What If It's Love: A Small Town Romance (Serendipity Series Book 2) Page 8

  The temperature had dropped a little since the previous evening. Justice needed to clear her head, so she decided to walk to the gym. From there, she could run over to the shop and take care of anything she needed to do before heading off to the hospital to pick up her father. As she strolled down Center Street, a cup of coffee in hand, she realized she’d never felt so incredibly alone. Yes, she had friends, and they’d all come rushing to be by her side at the hospital. But it was the moments when she was left with nothing but her own thoughts she longed to have someone to lean on when she woke up in the middle of the night. She stopped and sank down onto one of the benches to watch the kids playing in the park across the street.

  Her father would always be a mess. But turning her back on him wasn’t an option. It wasn’t who she was. And Merrick…what had she gotten herself into? When he’d shown up at the auction, it took everything she had to keep from kissing him again. Then he had to go and ruin it all. Going down that path with him would be detrimental. It would end, like all her relationships with men did, and she would lose a friend. She heard the familiar rumble of Merrick's truck and knew she was running late.

  The truck pulled up, and he left the engine running as he hopped out and came around to where she sat on the bench. “Hop on in.”

  She laughed nervously. “Seriously, Merrick, the gym is just a block away.”

  “This is a true statement.” Merrick opened the door and waited patiently. “But it was a rough night, and I would feel better if you let me give you a ride, no matter how short.”

  “Fine.” The word came out harsher than she’d intended. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night. Not sure if I’m up to our usual sparring session.”

  “Understandable. Let’s just get to the gym and see where things are at.” Merrick shut the door after she climbed in, then jogged around the front and got into the driver’s seat.

  “Alright.” She didn’t know why things felt awkward between them. It was probably her anxiety getting the best of her.

  “How’s your dad doing?”

  “Well, my father is…who he’s always been. Feisty. Wanting out of the hospital sooner than the doctors are willing to release him. And perfectly content to do what he’s always done…pretend I don’t exist except when he needs rescuing.” She crossed her arms and stared out the window.

  “And who rescues you?”

  “Me. Same as I’ve always done.” She watched the people walking along the sidewalk as they drove past. “The only reason he lives in Serendipity is out of a sense of responsibility to my mother.”

  “I’m sure deep down, there’s more to it.”

  “Nope. I’m a firm believer people have no filter when they are drunk. Those were his words. Everything wrong in his life is a direct result of having fathered me.” She laughed. “If he doesn’t somehow make his accident all my fault…it would be a miracle.”

  “I’m going to hold onto a little hope that he is not as bad as his actions make him out to be.”

  The truck rolled to a stop on the gravel lot outside the gym. She hopped out. “Thanks for the ride. I’m just going to head into the office and see what I can get done.”

  “Maybe I ‘ll check on you after my session.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  The gym was a mess. She was able to dig into some of the financial stuff without her dad’s interference. It wasn’t pretty. She didn’t know where her father was moving the money, but it wasn’t into the gym. Merrick knocked on the door.

  “What’s up?”

  “I’m heading out. Need a ride to work?”

  Justice stared at the computer. The longer she sat there and stared at the screen the more irritation would rule her day. She flicked off the monitor and leaned back in the chair. Merrick stood, arms crossed as he studied her.

  “I can walk. I do appreciate the offer though.”

  “Can we do dinner later?”

  “Would you be offended if I said let’s see how the day goes?” Justice felt like she was taking a copout and the look on Merrick’s face indicated he knew it. She leaned forward on the desk. “Look, I really want to say yes. I could use some friend time. I just don’t know how the day is going to play out.”

  “How about I pick you up at five. If nothing else, I can give you a ride home. If you feel up to dinner, then we will make it happen.”

  “Sounds like a viable plan.” She knew he was giving her an out. It was a small opportunity to back out, but he’d given it to her all the same.

  Chapter 6

  The flower shop was quiet and as she laid out her corsage and boutonniere orders, she realized this was just the distraction she needed from her personal life. It was late in the day, and the pressure of everything started to wear on her.

  The door opened, and a chime rang. She didn’t rush out to the front counter. Most of the people in town held no qualms about walking behind the counter to find her in the backroom where she did most of her floral design.

  “Hello?”

  She stilled. If auction night hadn’t been so eventful, she might not have recognized the voice of Bella Marcone. However, things being what they were, every detail of that night was etched in her memory. Including the voice of Merrick’s ex. She stared at the doorway for a moment before answering. “Be right with you.”

  She grabbed her phone and sent a quick text to Kelsea and Dakota.

  Bella Marcone is in my shop, just in case I turn up dead. Or if I go missing, pull the security tape.

  She slid the phone into her back pocket and headed out to the front of the shop. “What can I do for you, Miss Marcone?”

  “Look, the other night things got out of hand.” Bella toyed with the strap on her purse as she glanced nervously around the shop. “I just want to talk to Merrick. Do you know where he is?”

  “Call him.”

  “I tried, but it goes straight to voicemail.”

