Page 120 of Wallflower in Bloom

Rose walked over with a hot cup of tea. “You need to hydrate.” She settled beside her so Violet could put her head in her lap.

“They just love each other so much. They had to come back and find each other,” Violet said through a wobbly lip.

“Sounds like somebody else I know.” Rose laid a hand on Violet’s hair. “I don’t like seeing you like this. This is worse than…”

Than how you were after Dad died, she finished the thought for Rose in her head.

“I know,” Violet whispered.

“We’re all worried about you,” Rose said, squeezing Violet. “You’ve practically moved into Lily’s place.”

Violet’s clothes, tea mugs, books, and blankets were tossed around the large open studio apartment.

Her cottage felt so empty and sad. It was full of memories of people who had left her. Her grandparents, her dad, then Rose and Lily, and now, finally and most painfully, Jack.

It had felt like their home, even though she’d been lying to herself the whole time.

She thought she was lovable, but she just hadn’t been enough to keep any of them.

A quick knock sounded at Lily’s apartment door. “You decent?” Gray’s voice called.

“We’ve got pancakes,” Nash offered.

“Come in!” Rose yelled.

The two gorgeous men walked in holding to-go containers featuring Canon Diner’s logo.

I wish I had a gorgeous man. A new wave of tears sprung out.

“Margie sent your favorite.” Nash lifted a bag. “She offered to rename it an ‘English (heartthrobs can suck it) Breakfast’ in your honor, but we said we’d check first.”

Violet couldn’t keep in a watery laugh. She was embarrassed, looking completely disheveled, but happily accepted the heaping to-go box of pancakes and eggs. She sniffled through a stuffed-up nose. “Thanks.”

Gray handed Violet a large to-go coffee. “Breakups are a bitch.”

“How would you know?” Rose said, standing up and wrapping her arms around Gray’s waist. “We’ve never broken up.”

“Hey, there were a few nerve-wracking hours.” He kissed her soundly.

“Ugh, go away.” Violet sniffed. “You’re too in love.”

Gray sent her a sympathetic smile. “Let us know if you need anything, Vi. I checked on the plants in your garden, and everything seems fine.”

Her heart warmed, thinking of how much her honorary family had grown in the last year. It had only been her and her dad in Fairwick Falls for so many years. Once Rose had moved back and fallen for Gray, he’d been part of the family from then on out.

“I think I should be mad at you,” she said, digging into the pancakes. “You brought him here.”

“I specifically told him to stay away from you, Vi. I mean, you’re basically my little s—” Gray stopped himself and cleared his throat.

“She’s your what?” Rose said, squeezing his waist with a sly smile.

“Ugh, go away,” Violet yelled through her mouthful of pancakes. “You’re making it worse.”

Stomping footsteps sounded up the stairs that could only be the chaos incarnate of her little sister.

“Violet, turn your weepy white girl music down. We can hear it in the store,” she said, popping up the stairs into her apartment.

“Who’s watching Bloom?” Rose asked.

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