Ava's Blessing In Disguise: Short Story (The Blushing Brides Book 7)
Page 5
Connie bit her lip and her eyes fell to the ground. "I wanted to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?"
"I can't stay any longer, Blake." Her eyes lifted to meet his, and he saw the shimmer of liquid in them. "I hoped I could make a life here, but I'm a city girl. I miss the lights and night life. I miss the excitement."
"But, we were discussing marriage last week." Blake struggled to make her words compute in his brain.
"I know," she nodded, "and that's what got me thinking. The thought of living the rest of my life here is depressing, so though I love you, I have to say goodbye." She leaned in and pecked his cheek before flashing a sad smile and walking back to her car.
With a heavy heart, Blake watched her drive away before shutting the door and leaning against it. His brain tried to make sense of her departure.
“I get it,” Max said, leaning forward and dispersing Blake’s memory. “It’s not the same, but you’re welcome to spend Christmas with Layla and me.
Blake offered a half smile. “I’ll consider it, but it’s your first Christmas together. You’ve been in love with that woman since I’ve known you and I don’t want to be a third wheel. Besides, I'll probably hit the Christmas Eve service at church and spend the day with my mom. She’s been lonely without my father around.”
Max shrugged and turned back to the kitchen to finish serving the lunch crowd.
Blake took a bite of his hamburger, but while he knew it was delicious—Max was known for his burgers—it held no taste in his current mood. He fished a few dollars out of his wallet, laid the money on the counter, picked up his coat, and walked out the door.
The McAllister development where he worked sat a mile up the road, but as he still had fifteen minutes remaining on his lunch break, he decided to walk through downtown. His own house resided on the quiet outskirts of town, so other than hanging out with Max at The Diner, he didn’t spend much time in the downtown area.
Blake pulled his coat tighter as the winter air bit through the heavy wool. Star Lake generally received one or two good snowfalls every winter, and though Christmas was still a few weeks away, the chill in the air made him believe the first snow was coming.
He didn’t mind the snow, but he enjoyed it more when he had someone to share the experience with. Curling in front of the fireplace alone held little appeal.
* * *
Audrey shoved the last item in her suitcase and pushed down on the bulging bag as she tugged on the zipper.
“Where are you going to go?” Desiree asked, leaning against the doorframe.
Desiree was Audrey’s roommate, and the two were about as different as night and day. Where Audrey was pale and blond, Desiree had darker skin and long dark hair.
“The only place I can,” Audrey said with a sigh. “Home.”
The thought held little appeal. Her wealthy parents had given her access to her trust fund at eighteen, and Audrey had opted to move to LA to try her hand at acting. At first, it had been fun. She’d found a few jobs and been in a few commercials, but then the jobs had become fewer and farther between, and after she ended up pregnant, they had dried up completely. Now all the money she had saved was almost gone.
Desiree’s nose scrunched in disgust. “You'd go back to that tiny town, why?”
“I haven’t had a job in months Dez, my savings have run out, and I can’t go to work without someone to watch Cayden. If I go home, I can get help from my parents until I get back on my feet.”
At least she hoped they would help. They hadn’t been too happy when she decided not to go to college, but she didn’t think they would turn their grandson away, even if they didn’t want to help her.
Desiree shrugged and flicked her hair behind her bony shoulder. “Nothing in the world would make me return to my crappy hometown.”
Audrey knew Desiree’s home life had been rough, but while she hadn’t wanted to grow up under her mother’s thumb, it hadn’t been a bad childhood. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be back, but I wish you luck.”
After a quick hug, Audrey picked up Cayden’s car seat, slung her bag over her shoulder, and left the apartment she had called home for the last few years.
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When Love Returns
Once Upon a Star
Love Conquers All
Heartbeats Series:
Where It All Began
The Power of Prayer
When Hearts Collide
A Past Forgiven
Sweet Billionaires Series:
The Billionaire’s Secret
Brush with a Billionaire
The Billionaire’s Christmas Miracle
The Billionaire’s Cowboy Groom
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Lawfully Justified
The Scarlet Wedding
Lawfully Redeemed
Lawfully Pursued
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Lorana Hoopes is an inspirational author originally from Texas but now living in the PNW with her husband and three children. When not writing, she can be seen kickboxing at the gym, singing, or acting on stage. One day, she hopes to retire from teaching and write full time.