Page 119 of Chasing Sparks

Mina plucks the card off the vase and hands it to me. “See for yourself.”

I pull the card from the envelope, noting the elegant penmanship.

Beauty like yours should never go unnoticed. Always watching—K.

“Who the hell is K?”

Mina shrugs.

“Maybe they’re not for me,” I mumble, gliding my finger along the rose and stabbing myself with the thorn. “Ouch. Dammit.” I suck the drop of blood from my finger.

“Are you okay?”

“Not hardly. No idea who K is or why they’re sending me flowers.”

“A secret admirer, I guess.” Mina pulls a stack of cards from the front counter drawer. “These are the cards from Ash. Do you want to read them?”

I shake my head, tapping the mystery card against the counter. “What could he possibly have to say?”

“A lot, actually. I know you told me to chuck them, but I couldn’t do it. They’re here, if you want to have a look.”

“I don’t, Mina.” My words emerge with more bite than intended. She means well, but over the last several days, her stance has shifted from killing Ash to me reconciling with him.

So glad she considers me living as the runner-up in Ash’s world a possibility.

“I won’t throw them away. They’re heartfelt. Ash is trying, and he’s terrified he’s lost you forever.”

“Please, Mina. Just stop.” I hold up my hands, the desperation creeping into my voice.

She nods and returns Ash’s notes to the drawer before motioning to the coffee bar. “How about some coffee?”

“No. I’m jumpy enough.”

Plus, the idea of anything as caustic as coffee sounds terrible. Seems my stomach has gone on strike after a steady diet of alcohol, sugar, and heartache.

I’ve battled nausea all day. Maybe it’s the stress. Maybe it’s the flowers. Or maybe the universe has decided to throw the flu at me, too. Just for kicks.

Mina pulls me into a tight hug, holding me until I relax in her embrace. “I love you. So many of us love you.”

I pull back and offer a tearful smile, but I know her words aren’t true. At least not where Ash is concerned.

He doesn’t love me.

He never did.

The bookstore is dark and quiet when I emerge from my office. No surprise, since it’s our early day, but where the silence felt comforting before, it now only serves to enhance the loneliness surrounding me.

Mina hounded me to grab a few drinks at the local pub, but I’m not in the mood. Some things whiskey can’t fix, and my trampled heart is one of them. Besides, I don’t need the pitying glances from any of the locals.

They don’t say anything—at least not to my face. They don’t need to—Sparkwood is a small town where gossip spreads faster than a brushfire, and everyone gets their turn in the spotlight. My guess is Lucille is doing little to squelch any conversation involving her and Ash.

I pivot to lock the office when I catch sight of the note stuck to my door. Grabbing it, I feel a surge of emotions well inside me.

Don’t leave. Come downstairs, no matter what time. I’m waiting for you.

—Ash

My finger traces the words as tears fill my eyes.

---