Chapter 34
Paisley
B eckett swaggers into Wild Magnolia like he owns the place. I guess technically he does. Today he’s dressed in a gray suit, but he doesn’t have his cheeky smile for me. His expression is guarded, and I begin to worry instantly. Has something happened with my father?
“What’s going on?” I ask in a panic. “I didn’t think we had another meeting until tomorrow morning.”
“We need to talk, out back,” he grunts, glancing at Eva, the new florist I have working with me.
“Won’t be a sec,” I tell her with a wry smile. She offers a nod and keeps working on the bunch she has in her hands. Instantly I feel sick. This has to be about my father; what in the world has he gotten himself into this time?
“Stopped these from going to print.” He tosses a couple of photos down on a drying bucket. “It was this close, Paisley. Someone sent them to Anabelle, and if Hamilton hadn’t been checking over the story, it would have run. And if my father… I don’t even want to think of what he would have done.” His words are strained, angry even, and I know I’ve really messed up.
I recoil when I see the images of me and Noah, nausea filling me. It’s us in his lounge room, our bodies tangled in a very compromising position. “But we were careful. This is in his house, for God’s sake,” I stutter, like it’s some excuse. Even though I know it’s not. I was the one hooking up with Beckett’s opposition. I’m the one who’s fucked up.
“The paparazzi don’t care, kitten. If they get a good enough pic, they will take it. An image like this is gold so close to an election.” He shakes his head slowly, a sigh escaping his lips, and I know he’s disappointed in me.
“I’m sorry, Beckett. I can resign.” Hot tears prickle my eyes as I watch his face, contorted in frustration. I feel so trapped, trying to do the right thing but wanting Noah as well. I can’t win here. Either way I’m letting someone down.
“You’re not quitting on me. We started this together. We will end it together.” His angry eyes meet mine, amplifying my sense of dread. He’s right to be annoyed with me. I’ve let him down, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. It’s just been so long since I felt this happy, I wanted to hold on to it for as long as I could.
“I can’t walk away from him, not even for a month.” The words tremble out of my mouth. “You don’t understand how long I have waited to be with him again. I love him, Beckett.” A tear slips down my cheek, and I swipe it away. I don’t want to cry now, but I’m so stuck I don’t know what else to do, this is an impossible situation.
He closes the gap between us and pulls me into him. “Paisley, what the hell am I going to do with you?” He holds me close, and I’m grateful he doesn’t hate me. Instead, it feels like he actually cares about me. It’s so unexpected. He’s been so unpredictable since the moment I signed up for this job. Eventually, he pulls back slightly so I can see his face. “It’s just a month. It’s not too much to ask of you, is it? I thought after all we shared, the two of us have become friends. Haven’t we? You want to help me, don’t you?” he asks kindly.
The guilt hits my stomach like concrete, solid and heavy. I know what I have to do, I just don’t know how. Noah is not going to see it like Beckett. “Okay. I’ll fix this. I swear you can count on me this time.”
“I knew I could.” A small smile plays on his lips, a silent reassurance, and I know we’re okay.
“What did you mean about your father?” I ask, scared for him.
“That’s not for you to worry about, kitten,” he says with a nod. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He takes off back through the shop.
I go to the bathroom and splash some water on my face. I’m too busy to handle all of this. I take over the shop this week, and I need my head straight, not swirling with fear of how badly all my choices are about to blow up in my face. Shaken and still trembling slightly, I plaster a fake smile on my face as I walk back into the shop. Eva is right where I left her making up this morning’s orders, and the last thing I want to do is scare off my new employee with my drama.
“You okay?” she asks, giving me the once-over.
“Of course. I’ll give you a hand with those. Gemma will be in soon to run deliveries.” I work through all the orders with Eva then line them up, ready for our delivery girl to collect them. So far my new staff are working out. Stella has been unbelievable at helping me get set up for her departure later in the week, and while I’m not feeling ready for her to leave me, I think I’ve got this.
With a skip in her step, Mae walks through the door, the floral pattern of her dress and the soft texture of her cardigan adding to her cute appearance. I smile at her, remembering our lunch date. “Give me a sec,” I tell her. “Eva, I’ll just be up the street. If you need me call and I can be back in a minute.”
