CHAPTER 26
A few hours later, I’m finishing up helping with the last few customers, making sure all the orders for tomorrow are prepped and ready. The strange feeling from earlier has mostly subsided, and I could definitely use another caffeine boost.
“I’m heading out, Mary Beth!” I call out as I grab my purse from the back room. “Need anything, coffee? I’m grabbing some before heading home”
“No thanks. Have a good rest of your day!” She waves from behind a display she’s rearranging.
I grab my purse and head out to the parking lot, fishing for my keys. The late afternoon sun warms my face as I approach my car. My fingers find my keys and I put them into the door and unlock it.
That’s when I see it, a small arrangement of wildflowers resting on my driver’s seat, the stems tied together with some twine. The same blooms from the valley Gavin showed me yesterday. My heart does a little skip as I pick them up, noticing a folded note tucked within the bundle.
“You look pretty today,” it reads in neat handwriting.
A warmth spreads through me, settling like a small flame. I can’t help the smile that breaks across my face. It’s been so long since someone did something this thoughtful just for me.
I close my eyes and breathe in their subtle fragrance. Without overthinking it, I pull out my phone and type a quick message to Gavin:
“Thank you.”
My phone buzzes almost immediately with his response:
“Can’t wait for dinner tonight with you and Sophie.”
I feel a flutter of nervousness mixed with excitement. I set the flowers back on the passenger seat and start my car, heading toward The Daily Grind.
As I’m processing this unexpected gesture a part of me wants to be cautious, I’ve been down this road before, getting swept up in someone’s attention. But another part, a part I thought had gone dormant, feels alive again.
Pulling up to the coffee shop and putting my car in park, I walk into the coffee shop. The rich aroma of coffee immediately wraps around me, taking over my senses. It’s relatively quiet inside, just a few customers scattered at various tables.
Behind the counter, there’s a new barista I haven’t seen before. He looks about college age, with a friendly smile and a name tag that reads Beau.
“Hi there! What can I get for you today?” he asks, adjusting his blonde hair from his eyes.
“You know, I usually get the same thing, but I’m feeling adventurous. What would you suggest that’s on the new spring menu?”
His face lights up. “Oh, you’ve got to try the Honey Lavender Latte! We make our own lavender syrup in-house, and it’s got this perfect balance of sweet and floral. Not too overwhelming at all.”
“That actually sounds amazing,” I say, pulling out my wallet. “I’ll take a medium.”
While he crafts my drink, I walk over to the side of the counter. The soft hiss of the espresso machine and gentle clinking of cups creates a soothing atmosphere.
“Here you go!” He presents the drink with a flourish. “I added a little honey drizzle on top.”
I take a sip and my eyes widen. “Oh wow, this is incredible! The lavender is so subtle, and the honey is perfect.”
“Right?” He beams. “It’s become my favorite drink to make.”
After thanking him and paying I settle into a table for two by the window. I’ve got about two hours before Sophie and I need to head to Gavin’s for dinner and I really should check in with Dale about the divorce paperwork before I go get Sophie. My stomach feels like it drops as I pull out my phone and dial his number, my fingers hovering hesitantly over each digit.
“Bailey,” Dale drawls out my name. “I was actually planning to call you today.”
Something in his tone makes me grip my coffee cup tighter.
“Hey Dale, uh-oh that doesn’t sound good.”
“Well, we successfully served Matt the divorce papers last week,” He begins, and I hear papers shuffling in the background, the sound making my anxiety spike. “But…”
And there it is, that dreaded word. I slump into the seat waiting to hear what’s coming next.
“But?”
“There was an…incident.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The lavender scent from my latte wafts up, but even its calming properties can’t ease my nerves now.
“What kind of incident?” I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. Typical Matt.
“According to the process server, Matt became extremely agitated when he realized what the papers were. He threw them back at the server, started yelling about how you couldn’t do this to him, and…” he pauses, the silence stretching uncomfortably. “He punched the glass storm door, and it shattered. I was told he sliced his hand up real good, and the police were called by a neighbor.”
My hand starts trembling slightly, and I set my coffee down before I spill it. The peaceful atmosphere of the coffee shop suddenly feels very far away. “Did he hurt anyone other than himself?”
“No, thankfully. The process server got out of there quickly and called me immediately. But Bailey, this kind of behavior…” his voice turns serious. “I know you didn’t want to go this route when we talked last time, but now, seeing the full scope of things, I really do have to recommend filing a motion for protection.”
I stare out the window at the peaceful street outside, watching people go about their normal day while my world feels like it’s tilting sideways. “You really think it’s necessary?”
“Given his history of what you’ve told me and this reaction? Yes, I do. Especially with Sophie to consider.”
Sophie. My heart clenches at the thought of my little girl. “Okay,” I say quietly. “What do we need to do?”
He walks me through the process of filing for a protective order, and by the time we hang up, my delicious lavender latte has gone cold. I check the time on my phone, 3:32pm. My seat beside the window suddenly makes me feel too exposed and the feeling of being watched from earlier creeps back in.
