Chapter 24
CHAPTER 24
C ora stood at the counter, dipping the fresh cod into the dredge recipe Ginny had shared with her. One piece after another, she dropped it into the container of flour and spices and shook it around, covering the fish.
“Do you think you’ll have enough for one more?” Muriel asked as she walked in the door, dropping her bookbag at the door. She kicked off her shoes and walked to the fridge.
Cora looked down at the plate of fish. “Sure, but I already included Oliver in my count.”
“It’s actually Julian.” Muriel grimaced.
Cora’s heart dropped. “What? Julian’s coming?”
“He came up for the bachelor party this weekend.” Then Muriel clasped her hands in prayer as she asked, “I know this is weird, especially since you have your friend Brandon here, but would you mind?”
Cora completely forgot about the Jack and Jill bachelor party. “I guess that’s fine.”
What would she tell Brandon? Should she try to include him in the celebration? Or would hanging out with Julian be completely awkward and weird?
“I just thought Julian couldn’t make it, that’s all,” Cora said, avoiding eye contact.
“What made you think that?” Muriel turned around to face her. “Have you been talking to Julian?”
Cora shook her head. “No, not at all.”
Muriel narrowed her eyes as though suspicious of something. “Are you sure you’re okay if he comes?”
Cora stared at her hands stuck in the dredge. She wanted to say no, but instead, said, “Yeah, totally.”
Muriel’s face brightened. “You can invite Brandon this weekend if you want.” Muriel peeked at the potatoes baking in the oven.
“I don’t think he’ll want to go to that.” Cora thought about Julian and all the reasons why he shouldn’t go. “Have you talked to Julian?”
Muriel shook her head. “He just drove up this morning.”
The doorbell rang, and Cora could see Brandon standing behind the glass. Muriel went to the door and opened it before Cora could get there.
“Hi, Brandon!” she said, welcoming him in and looking at the bouquet of flowers he held. “They’re beautiful.”
Muriel stepped back, letting Cora have an open path. He passed the flowers to Cora as she walked over to greet him. When their eyes met, she could feel something was off in the way he looked at her.
She sniffed the flowers. “Thank you. They’re gorgeous.”
“It smells great in here,” he said, not moving into the room.
“Let me take your coat,” Muriel said.
He handed his coat to Muriel, and she took it to the front hall’s coat closet.
“Did you hear about Julian?” Cora asked. From the way he acted, she was pretty sure he had.
He nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I can’t get a hold of him.”
She hadn’t even tried to call Julian. Not since that night at Madame Dubois’s show. “My sister invited him to dinner tonight.”
“Tonight?” Brandon shook his head.
She winced. “Will that be okay?”
“Of course,” he said, but he didn’t seem okay.
“Well, come in and talk to me as I finish up,” Cora said, waving him into the kitchen. She put the flowers in a vase and went back to the fish.
As Cora finished the meal prep and started cooking, the rest of her family, including Quinn, came to the kitchen and hung out. The room was filled with boisterous chatter, but she noticed Brandon stayed quiet.
“Did you finish the novel?” she asked, hoping his goal had been met.
He shook his head. “Almost.”
When dinner was ready to be served, Cora’s stomach dropped as Oliver’s car pulled up to the cottage. She saw Julian get out of the passenger’s seat.
“Julian!” Muriel greeted him. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Cora watched Brandon as Julian greeted everyone. He didn’t even notice, because he kept his eyes on Julian the whole time.
“How’s it going, Brandon,” Julian said, reaching out his hand.
“You know each other?” Muriel seemed delighted by this.
“We met at the restaurant,” Julian said, while they shook. “Then we started hanging out.”
Brandon shook his hand back. “Good to see you again, Julian.”
Julian crossed his arms against his chest. “I heard you came to Blueberry Bay to finish your book.”
Brandon put his hands in his pockets and nodded.
Julian pointed at him, shaking his finger. “Don’t forget to send it when it’s done.”
“You’ll be one of the first,” Brandon said.
Cora couldn’t read Julian, but she could tell Brandon was staying silent on purpose. The room started filling up with conversation.
Julian stepped closer to Cora. When he thought no one else was listening, he said, “I really want to talk to you about your show.”
