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10
HATTIE
“Happy Saturday. Doing anything special with Thatcher tonight?” Stella asked, handing me the coffee she’d brought me from Bluffton Brews, the coffee shop on the corner of Main Street.
Sure, it was the only one within walking distance, and the only one that wasn’t a chain store, but it was the best. Plus, Penny, the owner, knew everyone’s drink orders and started prepping them while they were still in line. Small-town life at its finest.
I accepted my usual house blend with cream and sugar with a grateful nod, humming as I sipped it. “No, he’s on shift. But he’ll be here tomorrow, and then he has a double the next day, so he’ll probably leave early to rest up.”
“Hasn’t it been six months since you met? You’re not celebrating?”
Blinking at her, I tilted my head to the side. “No, Stella. We have no plans to celebrate. And how do you even know it’s been six months this weekend? I hadn’t even thought about it.”
“Because I ran into his mom the other day when they were having their book club at B Brews. She mentioned it. Seems likesomeone’skeeping track. Maybe Thatcher is planning something big for you.”
I pursed my lips. It wouldn’t surprise me if it were Mrs. Reid herself who’d kept track since Thatcher had said she was always sticking her nose in his business.
I hadn’t minded it, though. She wasn’t overbearing with me, and she’d been the one to suggest he ask me out in the first place.
In my mind, she was some kind of fairy godmother.
Putting down my coffee and getting back to the bouquet I’d been arranging when Stella had first walked in, I shook my head. “I’m sure he isn’t planning something big. Besides, it’s been six months since we met, but only three since we’ve been dating. These aren’t big anniversary milestones, girlfriend.”
Stella shrugged. “How many times have you sold bouquets for monthly anniversaries?”
“A few. But still. Thatcher is practical and thoughtful, but I wouldn’t call him overly romantic. He doesn’t strike me as the big gesture type. Unlikesomepeople.”
I said the last part with a pointed look, making Stella laugh.
Last week, Michael had gone all out, proposing to her in front of the entire school during a pep rally. He’d even involved the students, having them roll out a big sign that asked her to marry him.
Thankfully, he’d given me the head’s up, and I’d been able to sneak away from work for an hour to witness their special moment.
As happy as I was for my friend, I couldn’t help but be a little, teeny-tiny bit jealous. Something like that wouldn’t be in the cards for Thatcher and me for a long time. We’d spent the last three months happily together, but we hadn’t talked at all about the future.
I figured we were both avoiding that particular topic like the plague. Every month we spent together brought us closer to the time he would leave, and since we hadn’t talked about what we would do when that happened, it wasn’t something we wanted to discuss.
“Lemme ask you something,” Stella said, leaning on the counter across from me. “Do you love him?”
I pursed my lips. “Yes.”
“Have you told him that?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not that simple, Stel. Sometimes love just isn’t enough.”
She waved a hand. “It was enough for Michael and me.”
“You guys work in the same school and live in the same town. I’m glad you got over the things that were holding you back, but the prospect of being separated for more than a decade wasn’t one of them.”
“That’s fair. But at the same time, you do have options. It’s not like your parents are physically chaining you to this store.”
My head whipped up to look at her, hurt coursing through me. “Stella. You know I’d never leave Bluffton Blooms. My parents count on me to help them save it, and then I plan to carry on their legacy.”
“Hey, don’t hate me, I get it. I really do. All I’m saying is that you could leave with him for the rest of the time he’s in the military and then come back when he gets out. Hopefully, they’ll still be going strong, and you can take over then.”
