Page 48 of All Inn Thyme
But am I good with being intimate with another man right now? What if I end up getting my heart broken again? What if I get hurt again? I trusted a man once before, and he took everything from me. He hurt me in ways I didn’t think I could ever heal from. Plus, I’m still legally married.
“How did you know Logan was the one?” I ask Allie, taking the focus off me.
Allie sets her wine down and tucks her legs under her. “I didn’t. He fell first. I could tell he really liked me, but just like you, I was a single mom, and I had to make sure it was a good fit for both of us. Caleb and I are a package deal, just like you and Kase.”
“He fell first?” I say softly.
“Yeah. At first, he was just helping me. We come from two different worlds. He’s a successful, career-driven man who had no interest in being a husband or father. I come from a family that is simple and family-oriented. But it turns out, coming from different worlds didn’t mean we weren’t right for each other. A love like that is a once in a lifetime, knock your socks off, love. We didn’t have to force anything. We just came together because we are meant to be.”
“It sounds like a fairy tale.”
“There’s no fairy tale about it. It was hard, too. We had to figure out how to merge these two very different worlds and make it work.”
“It definitely didn’t look easy,” Beth says. “It was hard to watch.”
“Nothing good comes easy. Sometimes you gotta work for it,” Allie says. “I was on my own for years after I had Caleb, so I know how lonely it can be. Most of us aren’t made to do this life alone. We need our people, and Ty seems like good people. I am thankful every day that I found Logan. He was unexpected, and he’s everything I never knew we needed.” She reaches over and lays her hand on mine. “The real question is, are you willing to work for it and let someone love you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t have anything to offer him. I’m a single mom, and I’m still a very broken person.”
Beth sips her tea then adds, “You don’t have to have something to offer someone in order for them to love you, Mellie. They just love you for you, the person that you are. Real love doesn’t want anything in return other than love. You’ve come a long way since you moved here. I’ve seen you change a lot, even in just the last few months.”
“You seem a lot happier,” Allie agrees. “She’s right. You are loved. Period. Logan’s a millionaire. What do you think I could have offered him as an unemployed single mom? I offered him a family and love. Us.Heneededus. Maybe Ty needs you and Kase as much as you need him.”
“I’ve never thought of it like that,” I say, thinking about what she’s saying. “But happiness isn’t everything.”
“Itiseverything,” Beth says. “Because life is short, and it can be gone in the blink of an eye. So treasure every moment and make the most of everything you have.” Her voice is firm, but I can tell she’s a little worked up.
My eyes tear up because I know she knows this all too well. Her first husband and newborn baby were killed by a drunk driver years ago, and she was still drowning in grief when she first came to the inn. It took Evan a long time to convince her that she could be happy here. It’s easy to look at where people are now and forget about all the hard work it took them to get here.
“I’m sorry,” I say, trying to convey understanding with my eyes. She smiles and grabs my hand, squeezing it.
“We just have to live in every moment, you know?” she says. “Do the best we can with what we’ve got. Don’t try to figure everything out. Just go with the flow. You want to kiss Ty? Do it. If not, just chill. It’ll all work out. But life is so short, Mellie.Soshort.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I need to stop overthinking it.”
“Yeah. God, I’m tired,” Allie says. “I’m going to call Logan to come get us now. Thanks for offering to keep Caleb tonight, but I think we’re just going to head home and get some sleep.”
She pulls out her phone and texts Logan. “He says he’ll be over in five. So, what’s the plan with Ty?”
“Just chill,” I say with a shrug. “Just enjoy this season, get my gardens going, see what happens.”
“See what happens.” Beth nods in agreement. “Trust your heart.”
“Alright, I’ll try. We’ll see,” I say with a deep breath, relieved to get some of this off my chest for once.
“I’m tired, too. I’m going to head home.” Beth yawns as she looks at her phone.
“Thanks for coming out, guys. We need to do this more often.”
“Anytime, and yes we do.” Beth smiles as she heads to her SUV and waves goodbye.
Logan pulls up and gets out of the car, kissing Allie on the cheek. “Where’s our boy?”
“He’s inside with Kase, sleeping. You sure you don’t just want to come get him tomorrow?”
“Nah, I’ll just grab him, and we’ll head out so we can have some much needed family time tomorrow. Thanks for watching him tonight, Mellie.”
Allie heads over to the waiting SUV and opens the door when Logan comes out carrying Caleb. He buckles him in his seat and then turns around to me after he shuts the door.
