A Rose in Bloom

“I don’t know. Here’s Nate… We can ask him. Hey, Nate! Do you know when Mack is coming down?”

The shirtless man with a white towel draped around his neck turned his attention to Elyssa. She couldn’t help noticing his delineated chest and ab muscles, glistening with sweat, so perfect she was tempted to touch them to test their authenticity. Yet the appearance of his muscular body, while arguably as attractive as Jaxon’s, didn’t cause the same inner tingling she’d experienced in Jaxon’s presence.

“I’m Nate Anderson, the manager. Can I help you?” He stuck out his hand, and Elyssa shook it.

“No, I don’t really need help. I’m just… I’m a… friend of Jaxon’s. I kind of wanted to talk to him, if he had a minute.”

Nate’s brows crept down across his eyes. “Aren’t you the owner of the flower shop across the street? The building Mack tried to buy before he got a contract on our new place? What’s it called? A Rose in Bloom?”

“Your new place? You’re moving away?”

“Don’t worry—it’s not that far away. You could probably still walk over to do your workouts. Or better yet, you could run. That way you’d get your cardio in before you hit the gym.”

“No, I just didn’t realize he wanted to move the gym. I thought he liked this location.”

Nate scratched his head. “Yeah, I thought the same thing. But Monday he told me he couldn’t handle being here any longer.”

“Because I wouldn’t sell my building?”

“I don’t think that’s it. He just said he had to get away.” Nate shrugged his shoulders. “Something about ‘not wanting to watch Baron Carrington destroy something.’ He’s got a bad history with the Carringtons. You’ve probably heard of them—they’re pretty influential around here. My guess is Carrington bought a historical building near here and plans to t

ear it down or something like that. I didn’t ask for details because he was in such a foul mood. But I’m sure it didn’t have anything to do with you.”

“Right. I’m sure it’s nothing to do with me.” Realizing she was chewing her fingernails, Elyssa forced her hands down and clasped them behind her back. “So, does he always hide upstairs in his office all day? I mean, I figured he’d come down eventually.” She tried to keep her tone casual.

“Oh, Mack isn’t here today. He’s out of town.”

*****

Jaxon shifted his weight and cleared his throat, waiting for the right words. He gave up.

“Look… I’m sorry I left without talking to you. I know you’ll probably never forgive me, but…” He whipped his hand from behind his back. “I brought you flowers… daisies… your favorite.” He held the flowers out in front of him for a long moment, and then his arm fell to his side, still clutching the bouquet. “I love you. I always have. I never stopped.”

“I know.”

“Really? You’re not angry?”

“I never said I was angry. You put those words in my mouth.”

“Can you understand why I left? It was just too much for me to handle—seeing you. After the accident… and I’d already lost Mom and Dad… I just couldn’t handle it. It just reminded me of everything I lost. How alone I was. How alone I am.”

“So you left everyone who loved you behind? And that was supposed to make you feel less alone?”

“I know, I know. It doesn’t make sense now. But at the time, I just felt like I needed to get away.” He stared at his feet. “Can you forgive me?”

“You haven’t talked to me for three years.”

“I know. I’ve missed you so much. Believe me, I thought about you every day. We were inseparable back then, before the accident. Remember the plans we made? We were going to get a place together in the city? You were going to open a bakery and I was going to do your internet marketing?”

“Dreams.”

“Yes, but it could have worked. It would have worked, if not for the accident. We loved each other so much, and we never even had an argument. It could have worked. But then…”

“You’re angry with me.”

“No, I’m not.” Jaxon deliberately unclenched his jaw. “Okay, I admit I was angry at first. I never liked your friends, and I warned you about them. If you hadn’t been out with Wendy, and she hadn’t been driving when she was stoned out of her mind, that accident never would’ve happened.”

“Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I wish it had never happened?”