Ollie Vance - Book One: Secrets and Sparks

Chapter Eight

The party was all that the town could talk about in the two days before the big event.

If I hear one more person swoon about it, I was going to flip.

“Ollie! Excited about the party?” was Sheriff Balls first line the moment he stepped into the bakeshop. 

I groaned inwardly, flashing the man the least pained smile I could manage. “Practically giddy with it. You and Laura going?”

He wasn’t in uniform today and he had an unusually big smile on his face. “Of course. Wouldn’t miss it for the world. It was really nice for Mr. Black to be holding this kind of thing and inviting everyone to it. It makes everyone feel like they’re a part of it, you know?”

“That’s why our Ollie here is just so lucky to have him,” Pearl said, beaming at me from her table. “I say rope him in and tie the knot. He’s gorgeous, rich and a pretty nice guy too.”

I made a mental note to shake Heather senseless the next time I see her. If she thought Tristan was out of my league, she should’ve shut her trap because all she managed to do was get everyone to root for him. I was the town’s sweetheart. She wasn’t.

Anthony Hanker, Willow’s mayor, was having lunch there with his wife too. He raised an eager hand up. “I believe he’s also going to be inviting some of his big city friends too. That would definitely help put Willow on the map for rich people looking for some summer fun out in the country. Don’t you think?”

Everyone murmured their agreement because whether they believe it or not, Anthony Hanker was a man of abundant enthusiasm that you just couldn’t find it in you to shoot him down. 

“I don’t know about them but something’s not right with that guy,” Phil Settler, who sat in front of me along the bar, muttered before taking a sip of his coffee. He was a retired teacher who came in here every day for lunch, always at the bar even when the bakeshop was practically empty, ordering the same chicken turnover he’s had in the last eleven years. He was short and quickly shrinking with age but the sharp glint in his hazel eyes were hard to miss even through the thick-rimmed glasses. 

My eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about, Phil?”

He glanced around as if to make sure everyone else was busy talking before leaning a bit closer and speaking in a lower voice. “I’ve seen him before. Years and years ago. Here in Willow during that charity gala, remember? Amanda Ruddard wanted me to meet him to talk about what we were doing with the project he was helping sponsor. He stayed in Albert’s private study most of the time. I’m sure it was the same man. He looks exactly like him too. And I mean, exactly the same.”

My heart skipped a beat but I stamped on my brightest smile. “That’s a long time ago though, Phil. Even I don’t recall half the guests I met there. Tall, blond and blue-eyed isn’t really a very unique look.”

I was relieved Phil questioned himself enough to keep it to himself but as his brows knitted, I understood he only kept it to himself for fear that no one else would believe him.

“I’m not forgetful, Ollie,” he insisted, his hushed voice gaining some urgency. “I was the one who went through the list of all the sponsors to make sure we sent them all a nice thank-you card and Tristan Black was on that list. Why he doesn’t look a day older is a mystery but he’s been here and he’s back and I just don’t know why.”

Patrick called me into kitchen about a new recipe I had him try that Phil withdrew back to himself. “You just be careful, Ollie, okay? Your mother would weep in heaven if you get into some kind of trouble.”

Before I could say anything else, he went back to his lunch and quickly finished it just as Patrick called me a second time.

When I stepped back out, he was gone and Kristen, one of our part-time waitresses, was putting away his plate.