Sadie wobbled on unsteady legs until she sat against the edge of a desk. “I—I don’t remember.”
Marc let out a disbelieving laugh that chilled her to the bone. “Of course, you don’t. You’re too selfish to think about anyone but yourself. Always have been, always will be. You made a promise to me and then disregarded it the second you were out of my sight.” His face was beet red, his breaths coming in heavy pants. “I’ll never forgive you, Sadie. I’ll never believe you can change. So, stop trying.” With that, he turned and marched out the door.
Several uncomfortable beats of silence followed the slamming of that door.
“You okay?” Haylee asked quietly.
“Not really.”
“Sadie,” Cody said, drawing her attention to the phone screen. “Call me if you need to, okay?”
She nodded, already knowing she wouldn’t bother him. He deserved some drama-free time with Jenna. This was the most exciting thing to happen in her career, and Sadie wasn’t going to sour it with whatever was happening at home. Part of becoming a better person was figuring out how to clean up her own messes and deal with hard things on her own. Without expecting someone else to give her the answers or do the hard work.
“I guess the meeting’s over,” Sadie said, using a shaky hand to close her laptop. So much for the PowerPoint. She hadn’t pulled up more than the opening slide. All those late nights of research were a complete waste of time.
“Do you know what he’s talking about?” Laurel asked gently, touching Sadie’s arm. “About Rebecca?”
“I don’t.” She’d been searching her memories since Marc mentioned her name, but she was coming up empty. Maybe with some yoga or meditation, she could calm down enough to search deeper. Or kickboxing. That would certainly help her channel her frustration and figure out what on earth he was talking about. If Marc wasthisupset, surely it was there. Somewhere. “No one wants to save the store, then?”
Her attempt to deflect fell flat. Cody had already hung up. Her sisters were looking at her with a mixture of pity and confusion. As if they were trying to remember the pivotal moment in Marc’s history that she’d apparently ruined.Join the club.
“Have you talked to Dad?” Haylee asked.
“Didn’t think it would matter unless everyone else was on board.”
She fished her phone out of her purse, hoping she might have a text waiting from Conner. When there was none, she opened her Instagram app instead. She’d posted the first video of Boomer on his account last night. It was too much to hope it’d gone viral, but reading the comments from his already adoring fans might help distract her long enough to catch her breath. She was going to the shelter this weekend to adopt a dog. One decision made. Only a hundred more to sort out.
“Did you ever consider that Dad’s just tired?” Laurel asked, snagging a couple of scones and wrapping them in a napkin. No doubt for Chase and Eli.
“Then why doesn’t he at leastaskus if we want to take over?”
“And who’s going to run the place?” Haylee tossed in the heavy question with pro nonchalance. It weighed on Sadie just the same. She’d been wondering the same question. She loved the marketing side of things. Maybe even figuring out how things could run more smoothly. But being the one in charge? She didn’t think she wanted that responsibility.
“I guess I was hoping one of you would volunteer. Or Cody.”
“Me?” Haylee let out a high-pitched laugh. “I’m not even old enough to drink. Dad’s not going to put me in charge.”
“Not tomorrow.” Sadie let out a heavy sigh as she clicked the button to turn off her phone screen. When she was alone, she’d consider texting Conner. It didn’t look like Marc was ever going to forgive her anyway so why not press down on the gas pedal when it came to Conner? The man had almost kissed her last night. She was no longer the only one stealing glances at lips. She deserved something happy in her life, right? “Sorry to drag you guys out for nothing.”
“Hey, I’m not sad about the scones,” Laurel said, her chipper tone meant to break the tension. “And there’s enough left over to butter up Dad.”
Sadie just shook her head. Without her siblings to back her up, Dad wouldn’t take her suggestions seriously. He, of all people, had the biggest reason not to believe in her. He’d had to fire her—only twice because the third time she just walked out. “Yeah, that ship has sailed.”
“Don’t stay out too late,” Haylee said, heading to the door with Laurel. “Unless it’s with Conner.”
“Right. Because I’mtryingto give Marc a reason to murder me in my sleep.” But Sadie was no longer convinced that Marc’s disapproval was enough reason to keep her distance from Conner. The only thing holding her back now was the rift she might unintentionally create between the two friends. She didn’t want that for Conner. It wasn’t fair for him to become collateral damage in all this. But it didn’t stop her wishing things were different. Craving his presence like a warm, fuzzy blanket after such a crappy night.
She stayed behind to pack up the scones. Before Sadie could slip her phone in her purse, the screen lit up with a text. Butterflies instantly fluttered to life, proving that not even the crappiest situations could kill them entirely. But it wasn’t Conner’s name on the screen.
Unknown: Keep blocking my number, Love Bug. It amuses me ;)
She dropped her phone as if it’d bitten her. It landed against the concrete floor with a thud. Her entire chest vibrated with uneasiness. She hated how easily Aaron could still rattle her after all this time. She hadn’t seen him in more than a year. Why was he bothering her now? Why couldn’t he just leave her alone and let her move on from that terrible time in her life? Her breathing grew shallow and strangled as her pulse went wild. And not in the good way it went wild around Conner.
Conner.
With a shaky hand, she unlocked her phone and scrolled to his contact.
Her finger hovered above the call button. There was no one else she wanted to help her through this more than Conner. No one else she trusted. The one man she truly didn’t deserve. Maybe Marc was right to keep her away from him. A good, kindhearted man like Conner didn’t deserve the drama and destruction that came from being involved in her life.
