“Youdo know spring isn’t for another month or so, right?” I teased, but I couldn’tdisagree. My eyes were already beginning to itch.
“Well,I would have kept some snowflakes up for a little while longer, but my betterhalf has insisted we keep up with the other—oof!”
Jessiecame up from behind, wound up, and swatted Bill on the arm with great gusto.Anna giggled at Bill’s shocked expression and the look of disapproval from theshort round woman with the fiery red hair.
“ShehasEastereggs,” she hissed at him. “Easter eggs! Can youbelieve that? Easter isn’t for another two months! What in Lord’s name wouldshe be doing withEastereggs? I told her it was stupid todecorate for Easter, and what does she do? She decorates for Easter!” Shebounded away towards the Book Nook in an angry huff, and I hoped she wouldn’tpick books with a “Kill Thy Enemy” theme.
Iinstructed Anna to kick the remaining snow off of her boots on the mat in frontof the door, and she managed to reenactRiverdanceinthe process. “Good enough,” I laughed, turning back to Bill to thank him forholding the door.
“Ofcourse.” He smiled, the deep lines on his face accentuating. “Now, if you’llexcuse me, ladies, I have some flowers to hang before my wife kills me.” Hepatted the staple gun at his hip, and headed off in a blur of argyle. “Maybe Ishould make some Easter eggs too,” I heard him mumble under his breath, and Isnorted a laugh.
Annatugged me in the direction of the Book Nook, and I trailed behind her with aglance over towards the café. The familiar towering figure immediately caughtmy attention, and I won the game of Tug O’ War as I changed our direction. Atthe sound of Anna’s giddy squeals, Brandon turned to glance at us. The sight ofhis facial scruff and chiseled jaw brought the air to catch in my lungs, and Ihad to remind myself to breath as we approached.
“HeyAnna,” he said as he smiled down at the happy little girl, and then turned hisattention back to Scott.
Wow.Mature.
“Hey,”I said in a small voice, and when that also went ignored, I placed my hand on hisarm. “Brandon.”
Scott’seyes flitted between the two of us before shoving his headphones up, making thechoice to ignore us as he set to work making our drinks.
Brandonsighed, rolling his eyes down at me, but still he said nothing.
“So,are you just going to go on like none of this ever happened?” I asked, feelingthe hurt as if it were a thousand-ton weight sitting on my chest. The silenttreatment continued, and I squeezed Anna’s hand for comfort. “Please,” I beggedhim, “what do you want me to say?”
Scottsilently handed Brandon his cup of coffee. “Thanks, man. See you this weekend,”he said and turned to me finally. His forehead crumpled with agitation. “You’vesaid plenty already, Holly,” he grumbled, and began heading in the direction ofthe store’s door.
“Talkto me,please.” I raised my voice, and I saw Bill look over from hisdecorating.
Whippinghis head around as he walked, Brandon spat, “I have absolutely nothing to talkto you about.”
Myhand grabbed at his arm, making an attempt to stop him from leaving. “Brandon,I’m sorry!” The tears prickled at my eyes. “You have to understand—”
Hejerked out of my grasp, and bent his neck to look into my eyes. I felt hispassion, and hoped he couldn’t kill me with a single look. “All I’ve ever doneis understand, but you couldn’t do the same for me. You couldn’t even let metalkand explain myself, but—hey, look, I get it. You would rather be with guyswho make you miserable, because you’ve convinced yourself that you’re notworthy of anything more than that. I’ve been hearing you say it for months, andI have no clue why I thought I could …” He stood to his full height, pinchinghis eyes shut and giving his head a quick shake. “Iknewyou’d be here,IknewI’d see you, and I told myself I wouldn’t get angry, but—JesusChrist …”
Ithad only occurred to me then that several pairs of eyes were glued to us. Wehad created a scene, and I questioned why I thought it would have gone differentlywhen I approached him. Had I expected him to be happy to see me, when I was theone to leave? Had I expected him to have a friendly conversation with me, asthough nothing had changed, after everything that happened? In truth, I had nofreakin’ clue what I had expected, but as my body trembledand my lower lip quivered, I knew I hadn’t expected him to verbally assault mewith a month’s supply of pent-up anger.
“Canwe … Can we just talk?” I asked, my voice traveling on a tremor.
“No,”he said flatly. “No, because you want an apology from me. You want me to saythat I’m sorry for hiding things from you, but to be sorry for that would meanthat I’m sorry for everything else that happened between us, and that …” Heshook his head. “I could never be sorry for that.”
Ishook my head, as a tear trickled down my cheek. “Brandon, I don’t—”
Withanother shake of his head, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I shouldn’t havesaid anything. Goddammit, I’m such a fucking idiot,” he grumbled, after severalmoments of awkward tension-packed moments. He turned to Scott, then to Bill,and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here yet. But, um, Saturday,right?”
Scottnodded quickly. “Uh, yeah, dude. We’ll be there.”
Brandonnodded, and without taking another look at me, he hurried out of the store withintent. The pain he felt stung my heart, knowing I was the one to bring him toa place of such passionate anger. Helpless, I rattled my brain with an attemptto think of an idea on how to make things right, and I grabbed at the one thathad been handed to me.
“Scott,”I said, as Anna and I walked towards the counter. “What’s on Saturday?”
Hesnapped a lid onto the Earl Grey he had brewed for me. “Uh, well, there’s aparty to celebrate the five-year anniversary of Brandon’s first book. It’s apretty huge deal.”
Inodded, already scheming. “How do I get in?”
Regrettably,Scott frowned. “You can’t without an invitation. The security’sgonnabe real tight, you know?” I sighed with another nod,taking the hint, and I grabbed the cup from him. Just as I was about to thankhim, he said, “But you know, I could give you mine. That would at least get youin the place.”
“Youwould do that for me?” I asked with a sudden wave of affection that threatenedto bring tears to my eyes.
