"We need to head out," I said. "It's almost bedtime for this one."
Sofia hugged her grandparents, and we went home. I didn't have any text messages. Nothing from Eve that indicated she'd changed her mind about going away.
I couldn't get what my mom said out of my head. Was this the outcome I wanted? Was I distancing myself so I wouldn't get hurt?
CHAPTER 24
EVE
Ispent the day putting out fires, or at least that's what it seemed like. It wasn't until I was laying on the leather couch in my office, staring at the ceiling, that I remembered that Maddox and Sofia had stopped by with a present.
I squeezed my eyes shut. Sofia had been so excited to give it to me. All I could think about was, how was I going to get away for a weekend during my busiest time of the year and in the midst of a plumbing crisis that affected the entire town?
It was an impossible situation. Of course I wanted to be with him. A weekend away sounded amazing, but maybe after New Year's when things slowed down.
I couldn't imagine how it would even be possible for me to leave right now. Christmas was quickly approaching. We were inspecting the pipes in all the buildings in town, and I'd promised Angela I'd have her store up and running quickly.
My chest was tight, and my breath came in short pants. I couldn't seem to calm down. How was I going to sleep?
My entire body was starting to hurt. I didn't think I was getting sick. It was the long nights sleeping at my desk or onthe stiff leather couch. It was too many days worrying about everything that needed to be done.
Then there was Belle's Book Shop. She wanted to open her book shop and expand the space to include a little cafe and a garden patio. I needed to talk to Ford about the likelihood of him getting to that project on the schedule for next year.
Would I ever be able to take time off? Was it a realistic idea in the first year of running a business?
In a perfect world, I would have met Maddox and Sofia after the town was established, the repairs completed, and we had a few years under our belt. Instead, I met him during the first holiday season, and it felt impossible.
Tears stung my eyes. Was it a mistake to get involved with him?
The problem was, I wanted more than just a physical encounter. I wanted everything: baking together, decorating the tree, and building the light trail. I wanted it all.
Sometimes you had to make tough choices, and maybe this was mine. I could have the town or Maddox, but I couldn't have both.
Normally, I'd talk to my sister about this, but I didn't want to bother her.
It took me a long time to fall asleep. The next morning, I woke to a knock on the door. I wondered if whoever it was had been knocking for a while. I sat up, finger brushing my hair and straightening my clothes. Hopefully no one would notice that I wore this same outfit yesterday.
I stood, interjecting every ounce of energy into my voice. "Come in."
Clara came inside. "Good morning."
I moved behind my desk to hide the wrinkles in my slacks and my morning breath. "Clara, what are you doing here?" Thenmy heart stuttered. "You didn't have a water leak in your store, did you?"
Clara waved a hand at me. "Not yet."
I sank into my seat, wishing I'd gone home to shower and change. I hadn't felt fully like myself since I'd gotten that call about the burst pipe in Angela's shop.
Clara stood across from me, her hands on her hips. "There's a lot going on in town. The pipes are old. Christmas is coming up?—"
I held up my hand to stop her. "Clara, I'm working around the clock on these issues. I promise I have it under control."
She tipped her head to the side. "Do you?"
I sighed, suddenly more exhausted than when I went to sleep last night. "I'm not sure what else I could be doing."
She glanced over at the couch where I'd left a throw. "There's a rumor that you're sleeping in your office."
"There's a lot to do, and I'm working on it. Hudson will get to your shop just as soon as he can. We'll have your pipes replaced as soon as possible." It was only seven a.m., and I already had a raging headache. I think it had something to do with the crick in my neck from the position I'd slept in.
