Set in Stone

Chapter One

W hy did I fall for the clickbait raincoat without a hood?

Grace laughed at the exasperation in my voice. She of course had a perfectly sensible jacket with a deep hood protecting her twist out from the downpour. I had checked the forecast twice throughout the day, but I was still adjusting to how fast the weather on the prairies could turn around. My umbrella was sitting uselessly in my bedroom closet.

We’re almost there, Evie. It’s just around the corner. Her tone was patient. A little too patient. At least your coat is cute and does killer things for your curves. Mine is like a big sack.

It was true, my navy raincoat was adorable, with a tiny polka dot pattern and a trench cut that nipped in and flared out over my hips, giving me a more defined waist. It was so rare to find cute plus-sized clothes that I’d entered my credit card information almost on autopilot, hypnotized by the polka dots and the detailing on the pockets. Unfortunately, no one would notice those details because they’d get stuck on how my hair was plastered to my head and how my makeup was running down my face.

I can’t believe I’m going to meet all your friends looking like a drowned rat, I grumbled, raising my voice to be heard over the splashing rain and our hurried steps. Grace waved me off like it wouldn’t matter. She and Joel, our other coworker, had been inviting me to go out with their friends for the past four months. I had a feeling she wasn’t going to hear any complaints about joining them tonight.

If you’d come out with us in the summer when it was beautiful out, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Who waits till September to hang out? Her tone was mild, but I knew I’d been right—she was done with my excuses.

We turned the corner, and I spotted the pub with a stylized lion on the shingle straight away, a warm glow spilling out invitingly from the front windows. It would be the most welcome sight for a chilly, rainy night, if it hadn’t been spouting water like a Las Vegas fountain right in front of the door.

My god, we’re going to get swept away before we even get inside.

Grace and I both slowed, intimidated by the waterfall. There must have been a blocked eavestrough creating the solid sheet of icy water in our path.

We’re not getting any drier standing here, I pointed out.

Right. Run for it? Grace started her dash almost as soon as she spoke, leaving me in her wake. Her hood saved her, but icy rainwater poured into my collar, soaking the whole back of my shirt. I shrieked as we tumbled inside together, laughing and gasping.

Remind me to bring an umbrella everywhere I go. I was still breathless.

And a hood. And a car. In fact, let’s just avoid the outdoors altogether, Grace suggested.

A few steps up brought us to the greeter’s stand where a server waited for us to collect ourselves. She of course was dry, and perky, with bright berry lipstick and dark dramatic eyeliner that looked fantastic with her light brown skin and made me feel that much more bedraggled.

Good evening! She started to ask me if I wanted a table for two but smiled when she recognized Grace, who had just unzipped her coat and taken off her hood. Oh, hey! Everyone’s here already. You can go straight back. She gave me a bigger, more genuine smile now that I had been identified as Grace’s friend. The perks of being a regular. From Grace’s stories, the Lionshead was like that—a sitcom bar come to life.

I smiled back, hiding my nerves. It wasn’t her fault that I was out of sorts and sopping wet. I couldn’t decide whether I was more nervous or more annoyed at myself for being nervous. But I was doubly annoyed for showing up looking less than my best when meeting new people. I knew better than anyone how a bad first impression could tank your social credit.

Thanks, Julia! Grace brushed by to show me the small coatroom where we hung up our coats far from the others in hopes they’d have a chance to dry.

There was a small mirror in the coatroom, and I checked myself out. I was my usual shade of vampire pale, but because of the cold and our brisk walk, I had developed two bright, almost perfectly round spots on each cheek. With my short black bob plastered to my head, I looked like an old-timey doll. And not in a good way. I found a dry tissue somewhere in an inner pocket of my coat and mopped up the worst of my running eye makeup. Short of fully redoing it, that was the best I was going to look tonight.

Grace came to check herself out, and I made room for her in the mirror. She clucked her tongue, but she was flawless, of course. Her twist out was pristine, and she was all bounce and gleaming deep brown skin, as usual. She patted a few stray droplets off her face and neck, straightened her earrings, and got out her purse to touch up her lipstick.

I looked out at the street from a little stained-glass window while she finished up. The last half of September had roared in like a lion, declaring that fall was in full swing and getting ready for winter. Each night was a little gloomier, a little rainier, and a little colder than the last. There was beauty in it, of course: in the rippling reflections of streetlamps on glassy wet streets, in the furrows the cars plowed through deep puddles, but those pleasures were best enjoyed indoors, with a muted soundtrack made by the patter of the rain on the roof and the wind shaking rain out of the trees.

