her, or would he have told her not to “settle” as a party planner?
She checked her phone for an email, text or voice mail from Gabe about the boot camp party, but there was nothing. He wouldn’t have understood her choice of new career. He’d have wanted it both ways. She’d face her failure as a financial analyst and come out on the other end in a stable, high-paying job.
She did fine as a party planner. She’d paid down her debt, reined in her spending and bought a house.
She sent Saturday’s caterer—a friend from town—a quick email to set up a time to discuss Gabe’s addition to the day.
She let that be enough for now. She’d work on Kylie’s party and tackle Gabe’s party later.
She brought all eight books in the Badgers of Middle Branch series out to the deck and set them on the table for inspiration. She grabbed her brainstorming colored pencils and a pad of lined yellow paper and a pad of plain white paper.
Badgers. She’d think about badgers.
But she was positive when he’d told her she was hacking away in the wrong jungle and needed to get out of finance that Gabe Flanagan hadn’t envisioned her figuring out how to incorporate badgers into a party at the Knights Bridge public library.
Gabe Flanagan looked out at Boston from the living room of his twelfth-floor condo in the heart of Back Bay. He gripped his phone. “Say that again, Mark.”
His brother didn’t answer at once. Gabe had been home for ten hours after two months in California, working his way down the coast from Sonoma to San Diego on a mix of business and pleasure. He didn’t know whether Mark’s call was business or pleasure. Some of both, maybe.
“You hired Felicity to handle the party after Dylan’s boot camp,” Mark said.
“Felicity MacGregor.”
“None other.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just did.”
Gabe sighed. Felicity. Mark had no idea what he’d stepped into, but still. “I should throw you in the river when I get there.”
“You and what army,” his brother said, teasing, as if they were kids again. “I did you a favor. The party’s on. You’re the host. Everyone will be thrilled. You’ll have a great time, and you don’t have to lift a finger.”
Gabe could see his reflection in the window. His jaw was tight, his angular features and tall, lean frame giving away that he and Mark were brothers. Gabe had put on muscle now that he’d been doing CrossFit for two years, dropping into studios when he was on the road. He’d gone to one yesterday in LA, before his overnight flight to Boston.
“You told Felicity it was my idea to hire her?” Gabe asked.
“Yeah. It was simpler. I don’t need to be the middleman.”
“You are the middleman. I didn’t know anything about it.”
“Now you do. Why are you jumping down my throat? You should be thanking me. You said you wanted help. I helped.”
“Do I need to do anything for this party?”
“Just show up. It’s not much notice, but Felicity’s good at what she does.”
Mark had mentioned in passing she was an event planner now. She’d started shortly after she and Gabe had fallen out. He’d figured it was something she’d do to make ends meet while she tried to find another finance job, if only to spite him. But she’d stuck with it, obviously. Mark didn’t know the ins and outs of his younger brother’s relationship with Knights Bridge’s own party planner. They were close, but not that kind of close.
“Okay, thanks,” Gabe said finally.
“You’re not regretting saying yes to speaking at the boot camp, are you?”
“It’s a day and then it’s done.”
A few minutes ago, Gabe would have said he was looking forward to the boot camp. Dylan McCaffrey had invited him when they’d met briefly in San Diego before Gabe had returned to Los Angeles and then flown onto Boston. Mark, who’d designed Dylan and Olivia’s new home in Knights Bridge, had put them in touch with each other. Gabe had accepted the invitation without a second’s thought. A panel discussion on start-ups for an audience of aspiring entrepreneurs? What was there to think about? He was on his way back to Boston, anyway, and he owed his brother in Knights Bridge a visit.
But he changed the subject. “How’s Jess?” he asked.
“Puking.”
“Fun call, Mark. Real fun call. She sick?”
There was a slight hesitation. “She’s pregnant. I was going to wait until you got here to tell you. Morning sickness came on fast and strong. You’re going to want to rethink staying with us.”
“Mark...” Gabe stared out at the blend of old and new that was Back Bay, but he found himself picturing Knights Bridge on a warm summer evening. He hadn’t been to the Colonial Revival house Mark and Jess were restoring off Knights Bridge common, but he knew it. Mark specialized in older buildings as an architect and it had made sense—felt right—when he and Jess had bought one of their own. Now they had a baby on the way. “That’s wonderful news, Mark. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, Gabe. We’re thrilled.”
“I’ll find somewhere else to stay.”
“Your call. That reminds me. There’s one more thing you should know before you get here. I’ve been meaning to mention it. I know you and Felicity haven’t been close the past few years but thought you’d want to know she bought the house.”
“What house?”
“The house we built on the river at the old campsite.”
Gabe had known Mark had sold the house, but he’d never identified the buyer. Gabe hadn’t asked. He hadn’t wanted to know. He’d contributed ideas and cash to the building of the house but had left everything else to Mark. “Felicity bought it,” he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“I’m happy it sold to someone who remembers the property as a campsite.”
Oh, she’d remember it, all right, Gabe thought. “A lot of changes in town.”
“Tons. It’ll be good to have you back here. See you soon.”
After he and Mark hung up, Gabe didn’t move from the windows. He watched the city lights twinkling in the fading light. He was going to be an uncle. His brother had a wife, and they were expecting their first child.
It was a lot. It was the best.
He could see himself on a lazy summer afternoon fishing with Mark on the river,
