To Be With You by Daphne Abbott

Author:Daphne Abbott [Abbott, Daphne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lillian Behr Publishing LLC
Published: 2021-07-19T23:58:52+00:00

Chapter 17

Callum

“Did Ruby tell you she’d asked me to help her plan a haunted house for the Fall Festival?”

Olivia stopped walking towards the restaurant she’d picked for lunch and turned to me. “I gave her the idea. She joined the PTA at her sisters’ school and, ever since, has turned it into an event planning whirlwind. The kids love it.”

“So, you’re good wit me sticking around to help?”

She shrugged and started moving again. “If it fits in your schedule, I’m sure people would appreciate it.”

I side-stepped some tourists who had stopped to look in the fudge shop window to watch as they made candy, then chased after Olivia. “You didn’t answer my question.”

She stopped again and let out a frustrated breath. “Look, we both know having you help will increase traffic to the haunted house. Ruby needed help, and I’m too busy with the reno, so I suggested she call you and Fab.”

I wanted to push more and ask if her suggestion was a ploy to get me to stay longer, or if she really was only interested in helping her friend Ruby. Olivia didn’t give me a chance to respond because she turned to the glass door to her left and tugged it open. “Ready for lunch?”

“I’m starved,” I said and grabbed the door from her to let her precede me into the restaurant.

In the past, the space had been a bookstore, a t-shirt shop, and a bar. It’d always been tiny and unassumed, tucked in between a ladies’ clothing store and the two-screen movie theater. The small front window and inset door made it easy for people to miss it, which I assumed was why people had struggled to thrive in this spot.

The first thing that hit me was how bright and open the space was. At some point, they had removed walls and the old drop ceiling. In its place, the owners now had bright lights, light oak floors, exposed brick walls, and huge colorful murals on the walls. Amazed at the transformation, I just stopped inside the door and stared for several long minutes until Olivia pulled me out of the way so a couple with two young kids could move past us.

“This is amazing,” I breathed and nearly gasped when I realized they had added a large skylight to the roof, which was adding to the airy feeling of the space.

“Yeah, Logan and Nick did a great job.”

“What?” I turned to her, mouth agape. “They did this work?”

Olivia’s smile was smug. “Yes, don’t you know who runs this place?”

I looked around at the restaurant for clues. One mural on the wall held a logo that said Fern’s Table and something about farm-to-table, but nothing rang a bell. “No, I’ve never heard of this place before.”

Olivia’s smile was wicked, and I could tell she was excited to show me what I’d missed. But before she could say anything, a loud whoop came from behind me. I spun to see a large man barreling toward us.

“Look

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