CHAPTER EIGHTEEN #2
Her eyes dropped to the lightly muscled forearms that were now visible and she swallowed. “I have a special job for you.”
“Oh?”
She bit her lip to hide her grin as she nodded. “Just stay there like that. I need something pretty to look at while I clean.”
Luke laughed and she turned away when he moved over to the cash register and posed against it tauntingly.
Luckily, she’d been close to done before he’d arrived, so within half an hour she’d finished cleaning the floors and had wiped down the surfaces and topped up the water for the flowers.
These nightly resets had become somewhat therapeutic for her; she enjoyed seeing the space fall back into order each evening, ready for the new day to begin.
“All done?” Luke wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on top of her head. He squeezed gently before letting go so she could collect her purse and jacket from the back room, and ensure the temperature control was set correctly to keep the plants fresh.
“Yep. Thanks for keeping me company.”
“Any time.”
As April walked back into the front of the store, pulling her jacket on, the door sprung open suddenly, the bell above it jangling violently. A harsh breeze blew in, cold for this time of year, and April felt her heart stutter as she took in who was stood in the doorway.
Tyler seemed to radiate anger, his energy warping the warmth and security that April had always felt in her little store into something cold and hard.
Despite herself, she couldn’t help but take in his appearance.
He looked awful, with red-rimmed eyes, sallow skin, and stubble covering his usually clean-shaven jaw.
His dark hair, which was normally perfectly styled, was greasy and unwashed, and his shirt and suit pants were crumpled, a far cry from the crisp and professional look she was used to.
“Uh, Tyler,” April began uncertainly. There was furious edge to her ex’s stare, and she didn’t want to say anything that might provoke him.
“So this is the stupid store that you’re too invested in to move back home?
” There was derision behind Tyler’s words, belittling and far too familiar.
April saw Luke shift in the corner of her eye, and she looked over at him, shaking her head once.
She could handle her ex. “Can I help you with something, Tyler? Or have you just driven all the way down here to harass me some more?”
His harsh breaths increased and she wondered if he was drunk.
“You think you can just run off back home and play at being a businesswoman? You have no idea what you’re doing.
I saw your little video.” He laughed and the sound was cruel, dark, and she hated him a little bit for tainting the store with it.
“You think your dad would be proud that you ripped out his place and slapped that godawful green paint all over it? That he wouldn’t be absolutely disgusted with how you’ve capitalized on his death?
Crying on social media and using him to make yourself money? Fame?”
Her mouth opened and closed. She hadn’t done that, had she? Emma had asked about the story behind the bar and the renovation, so she’d spoken about her dad, how she’d wanted to honor him. She hadn’t cried, not really. A misty eye at most. And she would hardly call a few thousand followers fame.
Luke’s face was like thunder as he calmly walked up to Tyler, his footfalls the only sound in the otherwise silent store.
“Listen, asshole. You don’t know anything about April, the store, or how hard she’s worked to make this dream a reality.
Her dad would be goddamn proud, and if you’d known him at all, then you’d know that. ”
“Luke, I take it? Been cozying up to my woman, feeding her lies about what she’s capable of?
” Luke’s eyes widened, and Tyler let out a harsh bark of laughter.
“She wouldn’t be able to do shit without other people helping her.
She barely did anything for herself in New York—totally dependent on me, weren’t you, baby?
” The pet name sounded disgusting as it spilled from his mouth, and April’s hands bunched into fists.
She stormed forward, Luke stepping back hastily to clear space for her as she faced up to her ex.
“Listen, Tyler, I don’t know what you expected, showing up here in this state, but let me make one thing clear.
I. Am. Not. Your. Woman.” She punctuated each word with a jab of her finger and was pleased to see the flicker of panic in Tyler’s eyes as he backed away.
“You might not believe it, but I’m proud of what I’ve built for myself here.
I’m happier after six weeks back in my hometown than I ever was with you in New York.
” She was on a roll now, her years of Debate making her lean into the flow of her words.
“You were a shitty boyfriend then, and I’d bet you’ll be an even shittier boyfriend if I came back with you now.
I’m so fucking glad I caught you with your pants down and left that night, because I’ve done something in the last few weeks that I’d never have believed I could do if I’d stayed with you.
I’ve found freedom and happiness and love since coming home”—she glanced at Luke as she said this, and relished the pride and love she saw shining in his eyes, urging her on—“and I wouldn’t give that up for anything.
Least of all a deadbeat cheater like you. ”
Her words hung in the air for a moment, and Luke stepped forward again, his huge figure overwhelming Tyler’s scrawny frame.
“I think you’d better leave,” Luke said, his voice low and menacing. Tyler didn’t need telling twice. He turned on his heel and hurried from the store, slamming the door behind him.
April’s anger faded, leaving an undeniable panic in its wake as Tyler’s words replayed in her head.
Doubts rose inside of her—had she been capitalizing on her dad’s death?
She’d never thought about it that way, but now Tyler had said it, the words had lodged in her brain, playing on repeat as the adrenaline drained from her body.
Luke turned quickly towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders.
His concern was evident in his eyes as he took in her trembling hands and stricken face.
“Sweetheart, you were amazing. You can’t listen to a thing he says.
He’s full of shit and just angry at how badly he fumbled the only good thing in his life—you. ”
She tried to nod but once her head dipped down, she could only look at her shoes. Sure, Tyler was an ass, objectively, but what if he also had a point? What if Dad would have hated what she’d done with the bar? Had she tarnished his memory by building her own dreams on top of his?
