Brooklyn sat down and popped opened her Tupperware. “Trust me, she was worried for a while. She loves Greg more than me by the way she acts around him. Like he did me this huge favor by marrying him.”
“Did he?” Sierra teased.
Brooklyn gave her a mock glare. “Funny. Speaking of marriage, I wanted to see if you’d be open to meeting someone.”
“Oh, hell, no. Not after the last so-called meeting you tried to trick me with.”
“Come on, Sierra! How was I supposed to know the guy still lived in the basement at his mom’s house? Greg said he had just gotten a promotion and was moving up the corporate ladder.”
“I’m not starring in Failure to Launch. I’m tired of blind dates and trying to force connections. I’m happier staying home. The universe will send me my person when I’m ready.”
Brooklyn stared. “Did you get a brain transplant? Because trusting anything other than your own power is not what you do. You make things happen, remember? You believe in yourself.”
Sierra straightened the candles on the shelf. “Please tell me I don’t say that crap. Sounds like a self-help influencer. If a man is meant to be mine, he’ll show up at my doorstep or deliver my pizza or—I don’t know—just appear! Until then, I’m thinking of making a big move and want your advice.”
“I’m here. And yes, you should definitely get on a dating app.”
“Brooklyn, this is serious. I’m talking real commitment serious.”
Blue eyes widened and she nodded. “Okay. I’m ready. Tell me.”
“I may get a…cat.”
Brooklyn blinked. “Are you kidding?”
“No. God, just the thought of it makes me nervous, but somehow, it feels right to take this next step? Bring a living creature into my home that I have to take care of. It’d be a rescue, of course. I haven’t even mentioned this crazy plan to Aspen. What do you think?”
Brooklyn slumped in her seat and focused on her salad, looking disappointed. “I think your announcement sucks. I’m afraid if you get a cat, you’ll never leave the house again.”
Sierra laughed. “Childless cat ladies can rule the world in their own way.”
“Okay, you got me there.”
“Getting a cat will go with my new philosophy. Maybe I’ll meet a childless cat guy and we can live happily ever after.”
“You’re so weird.”
That got them both laughing, and then new customers came in. The rest of the afternoon was busy until late evening, and by the time they closed, Sierra was ready to collapse. Unfortunately, she had a ton of spreadsheets waiting for her so it’d be a long night. Maybe it was time to hire a bookkeeper. Her profit margins were healthy, but taking on another employee was a huge step. She looked at anyone who worked at Flirt as her responsibility, and she’d hate to hire too quickly if the budget got squeezed. Offseason was always the tightest time on the island, and her landlord had been acting strange lately. She had a feeling rent was going up, but every time she tried to pin him down on re-signing her lease, he made an excuse and disappeared.
Her Spidey senses were tingling. And not in a good way.
She reminded herself things were going perfectly. She loved her life, though watching her sister and Brick fall hard for each other set off a deep longing she didn’t know how to soothe. She was happy for Aspen, but wondered if she’d ever be able to truly let another person in again.
Her thoughts flashed to him.
A shiver raced down her spine. The one night she’d let herself go and experience the type of passion her parents embodied. The type of surrender written about in books and movies that promised happily ever after but mostly led to disaster. The memory of that night was a constant companion, but belonged in Pandora’s box, never to be flung wide open. She’d walked away, sensing if she stayed, her life would have been led off course.
Losing her parents and experiencing a divorce taught her two valuable lessons she wasn’t about to repeat.
She was never chosen.
And everyone left.
The thought was a pang in her gut, but she was used to smothering the feeling. Better to stop the endless dating cycle and be happy on her own. But it was definitely time to push herself to make a new commitment to something that could offer growth.
After all, her marriage may not have worked out, but her shoe collection?
Worth the care, investment, and patience. It was legendary.
