Page 83 of All Inn Thyme
* * *
I get through my rooms, taking more time than usual. I’m exhausted and worn out. By the time I’m finished up, the shed door opens and Allie and Beth step in holding a bag.
“Hey, we’re just here to help you freshen up before you go to meet Ty tonight,” Beth says.
I narrow my eyes. “What do you two know?”
“Nothing,” they say at the same time, too quickly.
“Right,” I say dryly, putting the last load of towels on the linen cart.
“Come on, tell us the update while we do your hair. Let’s go!” Beth steers me toward the stairs, kind of pushing me because I just want to go up there and drop to the bed and sleep for days.
But no, they make me shower, and when I come out, Allie starts on my hair with the blow dryer and Beth does my makeup.
“And why is this necessary?”
“Because you deserve to feel pretty and it might cheer you up,” Beth says, adding some powder on my cheeks.
I can’t argue with that, I do feel better already. I have on my new dark green overalls, my blonde hair falling in waves, and my makeup looks fresh and light, just the way I would have done it. When I look in the mirror, I see me, but who am I?
“What’s the matter?” Beth asks, looking at me and back at Allie.
“I don’t even know who I am anymore.” I shrug.
“You’re allowed to find out,” Allie offers. “And you’re always allowed to start over. You get to make the rules. It’s your life.”
I nod and stand. “Alright, I gotta get out there. Who wants to come with me?”
“I’ll walk with you, but you’ll be fine,” Beth says, gathering up the makeup as Allie grabs her bag. “Come on, it’s nice out.”
It’s getting dark, and I text Ty like I said I would.
Mellie
On my way.
Ty
I’m waiting. I love you.
I don’t know why, but I have goosebumps. He stirs something in me that no one ever has before. He lied, but he still has my heart. Damn it.
I round the corner and I see that there are lights strung at the top of the greenhouse, illuminating it. “Wow,” I say, suddenly feeling nervous. “That’s pretty.”
I see Ty standing in the lavender garden with two people I’ve never seen before. I head down the path toward them and Ty is smiling. He’s with an older couple and I almost do a double take when I see that the man resembles an older version of Ty.
Holy shit. These are his parents.
His mom is smiling and she waves with one hand, holding something in the other. As I get closer, whatever she’s holding is squirming. She kneels and sets something on the ground.
It’s my dog. It’s Sassy. I cover my mouth, tears filling my eyes.
“Sassy?”
She makes it to me, jumping and running in circles until I pick her up.
“My baby. How? Oh my God. Sassy…”
