Page 22 of Stay With Me

We park along the main street in town. Just like home and Thistle Creek, it’s quaint and well-kept.

As we get out of the car, the first gnome is in a flowerpot on the sidewalk. The gnome looks to be passed out, and his pants are around his knees.

Elise bursts out laughing and takes a photo.

We walk along the street toward the community info center, where a brochure boasts a scavenger hunt of the gnomes. Advertising seasonal changes.

Shaking my head, I grab the pamphlet and we start to hunt.

As we find more, checking them off, I chuckle. “I have to admit, this is brilliant. I want to come back in the fall to see the new gnomes and find them in the new locations.”

“Maybe we could make it a group activity?” Elise replies as she takes a sharp left into a neighborhood.

We hunt for close to two hours before finding all the gnomes. By the time we get home, I realize that my heart won’t let me ignore the way I feel about Elise, but I don’t know what to do about it.

Chapter Nine

Elise

Thenextseveralweeksfly by. Mary starts at Perk Up and picks up quickly on all the normal tasks. Her insight into possible menu items is well-thought out and by the end of July Perk Up is offering a variety of hot food items.

I love having someone to work with in the afternoons, and the shop has been bustling as I roll out the changes. The town loves Mary almost as much as I do. She reminds me of my mom, the little I remember her.

Young Jae and I have fallen into a comfortable routine. I sneak out in the morning and he pretends to sleep through it. After I’m done working, I come home to dinner and then we go for a walk. Every Sunday we spend the afternoon together and I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this happy.

He hasn’t mentioned the moment we shared at the gazebo or attempted to make any moves. Sometimes I think I misread the situation, but then there are moments when he will brush the hair off my neck, or I catch him looking at my lips.

It’s becoming harder every day to keep my thoughts away from Young Jae and that moment. I wish I could talk about it with my friends, but I don’t know if I’m ready to hear what they have to say, mostly because I know exactly what it will be.

“Why don’t you go for it?”

“You know there’s more there.”

I’ve heard it before.

“That was a heavy sigh,” Mary prods gently. “I know that sigh. Whenever Morgan makes that sound, it means man trouble. Want to talk about it?”

Propping myself against the counter, I tap my fingers against the wood. I haven’t talked to Adeline or Rae about this, they would encourage me to make a move and I just can’t be the one to cross the boundary. I don’t know what’s holding me back, maybe the idea of my best friend rejecting me in the gentle way I know he would and the damage that would do to our friendship—I just don’t think my heart could recover.

Taking a deep breath, I huff out the air and nod. “You know Young Jae?”

She smiles, the lines around her eyes creasing. “That handsome young man who comes in here all the time? I’m familiar.”

“Well, we’ve been friends for ages, but I’ve had a crush on him since we met. I was fooling myself thinking it went away, but now that we live together, I realize I was just ignoring it.” Standing, I pace along the cabinet of treats, tidying. “Living with him has been wonderful and if anything, I think my heart is even more attached.”

Her gaze turns knowing. “You’re in love with him.”

“I think maybe I always have been. But I don’t think he feels the same, or maybe he does a little but not enough to take a chance.” I shrug. “I don’t know what to do.”

She hums. “I can see the predicament, but if I’ve learned anything, these things tend to come to a head at some point. You can decide if you want to lead the charge or if you want to wait and see.”

The bell jingles and we both turn. Jake walks in with more daisies. Groaning, I roll my eyes at Mary.

He has persistently brought me flowers every week despite me telling him to stop.

“Hey, Elise. Mary.” He greets us. I can see the sadness when he looks at me and feel bad.

“Jake,” I sigh.

---