Page 91 of Accidentally in Bloom

“Look, I was on the fence about expanding into Fairwick Falls, but I know you’re in a terrible bind, and the shop is so great. I don’t want anything to happen to the business you’ve generated, so I’m happy to make an offer and start negotiations with a down payment this week.”

Rose blinked up at her sisters and then at him. “I’m going to take you off speaker, Allison.”

He handed Rose his phone and felt like he was handing over his heart as well.

Rose paced as she talked to Allison. “Two hundred and fifty thousand for the building and the business name as it stands today with a deposit of fifty thousand in a week,” Rose repeated, staring at him.

His heart hit the pavement.

She was going to leave.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

ROSE

Rose’s mind raced in every possible direction as she talked to Allison. Stall stall stall.

“I’m so glad news travels fast, but…” Her heart clutched. This was everything they’d worked for. The best possible scenario, really, so why did it feel like her future was being snatched from her? “I need to discuss this with my sisters. We’re all an equal partnership here at Bloom.”

They agreed to talk the next day, and Rose hung up.

Violet and Lily’s shoulders slumped, and tears gathered in their eyes.

“So, that’s it then? We’re selling already?” Lily asked in a small voice.

“I mean, that was the plan, right?” Rose crossed her arms, hating every minute of this. She was at war with two versions of herself.

How could she change so much in only six weeks? March Rose would have agreed to the deal before the terms could be polished, spoken for the four of them, and smoothed things over if necessary. But May Rose?

May Rose loved the store. Loved her life here.

She looked at the view of the town square she had every morning at Bloom. Even now, somebody played fetch with their dog on the spring green lawn, and a small family was going from the coffee shop to the playground. Birds chirped, and the end-of-spring breezes ruffled Violet’s and Lily’s hair as they stood outside their cozy, adorable little shop.

It felt like the most beautiful, spring-themed knife was turning a circle in Rose’s stomach.

“I mean, it’s Rose, right?” Violet shrugged. “We’re going to do what is best and most logical, even though that makes me really,” Violet’s voice caught, “really sad.”

“Sadder than a padlocked store?” Rose gestured to the handle, trying one more time to move it. “We don’t have the money for this, Violet. This will happen again and again.”

“I know. It just…” Violet trailed off as Lily rubbed a hand on her back.

Fuck, why do I always have to be the bad guy?

A tear ran down Violet’s face. “We love doing this. And we knew it couldn’t last forever, but I kind of hoped it would.”

Lily wrapped her arms around Vi. “We just know you, Rose, and you want whatever’s best for us and most efficient. That’s why you get shit done.”

Rose felt her stomach drop. “I don’t want to ruin everything, but we have to be practical.”

God, she hated being practical. She was always the party pooper, always the person who made sure everything was handled perfectly.

She had a raging case of Oldest Daughter Syndrome she hadn’t been able to shake for thirty-five years, and she wanted the antidote more than ever.

Her heart thudding a million miles an hour, she met Gray’s gaze and felt a stone wall come up between them. He knew she’d be gone when they sold. There was no reason for her to stay, right? Recruiters had already reached out since word got out she wasn’t at CMG anymore. It was time to get back to her real life.

Gray walked toward her. “You gotta do what you gotta do, Rose.”

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