Was it this hard to walk away last time?
No. But I’m not walking away this time. Not really.
I’m just asking for space and a little patience while I make what feels like a life-changing decision.
I’m not sure how I end up here, but I’m currently in the candy aisle of the only 24/7 gas station in all of Honey Grove. Blinking lights and a questionable smell aren’t enough to keep me from my number one coping mechanism—chocolate.
Before I can grab the extra-large Kit Kat calling my name, my phone buzzes in my pocket. When the screen lights up, it says I have a voicemail waiting. I must’ve gotten a call while I was with Knox. I tap play and hold the phone to my ear.
“Hi, this is Robert Richardson. I own a few storefronts a little way down from your grandmother’s antique store. I’ve been meaning to stop by and say hi, but I haven’t had the time. Anyway, I heard from a friend that you’re fixing up your grandmother’s place, but I wanted to see if there’s any way you’d be interested in selling. I’m looking to expand in the next few years, and I figured I’d reachout…”
The rest of the message gives me his contact information and a few other details that I gloss over. Blood pounds in my ears. I couldn’t sell my grandmother’s shop. Right? I moved hundreds of miles to start over for that place, and I couldn’t give up on it now.
Except, I was a big believer in fate, and just like my grandmother leaving her shop to me, this could be another sign. I could use that money to establish my refurbishing business and I could set up shop anywhere. I could even move back to the city if I really wanted.
But was that what I wanted?
It was tempting, sure. But the small-town life has grown on me. I loved having my morning coffee at Marie’s place and people watching on Main Street. I even loved the unsolicited chatter from strangers and all the connections I’ve made since moving here.
Even in the city full of thousands and thousands of people, I’d never felt more alone. In Honey Grove, I felt like I was a part of something, and I was slowly starting to find my place.
Except if things didn’t work out with Knox, would I still feel that way? He has been an important part of my life here, whether I’d like to admit it or not.
I groan and slide my phone in my back pocket, the voicemail still replaying in my head. Selling the store could mean moving on from Knox forever, and I’m not sure I’m ready to do that. I grab another Kit Kat for the road before heading toward the cashier. But before I can get there, I hear the ding of a new customer.
When I look up, I expect to see another night owl in passing, but a rat’s nest of blonde hair and rumpled pajamas greet me instead.
“Emma?” I ask, causing her to snap out of her zombie-like daze.
“Emery?” she gasps, acting shocked to see me. “What are you doing up so late?”
“I’m a childless twenty-something with a sweet tooth,” I joke, pointing a finger at her. “The better question is, what are you doing up?”
She lets out a dramatic sigh and lets her head fall back slightly. Sleepiness is glazed over her pupils like Saran Wrap. “We’re out of milk, and if Mi wakes up tomorrow morning and he can’t have his cereal, then he’s going to be an absolute terror the rest of the day.”
“Right,” I nod, giving her a gentle smile, “that sounds like a real crisis.”
Emma nods back and lets her gaze linger on the chocolate clenched in my hands. “Is everything okay? I know we don’t know each other that well, but you seem upset.”
Damn, she’s good. “Someone just offered to buy my shop,” I blurt out—not even considering that this information will get back to the one person I don’t want to know.
Her brows lift. “The antique shop?”
“Yeah,” I say, swallowing hard. “It would be a chance to cash out and start my refurbishing business for real.”
“And I’m guessing it wouldn’t be in Honey Grove,” she observes, hitting the nail on the head. “What would that mean for you and Knox?”
Nothing, I want to say. There was never an us—not really. If I left now, I’d get out clean and unscathed. Or at least that’s what I’d tell myself, but I have a feeling that wouldn’t be the case.
“I’m not sure,” I say, letting my eyes fall to the dingy floor. “But it’s not just the store. We got into a fight. Knox kept something very important from me, and even though it’s not bad, I still can’t handle him lying to me.”
Emma smiles, revealing small dimples on both sides of her cheeks. “Henry kept a big secret from me, too, when we first started seeing each other,” she admits, her voice lowering to asomber whisper. “Every time I looked at him, I kept thinking about what else I didn’t know and how I couldn’t let someone like that into my son’s life.”
Her eyes soften and she grabs onto one of the shelves to support her tired, swaying frame. “But then he told me the truth. All of it. And afterward, he was prepared to walk away so he could figure out his shit and become the man that my son and I deserved. That’s when I knew we could make it work. We still had a long way to go, but when I knew he was willing to put in the work, I knew I couldn’t let him walk away.”
I grind my teeth together. Her words make my entire body ache. Knox is willing to put in the work. I’ve seen him prove it every day this summer. But the question is, am I? It would be easy to sell the shop and walk away. It would be hard to stay and let him in for good.
Emma yawns, trying to cover up her sleepiness with the back of her hand. “Well, I should probably get that milk and head home before I fall asleep in a sketchy gas station. Enjoy your chocolate therapy.” Her lips melt into a sleepy grin before heading back to the fridges lining the back of the store.
