A temporary job. A temporary home. A temporary connection to the man who stayed when the boy I was going to marry fled. And then I would move on, independent and alone and without the forbidden attraction I’d harbored for Max Hamilton from the very first day we met. Before I knew he was my boyfriend’s best friend…and then in spite of it.
It wasn’t ideal, but I was no longer a girl with options. I was a pregnant woman whose only concern was her baby. So I broke my own rule of not putting myself in front of temptation and followed Max Hamilton back to his truck. He was the best thing formy daughter’sfuture, in spite of what he risked for mine.
Chapter 7
Max
Her duffel suitcase didn’t feel very heavy as I pulled it from the backseat. I guess I must’ve missed the lightness of it against the heavy weight of my anger, realizing Daisy was planning on leaving. On going back to Portland. Without telling me.
My hand tightened on the bag’s handle.
I hadn’t thought twice when she’d asked for a day off from deliveries. She had ridden shotgun every day, including and since her wedding day. At some point, reality was going to catch up to her. At some point, she was going to grieve Todd’s leaving.
Meanwhile, I was long past grieving. I was steeping steadily in fury at the man I’d considered one of my best friends. One of my childhood friends. At one point, my business partner.
I switched her suitcase into my other hand and then grabbed her tote, the remains of her wedding dress wilting from the top of the bag.
“When did you open this again?” Daisy asked softly.
Nudging my truck door shut, I turned and caught her staring at the floral facade of the MaineStems store in the heart of Stonebar Harbor. Its forest green exterior is broken by a brightyellow door smashed between the two front windows, their displays whimsically filled with our summer bouquet options.
“A year ago?” I said, trying to recall exactly when. I’d bought it, but the old colonial-aged building needed a lot of work, so by the time the storefront actually opened…I’d bought it before Todd told me Daisy was pregnant. Everything after was somewhat of a blur.
She nodded slowly, walking up to one of the windows. “I remember Todd mentioning something…” Her attention settled on the displays.
Our flower arrangements changed with the season, and periodically throughout the season, depending on what was available or if there was a holiday we created limited editions for. It was one of our selling points.Not your same old, ordinary bouquet of roses.
Every arrangement was handcrafted, every flower chosen for color and quality. I wanted to give customers something intentional, not easy. Something remarkable, not just acceptable for the last minute.
That was all MaineStems started as. Exclusive floral arrangements, on demand. But like most things that are watered well, the business grew. It grew from an idea and my dad’s truck to the farm and my house, to a warehouse and shipping building, to a storefront in town, to an expansion down to Boston.
“Do you need—do you want me to go up to the house and get more of your clothes?” I offered, reaching for the door.
They’d moved all of Daisy’s things from her apartment to one of Todd’s family’s homes two weeks ago. I knew because it was the excuse Todd gave for why he couldn’t go wedding cake tasting and asked me to go for him—one more thing he’d left to the very last minute because nothing was last minute when you could pay enough to make it happen. But because it was lastminute, Daisy had doctor’s appointments that day, and Todd was moving her things, I was the only option left.
So he said.
Except Todd hadn’t been moving shit. He’d hired movers and then spent the day out golfing with Scott—his reluctant confession coming when I noticed his sunburn the next day.
“What’s the big deal, Max? It’s just cake. Chocolate, vanilla, who cares?”
His fiancée did. Daisy didn’t like chocolate, and vanilla made her nauseous, so I’d picked the blueberries and cream. I wanted to be angry with him then, too, but all I could think was Daisy would’ve been worse off if he had been the one to go. If he had picked vanilla without caring and resigned her to puking all over her wedding cake.
Daisy came over as I opened the door to the shop. “No,” she said, breathing deep the floral wave of scent that ebbed free. “There’s nothing that will fit me there.”
Sure, she could be talking about her clothes. Even in just the span of a few days, I’d seen the slight changes continuing to shape her body. But I could tell that wasn’t the only thing on her mind.
“Are you sure? It’s easy for me to go.” There was no reason for her to face a future that no longer existed. To walk into the house, missing the husband who it belonged to.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be fine.”Wrong answer.
She tried to take her tote from my shoulder, but I angled myself, keeping it away from her grasping hands.
“Do you want to go out and get some clothes?”
Her head snapped up. “No, it’s fine. What I have?—”
My gaze narrowed on her, now recognizing the boldly colored outfit as belonging to my cousin. “Then why are you wearing some of Frankie’s maternity clothes?”
