Page 113 of Bragg's Love

I start to respond but apparently, the question was rhetorical.

“How dare you use your knowledge about my secret fears against me? You know.” She stabs me with her finger. “You know how worried I am I’ll become my mother. You can’t use your knowledge to get what you want. The expansion today. Who knows what tomorrow. Not okay.”

I capture her hand. She tries to yank it out of my hold but I won’t let her.

“That’s not what I’m doing.” I rub circles into her inner wrist. “You know it’s not.”

This time when she yanks her hand away, I let her. She needs time. I should have waited before confronting her. But I missed her. Two days without her sunshine in my life left my own life dark and dreary.

“I’ll let myself out the back way.” I kiss her forehead. “I love you, Eden.”

Chapter 34

Did you forget where you keep your lady balls? ~ Text from Moon to Eden

The stalk snaps in my hand. Damn it. This is not the first plant I’ve killed today. Forget worries about becoming my mother. I’m turning into a plant mass murderer.

You know what you need to do for this to stop,my inner voice pushes.

I snarl at it. Ever since Miller stopped by my house to apologize, my inner voice has been pushing thoughts at me that I’m not ready to consider. Thoughts such as does the expansion really, truly ruin my business or was my business already failing.

Or – and here’s the killer – maybe my friends and Miller are right. Maybe I’m pushing him away as an excuse to hide my fears. Was what he did that bad? He never actually said he was cancelling the brewery expansion.

And he apologized for misleading me.

And he offered to stop the expansion.

I place my hands on my prep table and bow my head.He offered to stop the expansion. Bloody begonias. Everyone’s right. I’m pushing Miller away because I’m a big fat cowardly chicken.

I rub my temples before I remember I’m wearing gloves caked in dirt. I rip them off and throw them on the table.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Deep breaths in. No reason to hyperventilate and pass out in my store because I had a big revelation about what a sissy I am. Maybe I’m a pansy. A cowardly plant. My laugh sounds hysterical.

Get it together, Eden.And go fix this.

But what if Miller doesn’t want me back?

And what if you spend the rest of your life adopting cats?

Cats are bad for houseplants.

Exactly. You love him. You’re scared. There’s nothing wrong with being scared.

I sink to the floor.

“This is not a big deal. People enter into romantic relationships all the time. People also get their hearts broken all the time. Someone take the microphone away from scaredy-cat Eden. I’m ignoring her from now on.”

I’m also talking to myself out loud like a crazy person. At least I’m not a crazy cat person. Yet.

My phone buzzes and I dig it out of my pocket.

Harmony:You got this girl.

I groan. Sometimes living in a small town sucks. For example, when your friends find out the man you love stopped by to apologize and decide to gang up on you. There’s only so long you can hold out against well-meaning friends until you crack and promise to talk to your ex.

Soleil: There’s nothing to fear but fear itself.

Moon:Sisters for realz!

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