Page 81 of All Inn Thyme
I love you both. This is not over.
Goddammit. I punch my steering wheel, and when I pull up to the bunkhouse, it’s like I was on auto-pilot. I don’t even remember driving here. I head in and drop my bag, the food still on the table that Mellie had been bringing me for dinner before I ripped her heart in two.
I just hope she gives me the chance to put it back together.
28. mellie
I did it once, I can do it again.
Beth dropsme and Nova off with her trailing behind me before she runs up the stairs to the loft on top of the garden shed.
Evan follows behind me, carrying a sleeping Kase. He sets him on the freshly made bed and heads back out and nods.
I whisper, “Thank you,” as he goes down the stairs quietly.
Nova covers my face with kisses and then immediately goes to curl into Kase.
I look around the loft, at what used to feel like home, and realize that it no longer is. But we can make it work again, I tell myself. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s having to start over.
I did it once, I can do it again. It’s just going to hurt a hell of a lot.
29. ty
She’s going to have to meet me halfway.
I wakeup to my face being licked and forget where I am. I open my eyes and see Nova covering me excitedly in kisses. And yes, I did sleep on the floor of the laundry room in the garden shed. I couldn’t help it. I missed them and wanted to be close to them.
“Ty,” Kase says as he comes down the stairs. “You came to stay at the garden shed, too?” He looks confused, and I can’t blame him.
“Just wanted to check in on you guys. I missed you,” I say as I stand and stretch. “Where’s your mom?”
“She’s coming. She’s been sad. Did you come to make her happy?”
I wish it were that easy.
“Yes. Are you taking Nova outside?”
“Yeah, then we’re going to go eat and Mom has to go to work,” he says like it’s every other day and our world didn’t just shatter. Oh, to be four and not understand anything.
I climb the stairs and knock gently on the door jamb. Her head snaps over and her eyes are red-rimmed.
“What are you doing here?”
“I slept on your garden shed floor last night. I missed you guys.”
Her mouth turns up a little, but as quickly as it appears, it disappears again. “I’m not ready to talk, Ty.”
“Will you at least just listen to me, please?” I beg.
“How will I know what you’re saying is true?”
“Because deep down you know.”
“I don’t know anything anymore, Ty.”
“I love you both. You need time? Fine. I’ll give you time. I’m not going anywhere. I live in the bunkhouse and I work for Sam Sr. full-time now. So, when you’re ready, you come and find me,” I say on my way out.
I love her, but she’s going to have to meet me halfway.
