I laid the notebook on my knee so I could inspect the details more closely. It shocked me just how much effort Tess was putting in.
“No good?” she asked, desperately when I didn’t respond. Her face fell. “I'm sorry. I'm still new at this to be perfectly honest. But I can come up with something different if you give me a chance. You won’t find a florist more dedicated than Mabel’s. We’ll work really hard to provide everything that Ivy is looking for,” she added, floundering.
“Listen, Tess,” I started, but the sound of nearby voices drifted toward us.
It occurred to me after seeing Tess’s passion for her work that perhaps it was cruel of me to pretend to be the one she was here to sell her services to.
This was supposed to be just a fun distraction for the afternoon, but I’d had a surprisingly good time with the florist. Tess was not only beautiful, but entertaining and quite knowledgeable even if she claimed not to have much experience. Her ideas were absolutely spot on. I knew Ivy would love them.
How she’d managed to come up with this concept in such a short time was nothing short of admirable. She had much more of a knack for this than she thought. I wanted to tell her all of that, however, our approaching company made that impossible.
I turned in time to see my mother and the real Gerald the groundskeeper round the corner. Tess smiled politely at the approaching pair.
“Sweetheart,” my mother called as she shielded her eyes from the sun. “Has the florist arrived yet? Gerald says he’s just been weeding all day.” She stopped short when she reached the shade of the patio, finally noticing Tess. “Oh, Rowan. I’m sorry. I didn't realize you had company. Who’s your friend?”
Tess stared at my mother, then Gerald in his grass stained overalls and straw hat, and then her eyes shifted back to me, her jaw dropping. “You’re not . . . ” she stammered. “You’re not Gerald?”
Grimly, I stuck out my hand hoping to make a proper introduction. But Tess’s entire expression turned to one of shocked horror. She stared at my outstretched fingers, afraid to move. The wind blew, flipping the pages of Tess’s notebook as she stared at me in utter silence.
Unable to stop myself, I reached for her hand, holding it gently despite the sparks that zinged through me at the mere touch of her skin. “I’m Rowan,” I said, with an apologetic smile. “Rowan Bradford.”
Chapter 6
Tess
Those deep blue eyes tinted with faint sadness gazed down into my own, making my heart race like a rabbit in my chest.
Oh god. This could not be happening. I wanted to pinch myself and wake up from this nightmare but I couldn’t seem to move. A cold sweat broke out over my entire body despite the heat. The delicious sweet tea suddenly turned to syrup in my throat, gluing my tongue to the roof of my mouth. It was like I’d forgotten how to speak, because the only thing I could get out of my shocked mouth was his name. At this point, I wasn’t even sure how many times I’d said it.
“Rowan Bradford,” I repeated, voice cracking. “As in a Bradford of Bradford Cove, Bradford?”
“One and the same.”
I shoved my chair backward and staggered to my feet as my stomach flipped. The entire world around me began to whirl.
Oh no! No, no, no!
The things I’d said!
I’d been so nervous that I’d just started rambling about the first things that came to my mind. I’d completely insulted Rowan and his family and he’d just stood there and let me carry on like a fool!
Was this some kind of joke? Had he been enjoying every minute watching me waste my time?
He was going to take everything I’d said back to his mother and sister. Mabel would be heartbroken. I couldn’t believe I’d just messed up this massive opportunity for her.
Never in my life had I been this embarrassed.
My cheeks were so hot they were probably the color of a boiled lobster shell. At the thought, my hands flew up to my face, trying to cover the scorching flesh.
“Tess,” Rowan started.
“How dare you!” I whispered sharply, cutting him off. “Do you think this is funny? Making me look like a fool? Is it some kind of game to you?”
A frown pulled at his handsome mouth and I almost felt guilty for my anger, but then I reminded myself that he’d completely humiliated me. There was no way the Bradfords would hire me now, not after I’d just bashed their way of life to Rowan.
I needed to get out of here. There was no reason to stay.