“It’s okay, Paisley, I’ve got this,” she reassures me with a confident smile. And I’m sure she does, she has been nothing but capable since she walked through the door for her interview.
I grab my bag from the back and make my way out front to Mae, hooking my arm with hers as we walk down Main Street. “I know we live together, but I feel like I haven’t caught up with you in weeks.”
“That’s because you’re too busy hopping the fence to see your boyfriend.” She laughs as the aroma of freshly baked bread and sweet pastries fill the air as we enter Delaney’s bustling bakery.
Stopping to order our food at the counter, we then find a table in the front corner that looks out over Main Street. “What’s going on with you then?” I ask, feeling guilty I’m too busy to be a good friend at the moment.
She hands me a handwritten letter. “This arrived yesterday, and I have no idea what to do about it.”
Her face is paler than usual, and I look over the letter, wondering what it could be about. The line that jumps out at me is I’m your birth father and I want to get to know you . “Your father?” I gasp. “You think this is legit?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know, but I have to find out, don’t I?” She looks so unsure. This is huge for her.
I nod, passing the letter back to her. She slides it into her over-the-shoulder satchel. “Yeah, girl, you do. You want me to come with you?”
“Hope it’s okay with you, but Parker’s offered to take me. I thought you might be a little busy.” She winces, and I know she’s searching my face for a reaction.
“Parker?” The two of them have been spending a lot of time together lately. I know I shouldn’t be jealous, I have no right to be. I’m the terrible friend, too busy to even know what’s going on in my housemate’s life, but I want to be the one there for her, not my brother.
“We’re just friends, Paisley. You’re busy with the election and the shop and now Noah. Em’s busy with renovations and the hotel, and Gisele’s busy with Brody.” She giggles, implying where they’re up to. “Parker’s like me, he doesn’t have a lot going on. While the rest of you are out there living your lives, we’re just hanging out.”
I raise a brow. “You crushing on my big brother, Mae?” I just put it out there. I don’t care if she does. What I don’t want is her thinking she has to hide it from me. We share everything.
A blush rises on her cheeks, and I know I’ve hit the nail on the head. “Maybe.” She sighs. “Doesn’t matter if I do, he will never see me like that. I’m friend-zoned. Even worse, I’m little-sister’s-best-friend-zoned. I’m invisible to him like that.”
I offer her a half smile. “I don’t know, Mae, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You want me to ask him?”
Her eyes go wide, and she grabs hold of my wrist across the table. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Settle down, Mae. Since when do you say the F-word?” I burst into laughter. I’ve never seen her so flustered, her cheeks flushed and her hands trembling slightly. She really likes my brother. This is more serious than I originally thought.
She glares daggers at me. “Since you’re meddling in something you shouldn’t.”
“Okay, fine, I’ll stay out of it,” I say, disappointed. “Would like you to be my sister, though? Just saying.”
A giggle escapes her lips, a smile chasing away the shadows on her face. “You’re getting ahead of yourself. But I would like that too. It’s just never going to happen,” she says sadly. I wish she would let me meddle.
Our pies arrive, and I thank Hailey, our server, then pop the top to let out the steam. Mae sips on her soda. Her eyes go wide as she shoves her chair back. “Xanthia, is that really you?” she asks the girl who’s sitting on a table in the far corner, typing into her laptop.
She pops her head up, glancing at the overexcited girl coming her way. “Dorothy-Mae Abernathy, it’s been years,” the raven-haired girl responds with a friendly smile. She closes her laptop before standing and throwing her arms around Mae.
I join them, wondering who this tattooed beauty is. She looks mighty out of place in here, more like a girl you would expect to see in the city.
“Xanthi, this is Paisley, she’s my roomie. Oh, and she’s also the new owner of the flower shop across the road.” She points out my shop, proudly smirking back at me.
“I’ll keep that in mind if I ever need flowers.” She offers me a warm, genuine grin as she takes me in.
“Xanthi and I went to school together. Her parents also own this place,” Mae explains.
“Oh, you’re Hailey’s sister? The one who lives in New York, works for some big trendy magazine or something. I remember her telling me about you.”
She looks impressed I know all about her already, but Hailey talks about her big sister a lot. “That’s me,” she agrees.