  “If I were you, I’d take the hint. He doesn’t want to talk to you. Swallow your pride and know when to walk away.” Justice didn’t want to feel bad for the woman standing before her, but she recognized the signs of desperation. She couldn’t help but wonder if there was more behind why she wanted to talk to Merrick other than reconciliation. “Try the restaurant.”

  “I did.” Bella pulled out the chair at the table where Justice typically did bridal consultations and sank down into it. “When I met Merrick, he was a different guy. Dangerous, a rebel.”

  “And you thought you’d use him to make daddy mad?” Justice was taking a wild guess. She didn’t know enough about the woman to make such a claim. Only what she’d read about in the papers. Bella Marcone was an only child. A little wild. It made sense she would date Merrick. It would’ve ticked off her wealthy father to no end.

  “Is that what Merrick told you?”

  “No. To be honest, the only thing I know about your relationship with Merrick is it ended with him waiting for you at the altar.”

  “Yeah. Not my proudest moment.” Bella shrugged. “I think I did love him once. But my dad was right. He wasn’t good for me.”

  “You mean he wasn’t good for the Marcone image.” Justice folded her arms, staying behind the counter. “But from what I hear, your father was all too happy to give him a good job, keep his past well-hidden.”

  “Do you have any idea what he was like back then?”

  “I knew enough about it to make my own decision about him. And thanks to you, the town now knows a lot more than he probably wanted them to know.”

  “I just want to apologize. Make things right between us.” Bella’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears. “I miss him.”

  Justice couldn’t tell if she was serious or if this was just another ploy to try to get Justice to help her. She came off as incredibly artificial, and Justice wasn’t about to get any further into this with the woman standing in front of her. “It’s between you two. Leave me out of it.”

  “Trust me, I’d like nothing more to do just that, bu
t you’re the only thing I see standing in my way.”

  “I’m going to ask you to leave. This is a conversation you should be having with Merrick. If you can’t get in contact with him, I can’t help you.”

  “You mean you won’t.”

  “It’s a bit of both. I don’t know where he is, so I can’t help you. More importantly, Merrick is my friend…and in the interest of being transparent, no, I won’t help you.”

  “Don’t kid yourself. He is more than a friend. Women like us don’t go throwing ten grand around for people we just consider friends.”

  “You know nothing about what kind of woman I am. Please leave.”

  The door opened, and Dakota and Kelsea walked in, coffees in hand. “Morning, Justice.”

  Kelsea regarded the woman at the table and wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Didn’t realize you had company. What a shame. I didn’t bring enough coffee.”

  “No worries. Miss Marcone was just leaving.” Justice took the coffee Dakota handed her.

  “Pity.” Dakota leaned back against the counter. Out of the corner of her eye, Justice could see the look on her face matched Kelsea’s.

  Bella rose slowly from the chair and picked up her purse. “Well, I’m sure I will be seeing you around.”

  “Don’t hold your breath.” Justice took a sip of the warm liquid, thankful her friends knew just what she needed to push her through the day.

  “I would say it’s been a privilege, but I’d be lying.” Bella spun on her fancy high heels toward the door. “And I have a feeling, you and I aren’t done with each other yet.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, my role in this is done.”

  “Time will tell.” Bella left, the chimes on the door ringing behind her.

  Dakota glared at the door. “What in the world was that about?”

  “Apparently I’m the only thing standing between her and a reunion with the man she left.”

  “Oh, please. We all know regardless of Merrick’s feelings for you, he wouldn’t go back with her.”

  Kelsea sighed. “I hate to state the obvious, but even if Merrick didn’t have feelings for Justice, she blew her chance a long time ago.”

  “Thanks for coming. You guys didn’t have to.”

  “Oh, if she were to try anything, we felt she should know people have your back. It’s just a shame someone else didn’t make it on time.” Kelsea winked at her over the rim of her coffee cup.

  “You didn’t.”

  Kelsea gave her a sly smile. “I’m afraid I did. Fortunately for you, he was unreachable. Have it on good authority your ‘friend,’ Merrick, was out on a call.”

  “You don’t have to say friend with such dripping sarcasm.”

  “Well until the two of you get your act together, I have no other way to say it.” Kelsea shrugged. “You just have to deal with it.”

  “Well, she’s gone now. You are free to carry on with work, or whatever mischief you had planned for the day.”

  “We didn’t have anything planned.” Dakota leaned in, nudging her shoulder against Justice’s. “We’re here for you. Let’s knock out some of these orders! Put us to work. We’re at your disposal until you get sick of us or kick us out.”

  Justice rolled her eyes as she headed back into the workroom. “Might happen sooner than you think.”

  “So sassy,” Kelsea practically sang the words.

  “Dealing with Bella is bound to make anyone sassy.”

  “Do you need a ride home?” Picking up the order sheet on the table, Kelsea studied it and then started pulling from the buckets of flowers in the cold storage.

  “Guess it will depend on how long Merrick is stuck at the fire. We might have dinner together.”

  “Might?”

  “Yeah.” Justice picked up a spray of baby’s breath and started separating it into more workable sizes. Her phone vibrated against the wood surface of her worktable. A text from her father reminding her to pick him up at the hospital flashed across the screen. Crap. She’d forgotten all about him in the course of a few hours. “Make that a not happening.”

