“Being alone is not the only cause of loneliness.” She pulled two thick ceramic mugs from the cupboard. “Sometimes, it’s being afraid.”
He took the offered mug, wrapped his hands around it.
“You love her,” she said. “And you don’t know what to do with that.”
Did he? Did he love Marlee?
“Maybe,” he said to the mug of hot chocolate before him.
She tipped his chin up so he had to look at her. “Then you tell her.”
He took a sip of the rich chocolate.
“You tell her how you feel,” she continued. “You tell her that you’re scared. And you stop hiding your life from everyone else under the disguise of protection.”
“She’s already gone.” He glanced down then back up to catch his mother’s gaze.
“I doubt that.” She clinked her mug against his.
They finished the cocoa. He went home.
And he was right. Marlee was already gone.
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was Monday, which meant coffee on the corner. Marlee distributed about twenty cups of java along with cookies Heather had given her to hand out.
She may have had her money back. Sadie may have been back in town. Heather, Velma, and Claire may have all checked in on her regularly. But Eli had been incommunicado.
He was in the middle of buying his building. Marlee knew from talking to Sadie that he had finally asked his sisters to come on as investors. They’d been thrilled to finally be able to pay him back.
Marlee picked up her Lothario purse—he was hanging on to his pissy mood for a lot longer than she’d expected. All the Pup-Peroni at Wal-Mart wasn’t swaying him to her cause.
Empty drink carriers in hand, she headed back toward her SUV. She was due to work at Jase’s in fifteen. Money woes may have become a thing of the past, but she liked working at The Flower Pot. Liked making pretty things that brought others joy. She’d just donate her paychecks to Babushka’s retirement home and Babushka’s pet projects—whatever those might be each day.
She’d have to ask her CPA if purchasing a batch of sex toys in bulk for a senior citizen’s project was an effective write-off.
That thought had her smiling.
Seeing Eli and Sadie milling around her Jag? That had her frowning.
“What are you doing here?” Marlee asked.
Of course, she knew she’d be seeing Eli again. She had just hoped it would be when she expected it and had time to prepare her heart.
“I’m not here as your friend. I’m here as his attorney.” Sadie was in full legal mode.
“Aren’t you my attorney?” Marlee asked. Also, best friends couldn’t be the attorney of the other best friend’s ex. Even if the ex was the attorney’s blood relative. Marlee was pretty sure that was written in the manual.
“Not on this case.” Sadie slid her gaze to her brother and then back to Marlee. “Sorry, he’s making me.”
Marlee moved to get past them. “Today’s not a good day for this.”
She worried no day would be.
“Give us five minutes?” Sadie set her hand on Marlee’s arm.
Marlee looked at Eli. His gaze was burning a hole right through the icy veneer she’d sworn she’d hang on to when he was around.
