Flowers on Main (22 page)

“If I do, then it’s thanks to Gram.”

“She may have taught you a thing or two, but you have a real eye for what works. You put a few of your arrangements on display at the inn or any of the top restaurants in town, tuck your business cards beside them, and I guarantee customers who see them will be beating down your door.”

Her expression brightened. “Do you really mean that?”

“Have I ever lied to you?” he asked, unable to keep the edge out of his voice that suggested if there had been any lies between them, they’d been on her side.

She winced at the direct hit. “Are we ever going to make peace, Jake?” she asked.

The wistful note in her voice got to him. “Do you really care?”

Heat flared in her eyes. “Of course I care! I was in love with you, Jake. You mattered to me.”

“Just not enough,” he reminded her, then shook his head. “I’m not having this discussion.”

“This certainly isn’t the best time or place for it,” she agreed with apparent regret.

“No, I mean I’m not having it, period.” What good would it do to rehash how twisted up their lives had gotten? Words couldn’t change what had happened. The damage had been done.

“Why?” she asked, her temper flaring in a rare show of O’Brien fire. “Because you’re too stubborn and bullheaded to admit that you share the blame for what happened, too? It wasn’t all my fault, Jake.”

His temper, usually never more than a slow burn, stirred to match hers. “That’s not the way I remember it.”

“Of course not, because it’s easier to play the victim, to heap it all on me, so you can walk around town with all that righteous indignation on your side,” she snapped, going on the attack in a way he couldn’t recall her ever doing before.

She would have gone on, but Abby appeared at her side, alarm written on her face. “Everything okay? Should I get Trace over here?”

“No need to call for reinforcements,” Jake said bitterly. “I’m on my way out. Congratulations and good luck, Bree.”

She scowled right back at him. “Gee, that sounded sincere.”

“If you want sincere, go back to that jerk in Chicago. He had
sincere
written all over his face,” he retorted, then snapped his fingers. “Oh, wait, he’s in the theater. Hard to tell with those kind what’s real and what’s acting.”

The color drained from Bree’s face and even Abby looked shocked, but he couldn’t bring himself to utter the apology Bree deserved.

Instead, he headed outside, though it was tough going with what seemed like half the town crammed into the tiny space. Each and every one of them seemed determined to catch his attention or, in the case of those who’d overheard his remarks, were intent on showing their displeasure at his rudeness.

Behind him, he heard Abby ask her sister if she was all right. “And what on earth did Jake mean about Marty? Did the two of them meet?”

Jake didn’t wait to hear Bree’s reply. Nor did he stop when Will called out to him. He barely slowed down when Mack fell into step beside him.

“Don’t say it,” Jake muttered to his friend. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“What?”

“That I just made a complete ass of myself back there.”

Mack’s lips twitched. “No need, when you have just demonstrated such amazing self-awareness. Will would be very proud.”

“I’ll apologize one of these days,” Jake said, his temper finally cooling.

“Sooner might be better than later,” Mack advised.

“Oh?”

“Bree’s not just your ex-girlfriend,” Mack reminded him. “After the success of tonight’s party, she’s more than likely about to be your biggest client.”

Jake sighed glumly. “Yeah, more’s the pity.”

Mack threw an arm over his shoulder. “Hey, it could have been worse.”

“I’m not sure I see how. Half the town heard the way I spoke to her.”

“But not everyone,” Mack said. “If Mick, Connor or even Trace had overheard that little tiff you two had back there, it might not have been pretty.”

Jake winced. He knew exactly what Mack was implying. If either Bree’s father, her brother or her soon-to-be brother-in-law had witnessed the exchange, they’d hunt him down and beat him to a pulp for causing a scene on what was meant to be Bree’s dazzling debut as a Chesapeake Shores business owner. The protective O’Brien men didn’t take it lightly when someone messed with one of their own. Jake knew he himself wouldn’t have stood for it if someone had deliberately hurt Connie in public. In fact, he’d called her ex-husband on exactly that more times than he could count.

“I’d probably feel better if one of them did throw a punch my way,” he admitted. “I deserve it.”

