Bad Seed

“I’m sorry,” Julie said again. “Once I get this article finished, I’ll call you, okay?”

“Sure,” I said. “Take your time.”

“Thanks.”

Julie hung up, and I tossed my phone back on my desk. Nothing about this felt right. Josh screaming at me. Julie avoiding me. Everything was all wrong.

When I first saw Julie sitting at the café in town, I never thought I would fall so hard for her. She was gorgeous, beautiful in a way I’d never seen before, but that wasn’t what drew me in. Every word that came out of her mouth leaked wit and intelligence. She was graceful, elegant, and poised in every situation. She was everything I admired in a woman and more.

The thought of our relationship ending already was heart-wrenching. There were still so many things I wanted to tell her, so many experiences I wanted to share with her. The tree lighting in the town square was just the beginning. It wasn’t enough. The short time we’d already spent together wasn’t enough. I needed more.

“Marcy?” I called. I heard her chair squeak as she sprung up and hurried into my office.

“Yes?” she asked.

“Do I have any meetings scheduled for this afternoon?” I asked.

“No,” Marcy said, shaking her head. “You’re free until tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Hold all my calls for the rest of the day, okay? I’ll return messages first thing in the morning.”

“Okay.” Marcy nodded and hurried back to her desk.

For a split second, I felt guilty about running out on work for the second day in a row. Even though I came back to the office yesterday, I still shouldn’t just leave at the drop of a hat. And yet, the guilt wasn’t strong enough to keep me there.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told Marcy on my way out.

“Where are you heading, Mr. Smart?” Marcy asked curiously.

“I want to pick up something for Julie,” I said. “A little gift or something.”

“Try Annabelle’s,” Marcy said. “She has really cute stuff this time of year.”

“I’ll do that,” I said with a smile. “Thanks, Marcy.”

Marcy smiled back as I slipped out the front door. I thought about driving into town, but the cold air felt amazing on my flushed cheeks. My emotions were still running high, making my body feel hot and sweaty. The chill in the winter air cooled my body and relaxed my mind. I took in a deep breath and held it tightly in my lungs, enjoying the cold burn that flooded my body. When I finally exhaled, my head felt clear.

I walked through town, stopping in at every shop I passed. Annabelle’s was my last stop of the day, and I wanted to check everywhere else first. If I found a few things for Julie, then I would buy them all and choose the best one later. This was too important to do halfway.

As I shopped, I realized just how much I loved living in Ennis. The town square was full of unique shops. I stopped in at the handmade plate shop and browsed for a while. There wasn’t anything for Julie, but it was still nice to spend time just hanging out in town.

When I finally made it to Annabelle’s, I knew Marcy had been right. The first thing I saw was a line of handmade jewelry. I moved quickly to the display and began thumbing through the necklaces. A few caught my eye, but nothing seemed like Julie.

“Can I help you with anything?” Annabelle said from behind me.

I spun around to see the kind old woman standing there. She smiled at me and patted my arm as we turned back to the jewelry display.

“Who are you buying for today?” she asked.

“Julie,” I said. “She’s new in town. I don’t know if you’ve met her yet, but—”

“Julie Black?” Annabelle asked. “She came in just a few days ago to buy a gift for her sister. She seems like a nice girl.”

“She’s amazing,” I said quickly. “And I want to get her something equally amazing.”

“Jewelry?” Annabelle asked.

“Anything,” I said.