Grace nudged me, and we headed out into the cozy atmosphere of the pub. The wood paneling and the beer plaques on the walls all shouted of nostalgia for the UK or Ireland, or some combination of the two. They had Guinness on tap, and the specials on the chalkboard above the bar were all Brit-inspired—bangers and mash, steak and kidney pie, curries, and chips with everything. The clack of pool balls came from further back, and the lighting was warm to the point of being yellow. It was homey and comforting, and the music was just on the edge of too loud. At least I wouldn’t have to worry too much about awkward silences.

I followed Grace around the corner of the bar and saw all my hopefully-soon-to-be new friends, Joel waving with exaggerated enthusiasm when he saw us. Grace raised both arms and whooped, curls bouncing. I smiled in spite of my nerves. These two had only ever made me feel welcome, from the very first day I stepped into the campus events office. With them to guide me, a new city, a new apartment, and a new job had been much less overwhelming.

I slid into the booth after Grace. She leaned over and hugged Joel, despite having seen him at work just a few hours ago. Joel had changed out of his work-appropriate black clothes into his casual black clothes, a T-shirt draped on his lean frame. He wore black like it was the only color in the world, and his spiky dark hair contrasted with his pallor—his punk roots ran deep. Over the summer, his genuine interest in me had me blossoming like a teenager who’d just found their first BFF. He and Grace had both drawn me out in their own ways, and it was thanks to both of their constant nagging that I was here with my back sticking to the booth instead of home in my cozy apartment. I waved at him, and he grinned back at me like he could see my mild resentment at being out in the world.

Joel’s boyfriend Douglas smiled warmly at me. The last time I’d seen him was when he and Joel had helped me get my new couch up my apartment’s treacherous outdoor steps; he good-naturedly bossed both Joel and me around as we maneuvered it. I smiled back. Douglas was red-haired and freckled, with eyebrows so pale they almost disappeared. I had never seen such light eyes on a person before; it was hard to tell if they were blue or green, they were so washed-out. His fingers were entwined with Joel’s on the table, like they couldn’t go even a minute without touching. My chest ached at that.

Sorry we’re late! Evie and I had to battle the wind on our walk over. And the slippery sidewalks and the puddles made us extra slow. Grace smiled around the table.

Douglas let go of Joel’s hand and leaned over to shake mine. The circular booth with its huge table made it a stretch. Nice to see you again, Evelyn. His eyes crinkled in the corners when he smiled.

The kindness I saw there made me blurt out, You can call me Evie if you want. Most people do.

It was not strictly true. Past coworkers called me Evelyn. Aunt Bea called me whatever snarky pet name suited her at the moment, and I hadn’t had enough friends in high school to warrant any nickname I’d particularly cared for. But I’d always imagined the kind of casual intimacy that came with nicknames. I’d been secretly thrilled when Grace and Joel had started shortening my name on our first day of work together, after asking my permission. The shorthand had made me feel instantly included.

Joel, Douglas said, looking over at his partner while still holding my hand, Evie is freezing. Her hands are like icicles. We need to get her something warm ASAP. He was already lifting his hand from mine to signal the server as he finished his sentence. Do you like hot toddies, honey? They warm you up like nothing else.

I gave a grateful nod, and the server came to take the order immediately. That whirlwind over, I looked around at the rest of the table.

Joel waved around at the other two. Here we have a sampling of friends and partners in crime! This is Lucy Tan and Aaron DeLuca. Lucy gave me a friendly wave, and Aaron and I exchanged a nod. Joel continued, We sometimes have others that join for our pub nights, but this is the core group. Now, I think we all know what we’re ordering, but we can wait for you to decide.

Lucy laughed at that. Speak for yourself, Joel! I’m starving. She was cute and short with a tousled bleached-blond pixie and a nose piercing that caught the light when she moved.

Oh no. They had already been waiting for us and were ready to order. Grace had her menu open already and came here often enough that she probably had her meal picked out. I caught up my menu and scanned over the three pages blankly. I should have looked up the website earlier and figured out what to have. Starting to feel like I was spiraling with everyone watching me, I glanced over at Joel with a plea in my eyes. Any recommendations?

He looked slightly taken aback at the anxious vibe I was putting out, but put on a suggestive eyebrow waggle that always made me laugh. Darling, have you tried…bangers? They are juicy and delicious.

I saw Aaron shaking his head across the table, and Grace snorted. I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t even very good innuendo. But when the server appeared, I went ahead and ordered the bangers and mash.

She had also brought my hot toddy, the glass cup steaming appealingly, and smelling of honey, lemon, and a whole lot of booze. I was thankful for the distraction while she took everyone else’s orders. I needed to take a breath and chill. It had been too long since I’d been in any kind of social situation, and I was really out of practice.

