He tucked her head back on his shoulder and leaned his head against hers. “Of course, you can handle it,” his tone softer. “But we’re partners. I want to help you.”
Her fingers traced the tattoos on his forearm. “It’s not your battle.”
“It’s our battle.” He squeezed her to him. She didn’t have a smart retort for that, which he was thankful for.
“Want me to find the guy?” Gray offered.
“No, we just have to buckle down. We have the Mother’s Day event coming up. We can send in a big chunk of the tax payment in another couple of weeks.”
“I wish you would have told me sooner. I can help. Somehow.” He wanted her to be able to talk about this kind of stuff with him. Maybe it was him? Was he the problem? “Do you trust me?” he said suddenly, his mouth getting the better of him. Fuck, what was she going to say? No?
She snuggled into his arms and glanced up, her brows drawn together. “Of course. You’ve saved me more times than I’d like to admit.”
He nodded, not fully believing her words. He heard her voice echo in his mind from their cooler conversation. I haven’t had luck trusting addicts.
“Why?” she asked. Her hand rubbed along his chest, and he almost chickened out.
Cards on the table, Roberts. “I’ll never stop being a former addict. It’ll always be a part of me.”
Her fingers caressed his brow as she played with his hair. She pushed it away from his face. “I know,” she paused. “But this can’t be forever. I’m lea-” She stopped herself and bit her lip.
He felt like she’d just punched him in the gut with brass knuckles. It was worse because she was wrapped so perfectly in his lap. She fit in the corner of his chest like she’d been made for it.
He tensed. He wanted to scream, just let me prove it to you so you’ll stay, but instead, he nodded and shoved the sadness deep down. He needed to get the hell out of there right now. “It’s stopped raining enough.” He shifted so she would hop off his lap.
Was this it between them? Who knew how many more times he could convince her to sneak off. She seemed dead set on checking off every item on that fucking to-do list. She wanted to run away from Fairwick Falls, away from her past and anything that wasn’t in the shiny, perfect new future she imagined for herself.
They walked toward the door in silence. Something had shifted between them when they’d had sex. A part of his soul was tucked somewhere in her heart, and he felt a little off-kilter, it having left him.
She turned around in the doorway, a picture that reminded him of the first time he’d seen her like that. Rain dropped against the background.
“Gray, I…” she trailed off.
If she fucking told him she was leaving again, he’d lose his mind.
“...nothing. Never mind,” she said and walked out to the bike. As her legs swished away, he tried to take a mental snapshot of what he saw, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time.
ROSE
A week later, Rose stood in a nearly empty store getting ready for the mother/daughter event the next day.
Violet took a customer’s credit card at the Bloom register and bent down to the tiny pothos plant on the counter. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re giving Herbert a home.”
Rose saw the bemused man across from Vi at the register and mentally facepalmed. She’d told Vi not to be a plant mom weirdo in front of customers. Rose glanced at Nick, who was setting up his massage station. They both smiled at their beloved, quirky Violet.
“The plant has a name?” the man asked, seemingly charmed.
Violet’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I like to name the ones I’ve raised since they were little babies. Now, he does not like a lot of sun and enjoys a gentle mist of water every week or so. Don’t you, buddy?” Violet lovingly caressed the leaves.
“I’ll...do my best. Can I come back if I have questions?” The man looked nervous to disappoint Violet.
“Oh, of course. I’m always here. Well, not always, but you know. Happy to help.” She shrugged her shoulders as she handed him his receipt.
The customer gave Violet a charming smile, and Rose picked up vibes.
As he left, Rose elbowed Violet. “He was into you, Vi.”
“Go get that plant daddy’s name,” Nick called over. “He was cute.”