Taking a step back to survey the bookshelf, she nodded a silent approval to herself. It was just right. Time to move on, then. She set up the matching lamps on either side of the sofa. Now, all that was left was to show Maryanne the various throw pillows she’d sewn to get her approval and the room would be finished.
“Maryanne?” she called. She was pretty sure Maryanne had been in the kitchen working on a silk flower arrangement. Sasha had just decided to go in search of her when she heard footsteps and Maryanne appeared in the living room.
Maryanne clapped her hands together in delight as she surveyed the new changes. “I know I’ve been watching all of this unfold, but it really does hit me every time just how much I love the design of this room!”
“That’s the goal,” Sasha said, pleased with Maryanne’s obvious joy in the space. “It’s finished except for the throw pillows. I sewed a few different ones for you to look at.”
Sasha led Maryanne to the sofa where she had lined up the five different throw pillows, all in different fabrics, to let Maryanne pick her favorites. “And I have extras in each fabric so that we can mix and match as you like.”
Maryanne took her time studying the pillows. “I’m leaning toward the yellow gingham, because it’s so cheerful and cozy…I think I’d like one on each arm chair. As for the sofa…” She paused, obviously torn between two different pillows.
“All of the pillows coordinate, so none of the colors or patterns will clash. I specifically chose all of these fabrics so that any of them would work well together.”
Maryanne laughed, a little ruefully. “And thank heavens for that. It takes some of the pressure off making decisions, because I know I can’t make a mistake. Well then, I do think I’d like the blue silk one and the pale yellow-dotted one for the sofa.”
“What excellent taste you have,” Sasha teased, as she arranged the selected pillows on the sofa and removed those Maryanne hadn’t chosen. “And that’s a wrap. Your living room is finished.”
Maryanne clasped her hands in pretend prayer. “Thank God! One room down, only six more to go.”
“Redecorating an entire home is a big project,” Sasha agreed. “But this room is now no longer on your list of things to worry about.”
“Speaking of my list…let’s go check out Mick’s progress in the study.”
The two women walked to the study, carefully stepping over work tools and leftover pieces of baseboard and trim. Mick was up on a ladder nailing in a strip of the new crown moulding he was installing. He worked with speed, but practiced precision. The moulding he had already installed flowed seamlessly, perfectly level and without gaps.
When he’d finished nailing in the current piece, he climbed down the ladder whistling softly to himself. It wasn’t until he got to the bottom and turned around that he noticed Sasha and Maryanne watching.
“Hello, ladies, what do you think?” he asked with a good-natured grin. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his work jeans, he surveyed the room with them. “Do you think it’ll pass muster?”
“Mick, it looks just beautiful,” Maryanne assured him. “It adds so much elegance to the room, and I can already tell it’s going to take this room to the next level.”
“Your work is exemplary,” Sasha agreed. Mick accepted the praise with an easy smile.
“You know I’m always happiest when I’m working with my hands,” he replied. “And, of course, when I get to work on a project with people I like.”
Maryanne beamed at his words. “They say not to hire friends, but that hasn’t been true in this case. It’s been wonderful, and now I have another new friend in Sasha. Anyway, we didn’t mean to interrupt you—just wanted to see how the moulding was coming along. We’ll leave you to it, Mick.”
Mick nodded, and grabbed another piece of wood before climbing back up the ladder. Maryanne and Sasha turned to leave the room, checking first to see if Mick needed any water or snacks, which he declined.
“If you have any of your famous lemonade, though, I wouldn’t say no to a glass before I leave for the day,” he called over his shoulder.
“You got it!” Maryanne replied. “I’ll whip up a batch shortly.”
She took Sasha’s arm and crossed it in hers as they made their way back to the kitchen. The table was covered with silk flowers of all types. In a vase, Sasha could see Maryanne’s attempts at an arrangement—the colors of the few flowers she had chosen clashed horribly and the balance was lopsided.