Luke brushed her cheeks with his fingertips and she hadn’t even realized she was crying until that moment. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”
“What happened?” Kathy took one look at April’s tear-stained face and immediately flew into mom mode. “Did something go wrong at the store?”
The question made April’s face crumple so her mom looked to Luke for more information.
“Tyler paid her a visit. He said a bunch of nasty shi—stuff, about April capitalizing on her dad’s memory. April did a great job at telling him where to shove it, but it was a pretty big shock, I think.”
Kathy swore and it surprised April enough that her tears halted. “Nasty little man. Luke, get her some water. I’ll be right back.”
Luke nodded, standing up from the kitchen table and retrieving a glass from the cupboard for April, filling it and setting it down in front of her before he sat next to her. His hand found the center of her back, rubbing soothing circles there until she leaned against him more firmly.
Footsteps sounded as her mom came down the stairs and April looked up expectantly to see Kathy rounding the corner, carrying a large book. “Here. I found it the other day while we were going through your dad’s things in the workroom. I think he’d want you to have it.”
April took it hesitantly, running her fingers across the worn gingham fabric of the cover. She opened to the first page and swallowed hard as she recognized her dad’s handwriting. He’d simply written Life and the date. “What is it?”
“One of his scrapbooks,” her mom said gently. “I didn’t want to pressure you about the store before, so I held onto it until you were ready.”
The page turned easily, the first photograph taped onto the thick paper a shot of April and Noah.
She was dressed in a princess costume she vaguely remembered, and Noah had on a hard hat and tiny hi-vis jacket that looked doubly ridiculous next to the giant foam hammer he carried.
They couldn’t have been older than five and seven respectively.
She flipped to the next page and smiled at the photo of her mom with her hair short and a hand flung out in front of her as if to protest the picture being taken; he’d captioned it The Wife. April laughed and the sound was wet as she moved onto the next pages and froze.
It was undoubtedly her, beaming up at the camera from underneath a too-big bucket hat and wearing rubber boots that were a glittery silver color.
Baby April was crouched in the dirt of the front yard, pudgy hands spread wide on the earth as she patted in the flowers they’d clearly just planted.
Violas. Several more holes were pre-dug next to her, perfect for the other collection of small potted flowers just barely visible in the corner of the photograph, but what really hit her was the caption: April’s Blooms.
“So you see,” her mom said as April traced over the indents of the words on the paper, “I think he would be thrilled about the store, honey.”
She nodded, too choked up to reply, but this time with happy tears.
She’d inadvertently chosen a store name almost identical to the photo caption her dad had written.
It felt like a sign, a blessing, and the last of her worry dried up and fell away.
Screw Tyler for saying those things to her, for thinking he had the right to say them at all.
April ran her fingers over the page again and stopped when she felt a little lump. Turning it over, she saw there was a single large seed taped to the back. She carefully peeled the tape away to free it.
There was a clatter in the hallway and moments later Noah appeared in the kitchen doorway, hands laden with takeout bags.
“Oh good, everyone’s already here to eat my food—” His rant was cut short as he caught sight of April’s face. No doubt she looked a state after crying for the better part of an hour. “Bug, what’s happened? Are you OK?”
“I’m good, Noah,” she responded thickly, and when his eyebrows rose in disbelief, she chuckled. “I swear. Tyler showed up at the sto—”
“Where is he?!” Noah dropped the bags of takeout, looking around wildly as though Tyler might step into the kitchen at any moment. “I’ll kill him, I swear—”
“Whoa there, big boy,” Luke said cajolingly. “April’s already dealt with him. You can stand down.”
“You did?” Noah faltered, his eyes swiveling back to April.
“Yep,” she said. Now that she was no longer worried about whether Tyler’s words had held any truth, she was able to fully enjoy how effective her takedown of her ex had been. “Left him speechless. He literally ran away with his tail between his legs.”
“He sure did,” Luke backed her up, grinning as Noah’s face morphed into a look of pure delight.
“My girl always was able to wipe the floor with pretty much anyone at Debate,” Kathy piped up, her pride evident as she brushed April’s hair back from her forehead.
“Anyone except for me, don’t you mean, Kathy?” Luke quipped, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
“Ugh, as if, Pointer. Remind me, who was Debate captain three years in a row?” April swatted at Luke’s arm, failing to suppress the grin spreading across her face.
When Luke didn’t respond, she sat up a little straighter.
“That’s what I thought. Now, what have you brought us for dinner, Noah?
” She smiled sweetly at her brother as he hastily picked up the takeout bags.
“Nothing for you, freeloader,” he grumbled, but nonetheless he walked over and placed the bags on the table, before wrapping April in a firm hug and muttering in her ear, “I’m proud of you for standing your ground, Bug, but say the word and I’ll drive to New York and tear him a new one myself.”
“God, you’re so melodramatic,” April sighed, hugging her brother back.
“It’s what Dad would have wanted,” Noah said confidently, as if that ended the conversation.
He strode off to find plates, and April opened her palm, looking down at the seed that had been clutched in her hand.
She’d never know exactly what her dad had wanted for her, but maybe her finding happiness was enough.
One thing she did know, though, was that this was the last plant her dad would ever give her, and she would find a way to make it count.