“I’d ask why you let things get out of hand, but I’ve already figured out that much,” Mack said.

“Really? Because I don’t have a clue.”

“You’re still in love with her,” Mack said slowly, as if explaining it to someone too young or too dense to grasp the concept.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jake retorted, dismissing the idea even though his sister had been expressing pretty much the same thing for days now.

Mack leveled a disbelieving look at him. “I may not be a shrink like Will, but even I can recognize when love is in the air.”

“Really? Then you know that’s what’s going on between you and Susie?”

For once Mack didn’t leap in to deny anything. Instead, his expression turned thoughtful. “It’s crossed my mind,” he admitted finally. “There’s definitely something there, at least on my part, but she’s so damn sure that we’d be a disaster…”
He shook his head. “She’s probably right. My track record with women is a little spotty.”

Because Mack looked so miserable, Jake choked back his desire to laugh at the understatement. Mack’s track record was legendary, and not in a good way.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t change for the right woman,” he told his friend.

Mack’s expression brightened. “You think so?”

“Hey, I’m far from an expert, but I hear it’s possible.”

“I sure as hell hope you’re right,” Mack said fervently, “because this not-dating thing we’re doing is getting really old.”

Sort of like Jake treating Bree as if she were nothing more than a client. Sometimes calling a relationship whatever it took to keep it in a comfort zone wasn’t enough. Sooner or later reality kicked in. That’s when things always got tricky. And he had a hunch his life was about to move in that direction.

B
ree kicked her shoes off and put her aching feet up on the porch railing. Standing for so many hours during the open house had been exhausting, though not half as tiring as trying to maintain a smile and engaging in chitchat with people she hadn’t seen in years or barely knew. Though she’d been forced to do something similar at the after-parties following the opening nights of her plays, she’d never become comfortable with making small talk. She wondered how she’d endure it on a daily basis.

Meantime, though, she had reason to celebrate. Other than the encounter with Jake, the evening had gone well. Beside her, Abby poured glasses of wine and passed them around to her and Jess.

“Here’s to a spectacular debut,” Jess said when they each had their drinks. “Congratulations, Bree!”

“I’ll second that,” Abby said just as the door to the house opened and Megan peeked out.

“Is it okay if I join you?” she asked hesitantly. “I don’t want to intrude, but I’d love to help you celebrate.”

“Sure, Mom,” Bree said, surprised by how pleased she was that her mother was here to share in her success. It felt
right to be enjoying this moment with her sisters and her mother, almost as if they were a real family again, rather than women who’d been splintered apart by divorce and their various lifestyle and career choices. Connor had gone off with his buddies after the opening, but he wouldn’t have wanted to be a part of the traditional party post-mortem anyway. It was a woman thing.

“Where’s Gram?” she asked Megan. “She should be here, too. After all, she’s the one who taught me everything I know about flowers and gardening.”

“She was exhausted, so she went straight to bed as soon as we got back here,” Megan replied, accepting her glass of wine from Abby.

“And Dad?” Bree asked.

To her surprise, her mother looked vaguely guilty. “I suggested to him that this should be a girls’ night. Do you mind?”

“Works for me,” Bree said. “Though Dad really did play a big role in tonight’s success. He built all the custom cabinetry in the shop. People were raving about it.”

“He’s really trying to find a place for himself with all of us,” Abby said. She gazed pointedly at Jess. “Don’t you think so?”

“I guess,” Jess said without enthusiasm.

“Come on,” Abby chided. “He did as much as you’d let him do at the inn. He made an effort. Give him credit for that much, at least.”

“True,” Jess admitted grudgingly. “I think he’s just trying to impress Mom, though.”

Bree immediately shook her head. “I don’t think so. He was helping you before Mom even came down here for the inn’s opening and he had no idea she was coming when he started working on stuff at my shop.”

“Well, I think he wants his family back,” Abby declared,
then glanced pointedly at Megan. “All of us. So what about it, Mom? Are you going to give him another chance?”

