Page 13 of The Sound Of Silence

“Were you about to call me a bitch?” I yell back, because apparently I can’t stop this madness now that I’ve started, despite this being completely out of character for me.Now, anyway.

Jesse continues to storm off without acknowledging my question, and he’s out the door in record time—not even giving me a backward glance.

Asshole is putting it mildly.

As soon as the door clicks shut, I deflate.

What is it about that man that has me so rattled and angry, but also has my icy heart thawing? I’m emotionally drained from such a tiny encounter, like my entire body needs a rest after five minutes in his presence.

And that’s truly unnerving.

I’m swamped for the rest of the morning—having to move between Lucia’s Florist and my store next door—which means I’m able to push Jesse from my mind. Mostly. It’s not like our small gift and homeware store is busy right now—we make eighty percent of our yearly income during the winter ski season—but it’s still busy enough for me to be exhausted by the time Sara arrives.

“Can I tell you—I’m shocked at how many people there are around town,” Sara says as she drops her bag down and looks out the window. “I think more people are here for this than the school reunions they host each year.”

I huff out a laugh and pass her my hand cream seconds before she reaches out for it. “Well, that makes sense, considering a school reunion is just one year level, and this could be students and teachers from over twenty years.”

Sara mumbles something as she considers that. “I guess that makes sense. I can’t imagine traveling back to my school in my late thirties. I’ve got better things to do with my time.”

“Oh, same.”Not that I left.

“Speaking of…” Sara hesitates and I know she wants to ask me if I’m okay, but also wants to respect my boundaries.

“I’m fine,” I answer without her having to say it.I’m always fine.“But thank you for checking in on me.”

“Technically, I didn’t.” She shrugs with a suppressed grin. “I was going to ask if you could steal me a centerpiece.”

I bark out a laugh because we both know she wasn’t going to ask that, but I appreciate her changing the subject. And taking my mind off thejackassfor a moment.

“Lucia sure knows how to style a wedding,” I say, referring to the centerpieces she’s arranged for this event.

Sara stares at me with her jaw open before throwing her head back to laugh. “Oh. My. God. How did I not realize that? Ashley’s turning her own father’s retirement party into a wedding. Now that I’m thinking it, it’s all that I see."

“I’d say it’s more like a practice run.” I smile. “But yes.”

Sara laughs again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be laughing,” she says without stopping.

“Oh, you absolutely should be. Why aren’t you coming again?”

I would do anything to have her there, someone in my corner, even if she doesn’t know why I need her. But I’d never ask. Especially when her beautiful smile turns apologetic in an instant. “I’m sorry—”

“No, Sara. I’m sorry. You have nothing to apologize for. I know you can’t get a sitter.”

“I still feel bad.”

“Please don’t. I’ll be fine. Plus, Pippa’s back.”

When my lips pull into a smile, Sara’s follow. “Have you seen her yet?”

“Not yet. She’s got food poisoning. But tomorrow, she won’t be able to keep me away.”

With Sara keeping me company, the afternoon flies by, and before long, we’re closing up. As I pull the door shut and wave goodbye, I think about heading to the hospital to check in on Lucia, but the idea of an hour drive doesn’t thrill me. Instead, I take the easy road, dialing her husband’s number as I walk.

“Willow, my hero,” he answers almost immediately. The happiness in his tone means he’s either staring down at his newborn baby, or he got high stealing Lucia’s pain meds. “We have a daughter, Willow!” he exclaims and I chuckle.The former then. Thank God.

“I’m so happy for you, Chris. I can’t wait to meet her.”

While Jesse wasn’t wrong about myfake sweetness,as he called it, the smile currently plastered on my face is real. We’ve shared a shop wall with Lucia for the past three years, and she and Chris had been trying to conceive since before we took over the lease. I’m happy for them. Truly happy.

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