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“I’ll take some, thanks.”
She moved to another aisle, and I secretly regretted my life choice of coming to the general store. I could have been anonymous one town over.
“How are things going with Liam?” she asked, coming behind me and dropping the paper towels into my basket. “He’s a cool guy. Quinn and I want to make it out to California when Pops is up and at ‘em again.”
“Mm-hmmm,” I said, trying my best to sound non-committal.
“Well? Are y’all serious?” She stared at me and panic swelled in my chest, threatening to drown me, pull me under.
“Ummm...”
“Sorry, you don’t need to answer that. That was nosy,” Delaney said, waving her hands in the air as if brushing away the question.
“No, it’s fine. We’re kind of—uh, I don’t know—taking a break.” I swallowed hard over the lump in my throat, praying she wouldn’t ask any more follow-up questions.
“Taking a break? Y’all just got together!” Delaney cried, her eyebrows shooting up.
“It’s complicated,” I said, reaching down for anything on the bottom shelf. I didn’t care what I grabbed, as long as I didn’t have to make eye contact.
“Complicated, huh? Sounds like a bad sign. Too bad because I thought y’all were cute together. Was kinda hoping you’d be at the next family dinner.”
Gah.My heart twisted in my chest, bile rising in my throat. At the moment, I wasn’t even sure Liam would be at the next family dinner, let alone me.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t bank on that.”
“Shame,” Delaney said, shaking her head. “Maybe we need a girls’ night. Me, you, Bree, Everly. Would be fun.”
“Sounds good,” I said, even though the thought of getting together and having to field questions was at the bottom of my list, right behind a full-body wax or a colonoscopy.
Totally not going to happen.
“I think I have everything,” I said, moving quickly to the counter. In actuality, I probably didn’t even have a full meal’s worth of ingredients, but I had to get the hell out of there. Way too many questions for my liking.
Delaney rang me up, even giving me the friends and family discount, and sent me on my way with a promise of a girls’ night in the near future. I assured her I’d be game, knowing full well I’d one hundred percent be working that night. No way could I hang out with the future McCauliffe women and not be totally, inexorably depressed about the extended family I could have had.
* * *
“Have you left the house today?”Everly popped her head into my bedroom, shooting me a concerned look.
“Yes. I dragged myself to the general store because you ate all the food,” I grumped at her from under my covers.
“Rude. There was nothing to eat here before. I ate out all weekend. And you have a special delivery. It’s on the table.”
“Just bring it to me. Please.”
“No. Get up, move around. It’s good for your circulation. Besides, you need to eat something before you head to work.”
“You’re mean,” I said, rolling my eyes at my sister.
“It’s for your own good. C’mon.” Everly grabbed my arm, dragging me out of bed, towards the kitchen.
I froze as soon as I reached the end of the hallway. “I don’t want them. Send them back.”
“Too late now,” Everly said, plucking a small pink envelope off the plastic trident and handing it to me. “And they’re gorgeous. Prettiest flowers yet.” She bent down, sniffing the insanely large bouquet of pink and white roses. “Smell good, too. There must be six dozen roses here.”
I shrugged. “I don’t care. Take them with you to school tomorrow. Let your students enjoy them.”
The very last thing I needed was a constant reminder of Liam and what could have been.
