The last few years I’d missed out on music festival day because I had to work at the inn but this year Aydan was covering for me so I could hang out with Rex and show him the side of Hartwell I really loved: the community vibe.

It was a hot day so the first thing on the agenda was ice cream from Iris and Ira’s pop-up stall. To my delight we found Iris and Ira serving Anita and Old Archie. I hadn’t seen Anita in months.

My delight was deflated by how poorly she looked. She was in a wheelchair, her shorn head covered by a pretty headscarf. While the rest of her body looked frail, her face appeared slightly bloated, sallow, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

Old Archie stood behind her wheelchair. He was once a well-functioning alcoholic, a big strapping man who loved Anita but wouldn’t give up his scotch. When she was diagnosed with a spinal tumor last year, he’d kicked the addiction in a way that was almost miraculous. His strength blew me away.

Her strength made me want to buckle at the knees.

I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “How are you?”

She gave me a tired smile. “I wanted to come out today. See everyone.”

“It’s good to see you.”

“It is that.” Iris handed Anita her ice cream and she took it, clearly delighted.

She licked it and smiled up at Archie. “Better than the ice pops.”

He laughed and explained, “We eat a lot of ice pops at the hospital. They hand them out more than they do drugs.”

“Nothing beats Antonio’s ice cream,” I said.

“Shh, don’t say that too loudly.” Ira jerked his head behind him. “Ice Cream Shack.”

I made an Ahh face. There was a long-standing competition between the couple and the Ice Cream Shack. Iris and Ira tried to be nice to the proprietor, a Mr. Shickle, but he took everything they said as an insult, and as rivalry.

“Who’s your friend?” Anita looked past me.

Guilt suffused me for my rudeness. “Oh, God, sorry. This is Rex. Rex, this is Anita and Old Archie. And you’ve already met Iris and Ira.”

“Hey.” He grinned at them.

“Anyway, we better let these people get their ice cream,” Old Archie said. “We’ll no doubt see you two later on.”

I smiled and nodded, my heart aching as they left. Iris met my gaze and she shook her head sadly. Swallowing the lump of emotion in my throat, I grinned with faux cheer. “I’d like a strawberry and white chocolate, please. Rex?”

“The same.”

A minute later we were moving through the Main Street crowds. “This ice cream is so good,” Rex moaned.

I laughed because he looked like a little boy. So freaking cute. And I laughed because I was glad he hadn’t asked what the deal was with Anita. A year ago I’d thought she’d win her battle with cancer, but one battle had turned into a war, and the outcome didn’t look good for her. She just wanted to enjoy her day, however, and I didn’t want to dwell on it.

“Come on, I see someone I want you to meet.”

Rex followed me through the crowds toward the bandstand.

“Kell!” I shouted.

The short blond spun around from speaking to some guy crazy enough to wear a leather jacket in the heat, and Kell broke out into a huge grin at the sight of me. “Bailey!” He hugged me, deftly avoiding my ice cream. “It’s been a while, lovely. Since that terrible incident with Devlin.”

“I know. But we’ve both been so busy. It can’t be helped. Kell, this is my friend Rex. Rex, this is Kell Summers. He’s one of the town councilors and the official events organizer around here.”

“Nice to meet you.” Rex held out his hand.

Kell peered up at Rex as he took it and shook it vigorously. “Friend?”

I laughed and leaned against Rex. “Yes. Friend.”

“Who is a friend?” I turned as Kell’s partner, Jake, arrived on the scene. While Kell was cute, blond, and excitable, Jake was tall, dark, and more reserved than his partner. He enveloped me in a warm hug, kissing my temple before stepping back. “I keep meaning to pop by the inn, make sure Devlin isn’t causing you any more trouble.”

“He’s not,” I promised him. “Believe me, you would already know if he was.”

Jake nodded, satisfied, and then turned to Rex.

“This is her ‘friend,’” Kell air-quoted.

I rolled my eyes as Jake chuckled and held out his hand to Rex. “I’m Jake.”

“Rex.”

After they’d shaken hands Jake gave me that focused, soul-searing stare of his. “Are you doing okay? We heard your sister has come home.”

“Yeah.” I gestured around. “She’s around here somewhere.”

It had been a week since her arrival and so far it wasn’t too bad. The first few days were hell but the last few days she’d been a little too preoccupied with her mystery man to annoy us at the inn.

“How’s that going?”

“It could be better. It could be worse.” I shrugged. “Family.”

Kell grimaced. “I hear that.”

“So you guys have done a great job again.” I gestured to the bandstand and the cordoned-off area around it. It was alive with activity as the first two bands prepared for sound check.

“We have a special day planned.” Kell clapped his hands together in excitement. “We have amazing bands this year. And guess what?”