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“Flynn is not Aaron.”
“Don’t say his name.” I waved my hand in the air. “It gives him power, and he doesn’t deserve it.”
“We’re leaving that can of worms for another day.” Madison chuckled. “But fine. Flynn is not the athlete who must not be named. It’s unfair to hold that over his head.”
“He’s also Steven’s best friend.”
My arguments grew weaker as I continued. I knew that if Steven knew I was happy, he wouldn’t care. My luck, he’d probably love having Flynn as a brother.
“You could always think of the show as a loophole.” She leaned her head on her hand, sighing wistfully. “Can you imagine the dates they might set up? And you won’t have to do anything.”
I’d never regretted being so honest with her about Flynn until now. One weak moment from three years ago was currently coming back to bite me in the rear. Hard.
“You know what? You need a cat.” Madison wrinkled her mouth up in an exaggerated mock frown. “If you don’t go on this show, you’re going to stay single forever and turn into the crazy plant and cat lady.”
“I am not. Take it back.” I frowned.
“I’m just calling it like I see it. You’re giving me every excuse in the world to not go on this show. Call Laurel and tell her no. Stay behind the scenes where it’s safe, watch Flynn pick somebody else, and you can live happily ever after with your plants and your cat.”
“I’m not trying to play it safe. It’s just got disaster written all over it.” I stood and stepped away from the stool. Nerves hummed like electricity through my limbs.
Needing to temporarily channel my focus elsewhere, I glanced around the kitchen. Colton had leveled up the beauty of the historic inn with his vision and incredible talent for rebuilding things, and Madison had followed behind him, making it into a home.
If I wasn’t at the café, I was here. It felt more like home than my own did sometimes. Maybe Madison had a point about a cat.
On the counter, my phone vibrated and rang simultaneously, and my stomach clenched. Laurel’s name flashed on the screen.
In a matter of minutes, I’d either be yanked out of my life as I knew it and thrust into an incredibly uncomfortable, albeit temporary, life, or I’d said too much and lost a massive opportunity for myself.
“Hello?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Madison perk up.
“Hi, Harper, it’s Laurel. I’ve got an answer for you.”
I cleared my throat. “Okay, I’m all ears.”
“You and I will need to meet tonight to hash out details, but we’ve agreed that with the short notice we’re giving you, we have to give a little. You have people that can keep the café running during the day, yes?”
My breath whooshed out of me. I had one person, and he’d only been with me for a few months—hardly ready to run my baby by himself, especially on short notice. Madison could help. She’d encouraged this whole thing.
I’d poured over every decision I’d made to build and create the café. Hours of research, reading, visiting places similar to what I’d envisioned, bloody hands, burnt foods. On the fly decisions weren’t my thing.
But perhaps that’s what I needed to do in order to grow.
“Yes.” The word almost seemed like an out-of-body experience.
“Perfect. I’ll swing by a little later this evening, but start packing and welcome aboard! We’re so excited to have you joining us this season.”
“Thank you. Me too,” I mumbled. She said something else before hanging up, but I didn’t process it.
They say everything comes at a cost, and mine was higher than I’d intended to pay. I hoped at the end of the day it would be worth it.
No backing out now.
Madison grasped my shoulders. “Are you on the show?”
Flowers. I was supposed to be doing flowers. Setting up a sweet date with my plant-based concoctions. Sharing my baby with the world.