I turned to walk away, still in shock that I’d yet again let a ridiculously handsome man blind me.
Rowan reached out, his hand brushing my elbow, but I lurched away from him, marching past the blonde woman and the real groundskeeper.
I broke into a run when I was out of their sight, dragging my keys from my pocket to speed up my getaway. I reached my Jeep and hurled myself into the front seat, revving the pitiful engine and gunning it down the endless driveway as fast as I could.
I rolled the windows open, letting the wind whip my hair as I tore down the tree-lined driveway that hid the gorgeous estate from the rest of the world. I wanted to crank the radio to drown out my thoughts but I knew no matter how loud I turned the music I wouldn’t be able to silence my humiliation.
The nerve of that guy!
He should’ve told me right away who he was. Then I wouldn’t have acted like such a fool or said those rude things. I knew how I got when I was nervous. I just started blathering on. I grimaced, remembering some of the snide comments I’d made about the size of the Bradford boathouse and how over the top I thought the announcement in the paper was.
Why in the world would I have said something like that about a potential client to begin with? Why couldn’t I have just kept my mouth shut and acted like a professional?
And what would Mabel say when I confessed what happened? She’d told me I was the only one who could handle something like this. She’d had faith in me. And I’d been so sure that I was up for it too, but I’d let all of us down.
Suddenly, the thought of all those half-unpacked boxes in my house sounded rather appealing. Maybe I should just repack them. I could move out overnight, that way I wouldn’t have to risk ever coming face-to-face with another Bradford and reliving this moment of utter humiliation all over again.
I released a deep sigh, knowing I couldn’t really do that. I couldn’t leave Mabel and Hal high and dry. They’d been nothing but kind to me. I didn’t have a lot of kind people in my life. I didn’t have a lot of people in my life, period. And despite what Rowan had just done, I wouldn’t be like him. I wouldn’t lie or play games. I owed Mabel and Hal the truth.
I could only hope the Bradfords would save their blame from today’s blunder for me. I’d hate for my mistakes to tarnish Mable and Hal’s impeccable reputation. They were saints in my eyes. They didn’t deserve the trouble I’d brought to their door.
I guess it didn’t matter where I ran. My poor judgement always followed.
By the time I arrived back at the flower shop I’d done at least a dozen loops around the backroads of town to calm down. Even then I was only truly returning because my gas gauge was getting low.
I parked in my spot and hung my head as I prepared to face my soon-to-be ex-employers. I was sure that Mrs. Bradford had already called to tell Mabel how royally I’d screwed up. And that meant she’d have a stern lecture at the ready. Mabel could be as sweet as pecan pie, but she also was fiercely protective of her family business, not to mention proud of being from Bradford Cove. In one afternoon I’d insulted all of the things she held dear. I had a feeling I was about to find out if there was a fiery temper under all of Mabel’s layers of southern charm.
What if she fired me?
It was hard to imagine Mabel being so harsh, but I wouldn’t blame her in the slightest. I deserved it after bashing the biggest client we could ever have dreamed of landing.
I gulped nervously and climbed out of my Jeep. I stared at the small flower shop, wor
king up my courage for another few minutes before I inched toward the door. I peered in through the front window, watching Mabel work behind the counter. I could tell she had the radio on. She swayed a bit, lips moving to the tune of a song.
She caught my shadow in the corner of her eye and picked up her head, a sudden frown crossing her face. Her brows knitted together as she gestured for me to hurry inside.
Oh god. She was going to murder me.
I shoved open the door and spilled inside.
“Listen, Mabel, I can explain!” I begged, clasping my hands together.
“I’d hope so,” she answered with a deepening frown. “Staring in through the window like a tomcat in an alley? You nearly gave me a heart attack! You know better than to go creeping around here, sugar. Lord knows how I love my true crime shows. My dreams are scary enough as it is.”
“I . . . what?” I muttered, blinking bewildered eyes.