Is he here? Could he have found us? No, that’s ridiculous. He’s miles away still in Oklahoma. But still…my racing mind and anxiety are getting the better of me.
I gather my things quickly, thank Beau again for the recommendation, and head out.
As I walk to my car, my phone buzzes with a text from Gavin: “Hope your day’s going good. Do you prefer garlic sticks or garlic knots?”
A small smile breaks through. I type back: “I’ve had better days. Tell you about it tonight? And your choice.”
His response is immediate: “Okay, I’m here if you need anything before then.”
I unlock and slide into my car, feeling slightly better and look at the flowers still in the passenger seat. At least I’m not facing this alone anymore.
I watch Sophie in her chair at Gavin’s dining table, her fork pushed into a meatball as she begins eating it.
“And then Tommy shared his blue crayon with me because mine broke, and Ms. Lucy said my drawing was so pretty because I stayed in the lines!” She beams. “Oh! And we saw lots of butterflies today! Did you know their tongues are on their feet? That’s what Ms. Lucy said!”
Gavin’s eyes smile with amusement as he drinks his glass of sweet tea. “I did know that, actually. They have taste receptors in their feet. Pretty cool, right?”
“Yeah, it’s the coolest thing ever!” She nods enthusiastically, finally remembering to take a bite of her meatball. She’s already demolished half her noodles.
I push my dinner around my plate, Dale’s words from earlier still echoing in my head. A protective order. The thought makes my stomach churn, and my appetite has practically disappeared. What if it makes Matt angrier? What if—
“Mommy?” Sophie’s voice pulls me from my spiraling thoughts. “What kind of birthday cake do you want Ms. Lucy to make you? She makes the bestest cakes!”
“The best cakes,” I automatically correct. “And I haven’t really thought about it, baby. Maybe just regular?”
“Regular?” She asks, putting her cup back onto the table. “Ms. Lucy can make any cake in the whole wide world! Tommy told me she made him a rocket ship cake for his birthday!”
Gavin reaches under the table and squeezes my knee gently. I tense at his touch, my nerves still frayed from thinking about Matt, but then I feel the warmth of his hand on my skin. I exhale slowly and let myself relax into his reassuring gesture, drawing comfort from the simple connection. His fingers give another gentle squeeze, as if to say everything will be okay, and I find my anxiety easing just a little.
I know he can tell something’s wrong; he’s been shooting me concerned glances all evening.
“Well,” I say, trying to sound more upbeat for her sake, “what kind of cake do you think I should have?”
Her little face scrunches up in deep thought. “Maybe… maybe a flower cake! ’cause you love flowers! With lots of pretty colors!”
“That’s actually a really good idea, Soph,” Gavin chimes in, and I’m grateful for his support. “Your mom does love flowers.”
“Yeah!” She says. “And we can put purple on it ‘cause it’s your favorite color too! Can we ask Ms. Lucy tomorrow? Please?”
“We’ll see her this weekend, baby. We can ask her then.” I manage a real smile this time. My birthday is still a week away, but Sophie’s excitement is contagious.
She begins pushing her fork into more noodles. “Can I go play with Nugget now?”
I glance at her mostly empty plate. “Eat two more big girl bites please.”
She takes two enthusiastic bites, scooping up the last bit of sauce with her noodles, and then she heads to the back patio where Nugget was fed his dinner. Through the kitchen window, I hear her sweet voice asking him for his paw. “Nugget, shake! Good boy!” Her giggles float back to me, the sound warming my heart despite my lingering worries.
As soon as the back door closes, Gavin immediately turns in his chair. “Okay, what happened today? You’ve barely touched your dinner.”
I lean back, suddenly feeling exhausted. “I called Dale earlier. They served Matt the divorce papers last week.”
“And?” His jaw tenses slightly at the mention of Matt’s name.
“And he…he didn’t take it well.” I lower my voice even more. “He got violent, punched at the storm door and shattered the glass. Dale filed a protective order.”
He sets down his fork, his whole demeanor changing. “Okay, good. That’s a good step.”
“I know, it’s just…” I run a hand down my face. “What if it makes things worse? What if he—”
“Hey,” he cuts me off, taking my hand. “You’re not alone in this anymore, Bailey. We’ll figure this out together, okay? And in the meantime, maybe we should install some security cameras at your place? I know a good company.”
I nod slowly, a nervous flutter in my stomach. It’s just a precaution, I tell myself. The cameras would just be… insurance. Something to help me sleep at night. Maybe having that extra layer of protection wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
I squeeze his hand, grateful for his steady presence. “Thank you. For everything, making us dinner, letting us crash your evening…”
“You’re never crashing,” he says warmly. “I love having you both here. Besides,” he grins, lightening the mood, “I get bored cooking for just myself all the time. Besides, my wannabe Gordon Ramsay skills need an audience.” He teases. “At least with you two here, I have people to appreciate my culinary experiments, even the ones that don’t turn out exactly as planned.” He winks at me, and I can’t help but laugh at his attempt to make everything seem normal, even when it’s not. His ability to find humor in tense moments is becoming one of my favorite things about him.