“That he’s an ass? Both can be true, Bren.”
I needed him to stop using my nickname. Every time he did, my mind surfaced another time he’d used it. Laughing while he showed me some stupid trick with a baseball, like rolling it up one arm and down the other. Intently staring at me, memorizing my face before placing his lips on mine. Sharply hissing my name from the mound to get my attention on the field.
All of it was too much.
“He never mentioned you came home.”
Not that Gordon and I talked about Nathan, not recently. In the early years after Nathan and I fell apart, I would ask,How’s he doing?Eventually, I learned the answer never felt good.
Nathan’s eyes narrowed. “Why would he tell you?”
Allison cut in, a smug smile gracing her lips. “Gordon talked to her more than he talked to you. Didn’t you know?” The remaining words were left unspoken.Didn’t you wonder why she was in the will?
Nathan stared at me, and I could see gears turning in his mind while he tried to make sense of this revelation.
“We kept in touch after… after the divorce. The one from my mom.” With a shrug, I added, “I kept him updated on Molly, let them chat when I could. Holidays, mostly.”
Nathan’s father was the only person who understood the pain of losing Nathan. There was a time I needed to talk about my devastation, to come to terms with my new normal. I wished I had a mother who would listen to me, who wouldn’t judge me, but since I didn’t, I found a substitute. A man who I partially blamed for Nathan’s loss. Beggars couldn’t be choosers.
“You just couldn’t leave him alone,” Allison said. “You forced him to feel the pain over and over.”
“That’s not what I was doing… or what I meant to do…” I rambled, biting the inside of my lip to hide a swell of emotion.
“You got yourself a house and a business out of it. Hope it was worth it.”
“Because this is what dreams are made of?” Nathan took a step forward and gestured around the room. “Thisthrivingbusiness? A house full of useless crap.”
“No one forced you to accept it,” Allison said coldly. “Just… walk away.”
“We don’t need to justify ourselves to you.” Nathan turned his back on Allison and stared out to the street. “Now if you’re done with this melodrama, we can get to the real reason we’re here.”
“You ungrateful—” Allison hissed before I blocked out the sound.
“I need to step outside for a moment,” I managed to say, fighting a sick feeling in my stomach.
I didn’t wait for them to respond—had no idea if they even did—before striding to the door. Once outside, I heaved in a breath, feeling the weight on my chest lessen. Leaning against the building, I closed my eyes and started a breathing exercise to slow my racing heart. Inhaled for two seconds, exhaled for four, paying attention to how the release of breath untangled the tension in my limbs.
Feeling too much sucked sometimes.
“Hey, are you all right?” A perky feminine voice came from my right.
My eyes snapped open. A pregnant woman whose belly seemed on the verge of bursting stood outside the business next door. Her pink apron, covered in specks of flour, popped against her dark skin. Beneath it, she wore black leggings and an oversized white tank top. Her hair was pinned above her head, strands falling out of a haphazard bun.Hidden Gem Bakeryread the sign above her head.
“I’m Gemma.” She gestured behind her. “I own the bakery.”
“Brenna.” I let out a nervous laugh, turning to look behind me. Nathan and Allison still stood in the same spots. “I guess I own the café here.”
“I was wondering when this place would be scooped up,” she chirped, her hands finding their way to her bump. “It’s an amazing location.”
“It’s different than I remember. I grew up here but haven’t been back in years.”
Gemma’s smile brightened her friendly face. “Well, if you ever want to talk about how tough it is being a small business owner or to gossip… or whatever really, I’m here. And I have sweets.”
“Thanks—” My voice cut off when Nathan burst through the door.
“We’re leaving.” He tossed the words over his shoulder, not breaking stride.
Gemma’s eyes widened. Hers had been the most comforting presence I’d experienced in days. That must have been the explanation for what I said next. “I’m going to stay.”
