Page 42 of Born in the Spring

We’re both loyal, almost to a fault, but she can be way more stubborn, more inside herself.

You never had to say you like being in my arms.

She never had to say anything.

But I’m going to need her words. To know that it reallyisokay and we’ll figure this out together.

“And you know Elara,” Court adds. “She always has to do the right thing. Or, well…the good thing.”

For the good of everyone,my head finishes, my movements slower, but not calmer, as I finish shelving so Robin can help more customers.

Before she does, she draws my stare with her hand back on mine. “And contrary to popular opinion, you can love more than one person at the same time.”

And I did love Robin. That’s why we made it out of our break up as friends. I just wasn’t in love with her.

She stalks off to the counter and my eyes fall closed, for a second, a minute, an hour, a hundred years.

Elara does love me. But is she in love with me?Couldshe be?

Something cool touches my lips, snapping my eyes open to Court trying to feed me a toffee—how many did he take?—and I swat him and his smirk away.

“Flo Jeffreys!” Mom’s holler carries through the shop, and I spy three people standing near the entrance of the lodge, two women and one man, my mom rushing them. “That is you!” She hugs the woman I assume is Flo, and the familiarity of the name finally sinks in.

A family named Jeffreys used to come up to the resort years ago, and I’d hang out with one of the sons.

Decker. His name comes to me like a finger snap. That mustbe him in the middle.

Shit, time has moved.

And it isn’t stopping.

“Jasper, come out here,” Mom calls to me, popping her head into the shop, and I leave my post with a pitying look at the shelves to go socialize, which is my real specialty.

Seventeen

Elara

Skylar cackles from next to Zacharias on the bench seat of the piano, his little fingers playing each key as Zacharias teaches him. And I laugh along, his happiness infectious, from my perch on the arm rest of the closest couch, sipping my chai espresso.

Those who are lounging around us are also entertained by their jumbling, echoed remix of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. Skylar’s choice.

Tripp told me Skylar’s developed this new fascination with musical instruments, and I have to say, he’s showing promise with this one. He’s already Cute-Eyed me into helping him talk his dad into signing him up for lessons.

I smile around another sip of my drink as Zacharias sends me a wink over his shoulder at another Skylar cackle, warmth sweeping over me at all three.

It’s been more better days.

Helena still hasn’t had to take another one of my late nightcalls. I coached myself through finally making it to staying in the bed. I had to wash the pillows and sheets—they needed it anyway. I’m not sure if Shepherd’s scent was still lingering or if I was conjuring it from lingering grief and guilt, but I couldn’t stay there, in the memory of that night and sleep through it again.

I cried into the washing machine, then moved forward, catching her up at our weekly. I didn’t need to talk as long, my body steady in place as she encouraged me, commenting more on my great progress, and metaphorically showing me the door. She thinks I’m ready, and if she thinks I am, I’m going to trust that too.

So, I’m officially off her schedule. But I can still use her private number anytime.

Amie’s voice reaches my ears, Jasper’s name pulling my attention toward the front. He walks from the gift shop, with his Jasper smile ready for the group of three people she’s huddled with. I watch him chat and laugh with them, another swell in my heart for each day I witness that, for each moment I too am the cause.

Robin comes up next to him, letting him know she’s there with a touch to his arm, and he grins down at her before seeming to introduce her to the people. She stands close, her arm grazing his each time she moves, and on a swallow of more espresso, I get a flash of when they were together.

Theyshouldbe together. She’s a fit for him. She’s his age. She matches well with him.

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