Page 21 of Wildflower and Whiskey
“Don’t play matchmaker because neither of us is in a position right now,” I reminded him.
“With all due respect, Phoenix, you’re a single man who has a lot to offer a single mom,” he said, as if we were a simple puzzle that would just fit together.
“I’m a man who doesn’t believe in relationships, and she’s a woman who has a son who is the center of her world, as he should be. There is no puzzle here. I’m just a man with the means to help a woman who needs it.”
“Fine,” Dominic said curtly as he shined one of the glasses with a rag. “You two are both hardheaded fools.”
He wasn’t wrong. I was stubborn and set in my ways, which didn’t explain how I’d spent late last night cleaning the loft after Izzy asked me to let Elyna stay there. I’d stocked the place with sheets and towels. I placed some of the brewery’s beer in the fridge, along with some necessities I had in stock in the restaurant. In the morning, I grabbed a bunch of wildflowers we had on the property and put them into a vase with water on the kitchen table to give the place a homey feel. That’s where I had come from when I bumped into Elyna on the path. I’d wanted to give her a place that felt like a home and she had her guard up. I understood why but I didn’t like it, nonetheless. I kept telling myself she was just my employee and I was helping a person whoneeded help, but what I was doing wasn’t help at all. A part of me was happy to have her living under my roof. Not only because I knew she would be safe but because she would also be close.
CHAPTER 12
Elyna
I pushed the door open with my hip, balancing Braden’s toy box in my arms, and nearly stopped short.
“Holy cow,” I breathed.
Luc whistled low behind me, dragging the suitcase inside. “This place is nicer than the hockey house back in Riverside.”
It wasn’t what I expected at all. The loft opened into a wide, airy space with tall windows letting in beams of late afternoon light. A brand-new futon sat against the far wall, clean lines and modern fabric making it look like it belonged in a magazine. The creamy cabinets in the full kitchen gleamed, paired with smooth wood counters that gave the whole space a sleek, polished feel.
“This is…beautiful,” I said, setting the box down slowly, like I didn’t want to disturb the perfection.
Luc grinned, testing the futon by giving it a bounce with his hand before getting up to check out the main bedroom. He flung the door wide. “Holy shit, Elyna, there is a new king-size bed. You and Braden are going to sleep like royalty.”
I stepped into the bedroom after him, my heart skipping. The bed looked ridiculously comfortable, the kind you sink into andforget the rest of the world. For the first time in days, I let myself imagine actually resting and allowing myself to feel safe.
And then it hit me, all the clean lines, the thoughtful details, the way everything was simple but carefully chosen. It reminded me of Phoenix. Strong, restrained, yet warm beneath the surface. I thought back to all the girls who wanted him in high school. He was a catch. He didn’t drink much, he was responsible, on the basketball team. He was always hot. He had his head on right, even after everything he had been through with his mom leaving. It was me who didn’t behave well, and here he was giving me this beautiful place for free. I felt like I didn’t deserve his kindness and it was eating away at me, but I’d have to think of a way of thanking Phoenix for his generosity another day.
Right now, I felt overwhelmed by the beauty of this place. A place I could call home for the next little while. I wouldn’t have to sleep with a baseball bat under my pillow anymore. “This doesn’t feel real,” I murmured.
Luc gave me a proud smile, like he’d personally designed the place. “It’s a good fit for you.”
My gaze drifted back toward the kitchen. That’s when I noticed the wildflowers in the mason jar, standing in the center of the table, their yellow-and-white petals fresh and delicate.
“Oh. Izzy must’ve brought those over,” I said quickly, though my voice sounded thinner than I intended.
Luc frowned. “Izzy hasn’t been here.”
The flutter inside me turned sharp, and I looked away. I forced a smile and smoothed my hands over my shorts. “Whoever it was, they’re sweet.” Deep down I had a feeling it was Phoenix, but why would he leave me flowers? I couldn’t allow my mind to go there. He was giving my son and me a safe place to stay. That’s all that mattered right now.
Luc didn’t mention it was probably Phoenix, which made the most sense because this was a part of his home. Though it looked like my brother was debating on calling me out. But before that could happen his face shifted, a weight settling over his features. “Elyna…there’s something we need to talk about.”
Luc’s shift in tone pulled me out of my thoughts.
“What is it?” I asked.
He rubbed the back of his neck, then leaned against the counter, shoulders tense. “You’re finally settled here, and I hate to bring this up right now, but you deserve to know what’s going on with Papa.”
My stomach tightened.
He nodded slowly. “Pierre Thorne told me some things. . .”
“You’re making me nervous, Luc. Spit it out,” I insisted.
The air in the loft suddenly felt very heavy.
“I’m trying.” His voice gentled, but there was a steel edge beneath it. “Just remember, El, you’re a good woman. Mama’s and Papa’s choices don’t define you.”