“Oh.” She looked around the room. Was anyone looking at the two of them having a private and delicate conversation? She didn’t know if she was still upset with Julian or just wanted it to be water under the bridge. And if it was water under the bridge, did she forget about it all? Did she pretend he didn’t come to her for help afterwards?
“I’m so sorry for all the damage I did.” He wrinkled his eyebrows. “I can’t even forgive myself if that makes a difference.”
“No, I don’t want that,” she said, shaking her head. “You actually did me a favor. It got me out of my slump and motivated me to do something with my career, and now I’ve started something that I’ve been wanting to do for years.”
“So, me making you lose your internship helped you out?” His eyes looked as though he didn’t believe it.
“I’m not thanking you or anything,” Cora said, “but it didn’t end my career. It just caused a little hiccup.”
This made Julian smile, but he immediately frowned. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”
She could see Brandon looking at them from the other side of the room.
Julian nodded. “I want you to know that I’m committed to making things better. Being better.”
That was when she realized he was sober. His eyes looked clear, and his face was no longer red, splotchy, and puffy.
“You look good.”
That made him laugh uncomfortably. “Thanks.”
“Why did you leave?” she whispered. “I heard you were doing well.”
“I just needed a break, and I got that,” he said. “I look better because I feel better. I’m good.”
He placed his hand on her arm and held it. It may have been for a second—no longer—but she pulled it away, hoping no one, including Brandon, got the wrong impression.
“You look amazing.” He said it so quietly that she almost had to read his lips.
She didn’t know what to say. “Yes, right. Well, then. I should make sure dinner’s ready.”
She turned to step back when she accidentally bumped into Brandon, who had popped up behind her just as Julian slipped off into another conversation, leaving Cora dizzy.
“I think I should go,” Brandon said. “I feel as though I’m interfering in a family thing.”
“What?” Cora glanced over where Julian stood, who was watching them. “No, don’t go. I made dinner for you.”
“It’s just weird keeping things secret,” Brandon added, to which she agreed.
“I know, but he looks like he’s doing fine,” Cora said.
“He’s going to be at a bachelor’s party this weekend,” Brandon shook his head. “He hadn’t even gotten through three weeks sober yet.”
Brandon sighed. “He’s crazy about you.”
“Who?” But they both looked over at Julian, who pretended not to look at them. “It’s not like that anymore. I don’t feel like that anymore. Stay. Please.”
Brandon nodded. “Okay. I’ll stay.”
But as everyone sat around the table and conversation flowed, Brandon continued to stay quiet. He didn’t join in when Julian talked about working and living in Boston. He didn’t give more than a few word answers about their hiking trip to the lighthouse. He didn’t take any of her mother’s chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
When Muriel offered to make coffee for everyone, Brandon got up from the table.
“Thank you, everyone, for such a nice night,” he said, waving his hand.
“You should join us this weekend for our Jack and Jill bachelor party,” Muriel said to Brandon.
“Thanks, but?—”
“He’s got a book to finish.” Julian cut him off.
“It’s good to see you again, Julian,” Brandon said as he walked away. “You look well.”
Julian grimaced at the comment as he watched Brandon leave the dining room, and Cora followed him out.
“Brandon, are you mad?” she asked, hoping he wasn’t.
He shook his head. “No, I’m not mad.”
But something had changed since they last saw each other. She reached for his hand. “I’m glad you came for dinner.”
He put his other hand on top of hers, holding it between his. He looked at her and smiled, but it felt forced and fake.
“I better go,” he said.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked.
“I think I’m headed back to the city,” he shrugged.
“Brandon.” Had that been a last-minute decision? Could she change his mind to stay? “Don’t leave yet. You haven’t finished your novel.”
“Thanks for everything,” he said. He stood next to the door, the rest of the group still in the dining room. If he was going to kiss her, this would be the moment. He stepped up to her, leaning closer as he took her hand and very softly kissed her forehead.
“Good night, Cora. Keep me up to date with your fabrics,” he said.
He walked backward down the front walkway to his car. He waved one last time, and that’s when she felt Julian come up from behind her.
“He came up for a visit?” Julian asked.
She didn’t answer; she just watched Brandon start his car. His headlights cast out into the night.
“Are we good, Cora?” Julian asked.
As Brandon drove away, ruining her night, she turned to face him, which happened every time he came around. But she was a mermaid, she thought to herself. She had to swim through rough waters to find her calm. “Water under the bridge.”