“Wait! You two have sex?” I gasped dramatically, my eyes wide and darting back and forth between the two of them. I always loved teasing them. It was like a hobby to me because I knew Cora would always bite.
“You’re an idiot.” Her cheeks flushed. “You’re just jealous.”
“Oh yeah, my jealousy knows no bounds. I’ve always fantasized about having sex with Trent. Ohhh baby, give it to me.”
“What can I say? All the ladies want a piece of this.” Trent ran his hands up and down his body and did a pelvic thrust for added effect.
“You two are ridiculous.”
Cora walked out shaking her head, leaving Trent and me laughing so hard we were gasping for air.
It was then while I stood in the middle of my dream home with my family surrounding me that I decided I could and would handle whatever came at me regarding Austin. Teasing my sister, laughing with my brother-in-law, and witnessing Mom’s eyes twinkle every time she’d look at us was worth it all.
I was home.
And it felt better than I could have ever expected.
Three hours later, I had a kitchen, living room, and bedroom that looked liveable, and the chaos around me had significantly reduced. I’d said goodbye to Mom, Cora, and Trent promised to go to lunch the following Sunday and started writing a list of all the bits and pieces I needed to buy; new whiskey glasses, candles, towels, and artwork for what would become my office.
My phone jumped across the counter, startling me as the shrill ring tone hit the air. A photo of Cora pulling a crazy face stared back at me before I tapped to accept the call.
“You only left ten minutes ago. What could you possibly be calling me about?” I laughed, moving through the house as I searched for my keys.
Cora’s voice soft voice stopped me in my tracks. “I just wanted to make sure you were still here.”
I closed my eyes on a sigh. From the moment I left Monroe, she’d been begging me to come home. Every call, email, and text finished with the same question—When do I get my little sister back? Cora had told me this place was available for rent, and she’d also been the one who excitedly shared the news when the florist in town had announced her retirement.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered, emotion lodging in my throat. “You’re stuck with me forever.”
“Promise?” she asked, hope and happiness coating her words.
“Pinky promise.” My stomach decided then it would be the perfect time to roar with hunger. “Cor, I’m going to run to the store to get some supplies before I dive back into unpacking. I’ll text you tomorrow, and we’ll talk more about the gala.”
“Okay, love you, and Marnie, I’m so happy to have you back, even if you do cause my husband to pelvic thrust.”
I ended the call laughing and grabbed my keys off the counter, my bag from the couch, and headed to my Jeep.
Main Street, Monroe, here I come.
“So the rumors are true.”
I froze, my arm raised to grab a box of Cheerios from the top shelf when a voice I’d recognize anywhere sounded from behind me. I swung around excitedly, smiling huge, and came face to face with one of my oldest and best friends, Ben Hunt. Standing next to him and holding his hand was none other than Sasha Hamilton, owner of Sass Homewares, and my landlady.
“Benji,” I whispered, using the nickname only I got away with calling him. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in so long, and emotions hurtled at me at full speed. I’d missed a lot over the years; birthdays, holidays, family dinners. And I missed Ben Hunt, terribly. My eyes started to water, and I bit my bottom lip to stop it from trembling. Ben had been my first friend when my family moved to Monroe. He’d been this tall, scowling, stupidly good-looking guy who’d looked at me like he was looking through me that first day our families met outside our house, which was across the road from the Hunts. That night, my family went across the street to the Hunt’s residence for a barbecue, and as they say, the rest is history.
Two weeks later, I met Austin for the first time.
Ben’s eyes softened, and he dropped Sasha’s hand and took a step toward me. “Get over here, Marnie Jean.”
I crashed into him. Strong arms wrapped around me, and I was engulfed by a typical Ben Hunt-style hug; firm, warm, and all-encompassing. I sighed against his chest and held on tightly, not wanting to let him go. He was a best friend and big brother rolled into one, and I was the lucky one who got the both of best worlds.
“Benjamin, who are you hugging? Your girlfriend who you have regular relations with is standing right here!”
