Chapter 25 – Brinley
brINLEY
“ H ey, uh, Brinley?”
I look up from the beans I’m grinding. “What?”
Trevor recoils, and I realize I’ve just snapped at him. Shit.
“Sorry, Trevor, I didn’t mean to yell. My mind was just on other stuff. What’s up?”
“It’s 2:30, and you still haven’t taken a lunch break,” he says, looking down at the floor. “I’m leaving in half an hour, so I thought maybe you…should?”
“Oh. Right.” I shoot him the biggest smile I can. “That would be great. Thanks for asking, Trevor.”
His cheeks turn pink and he ducks his head. “No problem. Happy to help.”
I pat him on the shoulder. Even though Trevor’s crush on me can be a little annoying to ignore, he really is a sweet guy.
Grabbing a ham and cheese croissant, I head back to my office to eat.
Normally, I’m ready for lunch at noon on the dot.
All the anxiety of the Peppermint situation and my nonanswer to I love you has shut down my appetite, leaving me more numb than anything.
Still, I force myself to take a bite of the croissant, which tastes like wet cardboard. It’s not the croissant’s fault. Breakfast tasted weird, too. It’s like my body is rejecting anything other than anxious thoughts.
Taking another bite, I open the group chat with the girls.
Pippa
Okay team, we really need to lock down dates for the baby showers.
Maura, you’re due first so you party first.
Maura
I don’t really need anything big.
Pippa
Tough. We’re throwing you a big crazy party because we love you and we can!
Maura
*long sigh* Well, I’m due in January so, like, six weeks before that?
Cat
Should work for me, but I have to check dates with Nate.
Pippa
Do you want to invite the men?
Cat
Hmm, I’m not sure. There are pros and cons.
Pippa
Pro—Beau will cook. Con—everyone else will just cause chaos. James and Nate will produce a stormy grump cloud, Ryan will make everyone do that game where you sniff diapers and guess the scent, and Luke will figure out how to get everyone to play Twister.
Maura
Sounds like you’re leaning toward not inviting the men.
Pippa
I’ll do whatever the future mommies want. I’m just saying, it’s going to be a way more chaotic party planning process.
Cat
If it’s too much, Pippa, you really don’t need to do it.
Pippa
Shush, you know you’ll love it when I get you little pink and blue macarons. Because obviously, we’re doing a Paris theme. Bonjour bébé!!
Maura
Yes, with little Eiffel Towers in the center of the tables!
Pippa
And Eiffel Tower cupcakes.
And a photo booth with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
Maura
Just pointing out that Paris has other things than the Eiffel Tower in it.
Pippa
I know, but it’s harder to put the whole Louvre on a cupcake.
Cat
Really, though, I don’t want a fuss.
I roll my eyes. Cat was sold on a big party the second Pippa said “Paris.” There’s nothing Cat loves more than a reason to gather all her friends together and make them eat cake.
Pippa
And for Maura, is it cliché if we do an art-themed shower?
Maura
Not at all!
Pippa
Great, because I already found these great little paint palette cookies on Pinterest.
Cat
Oooo can we do a station where we crush stones to make pigments like Maura? I’ve always wanted to smash rocks with a hammer like you do.
Maura
Absolutely. Brinley has been my unofficial stone-smashing assistant for years, so I’m volunteering her to run the smashing station.
I can’t help but smile at that. I’ve been a champion of Maura’s painting since I met her, and it’s an honor to be even in the footnotes of her work.
Not that it will matter much to her when she finds out I’m Peppermint.
I force myself to type a lighthearted reply instead.
Brinley
I’d be honored. Can I pretend to smash your Greek porphyry and make James have a coronary?
Maura
Sorry, but no. He might actually have a literal coronary.
Brinley
Fair enough.
Pippa
I think we need to have a sip and paint, maybe with little bottles? Is that too crazy? And a canvas where people can paint little pictures or messages for the baby!
Maura
As much as I love your ideas, how are you going to plan two giant parties on your own, Pippa?
Pippa
I’ll figure it out. Nothing a few sleepless nights can’t fix.
Suddenly, an idea hits me, and I feel stupid for not coming up with it earlier.
Brinley
Just an idea, what if you hired Eden? She’s an event planner—this is literally what she does, and she’s looking for work in Toronto.
