Chapter 41
Forty-One
Louise
Ileft Zach’s after a delayed breakfast. He’d sat me on his lap—despite my protests—and honestly, it was exactly the kind of closeness I needed after the eventful morning.
After he made sure I ate enough, he headed out to pick up the girls from Lydia, and to have a much-needed chat with Abigail about the alleged social media accounts he had no idea about.
Taking the longest, hottest shower known to mankind back at my place—I really should let him fix my showerhead—I get ready for a shift at Bliss Garden.
It’s a Sunday in October and our fall schedule is in full force.
Our pumpkin patch is open for picking, we have tractor pulled hayrides on the hour, and Tessa’s been a baking fiend with her homemade apple pie donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar.
But to be real… I’m still reeling a little from the interaction with his ex this morning.
Dressing in a pair of wide legged black jeans and a black Bliss Garden sweatshirt to offset the chill in the air, I tie my hair back into two Dutch braids for something different.
Stopping at my favorite local coffee shop, I park along the street and pass Three Blossom, the floral shop Willow runs with her two sisters. I wave at Willow’s sister, Val, who waves back with a smile before dropping her eyes to her work.
Walking into Beau’s, I inhale deeply, the aromas of coffee beans, made to order sandwiches, and homemade soups making my mouth water even though I’m not hungry in the slightest.
Beau and Theo Collins, the brother duo that own and operate the café, are both standing behind the long barista counter.
Polished concrete floors, red brick walls, and a black painted ceiling that gives the space a striking, clean aesthetic.
The black metal and wood topped tables dotted around the center of the room are currently filled with customers, as well as several of the black leather booths along the far side of the room.
A row of tall, bar height tables with round stools are along the other wall, and two plush, black leather sofas face each other with a low wooden coffee table situated between them in front of the wide windows out front.
Edison bulb string lights are strung from the ceiling, casting everything in a warm glow despite the sunshine spilling in from the front windows.
“Good morning, Louie,” Theo Collins says, a beaming smirk lighting up his face.
Tall and lanky and built like a basketball player, he’s the real-life embodiment of a golden retriever with his perpetual goofy grin and playful attitude.
Blond hair that’s worn fashionably too long and blue eyes that have a teasing gleam to them just add to that mischievous air.
Willow thinks he’s in love with her sister, Noelle. Meh, guess we’ll see.
“You know I hate when you call me that,” I grumble good naturedly, stepping up to the counter and rifling in my purse for my wallet.
Beau Collins is the opposite of his younger brother.
Dark hair, dark eyes, covered in tattoos, and even grumpier than Zach, I’ve always associated him with a rottweiler, or a German Shepherd.
Quiet and observing. Earlier this year, he and Willow’s oldest sister Valentina had started dating, and the way he melts for her and only her is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
Theo leans on his elbows on the countertop, propping his chin in his palms, fingers pointing up toward his cheeks. He grins, bobbling blond brows. “Oh, I know. That’s why I do it.”
“Get your fucking elbows off the counter,” Beau grunts, kicking at Theo’s ankle. “Lou, what can we get started for you?”
“I need a dirty iced chai latte, a drip coffee with almond milk, and that caramel apple something you have on the special board, please.”
Beau nods, typing everything in on the small point of sale tablet in front of him. “So, a drink carrier, too.” Looking up at me, he says, “So we have Tessa, Darci, and Sienna. What are we making for you?”
I laugh and nod, because of course he’s correct in guessing which drink is for each of my sisters. Tapping my bank card on my chin, I scrunch my nose and peruse the drink menu like I’m not going to get the same thing I always get in the fall.
“Ugh,” I groan, making a face. “I guess just a—”
“A pumpkin cream cold brew with extra cinnamon dusted on top?” Beau finishes, already grabbing the necessary cups for the order and handing them to Theo.
I make another face at him. “I’m that predictable, huh?”
He shrugs, finishing ringing me in. “Certain people are, yes.”
“Guess I’ll have to try and surprise you next time,” I laugh, paying with a tap of my card on the payment reader.
I stuff a twenty-dollar bill in the tip jar, making Beau’s dark brows dip over his dark eyes, but then he tips his head. “Thanks, Lou. You always take care of us.”
“You guys take care of us. I appreciate you.”
“It’s what we do,” he says with another shrug, like memorizing hundreds of his regular’s drink orders is totally normal and not a big deal at all. Theo brings me a drink carrier with my order. Beau winks. “Have a good one, Lou. Tell Jude we will have chicken dumpling soup this week on special.”
“Will do,” I laugh, raising my drink carrier in cheers. “Thanks, guys.”
Turning my back to the door to push it open with my hands full of the drinks, I step out onto the sun-drenched sidewalk.
I turn again in the direction of my car, but I’m brought up short and stumble when I bump into a body, and a shadow falls over me from a long way up.
Large, steady hands grip my biceps and keep me from toppling over. Or losing the precious cargo I carry.
Tilting my head back to look up at whoever I just ran into, I smile at the familiar face.
“Hiya, Nash!”
Nash Brighton, my sister Sienna’s ex-boyfriend from a million years ago, grins down at me, his gray eyes crinkling at the corners. “Hey, Little Miller. How are you?”
I hold up the loaded down drink carrier and laugh, shrugging my shoulders. “Oh, you know. Another October Sunday day at Bliss.”
Nash catalogues the drinks I’m holding, his eyes stopping on the caramel apple concoction. “How’s uh—how’s Sunny?”
“She’s good,” I tell him with a smile, but I know it doesn’t entirely reach my eyes. It’s hard to lie to Nash about my sister. “Getting married in June.”