I jumped in Ben’s arms, startled, and the moment was instantly lost.
“For fuck’s sake.” Ben’s arms loosened, and I stepped away. “Gigi, do you think you could tone it down just a touch when we are out in public?”
Standing with Sasha, wearing a burgundy tracksuit, double layer pearls, deep red lipstick, and perfectly set hair was a woman who looked in her late sixties, maybe even seventies. She also wore a scowl, and it was focused entirely at me.
Ben took charge, and I blinked away from Gigi. “Sash, this is Marnie Lavender. Marnie this is Sasha Hamilton, my girlfriend and your landlord or, should I say, landlady.”
I smiled at Sasha. “It’s so nice to mee—”
Gigi wasn’t done. “Old friend? Ha! Old friend must be code for a girl I tapped in high school.”
My eyes shot wide. “Uh, Ben didn’t tap me in high school.”
Gigi huffed even louder. “Nope, I do not believe that. I can see something familiar between you two. I’ve been around women like you for a long time, girly!”
“Gigi, give it a rest,” Ben warned although there was a hint of amusement in his voice. “You’ll scare Marnie off.”
Sasha grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze, instantly relieving the anxiety storming through me “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Sasha.”
I squeezed her hand back and smiled. “I’m Marnie. Thank you so much for letting me rent your place. I am so in love with it although it’s a bit of a shambles at the moment.”
“It’s your place now, so please make it your own. I hope it brings you as many amazing memories as it did me.” Her eyes flashed to Ben, and the love radiating off her was out of this world. “We’ll have to come and visit when you get settled. And please don’t mind Gigi.” She leaned in close, allowing only me to hear her. “She’s recently got a little overprotective. She’s worried we aren’t going to give her great-grandbabies, so she’s more intense than usual.”
A lightbulb went off. Gigi’s reaction made total sense; she was protective because she was Sasha’s grandma. “Oh, Gigi is your grandma?” I asked, wanting to confirm my thoughts.
“No.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “She’s our neighbor.”
“I have no clue why she is even here. It’s Sunday,” Ben added, re-joining the conversation, his voice soft when he mentioned Sunday. “Sweetheart, do you mind if I have a quick word with Marnie?”
She smiled. “Come on, Gigi, you can help me choose a new lip color.”
Gigi huffed and mumbled something under her breath, shot me one more look, and then followed Sasha toward the cosmetics aisle.
Ben’s attention remained locked on Sasha until they disappeared around the corner and out of view. Then it swung to me. With his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes narrowed, I knew that look well and had seen it countless times throughout our friendship.
He’d always been the kind of guy who intimidated others just by breathing, but if you meant something to him, he’d defend you until the very end. His friendship was everything you could ask for and having him in your corner was the best feeling in the world, but it also meant he didn’t tolerate bullshit, and he’d call you out on it.
“I’ve got to say, I was pretty fucking shocked when my girlfriend casually mentioned your name as the person who signed on to rent her house. But it was the fact that one of my oldest friends was moving back to town and chose not to call o
r send a text that really pissed me off. What’s with the silence, Marnie Jean?”
His question was completely justified. When I left Monroe, I left everything and everyone behind. Some would call it a clean break, but for me, it wasn’t. Every second I breathed away from this town, it felt like my heart continued to splinter. There would never be a clean break from Monroe. Not when so much unfinished business remained here. Heartbreak was a real thing. But first love heartbreak? That was a whole other level.
“You know why,” I whispered, my eyes begging him to believe me. “I needed to move back quietly, get myself settled, find my feet again, and then put myself out there. But, I promise you, there is no way I would have stayed away from you. I had plans to come and annoy you and make up for lost time. Sheesh, Benji, I haven’t changed that much. I’m still going to annoy you, talk back to you, and not take your shit.”
The first hint of a smile appeared on his lips. “Good to know.”
“But things seem to have changed for you. You’ve got yourself a gorgeous lady.”
“Yeah, she makes me really fucking happy. Luckiest man on earth.”
