Chapter 8
Juliet
Autumn Ridge’s Town Hall is smaller than average. It has a few rooms, but only one medium-sized meeting space that serves as a gathering place for laws to be made—as well as a ballroom for special events like tonight’s.
It’s the most boring location in all of town with its white walls, wooden flooring, and plain, off-gold light fixtures. But tonight, the personality-less room has been transformed.
Large floral displays of yellow flowers decorate the center of each of the twenty circular tables crammed into the space, and billowing bouquets of golden balloons line every wall, with even more set loose to float against the ceiling.
The tables have black cloths draped over them, and each of the plain, white chairs have received a glow-up with black and gold ribbons tied to the backs.
Lisa Ellis, my dad’s secretary, has been planning the party for months now and has completely outdone herself.
“It looks incredible in here, Lisa,” I say in awe as Dad and I step into the room together.
“Aw, you’re so sweet. Anything for our mayor.”
Her eyes twinkle as she looks up at him.
“I can’t thank you enough for this, Lisa,” Dad says, revealing just how humbled he is because of her efforts.
It’s no surprise that Lisa has put thought into this. She’s been here for Dad since the beginning of his mayoral duties. I thought they might’ve hit it off romantically, but Dad always said how highly unprofessional a relationship with her would be, so I let it go.
I think Lisa has other plans, though. She’s not discreet about her flirting. Even now, her hand lingers on his arm. Only this time, Dad allows it. Is he finally starting to bend his own rules?
Lisa must have noticed my stares, as she removes her hand to embrace me.
“Of course none of this could’ve been made possible without Juliet here.
” She looks at Dad. “Do you know all that she did while still busy at college? She answered every call, took every question, and quelled every concern I had.”
“Not surprising,” Dad says.
I brush off their praise. Answering questions about food and decoration preferences was the least I could do for my dad after everything he’s done for me.
“I’ve got a few more things to see to,” Lisa says. “Both of you enjoy yourselves, and we’ll catch up soon.”
She bustles away, her short hair—curled and embellished with a diamond clip—unmoving as she leaves. Dad watches her, then faces me. “Shall we?”
I take his arm, and we make the rounds, visiting with the guests who’ve already arrived. After a few minutes, I catch sight of the Walker boys, so I allow Dad space to receive congratulations and birthday wishes alone and make a beeline to my old friends.
“My brothers from another mother!” I say jokingly with arms wide open.
I have to let go of the folds of my red, floor-length gown as I reach toward them, so of course I stumble immediately on the fabric. Tate reaches out first to catch my arm and steady me. He’s six or seven years my senior and the second oldest of the Walker brothers—also the most stoic of them all.
“You alright there?” he asks.
I straighten with a laugh. “Yeah, I’m good.”
I knew this dress was going to be too long to manage tonight, but it’s the only one not wrinkled to high-heaven from being in my suitcases.
“Have you been sampling the punch, Juliet?” Jaxon, the third brother, asks.
Ben, the eldest, leans forward with an amused grin. “I didn’t think you were old enough to drink yet.”
“She’s not,” Luke, the youngest brother, pipes in. “She’s always been too young.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t even try that with me, Luke. I’m older than you.”
He scoffs. “By, like, five days.”
“Five and a half.”
I embrace them all with a quick half-squeeze each, and we catch up on how life has changed for each of us. Talking to them is exactly what I need tonight.
Growing up, when our families would hold backyard barbecues or Dad would drag me along to tailgate parties and high school football games, the Walkers always made it a point to include me.
When Dad was on duty, Ann would paint my nails and Tom would let me watch all the scary shows Dad never allowed me to.
Their sons were just as kind, though all of them were much older than me—aside from Luke.
Ben never complained that a little girl eight years his junior would hesitantly ask to join in their flag football games—though I always sat out with Ann when it led to tackle football.
Tate would always load my plate full of the huge amounts of dessert, and Jaxon let me win whenever we played Mario Kart.
I’m sure I didn’t have as great an impact on them, but during the age where I was desperate for siblings of my own, they provided an irreplaceable friendship, especially Luke.
“So where are your parents?” I ask the brothers, glancing around the room.
“Back there,” Ben replies.
I glance at where he points, finding Tom and Ann standing near the memory wall of Dad’s mayoral life. Near them, a woman with short, blonde hair stands rigid, her arms folded across her chest. Her eyes linger on Tate before her attention falls on me, and I finally recognize her.
“Is that Liv Rawlins?” I ask.
She used to be my babysitter whenever the Walkers were unavailable.
I loved her, even when I got a little too old to be babysat.
