Cam pocketed her new figurines and rocked on her heels, apparently oblivious. “Well, make sure you come to Raindrop’s stall later. Alice made cheesecake, and I’ll be bored shitless standing there alone in the cold.”
Cam ruffled his hair, then shook her head to show her disapproval a final time. Then, she kissed Sorcha’s figurine. So many emotions in such a short space of time. He could barely keep up.
When she left, he let out a relieved breath.
One down, two more to go.
Harper took his hand and squeezed. “I think that was Cam language forYour work is wonderful. Thank you.”
He chuckled at that, and he knew Harper was right. Still, he doubted Cam would let him live his secret down anytime soon.
27
“You, my friend, are a fucking superstar.” Andy appeared seemingly out of nowhere, emerging from the bustling crowd like an apparition with a broad grin on their face. Harper assumed they were talking about Fraser and his work until Andy pointed right at her. “I showed my parents everything you came up with the other day. They were so excited about the plans that they barely even noticed the reno!”
Harper felt Fraser’s arm snake around her waist and give her a congratulatory squeeze. She loved that feeling, the way he always seemed to want her close, but today it felt…tainted. Would he still want to touch her when she told him about the job interview, or would this be the end of them? He’d already pulled away from her once. He could easily do it again.
She swallowed the trepidation rising in her throat. “That’s great news, Andy. I’m so glad.”
“So, your crisis was for nothing?” Fraser joshed.
Andy put their hands on their hips and glared, revealing a blue and pink striped T-shirt printed with the words,sisterhood, not cisterhoodbeneath their denim jacket.Harper wanted it immediately.“Not for nothing. My mother would like to know how long it will take to finish renovating her beloved B&B. I told her it would depend on whether you plan to show your face at work or skive off again.”
Fraser’s body tensed against Harper’s, and she looked up to see his face darkening, despite the clear sarcasm in Andy’s tone. She placed a steadying hand on his chest, wondering if perhaps Andy had finally gone a step too far. Fraser was no skiver, and to keep throwing that absent afternoon in his face, which he’d made up for on a bloody weekend, wasn’t fair – even if it was a joke.
Andy noticed Fraser’s change in mood and tutted, standing on their tiptoes to ruffle his hair across the table. “I’m kidding, pal. What are all these?”
They picked up one of the figurines, a beautiful pink-haired trans fairy with top scars whom Harper had already asked to feature in her novel.
“Fairies,” Fraser said bluntly.
“Sick! Who made them?” Andy traced the top scars, reverence glistening in their eyes. Harper’s heart warmed. “I’ve seen some on the Fairy Trail, but never ones like this.”
Since Fraser still seemed frozen, Harper cleared her throat and picked out the fairy resembling Andy, with silver wings and dungarees, a perfect balance of realistic and whimsical.
Andy blinked as though none of it made sense, then twirled their own lip ring as though pondering the shared characteristic. “Wait… Is that me?” They slowly lifted their head to Fraser. “Who…” Realisation settled like daylight on their elfin face: hazy at first, and then bright all at once. “You!”
Fraser nodded once, tersely. “You’re not the only one Harper has worked her marketing magic on.”
“Shut up!” Andy punched him in the arm, hard enough that he winced. “Fucking hell, Fraser. These are amazing. Can you make me some more for the B&B?” They gasped. “My mum loves sentimental shite.”
“Not that these areshite,” Harper was quick to cut in.
“No, no.” They shook their head, wide-eyed. “These are…” They licked their lips, seemingly lost for words as they took in the other figurines. “These are something else.”
“We were thinking that maybe you could share your grand reopening with Fraser’s launch party,” Harper said before Fraser could stop her. “Have a little celebration for the businesses of Belbarrow and kill two birds with one stone. What do you think?”
“That’s not a bad idea, actually. I was planning for the twenty-third of November. Will you still be here then?”
Harper tensed. That was the week of her interview, should she choose to go. Still, she refused to miss the party either way, even if the train fares would cost a fortune. One last weekend in Belbarrow… “Yes. Of course!”
“Let’s do it, then.” Andy shook their head again. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“That’s a good question.” Eiley sidled up beside Andy, stationing her pram. She didn’t even look at Fraser, instead going straight to the figurines.
Beside her, his mum put a hand over her mouth. “Fraser Thomas Milligan. What on earth are you like?”
Fraser took a deep breath, rearing back on his heels. Harper offered him a supportive smile, but she couldn’t help but mouthThomasmischievously, and he rolled his eyes in response.