I grabbed his hand. “I’m so glad you have that, Benji. To be honest, I thought you were going to be a bachelor for life and continue to break the hearts of the women of Monroe who tried to settle you down.”
The left side of his lip lifted in a smirk. “I’ve passed that baton onto Drew.”
Drew Hamilton.
Sasha’s older brother.
Owner of Hamilton’s, Monroe’s favorite watering hole.
Ridiculously sexy, broody, and intense.
“Austin knows you’re back.”
I locked eyes with him and nodded. Hearing Austin’s name still sent shivers down my spine, even after I spent years trying to ignore them. I did my best to erase him from my memories, but a love like ours was impossible to forget. It was quiet times and random moments when my mind would decide to replay memories of our life together in a continuous loop. There had even been moments when my hand would tingle at the thought of him curling his around it. The most confusing and heartbreaking of all was when I was intimate with men. The memory of the glimmer in his eyes when he claimed my innocence was all I saw. When another man touched me, I was thrown back to Austin’s fingers digging into my flesh when we fucked like wild animals and the soft, delicate stroke of his body against mine when we made love.
Austin Hart had been my first everything; my first love, heartbreak, I-love-you, I-hate-you, I-need-you, I-never-want-to-see-you-again.
Monroe was Austin.
Austin was Monroe.
And now I was back, and the waiting game had begun.
The universe would decide when our paths would cross.
How I’d handle it?
That was anyone’s guess.
Three
Marnie
Monroe was a hive of activity as the locals gathered on the sidewalks to enjoy the perfect fall day. Listening to the chatter and laughter filling the air, I walked down Main Street with a spring in my step because today was the day Shop 45 on Main Street in Monroe would officially be mine. The midmorning sun sat high in the sky, yet fall temperatures had wrapped around the town tightly. This was my favorite time of year. The chill in the air meant I could pull out my cute beanies and scarves or curl up with a book in front of an open fire. Even go boot shopping. I missed Monroe in the fall and winter.
Gripping a single key tightly in my hand, I felt it dig into my flesh, leaving a slight sting, as I hurried down Main Street toward Monroe’s vacant florist. Since I woke before dawn, I’d been floating on cloud nine. As the day ticked by, the butterflies in my belly multiplied, and my cheeks ached from the Grand Canyon-sized smile permanently spread across my face. I’d been dreaming of this moment since I was fifteen, and every rushed step I took was one step closer to making my dream a reality.
I slowed to a stop and opened my hand to reveal the silver key. On the door in front of me, a solitary sticker remained with the words that signaled the shop’s past, Monroe Florist. Luscious Lavender would be its future, and new signage was due to arrive in a couple of weeks. Sucking in a deep breath, I tucked a loose piece of my hair behind my ear, then pushed the key into the lock and turned until it clicked.
Eagerly, I stepped into the vacant shop and squinted while my eyes adjusted to the darkness. Layers of black plastic covered the floor-to-ceiling windows that faced Main Street, and though it offered privacy, it also hindered my chance to see the space I now called my own. The aroma of fresh flowers seduced me as I edged farther in. I patted along the wall for the light switch, and then the room illuminated before me, and I blinked rapidly to focus. My skin tingled with recognition because the shop looked exactly how I remembered when I’d come here with Grandma. The space was vast, open, and inviting with cream-colored walls, stark white tiles below my feet, and walnut-colored wood accents. Toward the back, three doors in the same walnut color led to an office, a storage room, and a cool room. In front of the doors, a solid timber workbench, large enough for at least four people to comfortably work around and create magic, was the only furniture that occupied the whole space.
I closed my eyes and sucked in a calming breath, allowing the scent of flowers to wrap around me. I don’t even know where the aroma was coming from because there was literally nothing in the room. I reopened my eyes, and a piece of crisp white paper taped to the far wall grabbed my attention.
I placed my handbag on the bench and rustled through it to grab my cell. After making sure the volume was up so I wouldn’t miss Cora’s call about dinner, I placed it next to my bag, then hurried toward the piece of paper and pulled it from the wall.
