Then the line went dead.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
FOUR MONTHS WITHOUT HIM
How quickly everything was coming along with my store was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
Ryder had laid the new flooring last month and helped me replace the original light fixtures with chic chandeliers that sent little beads of rainbows dancing across the ceiling when the natural light hit them. The walls were freshly painted, shelving installed, and inventory ordered.
The only thing I was waiting on was for my LLC paperwork to come back approved and for my inventory to show up so I could stock the shelves. Oh, and for my boutique’s name to be put up on the building.
Countless frustrating brainstorming sessions and a little back and forth later, I had chosen a name that I felt fit the space perfectly. A sense of pride washed through me knowing that within a few weeks’ time, Petals & Lace Home Decor would be open to the public.
After years spent wondering what I was meant to do with my life aside from being a mother, and months of actually searching for my purpose, I couldn’t believe I had finally laid the foundation for my business and was ready to open the store, in less than six months’ time. I felt proud of myself, and for the first time in far too long, my confidence had come back.
I was lost in paperwork, trying to get my new filing system organized, when I heard a small knock at the door. Mrs. Landry stood peering in through the glass, her frail hands cupping around her eyes. She smiled when her eyes landed on me and I smiled back as I slid off of my stool and made my way to unlock the doors for her.
“Mrs. Landry! Hi!” I exclaimed while holding the door wide for her.
“Hello, sweetheart.” She stepped through the doorway and whistled low, taking in the space that had once been her own.
“To what do I owe this surprise?”
Her gaze swept through the boutique and a smile dusted her lips when she saw the new counter space set up for creating floral arrangements. After a beat, she pulled her focus back to me and was beaming. “You’re just a few weeks shy of opening and I was just jonesin’ to see it. You did good, my girl, you did real good. It’s beautiful in here.”
“I’m so glad you like it. Honestly, it’s a huge relief.”
“Why would it be a relief, sweet girl? This is your vision. You shouldn’t be worrying about what an old maid like me has to say.”
With a grin on my face, I shook my head at her. “Mrs. Landry, you’re like a second mother to me. Of course, your opinion matters.”
“On that note, you could call me by my first name, dear. I think we’ve known each other long enough and can toss formalities aside now.”
My eyes widened, and she laughed at my expression. “I don’t think I could do that. I’m so used to calling you Mrs. Landry, anything else would just feel weird.”
Waving her hand at me dismissively, Mrs. Landry walked around the building, looking at all the empty shelves and wall decor in an assessing way. My heart thundered in my chest and I felt my palms sweat; she was a sweet woman but could be very opinionated and judgy. This new vibe wasn’t as old school as she was accustomed to, and I truly valued her opinion.
I kept my lips pressed together, forcing myself to let her do her thing rather than bombard her with my rambling. While she moved about the room, I busied myself with the paperwork I had been working on and tried to keep my eyes from wandering back to her.
Finally, she appeared in front of me again. “What are you calling it?” she asked with a smile.
“Petals and Lace Home Decor,” I told her with pride. “It took me forever to come up with a name, but once this one popped into my mind, it felt right.”
“Names are hard to come up with. Why do you think I called my flower shop Mrs. Landry’s?”
We both laughed, and I came around the counter to pull her into an embrace.
“Thank you for helping me achieve my dreams, Vera.” The moment her name fell out of my lips, I shook my head while still hugging her tight. “Nope, that felt weird. You’ll always be Mrs. Landry.”
She snorted, pulling away but keeping her hands on my upper arms, holding me in place. “Thats fine, but Lily,youachieved your dreams. All I did was sell you the building. I am so proud of you, my girl.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
It had been five months and six days without Noah, and I felt like a starving woman. The more days that passed, the more I could feel my patience being tested. I had never known what it meant to miss someone until now.
As if to add salt to the wound, today was the day of Ryder and Elle’s wedding. My ex-husband was about to marry the love of his life, and I, his ex-wife, was getting ready to watch it happen. That should have bothered me more than it did—knowing that I wasn’t the love of his life—but Ryder and I had married young and because we both thought that being married would give our son a better life. And it had, for the better part of ten years, but it came to a point where we both needed to stop lying to ourselves. Ryder was my best friend and the father of my son, but he wasn’t the love of my life.
Noah was, and that wasn’t a realization I was afraid of anymore.
