49. Fia 3 Months Later
“If you don’t stop, I’m going to be late,” I whisper, trying to sound serious, but Caden pulls me in closer, the covers muffling my laughter.
He feathers kisses down my neck, and my eyes reluctantly shut again. He snakes a hand around my waist, warming my exposed skin. His fingertips flirt with the band of my panties. I slap his hand away, even though I want nothing more than to let him satisfy me right now.
I roll over, facing him. He wears a devilish grin, his blond hair askew from sleep.
“This is very unprofessional of you,” I playfully scold, which I instantly regret because it only turns him on.
He dives in, kissing me, and I push against his chest.
“Ten minutes. I have to be up in ten minutes,” I warn.
“Challenge accepted,” Caden replies, nearly ripping my bottoms off.
“You know there’s a coffee shop next to your office, right?” Caden asks as he enters the kitchen, holding Daisy.
I fill my mug with my home-brewed coffee, ignoring him.
“You act like I’m not going to require multiple cups throughout the day.”
I screw the lid onto my to-go cup, grab the diaper bag, and kneel down to give Hamburger a scratch before I leave for the day.
“Ahh—I love fall,” I muse, breathing in the crisp air. Well, as crisp as Wilmington gets in October.
Caden straps Daisy into the stroller and nudges his sunglasses up his nose.
Still too cool.
I roll my eyes but smile, grateful for the company as I push the stroller towards Luanne’s.
“You’re coming up on one month. How do you want to celebrate?” Caden asks as we wait at the crosswalk.
“Truthfully? I just want an afternoon to finally read a book. I know this guy who’s an incredible chef. Maybe we can arrange for him to serve me my food poolside while I read . . .”
Caden laughs. “I’ll talk to my people. See if we can make this happen.”
That means yes.
Because if the last three months have taught me anything it’s that Caden Brooks is a man of his word. After he handed me keys to what felt like the city—the empty space next to Good Grinds—everything changed.
In the best way possible, in the way maybe everything was supposed to be.
I poured my heart and soul into learning the ropes of being a small-business owner. My used bookstore dream was slowly coming true before my eyes.
My family, and Luanne, rallied behind me, taking care of Daisy so I could spend long hours in the shop, painting, planning, and dreaming—all the things.
Though I made sure I saved at least one afternoon each weekend to spend with Caden and Daisy, together. That’s been my favorite thing in the world.
Caden also promised me we’d take everything between us at my pace, and he’s proven that that wasn’t just talk.
Some days between taking care of a growing toddler and working on the bookstore, I don’t see him at all.
But there are also many days where I’d crawl into my own bed exhausted but happy, and he’d be there waiting for me.
Happy to be wherever you are.
That’s what he’d say when I’d apologize for not having a lick of energy left for anything but to cuddle until we fell asleep.
I’m not the only one filled with joy when I see him though.
Daisy runs straight to him the moment he steps through the front door.
By the grace of god, even Hamburger has stopped hiding when he’s over.
He simply watches from his many perches, eyes full of judgement, but I’m still holding on to hope that they will become friends one day.
Caden also helped me organize the estate sale. The house has room to breathe now, and though it still gets messy and things break, living here no longer weighs me down.
It’s now a house where I rest well at night, the place my family gets together once a month for dinners. A beautiful house with decades of memories.
But every day I’m creating new ones outside of it, too.
And even though I’m not ready, I’m not fearful of the idea of letting go anymore. One day, Daisy, Hamburger, and I will move out. Perhaps into a house with a pool and yard of hydrangeas.
But I’m taking it all one day at a time, and it feels just right.
“Alright, baby, you be good.” I hand Daisy off to Luanne.
“You two have a good day at work.” She winks at me and I blush.
Luanne is very invested in my new romance and finds Caden to be a strapping young man.
We leave, walking together towards Good Grinds, hand in hand.
“How’s Nate doing?” I ask.
Caden groans.
“He’s not you.”
I hand selected Nate to be the new manager of Good Grinds. He is smart, friendly, and hardworking. Plus he has actual experience. However, I have a feeling even if Nate was knocking it out of the park, my boyfriend would never admit it. To him, I am simply irreplaceable.
We arrive outside the coffee shop and pause, hands still locked together.
“We still on for lunch?” he asks.
I nod. “Duh.”
Caden doesn’t need to be here. He could do everything from home, but ever since I opened the bookstore, he’s been spending more and more time at the coffee shop.
Not interacting with people—of course nothing that radical—but he pops in to make sure I’m good.
Brings me a drink, makes sure I take breaks.
And lately, he’s been bringing me lunch, which we eat together on the floor behind the checkout counter, like two schoolkids.
It’s my favorite part of the day.
“See ya later.” He leans in for a kiss, a quick peck on the lips. Right on the sidewalk, in front of the world.
My heart still flutters every single time.
I fish the keys from the pocket of my overalls and walk into my store, taking a deep breath in. I will never tire of the smell of books.
I turn the sign over in the window from Closed to Open and flip all the lights on.
Minutes later, the first customer walks in. It’s a girl around my age, holding a drink from next door, quiet excitement dancing in her eyes as she browses the shelves.
I beam to myself. This is all I ever wanted—to create a space that brings people joy, a store where even a few dollars can buy you something new, a story to escape in.
“Welcome in. Is this your first time in here?” I ask with a smile, lighting a bergamot candle near the register.
“Yeah.” She nods shyly. “I love the name, by the way.”
I let out a chuckle. “Thank you!”
Then I turn around to read the hand-painted sign on the wall, a giddiness filling my chest every time I do.
Between the Lines.
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