Page 6 of Wildflower and Whiskey
This morning, though, even walls weren’t enough. I walked into the restaurant with my head low and my chest tight. No amount of concealer or forced smiles could cover the fact I hadn’t slept, or that I was stretched too thin. Dominic caught me the second I stepped behind the bar. He was straightening receipts, his tie was crooked, his hair a little mussed like he’d already lived through half a day.
His eyes narrowed when he looked at me. “Elyna,” he said gently. “You okay? You don’t look like yourself.”
That was it. The question cracked something open in me I’d been holding shut for days. My throat felt tight, and before I could stop myself, the words spilled out.
“It’s Colette, Braden’s grandmother,” I whispered, setting the crate of glasses down harder than I meant to. “She’s been smoking in the house while watching Braden. Yesterday it was so bad I could taste it in the air. And she’s been… off. I can’t explain it, but something tells me she’s been in touch with Riley, my ex, Braden’s dad. I didn’t tell him I was coming back home, but I didn’t hide it either. He got himself into gambling debts, and I figured it was better he didn’t know where I was taking Braden.”
“And you think Colette told him?” Dominic asked.
“I mean, I didn’t tell her not to tell him I was in town. I just told her Riley had gotten himself into trouble and it was better if he didn’t know Braden and I were here,” I explained.
“So, you warned her to keep her mouth shut,” Dominic said, pinching his lips.
“I guess you could say that. I don’t know, Dominic, but something is up with her. She was nice at first but I feel like something has shifted, and I can’t place my finger on it.”
“It’s a mother’s intuition. My wife has that with our kids. They’ll do something wrong or something happens and she just knows.” He shrugged.
“I can’t keep leaving Braden with her like this.” My voice broke on the last words. “I don’t have anyone else.”
Dominic’s expression softened instantly. He leaned a hip against the counter, folding his arms in that calm, steady way of his.
“Hey. Take a breath. You did the right thing telling me. My wife, Angela, is only part time at the bakery now. I can ask her if she’d be willing to help out with Braden while you’re here. She loves kids.”
My chest squeezed, relief mixing with guilt. “I don’t want to dump my problems on anyone,” I murmured, blinking fast to keep the tears at bay. “I just… I don’t know what else to do.”
“You’re not dumping anything on anyone,” he said firmly. “You’ve been pulling your weight here since day one. Let us give something back. That’s what family’s for.”
Before I could answer, I heard the scrape of a chair behind me. The sound shot straight down my spine. I didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was.
Phoenix.
His presence was heavy, thick like smoke, filling every corner of the room.
“What’s going on?” His voice was low, rough, and already laced with the edge of a man who knew he wasn’t going to like the answer.
I felt Dominic’s glance on me, like he was waiting for permission to explain. My heart was thudding against my ribs. The last thing I needed was Phoenix’s pity… or his anger. But I could already feel his gaze burning into me, waiting.
I forced a small smile and shook my head, keeping my voice light, even though my throat felt raw. I had learned to school my emotions back in high school. I was most likely depressed and the friends I hung out with didn’t want to hang out with a sad girl, who had just lost her mother. They wanted someone fun and so that was who I was. I buried my emotions and plastered on a smile.
“It’s nothing,”I replied quickly. “Dominic and I were just going over schedules. I’m fine.”
For a moment, Phoenix didn’t move. The weight of his stare felt like he was peeling back my words while trying to catch the truth I wasn’t willing to offer. My pulse ricocheted so hard I swore he could hear it.
Finally, he nodded, only once, but it was sharp and curt. “All right.” His chair scraped as he stood. “I’ll grab the kegs from the back.”
And just like that, he was gone. It was like he knew I needed the space and he was giving it to me. But it was more than that. It felt like Phoenix could still see through me. See the broken girl I was and possibly the broken woman I was still.
I let out a shaky breath and sagged against the bar. My whole body was humming with the tension of holding myself together.
Dominic watched like a concerned father for a long beat before he spoke, his voice low and curious. “So… what’s the story with you two?”
My cheeks heated instantly. I busied myself with wiping down a perfectly clean counter. “What do you mean?” It would’ve helped if I hadn’t sounded so high pitched.
He arched a brow. “Come on, Elyna. I may be married, but I’m not blind. That man watches you like a hawk. And you. . .” He tilted his head, smirking just a little. “You act like you’re standing in a fire whenever he’s around. So, what gives?”
A nervous laugh slipped out of me. “It’s nothing dramatic. I just… wasn’t very nice to him back in high school. I was an immature teenager, and he was. . .” I paused, chewing my lip. “He was steady. Solid. Everything I wasn’t. I didn’t know how to handle that, so instead of being kind, I was… the opposite.”
Dominic leaned his arms on the bar, studying me like he was piecing a puzzle together. “And now?”
