Page 78 of Chasing Forever
I can’t resist circling the counter again. Now that I’ve opened myself to the possibility of something more between us, I kiss him quick but greedy because I don’t want to hold back. He’s become the best part of my day.
“I’ll walk you out,” I say, even though I’m not ready to let him go.
His radio crackles and ruins the fantasy. “I wish I could stay here all day. Maybe I’ll stop in for lunch if I have time.” We stop at the front door, and he pulls me in close, arm around my waist, mouth brushing mine. “I’ll be waiting until tonight.”
And I believe him. Because I’ll be waiting too.
One more kiss, and he’s gone, walking toward his squad car as if he didn’t just wreck me for the rest of the day.
“Man, how the tables have turned,” Bennett says, coming around the corner with a bucket of flowers. He waves at Brooks. “Flowers from The Perfect Petal. Apparently, I’m errand boy now.”
We step back into The Harvest Depot, and my morning rendezvous with Brooks stretches through my mind, warm and comforting.
And just like that, I miss him.
Already.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Chapter Thirty-One
Lottie
It’s during the lull after the lunchtime rush when the bell chimes at the front door.
Saylor is helping me put away all the sandwich fixings, so I tell her I’ll go out front and check on the customers coming in, but as soon as I walk through the doorway to the store, I come to a complete stop.
Brooks’s mom is perusing the shelves, and I take a moment to watch her. She picks up one of my mugs, winces, and puts it back down. Her purse hangs off the crook of her arm, probably designer. It’s paired expertly with her ankle-length slacks and ballet flats. She doesn’t look as if she belongs in Willowbrook, but that’s always been our problem. She doesn’t think she belongs here and believes she’s better than me.
Her gaze lifts, and she tilts her head when she spots me. “Lottie.”
My name sounds like it’s hard for her to get out.
“Mrs. Watson.” I push off the door, smacking on a smile. After all, if I want this thing with Brooks to go the way I do, I’ll need her approval. Or some semblance of it. “Nice to see you.”
She makes a sound that implies it’s not nice to see me, which makes me wonder why she’s even here. That sound alone causes me to brace for the punch in the gut she’s an expert at delivering.
“I haven’t been here in so long, I figured I’d pop in. It’s so charming that not much has changed.”
I don’t let my smile falter, even though I want to rattle off all the things I’ve changed since being put in charge of the store. The shelves I chose, the products I’ve curated, they’ve turned this store from country bumpkin to Instagram-worthy. But the pride I usually feel here shrinks and shrivels up under her scrutiny.
“Can I help you find something?”
Another one of her noises suggests this is all a ploy. Her arrow is already notched, and her aim will be precise. “You and Brooks really should show more discretion.”
“I’m sorry?” I clasp my hands behind my back to hide the fact that they’re trembling. Glancing toward the backroom, I beg the universe to send Saylor to my rescue. I’m ready to tag team out.
“I heard you were over at his house, and Deputy Moore was embarrassed when he clearly interrupted something. Saw you two fawning over each other on the sidewalk last night as well.”
I clear my throat. I didn’t see her last night, didn’t realize she was even around. “Well, Brooks is my husband.”
Her head snaps up, and she scans the length of my body, looking at me as though she’s at a flea market and I’m the dirty old blanket no one wants to buy. “I suppose he is. I’m not sure how you were able to swindle yet another one of my sons into marrying you.” Her gaze zeros in on my stomach.
Bull’s-eye. That’s one, but I’m sure she already has another arrow ready to fly.
My hands drift to my abdomen.
Her smile is worse than any insult—it’s mocking. A slow twist of the arrow. Worse than just shooting me again.
