Bloom

I sent that to Jeremy, and within three hours, he was at Wild Lilac with two mug shots on his phone.

I look like my dad.

My nose is the same as the one in the middle of his handsome face. My eyes shine the same color of blue.

That’s where our similarities end.

He took from other people to feed his drug habit, and the night he met my mom, she took from him to supply her own.

I was born nine months later.

By the grace of God, she held onto that locket and gave it to me.

It’s back where it belongs now, around the neck of Finola’s mom.

I look up at the mirror in my bathroom. My fingers skim over the skin at the base of my neck.

It’s bare now. I look different.

My phone chimes. I glance toward it. It’s been sounding off all morning.

I know who it is.

Liam is looking for me.

He’s been trying to reach me since yesterday.

I couldn’t respond.

I needed time to accept who I am now. I’m not the girl with the lingering hope that there’s a man out there who feels something is missing from his life, a man who wanted a daughter as much as she wanted a father.

I don’t have a father. I’ll never have a father, but I have a family who would do anything for me.

I run a successful business, and I’m in love.

I skim my hand over my hair and manage a small smile. Pointing a finger at my reflection, I whisper the only words that matter. “You’re not them, Athena. You’re you. Go live a life you can be proud of.”

***

“Why don’t you take the day off on your birthday?” Leanna nudges my shoulder. “I’ll handle things here that day.”

I keep my eyes trained on the bouquet in front of me. It’s for an anniversary and the man who ordered it was very specific about how he wants it to look. He attached an image of his wife’s wedding bouquet to his online order. I take recreations very seriously. “You don’t have to do that, Leanna. Besides, you don’t work on weekends.”

“I want to.” She moves to stand next to me. “It’s a Sunday, Athena. I’ll call the girls in to help. We close by six on Sundays, so it’s not a big deal.”

The girls are our weekend assistants. Leanna was the one who hired them, so I have no doubt that she’ll be able to convince them both to show up that day.

“You deserve it.” She sighs. “Consider it my birthday gift to you.”

“Your birthday?” A man’s gruff voice interrupts. “When is that?”

I look up just as Leanna does.

“It’s him,” she whispers. “Look, Athena, it’s him.”

It is him.

“Liam,” I say his name softly. “Hi.”