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Brady’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean? A pissed-off look?”
“No, not that. Not pissed. It’s hard to describe, but no matter what he said—and it was always good things, by the way—the expression on his face made it seem like there was so much more to say. So much that hewantedto say but just… didn’t know how. I think he missed you.”
Brady sat back in his chair and exhaled in a loud whoosh. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but no words came out.
I nibbled at my lip, wanting to reach out and comfort him, but wondering if maybe I’d crossed another line.
Before I could make up my mind, though, Brady stood up abruptly, his eyes still bright with emotion. I could tell that he was trying to smile, but the expression came across as more of a wince.
“Thanks, Joanne. I was just wondering. And thanks for lunch, but I’ve gotta go.”
“No problem, but you don’t have to thank me. I—”
I swallowed back the rest of my words.
I wanted to make sure Brady knew I was around anytime he wanted to talk. I wanted to tell him that everything really was gonna be okay. Sometime. And I wanted to point out thatIshould be the one thankinghim, since he had bought lunch for me.
But I couldn’t say any of those things—or rather, Icould, but Brady wouldn’t have heard, because he was already halfway up the back stairs before I could find the rest of the words that had died in my throat.
I stood up and quickly brushed at my cheeks, suddenly finding myself close to tears.
I gathered up the discarded napkins and wrappers from lunch, wondering how our conversation had managed to go off the rails so quickly.
The tension and raw emotion of the previous few minutes had been a lot more than what I’d been prepared for, and I still didn’t know quite what to think.
I just knew that even though I’d told the truth—even though Brady hadasked—I’d somehow managed to give too much information, or the wrong information, orsomething. I’d hurt him, and I couldn’t help but feel that it was mostly my fault.
But if what I’d said had been wrong, what was the right thing to say? And if I could figure that out… would Brady even want to hear it?
Chapter Twenty-Six - Joanne
I glanced at the clock, then at the back staircase.Again. It was what I’d been doing all afternoon, ever since Brady had disappeared up there after our aborted lunch.
Every time the door would open, my heart would race, and I would hold my breath, anxious and hopeful that he would appear on the stairs and that we’d be able to talk about what had happened earlier.
And every damn time, my anxiety was replaced with disappointment when it turned out to be the movers again, rumbling down the staircase like a herd of elephants and crashing through the shop on their way out to the parking lot.
It was maddening.
But even though I had quickly become tired of seeing the movers, the silence that fell around me when they finally left wasn’t any better. It might have actually beenworse.
There was still plenty of work to do before I left for the evening, but all I could manage to do was watch the clock and wonder when Brady would appear again.
Wonder if he wasokay.
By the time Naomi finally came back at four from her deliveries, I was nearly beside myself.
“Hey, Jo, how’s it going? What have I missed today? I would’ve been back sooner, but I stopped by the nursing home and my grandma’s friends wanted to knowallabout the flowers I brought last time, and you know, I just couldn’t sayno…” Naomi’s bright voice rang out in the silent shop, her enthusiastic babbling for once failing to lift my spirits.
All I could think about was how I needed to get out of there.
To get upstairs.
To get to Brady.
“Oh, no worries,” I tried to flash a quick smile in her direction and hoped it didn’t look as forced as it had felt. “Hey, can you watch the counter for a few minutes? I, um, need to check on… something.”
“Sure.” Naomi’s brows furrowed and she watched curiously as I practically leapt off the creaky stool behind the front counter.
