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No matter how much I actually enjoyed spending time at the shop with Joanne, the month would still pass, and I would still sell Patty’s Petals. She would be pissed and hurt all over again, and even though I would feel like an ass, I’d still move away to the little cabin in the woods I’d imagined.
That little, imaginary cabin suddenly seemed more remote and lonelier than it ever had before.
Before I’d met Joanne.
Still, it was the plan I’d committed to, and it still made the most sense financially, especially given the debt my father had saddled me with.
And if there was one thing I’d learned playing football, you made a plan and stuck with it—at least until the situation on the field changed. And right now—my own mixed feelings notwithstanding—the situation in Castle Falls was pretty much the same as it had been when I’d arrived.
The little thoughts and dreams I’d been having about Joanne were just that—dreams.Fantasies.
Not the kinds of things I could plan my life around, no matter how fun or real they might feel in the moment.
Why, then, couldn’t I stand to look at myself in the bathroom mirror? Why did the thought of hurting a girl I’d known for just over two weeks make me want to throw up?
How could it be that one person could make me question everything?
Chapter Twenty-Five - Joanne
I sat on the stool behind the counter and did my best not to scowl at the burly men who walked past me to the back staircase. All morning long, they’d been going back and forth, hauling boxes and furniture from the small apartment upstairs out to the big moving truck in the parking lot.
And even though I knew it wasn’ttheirdecision to move Henry’s stuff, I couldn’t help but resent—just a little—that they were there.
Brady was around somewhere, too, but I had barely caught a glimpse of the man all day. he was no doubt busily taking the place apart, piece by piece.
I had to try really hard not to resent that, too.
ItwasBrady’s apartment, after all, and the place had to be cleared outsometime. I just hadn’t been prepared for how it would make me feel. And I hadn’t been prepared for ittoday. In fact, up until the moment I’d arrived at work and seen the moving truck, I’d actually been looking forward to spending another workday with Brady.
It had felt like we’d sort of had a breakthrough over the previous few days; that we were starting to understand each other a little better.
Brady’s style was night-and-day different from Henry’s, for sure—he was quiet and laid-back where Henry had been loud and opinionated—but it was at least nice that he didn’t really feel like a stranger anymore.
And the way he had been looking at me lately? Like I was made of candy and Brady wasreallyhungry?
Yeah, that had been pretty hot, and had made it even more difficult for me to remind myself that Brady wasnot an option. Well, probably not an option.
Mostly.
But whatever.
Available or not, he was still my boss.
And even though fantasizing about him wasn’t necessarily the best use of my time, either, it was a hell of a lot better than moping about what was going on upstairs.
I glanced at the clock. It was close enough to lunchtime that I could probably go next door and whine to Luca without anyone caring.
Just as I was standing up, though, Brady walked through the front door. And as if he’d been summoned by my thoughtsandhad read my mind, he was carrying two cups and a bag from next door.
I could immediately feel all of my crankiness from just a few minutes before start to fade away. Even if I’dwantedto hold onto some of that, to still be annoyed with Brady for… whatever reason… I justcouldn’t. It was impossible, because I knew deep down that he wasn’t a bad guy. In fact, he was a much,muchbetter guy than any I had ever dated.
“Oh hey,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant as he approached with a grin. “I was just about to head over there. I didn’t even see you come down.”
“I figured. I was starving, and I thought you might be hungry too. I grabbed us some sandwiches and some little pastry things that, um, your friend said you might like.”
I smiled. No matter how many times I tried to turn down the sinfully delicious treats, Luca always managed to force at least one on me every couple of days.
Not that it wasthatbig of a sacrifice.