“Well that certainly is hideous, isn’t it?” Maryanne groaned. “I keep trying different groupings and whatnot, but I can’t seem to make anything come together.”
Sasha tried to hold back a chuckle but failed miserably.
“Oh, go ahead and laugh,” Maryanne said. “I am fully prepared to admit I don’t have your designer’s eye. All I ask is that you save me from myself and help me.”
“It’s not that bad,” Sasha said, eyeing it thoughtfully. “It was more the look of defeat on your face over a pile of flowers. I’d be happy to help. You’ll see, we’ll get it put together and it’ll be easy as pie.”
“Easy to you, maybe,” Maryanne mumbled. “I really do appreciate the help. How about I make us all some lemonade while you work on the flowers? Then I’ll watch and try and learn through observation.”
Sasha agreed and began sorting through the flowers, mentally trying different arrangements to gauge which flower combinations would come together the most harmoniously. She would definitely not be using the orange Gerbera daisies or washed out lilacs in Maryanne’s current arrangement.
Sasha was so focused on her task that she barely noticed Maryanne set a tall glass of lemonade on the table in front of her a few minutes later. Deftly, she continued sifting through the flowers, trying different options and setting aside combinations she wasn’t pleased with.
“So tell me, how are things going with you and Gabe?” Maryanne asked, settling into a chair across the table from Sasha.
She looked up from her work and hesitated. “Better, actually,” she responded, before looking back down at the flowers.
Maryanne eyed her shrewdly, and Sasha’s cheeks went hot under her knowing stare. “Better, but not great?”
Sasha sighed. “Well, we went on a date to Ian’s new escape room last week, and we had a wonderful time. We laughed a lot and we worked together as a team solving the puzzles. I really thought we had broken the ice and made a lot of progress, but when we got home…well.” She frowned, picking at the petals of the Ranunculus she was holding. “Let’s just say, it’s going to take some more time. We’ve been talking more, and seeing the therapist, so it’s definitely an improvement.”
Maryanne took a sip of her lemonade thoughtfully, clearly pondering Sasha’s words. “Trust is a fragile thing,” she said gently, as she set her glass down carefully. Absentmindedly she drew designs in the condensation on the cold glass, lost in her own thoughts. “It takes years to build and a moment to destroy.”
When she looked up and met Sasha’s eyes, her own spoke volumes about how painfully that truth was etched on her heart. She looked suddenly much older, more tired. Sasha could tell that, while Maryanne had done lots of healing, the memories were still painful and heavy. The older woman sighed, and leaned back in her chair, lifting the glass of lemonade for another sip. They were silent for a few minutes, Maryanne looking out the window and Sasha working quietly.
Eventually, Sasha spoke again. “I’m afraid that Gabe will never let me fully build that trust again,” she said softly.
She dropped her eyes back to the flowers and continued working on the arrangement.
“Can I tell you something, Sasha?” Maryanne asked after letting Sasha work in silence for a minute. Sasha nodded her assent, and Maryanne continued. “I had my trust broken so many times. So many times.”
Sasha winced, unsure of where Maryanne was going with this. She felt condemnation over her deceit to Gabe wash over her like a cold wave.
Maryanne c
ontinued, “Even when I did find a good man, my Reggie, I lost him. I lost him because I was so afraid to trust again that I drove him away. I can tell you’re a good person.” She said the last words with loving firmness, her compassionate tone giving Sasha the courage to meet her eyes. “I know for a fact that the men who betrayed me never beat themselves up about it the way you’re doing about Gabe. He has to be able to see that. Now it’s just a matter of giving it time to let the wound heal a little. Don’t give up hope.”
Sasha’s eyes misted with tears and she reached blindly to continue sorting through flowers. Her fumbling scattered the blooms onto the floor and she bent to retrieve them. A sharp stabbing sensation lanced through her abdomen, and she gasped.
Instinctively, she grabbed the edge of the table for support as she felt the color drain from her face as blood rushed in her ears.
