Page 112 of Never Too Late

Novah glances at the door again with her head tilted, as though she’s trying to figure out what’s happening. If only she had met Tyler earlier than she had. She’d realise him and Ace are very similar. Maybe that’s why we became best friends... It was what drew me towards him, and what made me feel comfortable in his presence. It was like having Tyler there with me. I feel comfortable around him.

“Last orders!” Jazz shouts from the bar. It’s currently almost eleven; and I can’t remember the last time I stayed up this late. I’m usually asleep in bed by now.

Isaac, Bee, and the baby had left not long ago – all of them also wanting to get some sleep. We offered for them to stay at the house with us, but Isaac quickly turned us down. We’ve had Adoria stay over with us a handful of times, but now she’s teething she’s “turned into the devil,” and he doesn’t want to do that to us.

“Are you ready to go home, handsome?” Jae asks when he’s finished clearing the table.

Home.

I’ll never get used to him saying that.

I nod, because I don’t have the energy to speak even if I wanted to.

His infectious smile reveals the sombre glow to his cheeks, and I find myself unable to do anything else as I soak in his face. His energy. Everything.

How does this man get more precious, everyday?

For so long, I convinced myself I wasn’t worthy of this man because I didn’t understand my own brain. I made myself believe I didn’t deserve him. And the more I tried to convince myself, the more he did the opposite. He proved to me, time and time again, we were better together.

He comes up behind me as I inhale his rich, masculine aftershave, the hint of cinnamon taking control of all my senses. “Come on then, let’s get you home.”

I laugh to myself. He thinks home is a place, when really, it’s been him all along. And even though it’s my birthday, I have the biggest surprise for him yet.

Which is still not enough for what he deserves.

Chapter fifty-eight

Jae

Epilogue

The next day

When Tyler first approached me with the idea of a get together for Dax’s birthday, I laughed in his face. Not because it was funny, but I knew how much Dax would hate it.

I was just as surprised when he didn’t.

He still struggles at times, he doesn’t like being around people when he’s outside the shop as much, but he’s slowly building up to it and he makes me proud every day.

When he first got the diagnosis, I saw the fear in his eyes. It was as though his ocean blues were swallowed by something darker, a barrier of some kind. And I tried endlessly to break it down. But his determination will never cease to amaze me. He thought he was broken when he just needed me to prove to him, he was nothing of the sort.

My side has mostly healed now, the scar isn’t pretty, but it’s nothing compared to the pain of being without Dax and so I wear it with pride.

My own personal badge of honour.

However, my happiness from the night before was short-lived when I approached Bernie’s with a huge ‘SOLD’ sign plastered across the window on the outside. Bernie has mentioned to me the last few weeks about wanting to sell, I was waiting for the right time to approach him about the idea of me buying the shop from him.

I thought I had more time. I didn’t think it would sell this quickly.

And for the first time since working with Bernie, I turn around before I get close to the shop, deciding to go back home with my heart feeling like it’s been strung out of my chest.

But I don’t decide to go home, I decide to go to the one place I know will make everything better.

The cliffs.

The waves crash violently as I stare into the far distance. Different tones of blues fighting with one another almost as though they are mimicking the thoughts in my mind.

For the last year, working alongside Bernie in the florist brought out a passion in me I never knew existed. I started to understand the beauty he and Dax saw in the flowers around us, and in turn, I think they also helped me understand them more too.

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