She made me feel important as a nine-year-old, teaching me how to apply makeup and listening to me yammer on and on about whatever elementary school drama was happening in my life at the time.
“When did she get back?” I ask.
“A week ago.”
Tate’s tight voice draws my attention, but Liv arrives before I can figure out why he’s responded that way.
Liv pulls me into a warm hug. “I almost didn’t recognize you, Juliet. It’s so good to see you.”
“Yeah, I’ve finally grown.” I laugh. “Although I wouldn’t say no to playing Pretty, Pretty, Princess with you still.”
She laughs, skirting her gaze away from Tate. “Those were the good old days.”
We reminisce a little longer before Tate motions to the tables. “We should probably find our seats, Liv.”
“We’ll catch up soon,” Liv says to me, allowing Tate to lead her away.
I agree, then watch as Tate rests a hand at the small of Liv’s back. Have they started dating? I’ll have to do some recon soon.
Ben joins his parents at the memory wall, though Jaxon lingers, talking to me about his engagement to Landrie Langford, one of my friends from high school.
“I was so excited when I got the announcement,” I say. “Your engagements were beautiful.”
He grins. “All thanks to Landrie.”
“Is she gonna be here tonight?”
“No, she’s busy with wedding prep.” He pretends to wipe sweat off his brow. “Luckily I’m not needed for this round.”
Our conversation carries on a minute more before he’s called away by a group of his friends.
Finally, it’s just me and Luke. He drapes an arm around my shoulders like he did when we were teenagers.
“It’s so good to have you here,” he says with a tight squeeze.
“It brings me back to the good ole days, you know? Look how much we’ve both changed in three years.
You don’t look like you’re twelve anymore. ”
I jab him in his side, and he pulls away with a laugh. “And you don’t look like Ichabod Crane.”
He laughs again. He’s always been tall, but the muscles are a new development I won’t complain about. If only I could be attracted to him like Dad wants me to be. My life and future would be a lot less complicated.
“Speaking of high school,” I say, “you still in contact with Tess?”
His features fall just a degree, but he’s quick to pick them back up again. “Nah. She’s at Vermont State now.”
“So? You don’t reach out to her at all?”
“I haven’t recently.”
“But do you want to?”
He shakes his arms out. “All right, enough with the third degree, Detective Monroe. You’re starting to sound like my dad. And yours. Anyway, what about you? Any new boyfriends at BU?”
“Not anyone serious.”
“That’s right. I bet you’re just breaking hearts left and right instead.”
“More like breaking noses.”
He lifts his brow in approval.
“So why don’t you go to Vermont State?” I ask.
He laughs at my abrupt return to the previous conversation, then raises his hands in retreat. “All right, all right. I’ll talk. I don’t have any interest in going to school. Not even to join Tess. I think I’d just rather stay at the farm and help Dad out.”
“My dad’s been talking about farming when he finally retires. Maybe he’ll come work for you.”
“Oh, that’d be great. You’d join him, right? Aren’t you a package deal?”
“What the heck would I do on a farm? I’m not handy, and my upper body strength is less than ideal.”
Luke shrugs. “You can be the poster child for the Walker Farm. We’ll put your face on our hay and sell millions.”
I blush. Leave it to a Walker boy to give your confidence the boost it needs. “Well, farming does sound nicer than college right about now.”
“You’re not liking it anymore?”
Did I ever like it? “It’s just really time-consuming and stressful.”
“You’re not making a case for it.”
“I bet Tess would make it worth it.”
“Maybe.”
“Ladies and gentlemen?” Lisa’s voice rings out from the microphone at the small stage near the front of the room. “If you can take your seats, dinner will be served soon.”
I make my way with Luke to the head table where Dad’s already seated. There, I greet Ann, Tom, Lisa, Mr. Sharrow—Dad’s advisor—and a few others who work for his office.
“Luke,” Dad greets. “There’s one more spot next to Juliet. We’d love to have you join us.”
Luke and I share a knowing look. Dad has never been inconspicuous about trying to set us up.
Still, I’m not mad about Luke sitting next to me. He’ll make for more interesting conversation than the office workers will provide.
Mr. Sharrow speaks from the stage before dinner begins, welcoming everyone to the party and praising Dad for his work and service over the years, then we settle into our seats and dinner is served.
As we eat filet mignon, steamed asparagus, and garlic mashed potatoes, my attention is mostly taken by Luke talking about the latest happenings in Autumn Ridge, but a lull in the conversation occurs, and I catch Dad’s eyes centered across the room, unmoving.
I follow his gaze, shifting back and forth before Archer appears in plain view, and my stomach dips.