Chapter Six
CHAPTER SIX
Lanie
T he Silver Hearth Tavern was a welcome retreat from the crisp spring air as I pushed open its heavy oak door. The warmth inside, laced with wood smoke, wrapped around me, easing the tension I’d built dashing to meet my friends.
The tavern’s eclectic charm was exactly why I’d chosen it—mismatched furniture, local art adorning the walls, and a grand stone fireplace crackling with tall flames. A favorite among visitors to Portsmouth, it had a cozy, lived-in feel that made it easy to sink into.
I spotted Julian and Eliza immediately, tucked into a corner by the fire, their heads bent close in conversation on a deep green couch.
Eliza’s auburn hair, swept into a loose, elegant bun, gleamed in the firelight. She wore a cream blouse beneath a dark, tailored jacket, paired with a flowing skirt that brushed just below her knees. Julian, always effortlessly stylish, had on a crisp button-up with his sleeves rolled up and well-fitted slacks. They had the kind of effortless style that fit just as well at an art exhibition as it might in a quiet café, reading poetry. Their style was classic, refined, and effortlessly artsy.
I glanced down at my own outfit—worn jeans and an oversized sweater, soft and practical, like the rest of my wardrobe. My work required it. Piano moving wasn’t exactly the kind of job that lent itself to delicate fabrics. The tavern’s relaxed atmosphere kept me from feeling out of place, but next to my friends, I was decidedly underdressed.
I hurried over, shrugging off my jacket as I went. “I’m so sorry I’m late,” I said, breathless. “The move took longer than expected.”
Eliza rose to greet me, pulling me into a hug that warmed me straight to my core. “You’re here now. That’s what matters.”
“Good to see you,” Julian added, standing to wrap me in a solid, grounding hug.
It was nice not to be met with skepticism over my job. I’d lost count of how many times I had to explain that a basic understanding of physics and fulcrums was more important than big muscles or height. At five foot four, I was proof of that. But Julian and Eliza had seen me work my magic over the years. They’d even helped with a few moves back in Maplebridge.
As we settled into our seats, Julian poured me a glass of wine from the bottle they’d already ordered. Eliza’s expression softened with concern. “How are you, Lanie? The last time we saw you was... well, at your grandfather’s funeral.”
My chest tightened, my smile wavering. My mother had insisted on holding the funeral in Portsmouth instead of Maplebridge. Her reasoning was practical: the urn didn’t require a burial plot, so the location didn’t matter.
But it had mattered.
So few people came—mostly because many didn’t even know about it. Even Mark, someone I had thought would be there, only sent flowers and an apology. His father was in the ICU after a fall, and he couldn’t leave his mother. I understood. There were many who couldn’t make it.
My grandfather had been born and raised in Maplebridge. People loved him. But he had moved away with us nearly a decade ago, and had dedicated his time and energy to helping my mother and me build a new life in Portsmouth. Nothing had mattered to him more than our happiness. Priorities change. His. Ours. The people we’d once been so close to.
I would always ache for my grandfather’s absence, but what lingered was the knowledge that his funeral had been small—when I knew it would have been overflowing had we held it in Maplebridge. It wasn’t something I could talk to my mother about. She believed funerals were for the living—for us. What she didn’t understand, and what I couldn’t explain without upsetting her, was that I still loved so many people in the small town she had so eagerly moved us away from.
“I’m okay,” I said finally, my voice quiet.
“How’s your mother doing?” Eliza asked.
“Better. She has a lot of friends here, and they’ve been wonderful.”
“How about you?”
I forced a smile. “It was hard.”
They both nodded in understanding. Julian’s expression softened with concern. “We can stay longer than the weekend if you’d like.”
Eliza’s eyes turned misty as she took Julian’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “We’re here for you, Lanie. Always.”
I nearly burst into tears but swallowed them back. “I know—and I love you both for it.”
Eliza’s brows knitted slightly. “It’s okay not to be okay, Lanie.”
I hesitated, my gaze drifting to the fire. “I don’t hate it here. It’s been good for the business, but... My grandfather left Mom some insurance money, enough for her to be okay on her own. For the first time, she doesn’t need me.” I sniffed. “And then there’s the business—he left that to me.
Julian leaned forward, his voice gentle. “That makes sense. But aren’t you the business?”
I let out a soft laugh—sometimes, that’s all you can do when something is painfully true. “Yeah, essentially. Mom takes some of the tuning jobs, but her heart’s never really been in it.”
“Dreams evolve,” Eliza said, her expression brightening with a wistful smile. “Life doesn’t always turn out the way we imagined, but that doesn’t make it any less wonderful. I love teaching violin almost as much as I love playing it.”
Julian brought her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “The path my life took—making instruments instead of performing—was unexpected too. But I wouldn’t trade it. I love the freedom it’s given me.”