Marnie,
I couldn’t think of anyone better to take over this space. Enjoy it as much as I did, and continue to create beauty. I’ve left a surprise for you in the cool room.
Regards,
Mrs. Jones
What kind of surprise could she have left me? I didn’t stand around contemplating; I rushed toward the cool room as quickly as my heeled boots would allow me and opened the door. The sweet scent of flowers smacked me in the face in the most glorious of ways. Holy shit, this is what heaven looked like—well, my kind of heaven. White buckets full of lilies, roses, gerberas, peonies, and baby’s breath lined the metal shelves while an assortment of green foliage to complement sat on the floor in similar buckets. It had been weeks since I’d had my hands on fresh flowers, and I’d been itching to get back to it. An afternoon of creating beauty was exactly what I needed. I grabbed two empty buckets and filled them with as much as I could and then carried them back to the workbench. After searching through the drawers under the bench, I found everything I needed. I pressed play on the music app on my phone and got into the zone. Two hours later, the workbench was covered with ten exquisite bouquets in all the colors of sunrise and sunset.
I gnawed on my bottom lip and stared at my creations. Now that I had them, I needed to work out what I was going to do with them. I was having dinner with Mom and Cora, so I’d take each of them a bouquet. Of course, I’d take a few home with me, but that still left me with at least four, and there was no way in hell I’d throw them away. The couple of girls I’d been friends with before I left had moved away so I couldn’t give them any, and Ben wasn’t the kind of guy to dig flowers, but maybe Sasha was. Her store, Sass, was right across the street, so there was literally nothing stopping me. It wouldn’t be weird for me to give my landlady flowers, right? Before I talked myself out of it, I picked up the two brightest bouquets, grabbed my handbag, shoved my phone in my back pocket, and locked the door behind me.
The bell above the door jingled and announced my arrival at Sass. I’d stalked Sasha’s store online because one, it was the only homewares store in Monroe, and two, I probably wouldn’t have time to head into the city to shop now that I was moving full steam ahead with my own shop. It looked even more beautiful in person than it did online. Candles, prints, furniture, pi
llows, and delicate, quirky, and timeless decorative pieces lined every wall. If flowers were my kind of heaven, I had a very strong feeling this was Sasha’s idea of heaven. The farther I stepped in, the louder the cha-chings sounded in my ears. My credit card was going to get a workout here, and I had no regrets.
“Hey, Marnie.” Sasha greeted me with a huge smile after the customer she’d been serving stepped away from the counter and headed to the exit.
I returned her smile and offered an awkward half wave. “I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by.”
She moved out from behind the counter and headed toward me. I scanned her outfit and instantly envied the sky-high heels she wore, but then I became intrigued at how she could possibly walk around in them all day.
“I don’t mind at all.” She offered a second smile and then looked at the flowers I was carrying. “Wow, those flowers are stunning. Where’d you get them from? I thought Mrs. Jones had closed the florist and retired.”
Pink hit my cheeks. “I’m actually taking over the florist and opening my own shop. I picked up the keys this morning and have just been over there. Mrs. Jones left a lot of stock for me, so I played around and made a bunch of bouquets. I thought you might like these? One for the store, and maybe even one to take home?” I rushed out, not even knowing if I took a breath or blinked. “You’d be doing me a huge favor because I refuse to throw out flowers that look this good.”
Her eyes bugged, still focused on the flowers. “You made these? They are stunning.”
“Yeah.” I shrugged, the pink on my cheeks deepening. “Flowers are kinda my thing.”
“Wow, you have some serious talent. I’d be stupid not to take these off your hands. Ben will be happy when I come with something other than candles.”
Wearing an ecstatic grin, I handed over the flowers. She lifted them to her nose and inhaled the sweet aroma as she sauntered toward the door behind the counter. Then she disappeared. Moments later, she reappeared holding two expensive looking vases bursting with color. Pride swelled in my chest when she placed the vases showcasing my bouquets on the counter, which was on full display to the entire store, and every customer that walked through the door.
My Only Reason (Men of Monroe Book 2) Page 3
