Chance to Bloom Read online

  For a moment, he simply stood there, breathing in and breathing out, trying to steel his nerves and calm his emotions for the unpleasant task ahead of him. Getting rid of the shop wasn’t going to be easy, but it was still something he had to do, so he was going to have to come to terms with it—and quickly, before Mike arrived.

  And that was going to require some coffee, at the very least.

  The aroma of fresh coffee already had Jack feeling more upbeat as he opened the door to Magic Beans, and he’d barely stepped foot inside when he heard his name from across the room.

  “Jack! Good morning,” Luca’s melodic voice was full of warmth and life, immediately putting Jack at ease. Well, as much at ease as he could be, given the circumstances. “Gonna have your usual?”

  Jack winced. The “usual” would be two coffees and two bagels, one for him and one for Ethan. He wouldn’t be ordering that again… ever.

  “Just one coffee today, please, Luca.” Jack tried to smile, but gave up after back-to-back attempts just ended up as grimaces.

  “Coming right up. Is Ethan sick? Or maybe sleeping in?” Luca tossed him a knowing wink. “It’s not like him to be late, unless of course, maybe he had a late night…”

  The innuendo sent a wave of hurt through Jack’s body and his stomach clenched as it struck him—again—that this was really happening. Ethan was out of his life and Jack was about to sever the one remaining tie he had to Bridgewater.

  “No, he, um…” Jack swallowed hard, unsure what or how much he should say. Fuck it. Luca would find out soon enough anyway. “Ethan quit yesterday, and I’m going to sign the paperwork to sell the shop today.”

  The entire time they’d been talking, Luca had been busy making drinks, his hands moving autonomously from the rest of his body as his sparkling eyes had stayed on Jack. Now, though, Luca’s hands fell still, and the sparkle in his eyes dimmed noticeably. “Ethan quit?”

  Jack nodded, his throat suddenly feeling too tight to speak.

  “And you’re going to sell the shop? Today?”

  Jack could only nod again as he watched the cheerful coffee shop owner deflate before his eyes. “Yeah, today. In a few minutes, actually. I’ve just… run out of other options. And I can’t blame Ethan for not wanting to see it turned into a corporate place.”

  And even though that wasn’t the entire reason Ethan had quit—not by a long shot—Jack couldn’t bring himself to say more about it. And while Luca would probably find out more from Ethan himself at some point, there was no need to shout out the sordid details of their—breakup?—to the rest of the patrons of Magic Beans.

  “No, I can’t see Ethan wanting to be a part of that,” Luca said, nodding. “But… was business really that bad? That you had to sell? It always seemed like you guys were busy, from what I could tell.”

  Jack sighed. Again, more details than he really wanted to hash out while waiting for coffee, but… did it even matter anymore? Was there a point in keeping it to himself?

  “We were always busy. And the shop has always operated in the black, since… forever, really. But it’s just not enough. My dad left me with a mountain of debt, and my banker said that maybe if the place was making more—like, a lot more—that we’d have more options, but—”

  “Do you still bank with Brad downtown?” Luca asked. “I know your dad used to—he’s the one who referred me to Brad when I opened this place.”

  Jack nodded. “Yeah, Brad’s a friend of mine. He said there really wasn’t anything he could do.”

  “Of course I don’t know the specifics of your situation or your finances, but…” Luca looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. “I just think it might be worth revisiting with Brad. I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s had a pretty rough couple of days—I’m sure he probably told you, since you’re friends—with his relationship and all that.”

  Luca really did seem to have his finger on the pulse of what was going on in Bridgewater, but when Jack thought about it, he shouldn’t have been surprised. Magic Beans was the only place in town to get a decent cup of coffee, so he’d naturally see pretty much everyone who worked at the nearby businesses on a daily basis. And as for knowing about Brad and Jamie, well… word got around quickly in such a small town—especially when it concerned a well-known member of the community who also happened to be openly gay. That was just a fact of life in rural Virginia.

  “Yeah, he was pretty upset when I talked to him,” Jack said, thinking back to the conversation he’d had with Brad the day before. They’d both been pretty upset, in fact, but maybe Luca was on to something. Still, there wasn’t really time to call Brad again. Plans had already been set into motion. “It’s just that I’m meeting with this corporate guy in a few minutes and—”

  “And did you talk to Ethan about all the ideas he has for streamlining everything?” Luca asked, talking over Jack and catching him off guard with the question about Ethan.

  “No… I, um… Ethan hasn’t really mentioned streamlining anything before.” Had he? Jack tried to think back over all the hours he and Ethan had spent in the office, going over paperwork and procedures while Ethan had been showing him the ropes. He had talked about replacing the ancient computer, and how wasteful they were with old stock, throwing out or donating hundreds of blooms a week. And then there was the fax machine that had to be as old as Jack was…

  Maybe Ethan had tried to bring up changes to the place, and Jack just hadn’t been interested in hearing them?

  “Gary was too old-school to take him up on much of anything that would’ve made things more efficient, but I thought maybe with you around…” Luca shook his head. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter much now, except…”

  “Except what?” Jack leaned in, waiting for Luca to answer. He couldn’t leave him hanging like that, not after going there about Ethan.

  “I just think there are always options, you know? According to just about everyone, I should’ve shut this place down a dozen times or more over the years. But I always found a way to keep going. And I just think that… look, those corporate people apparently think your flower shop is something special, or they’d just open up a new one, right?”

  Jack blinked, letting Luca’s words sink in. He did have a point about the corporate guys, and it was a little reassuring to know that Luca could sort of relate to the business decisions Jack had to make. And if Luca had found a way, maybe Jack could, too…

  “Do you really think I stand a chance in the flower business?” Jack asked, more for his own benefit than actually expecting an answer from Luca.