Pippa
YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!
I’m DMing her RIGHT NOW. If she can make it so I don’t have to look at a single spreadsheet, I’ll be over the moon.
Brinley
Don’t worry, Eden’s a whiz with a spreadsheet.
Cat
This is perfect! She can use photos from the parties for her portfolio. She told me that clients really wanted to see events in Toronto, to prove she knows the vendors.
Maura
Could you have Eden send me her portfolio? I can give it to the Whitmer Gallery. They host events all the time, and I bet they could use her.
Brinley
100%!! She’s coming by for an afternoon shift soon, I’ll ask her then.
Selfishly, this is perfect for me because it gives Eden a real reason to stay in Toronto.
Pippa
Well, we’re all being selfish then because Eden’s really cool and I also vote that she never leaves.
Maura
Seconded!
Cat
We should do a group dinner with Eden and come up with ideas.
Pippa
Or a sleepover! We’ll kick Ryan out of the apartment, do face masks, eat ice cream, plan parties, and be menaces.
Cat
Sounds like a plan.
I send a thumbs up. I’m thrilled to see the girls rallying behind Eden.
Even though she made a great first impression, I know why they’re really helping her—because she’s my friend.
Cat, Pippa, and Maura have been unflinchingly supportive of me in every way, but that’s all about to crumble away.
Once they find out that I’m Peppermint, it will unleash a storm of betrayal, anger, and broken trust that will sever the friendships that have come to mean so much to me.
They’ll leave me alone, and it’ll be all my fault.
When I check the clock, I realize that my lunch break has zoomed by in the baby shower planning haze. I scarf down the last bites of croissant and head back to the store. I find Trevor behind the café counter, his face so red that it’s practically burgundy.
“Hey, I’m back, so you can leave whenever you want,” I tell him.
Trevor turns toward me, a dazed look on his face. “Oh. You’re back.”
I frown. Trevor can be spacy at times, but this is beyond, even for him. “You okay, Trevor?”
“I’m fine,” he says quickly. “I don’t have to leave right away, either. I can stay a little longer.”
“You don’t have to. Eden should be here any minute to help out. Don’t you have class to get to?”
“Excuse me,” an Italian-accented voice says.
Suddenly, the reason for Trevor’s weird behavior comes into horrifying focus.
Giulia stands at the counter, wearing a tight red sweater that emphasizes her gorgeous figure, making me wish I could melt into the ground and cease to exist. She’s here, in my shop, treading on my territory, the place where I’m supposed to stay safe from threats to my relationship and rogue Italian supermodel chefs.
“How can I help you?” Trevor asks her eagerly.
Giulia’s eyes have already traveled to me. “You’re Brinley, yes? We met at Terrace Steakhouse.”
“Uh-huh.” I nod, sincerely at a loss for anything clever to say in response.
“And you work here?” Giulia asks.
“She’s my boss,” Trevor blurts. “She owns it. I–I work here, and I want to help you with whatever you need.”
“I was looking for the napkins,” Giulia says, gesturing to the table behind her. My stomach promptly drops to the floor because Alessandra Bishop is sitting right there, nibbling on a croissant and sipping a cappuccino.
“I’ll get the napkins!” Trevor says eagerly. He bends down to open a cabinet, pulling out what looks like a pile of fifty napkins for Giulia. Great. Even my nerdy student worker prefers Giulia to me.
“Right.” I straighten my shirt and pull my shoulders back. “I should go say hello.”
I move out from behind the counter and walk over to Beau’s mother with a smile. “Hello, Mrs. Bishop.”
Alessandra looks up at me. I can see the gears in her head working as she slowly remembers who I am. Every second of silence twists a knife into my heart. She barely knows who I am, let alone what I mean to her son. I’m nothing more than a footnote in her life.
“You’re Luke’s sister!” she says finally. “How nice to see you. I wanted to show Giulia the cutest little bookshop-café, and I had no idea you worked here!”
“I own it,” I grit out. “This is my place.”
“It’s so lovely!” Giulia says warmly. “The atmosphere is so cozy, even though it’s a rather large space. I can see why people come back here.”
Damn it, Giulia, why do you have to be so fucking nice? “Thank you. That was the goal.”
