Page 67 of A Castle in the Sky: Fern & Connor
Fern opened her mouth to answer, but the front door banged open.
Harlan strode out onto the step with the expression of a man bracing against a force of nature he found personally insulting.
"Oh for—Gracie, would you let them breathe? They've just arrived."
But Gracie only shot him a sunny, infuriating smile. "I know, Harlan. Which is why"—she darted away before he could finish spluttering—"I made apple pie!"
Harlan's jaw clenched so hard, Connor, who was observing it all, suspected his molars were slowly grinding to dust.
"She overheard me telling someone Coral likes apples," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "And now she's been in that kitchen all bloody day."
Gracie came tearing back across the garden, balancing a covered dish like it was a holy offering.
"I cooled it by the window so the pastry wouldn't get soggy! Coral, sweetheart, wait till you smell this—"
Harlan threw his hands in the air. "They're tired, Gracie. Let them unpack."
For a moment, just a moment, Gracie's face fell. Her bright expression dulled, the corners of her mouth pulling down like someone had reached over and switched off the light. It was like Halan had kicked a particularly exuberant Labrador puppy.
"Oh," she said softly. "Right. Of course. I just... I'll leave it with you, then."
She handed Fern the dish, offered Coral a little wink, and backed away with a smile that wobbled before she steadied it. "See you all in a bit," she chirped, retreating toward her fence.
Fern watched her go, warmth and second-hand embarrassment prickling under her skin. When she turned her head, Connor was standing beside her, eyes wide, eyebrows somewhere near his hairline.
Harlan's ears were a shade too red.
Fern elbowed him lightly. "You didn't have to bark at her. She was only being nice. What is wrong with you?"
He scowled, though not at her. "She's... she's Gracie. She never stops. It's exhausting. She just doesn't leave me alone."
Fern gave him a knowing look. "She's in love with you," she said quietly. "She’s kind and she cares about Coral. That's not exactly something we're drowning in at the moment."
Harlan huffed and looked away, guilt softening his expression. They were all aware of Gracie's massive crush on Harlan, and he always tried to avoid her.
Behind them, Coral skipped across the patio, already naming the fish through the grill.
Fern carried the pie inside, with Connor trailing after her, still wide-eyed. When she glanced back over her shoulder, he mouthed, "What was that?"
Here, far away from the place that had only made her feel smaller and smaller, she felt free again and bit back a laugh.
Connor looked like he wanted to devour her as he took in the fact that she was smiling at him for the first time in forever.
They had a quick dinner and inhaled Gracie’s apple pie, after which Connor carried a sleeping Coral up to Fern's room and tucked her in.He squeezed into bed with her and held her for a long while before getting up with a sigh. Fern, who was watching from the doorway, felt her heart squeeze.
"I am going to stay at Diego's until I find a place," he said. "I will see you tomorrow."
He hesitated for a second before he impulsively pulled her close. He did it slowly, giving her time to pull away—but she didn't. They breathed each other in, and Fern felt a sweet kiss pressed to the top of her head.
"Good night, love," he whispered before turning and walking away.
Harlan's spare room was piled high with boxes, and Fern spent the first two days unpacking until her back ached and her arms felt like limp noodles. Connor was right there with her. He carried the heavy boxes, helped her arrange her books, and ferried her around because he knew she hated driving in the city.
He'd found a small two-room rental fifteen minutes away—a tiny flat above an old bakery that smelled of all things sugary and was meant to feed the soul. It wasn't much, but it was close to his family. He planned to stay there once he found a new place.
"Couple more days," he'd said, sliding a screw into place. "Then I'll be here every evening. Take her to the park. Give you some time to yourself."
And he did exactly that.
