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“What the fuck does that mean?” And there’s my temper again. I ring the towel between my hands as I try to read Travis’ face.
“Woah, I didn’t mean any harm, man. I just mean that she normally goes for a different type. White collar and whatnot.”
“Wasn’t her last boyfriend an accountant?” Brody asks.
“And there was the manager at Mandy’s bank,” Zach adds.
“How do you know so much about her dating history?” I turn my anger on Zach.
“She’s friends with our wives, Mitch. We overhear things,” he says.
My mind starts racing, thinking of the other men that she’s dated. Obviously she’s had boyfriends, but now I want to know more information that I don’t know if I have the right to yet. Are they still in Logan Creek? Who are they? More importantly, what does it mean that I’m not like them?
Rachel hasn’t expressed any reason for me to be concerned about this, but I can’t help but let my mind wander there. As the guys go back to their own conversation, I think about this morning when I picked her up. She looked beautiful in a pale green dress that looked retro with its fitted top and flared skirt. Her hair was down in curls, just a little makeup on her face.
She was out the door before I put my truck in park. She surprised me by bringing me a coffee in her travel thermos and let me kiss her for longer than appropriate outside her flower shop when I dropped her off. She wouldn’t do that for someone she wasn’t overly interested in, right?
It’s not something I can do anything about now. I have more inventory to do before the end of my shift.
I pop my ear pods back in as I head to the back. As I pull out my phone to start the audiobook again, I smile, seeing a text.
Rachel
Thinking of you. Thank you again for picking me up and dropping me off.
I’m sorry you have to go out of your way for me.
Maybe I don’t need to worry. Maybe I have something those white collar guys don’t have. I don’t know what it is, by I’m going to fucking hold on to is as long as I can.
14
RACHEL
Itry my best not to get too frustrated, but these snapdragons are getting the better of me. No matter what I do, they aren’t sitting the way I want them to, and it makes me want to scream.
Deciding the best thing to do is take a break before I snap one by accident, I put them down and stand from my stool. The shop has been a little quiet today, which has let me get caught up on some orders. I feel bad knowing I need to ask Mitch for a ride for these deliveries, but I don’t have an option other than turning down business, which I really don’t want to do right now.
Mitch looked so tired this morning when he picked me up, and I know a lot of that is my fault. He would normally still be sleeping at the time he pulled into my driveway, but he won’t listen to me about finding my way to work any other way. It makes me feel a little better to bring him coffee in the morning. We may only be a few days into our little routine, but it’s been working really well. I bring him coffee in my travel mug in the morning. He brings it back to me in the evening with a treat from Charmed Bakery. Lila’s been going overboard with her fall baking, which means I’ve been getting a lot of pumpkin and apple flavoured treats, which makes me really happy.
I don’t know if Mitch knew they were my favourite or not, but I’ll take it.
I’m both looking forward to and dreading the call from Carl that my van is ready. While I do feel bad for having Mitch change his schedule for me, I’ll admit I like being able to see him every day.
I never used to watch the clock, counting down until the shop closed, but lately I have been. Closing the shop used to mean not doing anything but going home to an empty house. While I still do that, I get to see Mitch on my way there. It means that I get to talk to him about our days and kiss him on my doorstep when he leaves. It means that I get little texts from him when he’s made it back to the brewery and sometimes even ones late at night if he’s thinking of me or to tell me something funny that happened in the tasting room.
The only thing that makes me hesitant about us is he hasn’t mentioned a second date. Granted, we get two little mini dates every day, but it’s not the same.
Is he only dropping me off and picking me up because he feels sorry for me? Running my deliveries in town because I don’t have anyone else? Are the baked goods just a way of repaying the coffee I bring for him in the morning?
I know I’ve overthinking it, but I can’t help it.
The bell above the door chimes, and Mandy walks in with a bright smile. “Hey, Rach!”
“Hey, Mandy. How are you?”
“Good. I’m just here to pick up the order for the bank. I think Sarah called it in last week.”
“Yes, I have it right here.” I walk over to the standing coolers, feeling the comfortingwhooshof fragrant flowers on a cool breeze wash over me.
