“Sounds about right. You crossed a line and did something he didn’t want you doing. Not everyone is like you—they don’t put their lives out on display. They like to take their time, introduce every part of themselves in due course. But you’re too self-absorbed to think about that. It’s always what you want, when you want it. Well, guess what? That mentality just bit you in the ass.”
She’s turned to walk away when I call out, “Wait, Dakota, please—let’s talk about this.”
She shakes her head. “I’m done talking. I need space.”
And then she takes off, leaving me to crumble to the floor and sob into my hands.
Bonnie: Dakota, please, come back to the cottage so we can talk about this. I don’t like fighting with you.
Bonnie: We don’t do this; we don’t stay mad at each other.
Bonnie: We always work through things. Please tell me we can work through this.
Bonnie: Rowan, I stopped by your place, and you weren’t there （which I’m sure you are aware of）。 I want to apologize, talk through this. Please.
Bonnie: I miss you, Rowan. I don’t want to be fighting. This is something we can work through, right?
Bonnie: I’m sorry I invaded your space. Please just talk to me.
Someone . . . please, someone just talk to me.
I’m looking down when the door to the coffee shop creaks open. I freeze behind the counter, holding my breath, hoping and praying it’s Rowan or Dakota. But when I glance up, I find Leith walking in, and all hope fails, crashing down once again.
It’s been two days, and I haven’t heard anything from either one of them. Two days of baking and getting ready for tomorrow’s grand opening while trying not to get lost in my thoughts. I’m failing miserably, of course. My mind is constantly going over every interaction I’ve had with Rowan and Dakota. Replaying my last conversations with them.
Self-absorbed.
Don’t listen.
Too pushy.
Not a good friend.
Immersed in a man, not finding myself.
Have I really been doing that? Is that really who I am?
It’s terrifying to realize that maybe I do carry those attributes. That I’m so deeply invested in myself that I don’t care about the feelings and reactions of others.
To say the least, it’s been a painful and torturous two days. Especially at night, when I’m alone in the cottage with no more baking to do, nothing to do but ruminate while I clutch my phone to my chest, hoping one of them calls or texts me back.
But there has only been silence on both ends.
“Hold back the excitement of seeing me,” Leith teases, pulling me back to the present, where I can’t even force a smile at his joke. I’m hanging on by a thread, and one little thing will break the dam that I’ve haphazardly built. “Hey.” Leith walks up to the counter where I’m standing. “What’s wrong?”
Damn him.
Damn those two words.
That’s all it takes.
One blink, and the tears I’ve been holding back crest over my lids and cascade down my cheeks.
I bury my face in my hands. “I’m sorry.”
“Shh, don’t apologize,” he says, coming around the counter and putting his arm around me. I turn in to his chest and welcome his warm but slightly unfamiliar embrace. I’m desperate for anything at this point, though. I haven’t had anyone to turn to. My parents and I aren’t exactly on great terms, and I don’t know if we ever will be. It’s sad to say, but besides Dakota, I really don’t have anyone else to appeal to, and that’s terrifying.
“What’s going on?” Leith asks.
I wipe at my tears and pull away. “Just a few stressful days.”
“Does this have to do with you and Dakota?”
I look up at him in surprise. “You know about that?”
“Isla spoke with me yesterday. She said she was concerned that you two were fighting.” He tilts my chin up, just like Rowan would. “Are you okay?”
Lip trembling, I shake my head. “No, I’m not. Everything is falling apart, and I don’t know how to fix it.”
Taking my hand, Leith leads me to one of the tables and sits me down. Then he moves around the counter, gets us both some tea and a buttery to share, and then brings them to the table, where he sits across from me. With a knife, he splits the buttery and sets his half on a napkin, offering me the plate to use.
“What’s going on?”
“You really want to know?”
He nods. “Of course, lass. You’re part of the Corsekelly family now. We help each other out. Tell me what’s going on.”