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Wren
Mybodywascurled into a tight ball as I came to consciousness. My head throbbed and my throat hurt. My tongue felt like sandpaper. I groaned and opened one eye. The sunlight streaming in through the window sent a pulsing ache straight to my temples.
Two things became clear to me. One, there was a tall glass of water waiting for me on the bedside table and two, I was completely alone.
It wasn’t unusual for me to wake up alone in my own bed, but the past two weeks it hadn’t happened much. And this morning I felt the absence of Atlas’s warmth about as much as the pounding headache.
Atlas.I groaned again as I sat up in bed, head spinning. I grabbed the glass of water and chugged it down. I was almost done when I noticed the two aspirin sitting on the side table. I tossed them in my mouth and washed them down with the last of the water.
Atlas had brought me home after the mortifying incident on the bridge. He’d sat with me on the bathroom floor as I puked my guts out and repeated how sorry I was. He’d held my hair and whispered sweet words of comfort, but I could tell there was something off. He’d probably regretted being with me.
The thought sent a jolt of panic through me but I swallowed it down. No, I didn’t think Atlas thought that but…he wasn’t here. He hadn’t stayed overnight. I dropped my head in my hands, sighing. Last night had been a mistake. Obviously. But I had wanted to get away and forget about Liv and her bitchy attitude and…I had believed her. In hindsight, I should’ve talked to Atlas about it first, but I’d seen them hug. I hadn’t known what led up to that, but what else was I supposed to think?
I pushed my mess of hair out of my face. I needed some me time. I didn’t work today, but I needed to get out to walk and clear my mind and try to straighten out my thoughts before I spoke with Atlas. Part of me was embarrassed to see him. Another part of me couldn’t wait.
The one thing I did know was that we needed to have a serious talk about what we were and our expectations. I hadn’t thought I wanted that, or was ready for it, but it turned out not knowing was an even bigger mistake.
I got up with yet more groaning and got in the shower.
Afterward, I dressed and drove the truck into town. I ignored the fact that Atlas’s patrol car was still in the driveway. I needed some time, I repeated to myself.
I pulled up to the cutest little coffee shop I’d ever been to. It was in the historic Cypress Falls downtown. Coffee Amore was the epitome of cozy and quaint. A place where you wanted to curl up on a rainy day with a book and a good cup of coffee.
I walked through the antiqued green door with brass hardware. The smell of fresh roasted espresso and baked goods overwhelmed me. Overstuffed armchairs sat, grouped in small sitting areas around the café, and a few tables were set up along the right side.
As I approached the counter, the tall, thin man behind it with thick-rimmed glasses and slightly graying hair gave me a warm smile.
“Mornin’, sunshine,” he said, greeting me with a small wave.
“Hey, Derric.” I grinned back. He was the owner of the cafe and I’d gotten to know him since this shop had become one of my favorite places.
“Having your usual today?” He cocked an eyebrow.
I nodded. “Please, and make it a large today. With a cinnamon roll.” I was starving and the best thing for a headache was copious amounts of sugar, right?
“Coming right up.” He turned and started the espresso machine.
I waited, thinking about what to do on my day in town alone. There were many shops I hadn’t checked out yet. But I hadn’t been to Faye’s boutique in a while.
Derric set my coffee on the counter.
“Hey,” I said.
He looked up at me as he opened the bakery display to get my cinnamon roll.
“Do you happen to know what Faye drinks? The owner of that boutique down the road?”
He tapped his chin. “Faye? Oh, sure. She comes in often.”
I grinned. “Get me one of those too, please.”
Ten minutes later, I walked toward Southern Sunshine with two large cups of coffee in my hands. People greeted me as they flitted by, running errands or shopping. I hadn’t realized it, but I had come to know so many faces in Cypress Falls. Turns out, waitressing at one of the most popular restaurants in town helped you get to know people. It surprised me how many people gave wide smiles and remembered my name. It filled me with a sense of belonging I’d never experienced before. In the city, everyone was a stranger.
The bell tinkled above me as I entered the chic clothing boutique. It was teeming with people. The shop was small, but there were people milling around every rack of clothing. I squeezed past a few to get to the back counter, where Faye greeted me with her kind smile.
“Hello, Wren,” she said. “How are you?”
“I’m well, thanks. The shop seems busy today.”