“Sasha? Sasha! Are you alright?” Maryanne demanded, leaping from her seat. Cupping Sasha’s elbow and supporting her back, Maryanne helped her to get into a chair.
“I…I think I might be…bleeding,” Sasha gasped through numb lips. She dragged air in and out in furious puffs, but for all that, it felt like she was suffocating.
“Mick! Come in here!” Maryanne yelled desperately. “Keep breathing, it’s going to be ok,” Maryanne murmured, rubbing her back in gentle circles.
Dimly, Sasha heard Mick’s running footsteps and Maryanne’s orders for him to drive them to the hospital while she called Gabe. Mick raced toward them, keys jingling as he snatched them from his pocket.
But soon it all became a blur as one thought ricocheted around her mind like a pinball.
Was she losing her baby?
21
Max
Can’t wait for tonight. I miss you <3
Max grinned down at Ian’s text and sent a heart and a smiley face back.
It had been a whirlwind since the escape rooms had officially opened. Between her work at the bookstore, and him trying to fine tune the latest room, as well as run the two rooms that were already open, they’d seen each other only a handful of times in the past week. As much as she did miss him, this was the way it had to be right now. She remembered exactly what it had been like, finding her passion and starting her bookstore.
Lots of late nights, early mornings and fear of failure. But also excitement, and anticipation, and satisfaction. She was thrilled for Ian. And the fact that they didn’t have a lot of free time only made the time they did have all the more precious.
Tonight, once she left the store for the day, she was going home to make ravioli from scratch with a pine nut pesto for the two of them. Then, she was going to pop the question.
Well, not the question.
She was going to ask Ian to move in together.
He’d broached the topic a few weeks before, but with his business just opening, she had suggested they put a pin in it. Now, though, it seemed silly to wait. Things had been heading that way for a while now. It had started out with a drawer at her place for him, and vice versa. And, over the past couple months, they’d both sort of spread. Half his closet was full of her clothes, and her bathroom sink was crowded with his cologne and razors. When he’d mentioned, yet again, the other night how much he hated having to go home to an empty condo, it had sealed the deal for her.
She made a mental note to stop off at Mr. Bonomo’s next door and pick up some flowers and then to her mother’s shop for a pair of cupcakes to celebrate the occasion.
That settled, she turned her attention to the badly damaged copy of The Count of Monte Cristo she’d been repairing, already humming with anticipation for her date tonight. It was nice feeling so stable in a relationship that she didn’t feel afraid. The biggest concern right now was logistics. Her place was too small for the two of them. His place was nice, but his lease would be up in a few more months. They had a lot of options, and she was excited at the thought of talking about them over pasta tonight.
It was nice to have Ian as her rock with all the chaos swirling around lately.
Speaking of chaos…
Her thoughts shifted to her poor Aunt Anna and she winced. That whole situation was about as chaotic as could be. After the initial blowout when she’d learned about her biological father, Anna had been withdrawn and reclusive. The one time Max ran into her at the grocery store, her aunt had been sporting a baseball cap pulled low over her eyes, and she’d looked so nervous that if Max didn’t know better, she’d have wondered if she was there to rob the place. It took only a minute or two of rushed, stilted conversation to realize that Anna was terrified to accidentally run into Nikki. Max’s heart had broken for her. She definitely wasn’t emotionally ready to unpack all the pain and confusion that came with the recent, stunning revelation. And, a week after hearing the news, Max wasn’t sure she ever would be.
Nikki, no matter her intentions, had opened a Pandora’s box. In doing so, she’d unleashed a storm that had ripped through the Sullivan sisters’ lives, and left Anna’s in tatters. Her mother and Aunt Stephanie were fairing slightly better, but only because they knew they needed to be strong for Anna. The knowledge of their mother’s infidelity and Anna’s heartache was taking a toll on them, as well.
Max sighed, wishing she knew how to help them. But this was something only time would…or wouldn’t heal. All Max could do was try to be there if any of them needed to talk.
