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8
Juicy Information
“Zara,” Rose Bloom said to her when she walked into the shop Saturday morning right when it was opening. Zara knew it’d be slower this time of year and she was hoping to have someone to talk to. She felt like Lily’s sisters were her sisters too. “What are you doing here?”
“Retail therapy,” she said.
“The best kind. But in order to need that, something must be going on. Want to share? Need Poppy out here? Lily isn’t in yet. She went to the plant for a few things.”
“You and Poppy are actually who I was hoping to talk to.”
Rose lifted an eyebrow. “Me? We know I’m not good when it comes to giving advice on anything.”
“But you’re in a relationship with someone now,” she said. “I thought maybe you’ve softened. Or at least it’s fresh and I know you well enough. Nothing is easy. It seems to be the story of my life and I’m not sure how to handle it or if I should walk away.”
The fact that Ren said she never showed anger had bothered her. She knew that was the case, but it wasn’t who she was. Having a lack of emotion didn’t mean she didn’t try. She just didn’t have the harsh kind of emotion often.
After she’d raised her voice and stormed out, she’d felt like crap. Rose tended to be the harder of the sisters and she needed to see how it was from that side of the fence. Poppy was more like her in that she was happy often. She liked to make people laugh. She liked to be the sunshine on a cloudy day.
That was what she needed today. Not the logical advice that Lily would give her.
“Monica,” Rose said. “I’ll be in the back with Poppy and Zara. Follow me, Zara.”
“Zara,” Poppy said, looking up from the sewing machine she was sitting at. “What are you doing here?”
“Retail therapy. Some conversation too. That’s pretty,” she said, going to the orange material that Poppy was working with. It had yellow mums on it. “Is that going to be a scarf?”
“It is,” Poppy said. “They’re going in the shop this week, but this one is for Willow. She saw it the other day and was squealing over it.”
Zara laughed over her niece. “It’s hilarious that Zane is surrounded by this. Willow has always been into more girlie things and he was so good with her, but now I can see he feels like he’s drowning.”
“No reason for him to feel that way,” Poppy said. “Willow has a mom and three aunts to talk fashion and play with her. Zane should be thanking us.”
“I tell him that all the time,” she said. “Do you two have time to talk? I need some advice.”
“You want Rose’s advice?” Poppy said, giggling. “Either you need someone to tell you how to be strong or mean or you’re desperate.”
“All of the above,” she said, smiling. “Sorry, Rose. It’s the truth.”
“No offense taken,” Rose said. “I was getting nervous for a minute there. I’m not good at handling Poppy half the time. I normally need Lily with me.”
“You’re getting better and you know it,” Poppy said. “Thomas has softened you up.”
“Very true,” Rose said. “So, Zara, what is going on?”
“Did Lily tell you two about Ren being back in town?”
“Ren Whitney?” Poppy asked. “The hottie that you dated back in high school? No, she didn’t. I’ll have to find out why Lily kept that juicy information to herself.”
Lily might tell her sisters everything, but she wasn’t one to run to them if it didn’t concern them. “She probably figured I’d come to you if I needed to.”
“And you do?” Rose asked. “What happened back then? He’s an ex and he’s back. Need me to help you kick his ass if he hurt you?”
Zara grinned. She couldn’t help it. “No. Yes. I don’t know.”
“Oh boy,” Poppy said. “You sound like me when Reese returned. Tell us what is going on.”
She explained briefly why Ren returned, his son, Max, that was at her daycare, and the dinner last night. “What do you think?”