“Why didn't you just come in instead of skulking about, sugar? I’m dying to know how it went at the Bradfords!” she continued, leaning her full arms on the counter.
I could hear Hal in the back of the store lifting pots and rummaging through seed bags. Tears suddenly welled in my eyes as Mabel smiled pleasantly at me. She hadn’t heard yet. She didn’t know I’d ruined everything.
When was the last time I cried like this? When I was speeding out of Chicago as fast as I could? I blinked back the tears but one renegade drop slithered down my cheek.
Mabel gave a faint gasp and rushed from around the corner, trotting to me and wrapping me in her arms. She was a few heads shorter than me, but she crushed me against her body like a mama bear, rocking me back and forth.
“I'm sorry,” I started to whimper, but the woman hushed me, shaking her head.
“Now you listen to me, Tess,” she said gently, patting my back exactly the way my mother once did. “We knew this contract was a long shot to begin with. There’s no reason for tears. I don’t want you getting upset because it didn't pan out, sugar.”
“But I really messed up,” I croaked, clinging to her. She smelled just like the flower shop, earth and sunshine and lavender. “I'm so sorry.”
She pulled back, tipping my chin up to smile at me. “This isn’t the first contract we’ve lost and it won’t be the last. Now you go collect yourself and get back to work. Understand?”
“But Mabel—” I whispered haltingly.
I had to tell her how badly I’d messed up. I knew there was no way she’d want to keep me here after, but it needed to be said. In a town this small, she’d find out sooner or later. And I wanted her to hear it from me.
However, the florist gave a faint tut and shook her head, winking her kind eyes. “I know you’re disappointed, sugar. But that’s just life. It doesn’t always go how we want.” She patted my hand. “Now buck up, buttercup. That’s all there is to it.”
I gave a faint nod and swiped my palm across my eyes, blinking away the rest of my tears. I didn’t know how I was going to make this up to the kind couple who’d rescued me, but Mabel was right. Life didn’t always go the way we wanted. But that didn’t mean we had to give up.
I’d figure something out . . . some way to make this right.
At the moment, I had no clue how. But I was certain of one thing. Rowan Bradford wasn’t going to get the last laugh.
Chapter 7
Rowan
I stared after Tess long after she disappeared, leaving only a cloud of dust behind as she tore down the driveway as fast as her old, red Jeep would take her.
Guilt instantly twisted my stomach as I sank back down into my chair hoping a giant gulp of sweet tea could wash the bitter taste from my mouth. But I had a feeling even adding bourbon would do little to make me feel better.
Tess had every right to be pissed. I’d lied to her and wasted her time.
What had gotten into me?
I knew better. So why had I continued to pretend to be the groundskeeper?
Is this really who I am now? Some washed up, miserable doctor who’s so lonely he impersonates other people since he can’t find the courage to have a life of his own?
I set down my glass, rubbing at the pain beginning to throb in my temple. A fluttering of pages caught my eye. My heart stopped, then started abruptly.
Tess forgot her notebook.
I brushed a hand over the carefully curated pages, my heart throbbing. A flash of Ivy’s favorite childhood movie raced through my mind—a princess fleeing the castle, leaving only her glass slipper behind.
Tess’s notebook. Was I meant to return it?
I paused and sucked in a breath, startled by the pang in my chest. I hadn’t felt anything like it in so long. Not since before my life changed forever in Libya.
I realized with alarm that I didn’t think I was capable of these kinds of feelings. Not anymore . . .
The reason I lied to Tess was suddenly clear.
I’d continued to feign my identity because of how she made me feel. The fact that she’d made me feel anything was a miracle in itself, but I couldn’t deny it. She made me laugh, she made me smile, she made me forget—even for just a few minutes—the loneliness and heartache that had consumed me for the past year.
But I didn’t deserve it. I couldn’t be absolved of my sins. My broken heart was all I had left of Rachel. I had survived when she had not. Carrying that shame with me was what I deserved.
