Page 7 of Falling for You
I pack my bag and flee to the brewery, opting to walk so I can enjoy the sunshine before hunkering down to balance books, and manage some marketing for the summer. So much work to be done inside.
Maine in May isn’t the warmest time of year, but the sun feels like a heatwave after the harsh, gray winter. The smell of the air changes too. There’s a hint of the sun coming, and the salty sea air takes over that crisp snow smell.
I stop at the door of Rebels and take a deep breath, readying myself to see Roman for the first time. I plop my heavy bag down on the bar, taking up residence at my favorite stool in the corner of the bar, the one that gives me the perfect vantage point of Roman while he works without making it obvious that he has all my attention. I’m determined to not let him know that he still affects me.
“Hey, Sunshine, here for dinner? I was told I’m feeding you for the time being,” he greets me, placing a napkin on the bar in front of me with my favorite raspberry beer that he stocks only for summer with an orange slice on the edge.
“Hey, guess so. I had to get out of the construction zone so I can focus on work. And Violet is desperate for gossip so I had to escape her too.” I lift the pint glass, taking a refreshing sip.
“Gossip about what?” He freezes on the spot.
I stare at him. “Seriously? You have no ideas?”
He rubs his hand through his hair, “Fuck, Ems. Did you tell her about us?”
I furrow my brows about to get defensive with him. It’s not my fault he wasn’t as stealthy as he thought he was. But watching his face pale, makes me feel the teeniest bit bad.
“No, jackass. She saw you sneaking out of the inn because you left right at the time she woke up to bake. And don’t worry she hasn’t told Liam. So your precious friends don’t know.”
I glower at him for a second longer before pushing my beer to the side and pulling out my laptop to continue reconciling the books with this past week’s income and expenses.
“Emma.” He reaches out to me, but I hold up my hand, silently telling him to leave me alone.
Eventually he lets out a heavy sigh and walks away. I refuse to engage in this conversation anymore. He doesn’t get to make decisions for us and then get mad at me for something I didn’t do.
I work for a couple more hours before Clark delivers a chicken salad sandwich with his homemade coleslaw and potato chips.
I lick my lips, “Mmm, thanks, Clark.”
“Welcome, darlin’.” He continues to stand in front of me, waiting for what I don’t know.
“Did you need something?” I ask probably a little more rudely than intended.
“Don’t give up on him. He was happier when you two had whatever it was you had. Since you left he’s been a miserable bastard.” He walks away after dropping that bomb.
This brings the total number of people who know up to three. I guess we weren’t as stealthy as we thought. And if Clark knows, I can only imagine my brothers have to at least have a suspicion. But then again, Rome’s face is still intact so maybe they’re still blissfully ignorant like I think they are.
“You need anything else?” Rome asks me.
“I’m good.”
“Emma. I—” He pauses. “Evelyn is coming home this weekend for the parade. Thought you might want to know.”
Evelyn is Roman’s sister. She’s Cooper’s age, and when the boys were off doing their thing, we became besties. But something happened and she’s been keeping her distance from me since she went to college. There’s a sadness about her now when I see her. But I have no idea what I’m doing to cause it.
“That’s great. What are you doing for a float this year?” I ask him as I shove as much of my sandwich in my mouth as I can fit. Clark’s chicken salad should be illegal, it’s so good.
Every year, local businesses decorate a float for the Memorial Day Parade. The townspeople donate money to their favorite floats. The winner gets bragging rights, and then all the money raised gets donated to a local military cemetery for upkeep, or flowers and wreaths for those headstones left forgotten.
“I can’t tell you, you’re the competition this year.” For the first time today I get half a smile.
“Well I could help you if you wanted. I haven’t had anything to do with any of my brother’s floats.” Like I’d help them anyways, they’re still on my shit list. Rome is too, but I know he’s working on limited staff to get this float done.
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, you know to be seen together,” he whispers as if he’s truly afraid to spend any time with me.
“Yeah, right.” I scowl. “Can I get this to go please?” I begin packing up my stuff. Unable to handle his rejection on yet another thing.
Something as simple as helping him build a float that I would normally be around for anyway.