“Are you just home to catch up with your family?” Mae asks.
She flicks her long hair up into a messy bun on top of her head and shoves a pen through it to keep it in place. “I’m not sure yet. I needed a change of scenery, but I’m looking for work. If you girls hear of anything, let me know.”
“We’d be sure to. But there wouldn’t be much around here for someone with your skills.” I shrug.
“It’s okay, I’m looking for something different anyway. Anything that can get me out of my parents’ place again, really.” She looks between us, hopeful, and I can only imagine how difficult that must be, moving back home to our small town and in with your parents after living in New York and working such an exciting job.
“I work at The Alexander Hotel; we’re always looking for staff. I’ll check with my boss, Elliot, and see if we need anyone, and I’ll let you know,” Mae tells her.
She collects her laptop up, slipping it into a bag, and throws the strap over her shoulder, ready to leave. “Thanks, Mae. Glad I ran into you today. Nice to meet you, Paisley.” Her eyes narrow in curiously as she scans me up and down as she utters my name. I wonder what stories she’s heard about me. Hanging round in this place, I’m sure the old bat, Mrs. Rashford, has been spreading her rumors.
I offer her a friendly smile, trying to show her I’m not what old Mrs. Rashford says. “Yeah, you too. Guess we will see you around.”
She wanders out the door, the little bell chiming as she goes, and I check out the ink on the back of her calf. It’s writing of some sort, and I wonder what it says. Mae and I take a seat. “I’m so excited she’s home. Xanthi’s great fun.”
“She’s certainly different from the other girls around here. We’ll have to invite her out sometime.” I study Mae, wondering how she and that girl could have possibly been friends in school. They would have been polar opposites.
Mae nods, digging into her pie.
“I’m excited for you, Mae. After all this time not knowing who your father is, you’re going to finally meet him and know a bit more about where you came from.”
She drops her head shyly. “Yeah. It’s exciting. But I’m nervous too. What if I’m not what he’s expecting? My adoptive mother always said he wasn’t a good man, and I should be thankful he wasn’t in my life.”
“What if he’s not what you’re expecting? You’re the best. If he has a problem with you, that’s on him and you get the hell out of there quickly. Right?”
“Right,” she agrees, but it’s obvious she’s overthinking it. “I wish I had your confidence.”
“I don’t have confidence, honey, I’m just better at faking it than most. Right now, I’m feeling too sick inside to even stomach this pie. And I love the Delaney’s tomato pie.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
I roll my lips, wondering if I should tell her or not. But I can’t process all this alone, it’s doing my head in. “Beckett’s asked me to call things off with Noah until after the election. He thinks it looks bad, and he’s right. I’m an idiot. I mean, what did I think was going to happen here, signing up with Noah’s opponent? It’s all so messy now.”
“I’m sorry, hun.”
“You agree, don’t you?”
“Oh, I have no idea what you should do. That’s a sticky one. Can’t you just talk to Noah and explain the predicament you’re in? He’s a good guy, I’m sure he will understand.” She smiles, hopeful. But she doesn’t know Noah like I do. With each mention of Beckett’s name this week, I’ve felt the tension ratchet up, a growing unease in the air between us. He hates him, and this will only make things worse.
A heavy sigh escapes my lips, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. “Nope. He wants me to quit. If I come to him and tell him Beckett is demanding I stop seeing him, he’s going to see red.”
“Maybe Noah’s right, you could resign.” She shrugs, and I wish it was all that simple, but it’s not.
I drop my head, wishing I could just walk away from this campaign, but I have to see this through. “I can’t, that would be leaving Beckett a month out from the election. He’s been so supportive of me and my dreams, I can’t walk away and leave him in the lurch now.”
“Just talk to Noah. If things are as real between the two of you as you say, then he will wait,” she says, an assurance in her voice that gives me some confidence. She might be right, maybe this will be simple and I’m making more of a drama about it all in my head than it should be. It’s just a month. We lasted three years.
I return her smile. “I really hope so, Mae. I’ve never felt like this before about anyone.”
“I’m sure it will work out, sweetie.”
I nod, a forkful of the flaky, buttery crust melting on my tongue as I savor my pie. She’s right. I’m making this complicated when it’s not. Noah will understand, he has to, because I can’t lose him again.