But Tess had caught me off-guard, with her enthusiasm and honesty. She was so . . . refreshing. But still, I shouldn’t have given in to my selfishness.
I hadn’t wanted our time together today to end. That’s why I’d kept up the lie. But the last thing I wanted was to hurt Tess. I needed to make things right.
“What in the world was that about?” My mother asked when she returned to the patio after a brief discussion with Gerald.
I watched the groundskeeper return to his duties, pretending not to notice the way my mother’s eyes assessed me with worry.
“Row, did I interrupt something between you two?”
I cleared my throat and shifted in my chair. There was no way to sweep this under the rug. It was time I took ownership of my mess of a life and fixed the things that I could. “That was Tess Taylor, the florist . . . and she might have been under the impression that I was Gerald,” I admitted, reluctantly.
My mother’s lips pursed slightly, her arms slowly folding over her chest. I recognized the stance immediately as the same one my siblings and I saw numerous times during our rebellious teen years.
Eleanor Bradford was not the type of person to ever raise her voice; that wasn’t prim or proper. But what she was exceedingly good at was putting the fear of god into your heart.
Her blue eyes narrowed sharply on me, spurring me without so much as a word to spill the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
I sank lower into my chair, suddenly feeling very much like a child again. “She assumed I was Gerald, and I went with it. I didn’t think it would really matter that much,” I shrugged. “She just wanted someone to show her around.”
My mother blinked and sat down beside me. She gazed at me, her eyes softening just slightly. “You didn't think it would hurt her when she figured out she was wasting her time?”
I started to object but my mother wasn’t done. She held up a hand. “And what about the fact that you misled her into thinking you were a member of our staff? You know how people perceive us, Rowan. What someone might say to Gerald is not the same thing they might say to a Bradford,” she pressed. “Really, Rowan? I raised you better than that. I raised you to be respectful and compassionate. That’s why you made such a good doctor.”
I stared at her, startled at the rare reference to my past, and not missing that fact that she’d referred to my medical career in the past tense. My mother continued to look at me intently, her mouth a disappointed line on her otherwise flawless face.
I leaned back in my seat and crossed my ankle over my leg, letting out a deep sigh as I g
azed out over the calm water beyond the house. The wind blew, sending ripples shimmering across the entirety of it, making all the boats drift and bob in time. I felt as aimless as they were, tethered from drifting too far, but making no progress.
A lone glance at our obnoxiously sized boathouse almost made me smile as I thought of Tess’s remarks, but then the guilt bubbled up again.
I scrubbed a tired hand over my face, finally meeting my mother’s gaze. “I didn't plan to hurt her on purpose. I just . . . I don’t know . . . talking to her was . . . unexpected.”
“You’re allowed to enjoy talking to a woman, Rowan,” she said softly.
Emotion tightened my throat and my eyes burned so badly I had to look back at the water to gain control of myself. As I steadied my breathing, I felt my mother shift her chair closer to mine. She took my hand in hers, squeezing it softly until I returned her gaze.
“Row, you have been through more in your thirty-two years than I can even imagine. It kills me as your mother to know how much pain and loss you’ve been dealing with. I wish I knew how to help you through this. But I raised you to be a better man than I saw today. Just because you’re hurting doesn’t mean you can hurt others.”
“You’re right,” I answered dutifully. “I'm sorry.”
One of her eyebrows lifted. “You think I'm the one you should be apologizing to?”
“No.” I sighed. “I know I owe Tess an apology too.”
“Did you at least show her around while you were masquerading as the groundskeeper?”
I nodded and reached for Tess’s forgotten notebook. “She’s quite talented. She left some notes.”
“Good. We can show them to your sister.”
“How is Ivy? Is everything okay with the wedding dress?”
My mother heaved a sigh and poured herself a big glass of sweet tea, giving it a considering glance before pulling a flask from her purse and adding a splash of bourbon into it.
Palmetto Passion: A Sweet Small Town Family Romance (The Bradford Brothers Book 1) Page 5