Page 100 of Hand-Fasting and Other Hazards
They saluted each other, half-serious.
Mira turned toward the door, then paused. “You have a delivery.”
Nia blinked. “What?”
She followed Mira into the front room and found Becket standing there with two large boxes in his arms and sweat dotting his brow.
“Becket? Put those down.”
Mira slipped past him and out the front door, presumably to rescue Wren from his admirers.
Nia looked Becket up and down. “What are you doing?”
“Hello to you too,” he said, smiling faintly. “These are the leftover jars, volunteer vests, and a bunch of other things from the harvest.”
“Oh.” Nia eyed the boxes. “I thought Ivy was handling that. With Todd from the food pantry?”
Becket just smiled.
Nia narrowed her eyes.
Ivy appeared a second later, hands flying. “Oh, sorry, Beck! Those go in the back.”
Becket followed her down the hall without hesitation.
Nia watched them go, her brow relaxing. She knew they’d hung out a few times since the autumn festival. But what did that mean? Ivy was supposed to be taking a break from dating, and Becket didn’t exactly seem like the dating type.
Maybe they were just friends. Maybe.
She was still suspicious.
“We’re grabbing a late lunch,” Ivy said. “Want to come?”
“I have Jade,” Nia replied.
“We’re going to Drift,” Becket added. “They’re dog-friendly. She’s been there before.”
At the sound of her name, Jade came bounding out from the back, tail wagging as she nudged up against Becket like he was her long-lost best friend.
Nia laughed at the dog. “I guess that’s decided. But let me check in with your daddy.”
Ivy grinned. “Oh, do you call Lochlan that?”
“If she did,” Becket said, deadpan, “the poor man would combust.”
Nia waved them off as she ducked into her office and grabbed her phone.
Me
Thinking of chaperoning Ivy and Becket at Drift. Can Jade and I join?
She glanced at her desk with a nagging sense that she was forgetting something. Before she could place it, her phone buzzed.
Lochlan
I don’t think chaperoning would’ve worked for us.
She rolled her eyes, already smiling when the next message came in.