She takes a sip of her latte and her nose wrinkles slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Alessandra asks immediately, because she’s apparently attuned to Giulia’s every move.
“Nothing,” Giulia says. “I just asked for almond milk, and I think this is regular. It’s fine, I’ll just drink this.”
“Nonsense! I’m sure Brinley would be happy to make you another one.” Alessandra gives me a curt smile, leaving me no choice but to take Giulia’s cup.
“Of course,” I say. “Let me get you another one right away.”
I go back behind the counter and start up the espresso machine. Hot tears well in my eyes, and I beg my body to please not let them fall just yet.
As I froth the almond milk, a blurred blonde figure appears at my side. Eden, of course, though she looks blob-like through my tears.
“Tell me that’s not who I think it is,” she says in a low whisper.
“It is,” I mutter.
“I can’t fucking believe Giulia’s here. Want me to spit in her coffee?”
Eden’s loyalty should make me feel loved and supported. Instead, it just makes me feel worse for wanting to hate a perfectly nice woman. “No. It’s not her fault.”
“She’s got her eyes on your man, Brin! Stake your claim!”
Eden’s voice gets a little too loud and I glare at her. Realizing, she mimes zipping her lips.
“Why don’t you go straighten out the books in the romance section?” I mutter. Romance is featured prominently at the front of the store, as far away from the café tables as possible. Eden sighs and does as I say.
Because the truth is, Beau’s not my man. As far as the world knows, I have no claim on him. Giulia is his mother’s choice, and on paper, she’s perfect for him. She’s gorgeous, sweet, speaks fluent Italian, and they have the whole cooking thing in common. And me? I’m just the girl making her coffee.
When I walked back to their table, Alessandra’s standing and putting on a chic light jacket. Giulia accepts her new coffee with a smile.
“It seems I’ll have to take this to go,” she says apologetically. “Mama Bishop had a delivery that came early, and we need to go sign for it. It’s a shame, I was hoping to browse your books for a bit.”
“You can always come back,” Alessandra says. “After all, you’re going to be in Toronto for a long time.”
“Any time,” I reply, even though it makes my soul melt a little.
Alessandra’s eyes flit over to me, and for a second, I think she might actually see me.
“Thank you for the coffee, Brinley,” she says, then turns to leave. Of course. I’m nobody special. Just a blip in her day.
The minute they walk out the door, Eden rushes over to me. I know she’s ready to be my shoulder to cry on, but I’m not in the mood. I know that everything happening is the result of my own choices. I don’t deserve her pity.
“Don’t,” I plead before she can say anything. “Not now.”
“Okay.” She glances at the floor. “By the way, Luke wanted to know if you’re doing book club this month.”
I sigh. I used to love book club at the Copper Cup.
It started from a few patrons who met informally on Monday nights, and when they invited me to join them, we made it official.
For the past few months, though, my brother has been showing up for them.
He’s often the only guy, which makes the customers happy, but I don’t participate anymore.
Hanging out with Luke is never my idea of a great time.
“You can tell Luke no, I’m not doing book club. When did you see him, anyway?”
Eden shrugs. “Ran into him on the street. He was friendly.”
I’m sure he was. Luke has always known how to turn on the charm to get what he wants, and for the past year or so, what he wants seems to have been to make up with me. Of course he’d try and get my best friend on his good side.
“You still look a little spooked,” Eden says. “Do you want to go hide in your office while I man the fort up here?”
“That would be great, actually.” I’ve got a bunch of new book orders to fill, and as a bonus, I won’t have to talk to anyone. “Thanks, Eden. I feel like ever since you moved in, the drama in my life has been on overload, and you’ve been so supportive. Sorry that I get grumpy sometimes.”
“Hey, you’re letting me live in your place for free in exchange for a tiny bit of free labor that’s mostly rearranging books on shelves. We’re even.”
As I retreat back to the office, I think about how Eden and the Copper Cup are my last safe place.
I can help plan all the baby showers I want, but that won’t change how the girls will feel when they find out I’m Peppermint.
Alessandra and Giulia think I’m just a side character in Beau’s life, and Beau—well, I think he sees a future for us that I’m not sure is possible.
The gap between what people think of me and who I really am is getting too wide. Something has to give. The walls dividing my lives are too thin and there are too many people leaning against them.
It’s only a matter of time until a barrier collapses.