispered as she wrapped an arm around May’s. “Which is so not a mess.”
“I know you love it.” May was grateful for the support from her friends. Everyone had been amazing about offering an ear to bend or a shoulder to cry on.
A tall, slender woman approached and raised her arm in a delicate wave.
“Hazel!” Lou released May to give the other woman a hug. “How are you?”
The redhead had a bright smile, a thin build, and freckles sprinkled over her nose and cheeks.
“Hazel is Mrs. Anderson’s granddaughter,” Lou told May. “She’s running the library now.”
“It’s in my blood.” Hazel shrugged.
“Hazel is also responsible for buying the books that are stocked in the library.” Lou nodded meaningfully. “So we are basically best friends.”
“I couldn’t contain my excitement when she told me the news.” Hazel laughed. “I actually shrieked. In the library! Grandma would have never.”
“I don’t know about that,” May said. “I bet Mrs. Anderson had a hidden wild side when she was your age.”
“What a thought,” Lou said. “You should have Tom dig up her old journals and photos. Do some sleuthing.”
“That’s a good idea.” Hazel’s lips trembled a little. “I miss her.”
“She was a staple in the Cove,” May said. “We all miss her.”
“Thank you.” Hazel dipped her chin.
“I keep telling her she should write a book,” Lou told May while giving Hazel’s arm a shake. “She has a million stories that would be perfect for print.”
A blush stole over Hazel’s cheeks. “I’ve always wanted to write a book, but so far I’ve sufficed by surrounding myself with them.” Then to Lou she said, “Anyway. Are you going to be around? I’m going to help my grandfather with the ‘haunted’ house.”
“Good idea. I was thinking the skeleton could use more tulle.” Lou pointed at the pink frock. “And yes, we’ll be around.”
“Nice to see you both.” Hazel waved and then practically skipped off.
“She’s like a fairy,” May said.
“Adorable, right?”
They wandered over to a booth that sold jewelry next. May was admiring a crystal on a chain when Lou decided to share a surprising tidbit of news.
“Ant tells me Xavier asked him to design a crib.”
“A crib?” The crystal dangling in her hand began to sway. She stilled it with her other hand in case it was trying to tell her something.
“I’m guessing Xavier didn’t mention it?”
No, Xavier definitely had not mentioned a crib. Or a nursery, or anything remotely resembling furniture…for a baby or otherwise.
“He told me there was no reason to make plans yet,” May said. She’d abided by that rule. She was shocked to learn that he’d made one very big plan without her input.
“Maybe he wants to surprise you,” Lou said.
“I don’t like surprises.” May carefully hung the necklace back on the hook and walked away.
Lou doubled her pace to keep up. “I didn’t mean to panic you. I’m not sure he was serious. Griffin was talking about desks, and Brady was talking about wanting chairs for his dock. That could’ve been Xavier’s way of bringing up the pregnancy without saying the word.”
“Lisa thinks I have been replaced with an alien who doesn’t worry or overthink.”
Lou laughed but May didn’t.
“To be honest, I’m beginning to question my own identity.”
Lou tilted her head thoughtfully. “You seem like May to me. Granted, Lisa has known you for longer. Maybe she’s comparing this May to the May she used to know.” She shrugged. “We all experience times when we don’t feel like ourselves. It’s usually right before we shift into someone new.”
As they walked past a few more booths, May considered what Lou said. Lourdes Daniels had shifted from a woman keeping Ant at arm’s length to a woman wearing his engagement ring. That shift had been beautiful to observe.
“So, I’m metamorphosing,” May said. “I’m a caterpillar in the goo stage, rebuilding my entire body. After that, I’ll build wings.”
“Yes, exactly. Except for the goo part.” Lou wrinkled her nose.
But May wasn’t through having a revelation. “Receiving that wedding invitation shook me to my core.”
“That would have shaken anyone,” Lou said. “We’re not supposed to keep running into our exes after we leave them. At the prospect of attending an event with their ex’s entire family, who wouldn’t have been shaken?”
May nodded, a lump in her throat forming. “I didn’t expect to have a baby and also be alone.”
“You’re not alone.” Lou’s voice was firm. “I’m not going anywhere. Ant would take a bullet for you. Elliott, Brady, Lisa. Xavier asked Ant to build him a crib. That doesn’t sound like he’s running scared.”
“If he was serious.”
“If,” Lou repeated.
Xavier watched a group of guys race around the stage to set up for Knight Time.
One was testing the guitars, the other setting up the drums. Yet another was running back and forth, looking as if he had no clue what to do next.
It had been confirmed that the band would take the stage next, Asher Knight included.
The Cove could breathe easier now. They were in for a good show.
Ant approached and handed Xavier a plastic cup filled with beer. “I was wondering something.”
“What’s that?”
“Were you serious about the crib?”
Xavier took a long drink before he answered.
“I have a tight schedule this fall. Friends are priority. You’re my friend. If you were serious, you’re priority.”
“Thanks for spelling that out for me.”
Ant watched him, stone-faced.
“Yes.” Xavier clapped a palm on Ant’s shoulder. “I was serious about the crib.”
“What are you going to do with it?”
“I plan on putting a baby in it.”
Ant chuckled before taking a drink of his own beer. They stood in silence and watched the roadies finish setting up. After about five minutes had passed, he spoke again.
“What I meant was where are you planning on putting the crib? Are you going to have a nursery at your house? Or is this a gift for May? Or are you two planning on cohabitating at some point?”
“Jesus. Third degree.”
“Let me guess, you haven’t thought that far ahead?”