The moment was warm and intimate, and I felt the familiar glow of belonging. Maybe it was because, years ago, we had vowed we were family—by choice, if not by blood. I was the one Eliza first confided in about her crush on Julian. The one she trusted when she started to suspect, years later, that Julian might feel the same way.
Now, sitting across from them, watching how effortlessly they fit together, I felt so proud of both of them. Their love had grown into something deep and enduring, and I was lucky enough to witness it from the very start.
Eliza broke the moment, turning back to me with a soft but probing look. “What about you, Lanie? When you said your mom doesn’t need you... did you mean you’re thinking about leaving Portsmouth?”
My breath hitched, and the question hung heavily in the air. Before I could attempt an answer, a loud burst of laughter erupted from a nearby table, giving me an excuse to look away. I didn’t have an answer to Eliza’s question—but it was one I’d been asking myself more and more lately.
The conversation soon shifted to lighter topics, like the quality of the food that began arriving at the table. They had ordered for me, and—just like the good friends they were—they had ordered well. The rest of the meal passed in a blur of delicious food and laughter.
When the plates were cleared and the wine glasses refilled, Eliza exchanged a giddy glance with Julian. Practically bouncing in her seat, she said, “We have news we wanted to share in person—and a question for you.”
“What is it?” I asked, already half-knowing the answer from the look on her face.
Julian moved his hand from atop hers, and Eliza flashed a stunning blue diamond engagement ring at me. “You’re the first person we’ve told. We finally did it. We’re engaged.”
I grinned so wide my cheeks ached. “About time! Congratulations!”
They had moved in together right after high school, helped each other afford college, and had recently bought a house together in Maplebridge.
Julian dipped his head, humble and content. “We wanted to wait until we could afford a nice wedding, but we also want to start a family before we turn thirty, so...”
I reached out and took both of their hands. “I am so happy for you. You deserve an amazing wedding. And you’re going to be the most incredible parents.”
The way they both blushed and squeezed my hands in unison nearly brought me to tears.
Eliza leaned closer, her voice softer now. “We want you to be our maid of honor—if it’s not too much for you.”
“Too much?” I beamed as I released their hands. “I’m glad you didn’t pick someone else, because I would’ve had to plot that bitch’s demise.”
They both laughed before Eliza exchanged a look with Julian. “We never doubted you’d say yes, but I want to make sure you’re okay with coming back to Maplebridge as often as you’ll need to. I’ll need help planning, and I’d love for you to be with me for everything—from choosing the dress to sampling menus. I want to savor every step of this, and having you by my side would make it even more special.”
I could have lied and said going back would be easy, but they both knew why I hadn’t returned over the years. “For a long time, it would have made me sad to visit Maplebridge. I felt trapped here in Portsmouth. But now? Now I feel free enough to be curious about it again. I’d like to know if it’s still the way I remember.”
I paused, wondering if I had romanticized it into something more than it ever was. Maybe it was time to find out.
“My schedule is flexible as long as I have enough notice.”
Eliza clapped her hands together, visibly relieved. “You have no idea how much this means to us.”
“I do—because my heart is about to burst with how happy I am.” I let out a breath, sinking deeper into the plush cushions of my seat. “I’m grateful for our friendship and... inspired to seek out something for myself that feels as right as seeing the two of you together.”
I raised my glass. “To family—the one we choose and the one you’ll enrich with new members.”
“To two little ones, I think,” Julian said, raising his glass.
“Or more,” Eliza added, clinking hers against his, then mine. “We’ll see how easy or difficult bringing them into existence is and play it by ear.”
My heart thudded—both with happiness and something else I didn’t want to give life to. They deserved every bit of this.
A tiny part of me wanted the same.
Eliza and I used to dream about having families of our own one day. We’d joked about living close enough to start each morning with a shared coffee while our children played at our feet. That dream had faded over time, as many of my ties to Maplebridge had.
But maybe dreams didn’t disappear. Maybe they just changed shape.
Regardless of where I ended up, I’d make sure their children knew me. I’d be part of their lives—because I would make it happen.
After dinner, we wandered through the Old Harbor District, the evening air crisp but softened by our camaraderie. The streets were quiet, the shops long closed, but the glow of string lights cast a timeless charm over the cobblestone paths. It wasn’t hard to see why my mother loved this place.
I wished I felt the same.
Walking arm in arm with Eliza while she held Julian’s hand should have made me feel like a third wheel—but our bond was too strong for that. God, I’d missed them.
Just before we reached their hotel, Eliza turned to me. “Julian wants to ask Mark to be his best man. Will you be okay with that?”
Her words temporarily knocked the wind out of me. “Of course,” I said, though my voice came out husky, even as uncertainty curled in my stomach. I didn’t know how I’d feel seeing him again—or how he’d feel seeing me.
Eliza hugged me with excitement. “I’m so glad. The four of us together again. Just like old times.”
“Yeah . . .”