Liam didn’t blame her. But he had to believe he was protecting her—protecting them both.
He didn’t flinch when she slammed the truck door.
But he did wait.
He sat in silence, watching until she and Muff were safely inside the shop, the front door clicking shut behind them, before easing off the brake and pulling slowly away from the curb.
FORTY-FIVE
CASSIDY
Thursday, December 18th
Cassidy was too restless to just sit in her apartment. She could use a drink, but there was no way she was going to the Kettle. Knowing her luck, that’s exactly where Liam would go, and she couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t cause a scene.
She still couldn’t figure out how everything had gone so sideways so fast. One minute she was trying to tell him how happy she was, how seen and alive she felt, and the next, he was telling her they needed to slow down. Their communication was so off-track it was laughable.
Cassidy started to think that things would never work between the two of them. They were just too different. They couldn’t seem to stay on the same page for more than a few days.
She pulled out her phone and called Zoe. It was either that or make a vat of hot cocoa and binge Christmas movies, but she was too keyed up for that.
“Are you free?” Cassidy asked without preamble.
“If by free do you mean am I making thirty centerpieces for the Clawson wedding this weekend? Then yeah, I’m free.”
Cassidy groaned. “Never mind.”
“No, I’m kidding. I mean, I do have the centerpieces to finish, but what’s going on?” Cassidy could hear the snip of Zoe’s floral scissors in the background.
“I do not understand men,” Cassidy said, flopping onto her couch.
“Uh-oh. This is about Liam, isn’t it?”
Cassidy sat up. “Is there any other man in this town that drives me crazy?”
“No?” Zoe guessed with a laugh. “What did he do?”
“He put the brakes on, that’s what he did. And now I’m too restless to sit still. I was hoping you wanted to hang out.”
“Want to walk down to the shop and help me with these? I have all this red ribbon and holly…”
“It’s a Christmas-themed wedding? You’re killing me.” Cassidy sighed dramatically.
She’d always dreamed of a Christmas wedding with a strapless white satin dress, beaded bodice, maybe even a velvet inlay. She still had a page ripped from a bridal magazine tucked somewhere in an old journal. She used to dream about that day.
But then she thought about Liam and how much he hated Christmas. It would almost be comical if it wasn’t so depressing.
“Please?” Zoe begged as if she’d been the one to call. “I could really use some extra hands…”
“Alright, alright. I’m coming down,” Cassidy said, grabbing her coat before she could change her mind. “Care if I bring Muff?”
“No, of course not. Whiskers is upstairs,” she said, referencing her gray Maine Coon kitty. “I’ll prep the front window seat for her.”
“Okay, we’re on our way.”
The outside of Zoe’s flower shop had a large bay window. The corners were frosted by nature, framing a gorgeous seasonal display of white and red poinsettias tucked into birch barkvases, twinkling twinkle lights woven through fresh evergreen garlands, and a hand-painted sign that read, “Let Love Bloom—Even in Winter.”
Cassidy dropped Muff’s leash after stepping inside.
