AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But he’s right,” she said miserably. “I did sort of betray him. I didn’t mean it. I did want to look out for him. And I didn’t mean to doubt him or whatever he thinks. Undermine him. I don’t know. It’s just so confusing.”
She was making headway on her third drink, but that was nothing for her.
“From what you told me, it sounds like you were trying to stick up for him,” Mack offered as he opened the glassware washer.
“I was! But at the same time, come on, you have to admit, he is like a bull in a china shop when it comes to the Fae. He just charges in. I just don’t get it. But that’s just part of it. I still didn’t mean to spill the beans on his plan. Finch was so tricky. And then Rocky. Ugg, it makes my head hurt trying to figure out where I screwed up.”
“Did you try to explain any of this to Dax?”
“I didn’t have the chance. And what would be the point anyhow? I’m just an idiot. I just can’t do relationships. With anyone.”
“Bloom, come on, that’s not true. You have more friends in Fae Crossing than anyone, I bet.” He began to wipe the glasses down one at a time as he removed them from the washer.
She gave him a shocked look. “Are you kidding? I pour drinks for a lot of people. I say ‘Hi, the usual?’ to a ton of people. Matter of fact, I could probably tell you the favorite drink of every fae and half the shifters, and even a fair number of humans in Fae Crossing. But as far as friends? Real friends?” She put her hand out in front of her over the table and began to count with her fingers as she spoke, “There’s you, and Wendy. Then Tam.” She thought for a minute. “And that’s it. I have three friends, and you guys probably don’t even like me.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous.”
“I am not. You don’t get it. Nobody gets it. Everyone thinks I must have so many friends and “isn’t her life so great.” Sure, people are compassionate with what happened to my dad, but they don’t know the half of it. Don’t you see? I don’t fit in. I’veneverfit in. Anywhere. And I never will.”
She took another sip of her drink, this one approaching a chug. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to feeling sorry for myself.”
“At least you seem to have a plan,” he quipped.
“A plan? How is that a plan? I’m a mess. Everything is a mess. A mess of my own making,” she said as she took another long sip.
“Feeling sorry for yourself is a plan. That’s fine. Just see it for what it is, kiddo. Everyone has a reason to do that if they dig deep enough, but that’s still no reason. By the way, If you are trying to drown your sorrows you really aren’t doing a very good job of it.
“I can’t even get drunk properly,” she said unhappily.
“Consider it a blessing in this case,” he said as he patted her on the shoulder.
“Why do I suck at everything?”
“Look, kiddo. Don’t go judging your whole life based on one bad day.”
“One bad day? Did you hear anything I just said?”
“I know, kiddo. I am just saying, give it a minute. I don’t know exactly what went down between you and Dax, but I can tell you he means well. His heart is in the right place. And for what it’s worth, I’d say so was his father’s. All the shit with the council, I don’t know. Just give yourself a few days before you start drawing conclusions. Let your head clear.”
“I wish it were that simple. But no. Dax and I just aren’t meant to be. I was an idiot thinking it could ever work. Everything I say comes out wrong, and everything I do leads to shit.”
Mack was quiet for a minute.
“Look, I get it, okay, and I’m sorry. You know, I remember when your father met your mother.”
This got a little of her attention.
“Oh, yeah, well that must have been another shit show.”
“On the contrary. They got on quite well. And yeah, it didn’t work out.”
“Great, thanks for the uplifting story. Really turning my day around,” Bloom said.
“But then ten years later you showed up,” Mack continued. “I know things were kind of tough for you two initially. It was a transition. But I will tell you, you should have seen the change that came over him. He loved you with all his heart, Bloom. And he was so proud of you.”
“Why are you telling me this, Mack?”
“You never know what the future holds or what good might come out of a situation, okay? So, don’t write this one off either. Keep looking for the good, kiddo.”