  “Why not?”

  “Totally spaced the fact that my dad was being released from the hospital. I’ll have to go pick him up.”

  Kelsea set a bucket on the table and stared at her. “Are you serious? There are other people who can give your dad a ride home and get him settled. You can’t stop your life because of him.”

  “I’m his daughter.”

  “Yeah, obligation. I get that. You are one of the most loyal people I know.” Kelsea folded her arms across her chest, her hip cocked to one side. “Dakota and I will grab him on our way home. You have a dinner date.”

  “I’m not real sure it’s a good idea.”

  “You need time to do things for yourself. Especially after days like today. Besides, it’s not like you and Merrick haven’t had dinner before.” Dakota moved closer and started helping with the baby’s breath.

  “Yeah, well we hadn’t kissed before having those dinners. That changes things.”

  “Only if you let it. Just swallow your fear and admit maybe you should just give this a shot.”

  “I don’t want to lose a good friend.”

  Kelsea laid all the flowers she’d gathered carefully on the table. “Why are you concerned about that?”

  “What if it ends like all my other relationships with men? You guys just don’t understand.” Justice picked at the flower stem in front of her. “You’re married. You have someone to spend your life with. Kiss on New Year’s.”

  “We include you.”

  “It’s not the same, and you know it.” Justice wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Merrick is there for me when things get to feeling too awkward. If things don’t work out, then I lose that too because now everything is awkward. I’d be better off skipping the whole thing, getting my dad, and pretending these last few days never happened.”

  “Is it better to never take the chance and risk regretting it forever or step into the unknown and discover something wonderful?”

  “To be honest, I don’t know.”

  Merrick walked into the flower shop just before five o’clock. When he’d gotten back to the station and checked his phone, he’d seen an abundance of missed calls and text messages. Most of them were from Bella. It was Kelsea’s text though, which drove him to flee work in a cloud of dust. He couldn’t figure out why Bella would go see Justice. He didn’t bother to call her. Justice was skilled at masking her feelings over the phone. But her facial expressions gave everything away.

  Justice peered around from the back of the shop. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” He stepped behind the counter and closed the distance between them. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Time stretched out as he waited. She didn’t say anything and his patience ran out. “Seriously?”

  She shifted on her feet. “I’d be better if she didn’t come into my shop in the first place, but it’s a moot point.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.” She gathered the papers off the front counter and tucked them inside the filing cabinet. Then she locked up the register.

  “Want me to take you home?”

  “Would you mind? Can we pick up something on the way?”

  A wave of relief washed over him. She didn’t back out on him. Grateful for the small miracle, he would’ve been willing to get ingredients to make the woman a grilled cheese sandwich if she’d asked. “I don’t mind at all. What do you feel like?”

  “You know what I would love? Coconut curry from the Thai place by your restaurant.”

  “How about I go order while you finish up?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Merrick kissed her on the cheek, squeezed her hand, then headed out the door.

  Merrick rose off the couch and walked over to the shelves lining the far wall of Justice’s apartment. He’d been in her place before, but he’d never stayed long enoug
h to take everything in. Photos lined the shelves. Justice as a little girl, with a woman who shared a remarkable resemblance to the little girl. Her mother, Eva, he guessed. Pictures of Justice, Kelsea, and Dakota on the day they graduated high school. Another of the trio on a beach, tropical beverages raised in a toast. A snapshot of her with the mayor at one of the inauguration parties, the sign in the background marked the first of many for Serendipity’s current ruling mayor. It was the last one though, that tore at his heart. A photo of a very young girl reaching for her father, and the man, completely oblivious to her.

  Justice let very few people get close. But for some reason, she'd let him into her sacred inner circle. He would do his best to not make her regret it. He would be better than the man who turned his back on her at such a young age. He held his hands out, palms up. “You paid top dollar for me the other night. I'm at your service. Your wish is my command.”

  He made a big production of bowing.

  “You're a genie now, huh?” Justice rubbed at her eyes as she sank down onto the couch.

  “Depends on what you want.” Chuckling, he settled into the chair. He saw how the day had taken a toll on her.

  “Right now, I want a bed.”

  “It can be arranged.” He waggled his eyebrows, toying with her.

  “Perv. I'm not that kind of girl.”

  “Lucky for you, I'm not that kind of guy either.” Hadn’t been for quite a long time. It was something they had in common. Not letting people close. You drew lines you didn’t cross because it was how you stayed sane. How your heart stayed in one piece.

  Justice sat up, her elbows resting on her knees. “You don’t talk much about your childhood.”

  “Let’s just say it was bad. I spent more than my share of time in juvenile hall.” Days filled with desperation, not knowing when he would eat next, and looking back, he cringed at the thought of what he’d been willing to do just to survive. Those were defining moments in his life. Moments he’d rather keep to himself. “Consider me a reformed sinner. Quinn’s father never gave up on me. He saw something in me. Thankfully, I haven't been that guy in as many years as I've lived here.”