His dark brows pull close over his eyes in a heavy frown. “June? Seriously? You know what,” he says quietly, “if she’s happy, I’m happy.”
I nod, wrinkling my nose as I give him a knowing smile. “It was good to see you, Nash. Don’t be a stranger out at Bliss, okay?”
He nods, but we both know he won’t come out to the garden. He hasn’t been there in ten years.
I nod, too, then turn and start back down the sidewalk toward my car as he reaches for the door to Beau’s.
“Hey, uh, Little Miller?” he says, stopping halfway into the door.
His black jeans and black long sleeved Henley, along with the dark, brooding attitude he usually portrays lend him an air of mystery, and a touch of danger.
I’ve seen him zipping around town on his motorcycle, and sometimes I wonder if he really gives a shit if he’s careful or not.
“Could you maybe not mention to Sunny that I asked about her? Our secret?”
Rolling my lips between my teeth, I nod once.
Nash taps his fingers against the edge of the door, and then he’s gone.
I finally make it to my car and settle the drink carrier in the front passenger seat, making sure it’s steady and won’t tip over or spill.
Turning on Ella Langley on Spotify, I sing along on my twenty-minute drive out to Bliss Garden, soaking in the beauty that is the sunshine dripping through the fall-colored leaves still adorning the trees.
They’ll be gone in a week or so, once the weather turns cold and rainy.
At least they’re not calling for snow on Halloween next weekend.
For now, anyway.
Pulling down the long, winding drive that leads to Bliss Garden, I smile when I pass the four twelve-foot-tall skeletons.
This year, they’re dressed as Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.
To my mother’s horror, we’d added another skeleton to the gang…
a four foot tall dog with a collar around its neck reading ‘Toto’.
He’s the perfect addition to this year's display.
“Excuse me… you look like you love me…” I sing loudly and off tune as I pull into a parking spot. “Baby I don’t blame you… for looking me up and down across this room…”
Turning my head, heat sears my cheeks when I realize there’s a family sitting in the car directly next to me watching me belt out to the music.
I wave awkwardly, then turn my car off. Taking an extra second to gather my things—and my dignity—I climb out, walking across the parking lot to the barn to get this day started.
By the end of the evening, I’m exhausted. It was busy and non-stop, the weather cooperating and giving us an absolutely beautiful fall day.
All hands were on deck today, which meant all four of us girls were working, and now that the last of the customers are gone for the day and our clean up is done, we’re enjoying a bottle of Witches Brew around one of the firepits.
“Ohmygod what a day,” Darci sighs, twisting her Adirondack chair slightly so she can prop her feet up in the one next to her. “Thank you for coming in to help today, you guys.”
Tessa takes a drink of her wine. “It’s fall; we know the drill.”
“I know that, but I also know guys help out around your own work schedules, too—”
Sienna’s eyes find mine over the fire.
“Jodi and Kit have the bookstore handled,” Tessa says, shrugging. “They know my availability shifts during peak fall season.”
Sienna nods, twisting her chair so she can put her feet in the same seat as Darci’s so that they’re facing each other, kind of kitty-corner.
She has a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, her camera in her hands.
“What Tess said. And, the beauty of working for myself is that I choose my own schedule. If a shoot doesn’t work for me, guess what?
I don’t have to take it. Crazy how that works,” she mutters out of the corner of her mouth, and Darci kicks her feet where they’re bumped next to each other on the seat.
“By the way, we got some great shots today. They’re perfect for the website and the social media accounts. ”
I wonder briefly how Zach’s talk with Abigail went. I peek at my phone, but no messages are waiting for me. It’s late, though, and I’m sure he’s long since put the girls to bed for the night.
“Any fun weddings coming up?” Tessa asks, nodding her head to the camera in Sienna’s hands.
“I have a black-tie formal wedding I’m shooting next weekend on Halloween.
No costumes,” she amends, laughing when she sees our faces.
“All the guests have been required to dress in black. The bridal party is in deep purple, and the bride’s dress is art deco.
So pretty.” She looks over her camera at me then.
“Speaking of weddings… I ran into Andi Brentmoore this morning, Lou.”
“Oh, I love when we get to work with Andi. Her weddings are seriously so dreamy,” Darci whispers, nodding.
My cheeks heat and I take an unladylike gulp of my wine. This traitor. Sienna widens her eyes at me, like, ‘Come on, do it already’.
Twisting the globe of the wine glass between my fingers, I swallow hard.
“Umm. So I wanted to talk to you guys about something. About a job. It’s a job I would really like to do, if I get it,” I mumble.
I’m rambling. Taking a deep breath, I look at Darci.
“You know I love working here with you guys, and with Mom. I quit college to come home after Dad died, and I kinda never left, and that’s been great, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Anyway… Andi is looking for an assistant… and I think I might apply?”
I’m not entirely sure why the last part comes out more as a question than a statement. Like I’m still asking for their permission, somehow. Or maybe I’m just looking for their blessing. I don’t know.
My heart is in my throat. Darci’s dark brows arch over her eyes, and she nods slowly, and I think I might die of anxiety. “I think that’s a great fit for you, honestly. Have you applied? Do you need help with a resume?”
“You’re not mad that I’ll have to cut back my hours here?” I ask, surprised.
“Why would we be mad that you’re going after your dream job?” Darci asks, tilting her head to the side in puzzlement. “Girl, you’ve been obsessed with everything weddings since you were a kid. This is literally the perfect job for you. I hope you get it. And you will,” she amends, confidently.
I look over to Sienna, who gives me a little smirk and an almost imperceptible nod of approval. “You got this,” she mouths, and I take a deep, relaxing breath in, releasing it slowly.
Yeah. I do got this.