Aaron was sitting across from me, studying his menu intently, right up until the time the server came to take his order. I could have sworn she either didn’t write it down or had it written ahead of time, which puzzled me. He was an attractive man, with big shoulders and arms on a thick-framed body. If he’d approached me at a bar at the right moment, when I was just drunk enough, I’d have jumped at the chance to get arms like those around me.

He had close-cropped brown hair, a thick but neatly groomed beard, and lightly tanned white skin. He and our server seemed to know each other well and had a short back-and-forth, his shoulders lifting in a shrug at something she said before he nodded and handed her the menu with a small smile. She gave him a big flirtatious grin back like she found him charming. I turned back to my drink, now cool enough to sip without scorching my throat.

The group chatted merrily as we waited for our food and thankfully didn’t expect me to jump in right away. I relaxed bit by bit, sipping my warm drink, letting the alcohol loosen me up.

I flashed back to past coworker drinking nights at my old jobs, full of poorly concealed barbs, insults disguised as jokes, and backstabbing comments made outright as soon as someone left the table for another drink. Tension and wariness stiffened my posture on those nights, stress dulled slowly by rounds of shots, until I could pretend we were having a good time.

This group was different. Tight-knit, with good-natured inside jokes and half-explained stories flying around the table. Tactile too—elbows dug into ribs and shoulders patted comfortingly when a joke hit too close to home. Douglas was a born prankster, mischief lighting his eyes, and a grin always ready. He kept egging Lucy on to get her to tell stories that set the whole table laughing. Lucy’s short pixie got progressively wilder from running her hands through it before beginning each anecdote. She had an appealing rasp to her voice, and her delicate features were perfectly set off by her haircut and the precise flick of her black eyeliner.

Aaron was the obvious magistrate, wading in with definitive statements or making rulings in favor of one party or another. Every time there was an argument, all eyes drifted to him, and he would lift those wide shoulders and drop them again before pronouncing judgment, his deep voice lending him an air of authority. His rulings were always accepted, with the winner crowing over the loser. His bearded chin rested in his hand, a smile quirking the side of his mouth and bringing out a deep dimple that mesmerized me every time it made an appearance.

He glanced at me and caught me staring, and his eyes flashed as they connected with mine. He turned back to Lucy.

Tell Evie about the time that Joel signed up for a 300-level agronomy class while drunk, thinking it was anthropology. His half-smile broadened when he looked from her back to me, drawing me into the conversation.

The best part is that I watched him do it!

Joel pointed and yelled, Betrayer! while Lucy cackled and rubbed her hands together like a maniacal gremlin.

I loved how when I offered to walk you to class on the first day you had no idea why! And then you didn’t wonder at all why it was in the Ag building?

I didn’t know! I thought maybe it was the only space available! He looked sheepish. I still can’t believe they let me sign up for that class without any of the prerequisites.

Lucy continued. And when I looked into the classroom, it was all trucker hats. I just about died seeing your little alternative self sitting there.

Little. That’s rich, coming from you. He shook his head. I thought I was high, reading the syllabus they handed out. And I was right at the front and couldn’t leave during the first lecture. I went straight to the office to drop it after.

He took our laughter with good grace. I think one of those trucker hat boys was checking me out, though. I got vibes, believe me. He winked at Douglas and got an elbow in the ribs for being cheeky.

I knew that they’d met at Fox University, my new workplace, but I hadn’t realized most of them had been in dorm together in their first year or that some of them had rented a house together for the rest of their Fox U days. They spoke fondly of days at the Jubilee House, their touchstone and landing place through all the stresses of course loads and interpersonal strife. Different housemates drifted through, but the main group stayed the same.

I tuned back in to hear Lucy say, It felt like everybody was dating each other! You couldn’t have a house party without someone sticking their tongue down someone else’s throat.

Ew, Lucy. Grace gagged.

Thankfully, darling, Joel drawled, our university days are behind us. Not that it’s helped your tongue become any more discriminating. Douglas roared while Lucy stuck the tongue in question out at Joel. Aaron shook his head but fought a smile, and Grace clutched her sides beside me.

Lucy, obviously looking to shift the attention away from her, focused on me. What about you, Evie? What did you major in?

She’d caught me off guard, but hopefully not enough to be noticeable.

Oh! I didn’t go to university. I started working right out of high school and have just kept at it ever since. I felt hot, but I tried for a casual smile. I guess I never really saw a reason to do more school, and I’m glad not to have any student loans to worry about now.

Lucy smiled back. "Good for you.