Even in the shadows on the porch, Bree could see the color climb into her mother’s cheeks. It made her wonder if the others knew what she did, that the split between her parents had involved more than her mother tiring of Mick’s absences. Certainly Abby had never mentioned any kind of flirtation with another man, so it seemed likely she didn’t know about it. Then again, she might be the first one to try to protect the rest of them from the truth and from being disillusioned.

“Too soon to tell,” Megan said, then deliberately turned her attention to Bree. “Now let me ask you the question that’s been on my mind for hours. What on earth were you and Jake arguing about, Bree?”

“Old news,” she said tightly, hoping to put a quick end to the subject.

“Didn’t seem old to me,” Megan said, not taking the hint. “That kind of heated exchange suggests something else entirely.”

“Well, I thought what Jake did tonight was very rude,” Jess said. “Forget the past, you’re a client now and he caused a scene at your party. I wouldn’t be quick to forgive that. It was tacky and unprofessional.”

Bree sighed. “There’s a lot I need to be forgiven for, too,” she admitted, surprised to find herself defending Jake. “None of you know about that. There’s a reason why Jake is still so furious with me. And now I’ve pretty much backed him into a corner so he has to work with me. Neither of us have figured out exactly how to make that less difficult.”

Megan regarded her worriedly. “Do you want to talk about whatever happened?”

Bree thought about it. No one in the world was more supportive of her than these women, but she needed more time
to sort through her own emotions. The truth was, she’d never really dealt with what had happened back then. Losing a baby, even one she hadn’t planned for, was a far bigger deal than she’d ever admitted to herself.

Six years ago, she hadn’t allowed herself to mourn that loss. She’d seized the opportunity presented by the miscarriage and run…away from Jake, away from her memories, away from a commitment she hadn’t been prepared for, even away from her pain. Maybe if that internship hadn’t been awaiting her in Chicago, she would have stayed and faced what had happened with Jake. Maybe she would have felt what he’d felt, the aching loss of not only a child, but what might have been between the two of them.

“Bree?” Megan prodded. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head. “Not really,” she said, standing up. “But it’s nothing I want to talk about. I’m sorry to spoil the party, but I’m going to bed. I have an early morning tomorrow. I should try to get whatever rest I can.”

Her mother started to speak, but Abby reached out and touched her hand, then gave a subtle shake of her head. Bree appreciated the gesture. Abby had always understood that she found solace in solitude, that she had to work through things on her own.

She leaned down and gave her big sister a fierce hug. “Thanks for everything,” she whispered, her eyes damp with tears.

“Anytime,” Abby said.

“Give Trace my thanks, too,” Bree added.

Abby looked surprised. “What did he do?”

“He watched the twins so you could spend so much time helping me.” She grinned at Abby. “Unless, of course, you just left them locked in a closet the past few days.”

Abby laughed. “Hardly. Thankfully, they’re in New York
with their father this weekend, so I didn’t have to resort to locking them up. Those two would have broken out in no time, anyway. They’re very clever when they set their minds to something.”

“I’m not sure I’d boast about something like that,” Megan warned. “It might encourage them to test their limits and your patience.”

“Believe me, they already do,” Abby replied.

Bree gave Jess a quick hug and kissed Megan on the cheek. “See you both tomorrow. Thank you for being there for me tonight and for being here to help me celebrate.”

“Love you,” Megan said so softly Bree almost missed it.

She hesitated, feeling a once-familiar warmth steal through her at her mother’s words. There’d been a time when she’d taken that love for granted, but no more. Now she felt a deep sense of gratitude that the bond was still there, tenuous, but getting stronger every day. “Love you, too, Mom.”

And then, before her tears turned into sobs, she ran inside to the familiar comfort of the room she’d made her haven.

But even surrounded by a wall of family photographs, shelves filled with her beloved books and a quilt made by her great-grandmother and brought over from Ireland, there was no peace tonight.

Instead, there was only the image of Jake lashing out. His words had hurt, but it was the pain in his eyes that had cut through her. Talking wasn’t going to wipe away that pain. In fact, she had to wonder if the only way to end it would be for her to leave Chesapeake Shores.

But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew she wouldn’t go. Her family was here. She was making a fresh start here. And somehow she would find a way to right the wrong she’d done to Jake.