She was still lost in thought when her cell phone rang. She glanced down at the screen and answered.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, honey,” Nate replied, “I’m on my way home and was thinking of stopping by the store to say hello. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Sure,” Max said, glancing around at the tasks she had left before her. “I’ll be here for at least another forty-five minutes repairing a couple of books and sweeping up.”
“I’ll see you soon,” he said before clicking off.
Max pocketed her phone and turned her attention back to the spine she’d been gluing. There was something relaxing about working with old books that could make her forget everything else that was going on in the world.
A few minutes later, the bell above the entrance jangled and she looked up. Nate Burrows stepped in, dressed to the nines and clearly coming from work.
“Hey, Dad,” she said, setting the book down to dry and standing. She walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. “Do you want to sit? I only have one chair here but we can go over to the wine bar area.”
“Sure,” he said, following her lead. He sat down, and peered around at the empty store, brows furrowed. “So how are things going with you? Is the shop doing okay?”
She nodded, taking a seat beside him. “It’s doing really well considering the summer rush is over. It’s just nearly closing time and most people are already home making dinner or sitting in traffic, I imagine. This time of year, I usually see the last of my customers around four thirty or so, aside from the occasional straggler. I use the last hour or so of my day to catch up on restocking and repairs.” She paused as she realized he was fiddling with a thread on his sleeve and hardly even seemed to be listening to her. A slight twinge of annoyance ran through her. “Anyway, it’s going well, thanks for asking.”
“And Ian,” he continued, ceasing his fiddling and shooting her an expectant glance. “How is the escape room stuff going? Seems like an interesting endeavor.”
“Things are going well. He’s booked through next week and was just interviewed by a reporter at the Gazette for their Out and About in Bluebird Bay column,” Max said with a proud smile. “It’s hard to say if the buzz will last, but he’s off to a great start, so we’re hopeful.”
“And your relationship?” he asked, leaning forward. “Is he good to you?”
“Yeah,” she said with a solemn nod. “He’s a really great guy. It was really hard saying goodbye to Ty when he’d moved to France, and there were days I wondered if I made a mistake. But I’m really starting to believe everythin
g happens for a reason. I’ve never been happier.”
At least, in a relationship, she amended mentally. She wasn’t about to bring up the drama with Gabe or all the stuff happening on her mother’s side of the family. The latter was none of her dad’s business, and she was certain Gabe hadn’t confided in him about his problems with Sasha. Besides, she’d already inadvertently stuck her nose into their marital strife one too many times. She and her brother were on good terms again after she’d hooked him up at the escape room the week before for his date with Sasha, and she wasn’t about to jeopardize that.
“If the two of you are getting more serious then I’d love to meet him sometime,” he said.
“Sure,” Max agreed. “Maybe next week we can have dinner or something. I’m sure he’d love to meet you.”
“What day were you thinking?” he asked, pulling out his cell phone. “I can check my schedule and block out the time right now.”
Max cocked her head. “I’m not sure off the top of my head… I’ll text him and ask if you want, though.”
“If you could,” he said, nodding, “I just want to make sure I’m free.”
She shrugged and reached down to shoot Ian a text.
My dad wants to have dinner with you and I sometime next week. What day would work best for you?
They sat in an awkward silence for a long moment and Max couldn’t shake the weird feeling bubbling inside her. “So you went to see Mom, huh?” she blurted suddenly.
“Uh, yeah. She mentioned it, huh?” he asked, looking away, flushing slightly.
“She did,” Max replied evenly. “She was surprised by your visit. And, frankly, so was I…”
Nate shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t get what the big deal is. I just think we should keep in touch. Especially given how we’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other once our grandchild is born.”
Max didn’t really see why that would be the case, outside of holidays or special events, but she just nodded. “Mom wasn’t mad about it or anything. I think it was just unexpected,” she said, doing her best to keep from making things awkward for her mother.
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