  “I think Ethan does. That man knows flowers. He lives for them. And he has good ideas. You should at least talk to him about it.”

  “You should talk to him about more than that.” Frankie’s voice made Jack jump as he spun around to face his other soon-to-be-former employee. “Do you love him?”

  It was the last question Jack had expected Frankie to ask, but Jack answered without hesitating. Without even thinking. “Yes. More than anything.” It was the truth, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a wave of… something went through him. Not fear. Relief? He’d just outed himself. Sure, he’d taken Ethan on a date… had even come out to Ethan privately. But to anyone else? To just come out and admit it?

  It felt… good.

  No. Fuck “good.” It felt kind of amazing.

  Frankie was staring at him, looking almost gleeful. “What are you doing here, Frankie?” Jack asked after a minute, wondering if the silence had gone on as long as it had felt like… and if it had felt that momentous to anyone else.

  Frankie grinned. “I came to see Luca. And to talk you out of selling the shop.” Frankie took a step closer and lowered his voice a little, his bright smile replaced with a serious look. “I know that he loves you, too. I’ve seen it in his eyes, just like I can see it in yours.”

  “Really?” Jack felt a pain in his heart as he thought about what a mess he’d made of things and how badly he�
�d hurt Ethan. “But what can I do now? I think it’s probably too late.”

  “It’s never too late to do the right thing,” Frankie said.

  “And it’s never too late for love,” Luca added with a wink.

  “You know what you need to do, Jack,” Frankie said, raising his eyebrows. “Just do it. Go to him. Fix it.”

  Jack nodded. Frankie was right, and so was Luca. For as complicated as Jack had been trying to make things, it really came down to something as simple as love. Jack loved Ethan, and that was worth fighting for, worth holding onto until he couldn’t hold on any longer. It didn’t matter if he didn’t know how, or if he’d already tried and failed. All that mattered, like Frankie had said, was that he just do it.

  “Okay,” Jack said, nodding again, warming up to the idea. “O-kay. Yes. Thank you, both of you, for saving me from a decision that I would’ve regretted for the rest of my life.”

  Luca smiled and handed Jack the coffee he’d long-since forgotten about. “That’s what friends are for, Jack. We help each other out around here, so you’re gonna have to get used to it.”

  “Thank you,” Jack said again, grinning as he put down a ten dollar bill, then quickly walked toward the door before Luca could make him take it back. The service at Magic Beans was worth the tip any day, but this time? The pep-talk he’d just received was priceless. “I’ll let you guys know how things go with Ethan…”

  “Good luck,” Frankie said, waving as Jack walked out the door. “We’ve got faith in you.”

  When Jack had walked into the coffee shop a few minutes earlier, he’d felt alone. Defeated. Hopeless.

  And now he was walking out the door with the realization that there were people all around him who cared about him, who wished him well, who genuinely wanted to see him succeed.

  It was a strange feeling, but a good one. A really good one, and it warmed his insides more than the cup of coffee in his hands ever could have.

  Jack was walking toward his truck, still smiling, ready to go directly to Ethan’s house and win him back, when he heard his name.

  Except it wasn’t Frankie’s voice this time, or Luca’s. It was Mike, the corporate guy.

  “I was just about to call you, Jack.” Mike was walking toward him, brow furrowed. “The door to the flower shop was locked, and the lights were off. I thought for a minute you’d had second thoughts.”

  Jack could feel the corners of his lips turn up, even though Mike was definitely not going to see the humor in what he had to say. “It’s funny you should mention that…” Jack gave an apologetic half-shrug as he reopened the shop and flipped on the lights.

  Mike followed him inside, but it couldn’t be helped. The man’s presence had reminded Jack of something, and it was that flowers really did help make every occasion better.

  “Jack?” Mike prompted, sounding concerned.

  Jack headed to the back, putting together a bouquet that might, if he was lucky, tip the odds in his favor. That might show Ethan he meant it.

  “I’m sorry for wasting your time, Mike,” he said, a little amazed at how confidently his hands were putting together something so beautiful. Something for Ethan. “But I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I’m not going to sell.”

  “You don’t mean that, Jack,” Mike said, his voice hardening. “Surely. Let’s talk about it. What are your reservations? Is it not enough money? What’s your final number?”

  Mike’s voice may have tried to convey that he was ready to play hardball, but Jack could see the uncertainty in his eyes, too. Uncertainty and fear of letting a sure thing slip through his hands.

  Jack knew both feelings all too well.

  “It’s not about the money. It’s not about anything like that.” And even though in the back of his mind, Jack knew money was still a factor—was definitely going to be a problem when it came time to pay down his dad’s debt—it just didn’t matter. Not compared to what Jack needed to do. “But it really is time to go, for both of us.”

  Mike’s brow furrowed instantly. “Where are we going?”

  Jack laughed for the first time in days, the relief and excitement for what he was about to do bubbling over inside of him. “I’d imagine you’re going back to New York, buddy. And I’m going to do something I should’ve done before I made that phone call to you yesterday.”

  The look of confusion was still present on Mike’s face as Jack quickly ushered him through the store and out the front door, pausing only to grab an extra bouquet for Trudy on his way. Only after Jack pulled out his keys to lock up again did it seem to sink in that Jack wasn’t joking.

  “You can’t be serious, Jack. Please. It’s not too late to fix this. Whatever the problem is, I’ll fix it.”

  “I am serious. And I’m going to fix the problem. Right now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  Jack started to turn and walk to his truck, but Mike’s hand on his arm made him stop. Jack’s eyes flicked from Mike’s hand up to meet his gaze, and Mike loosened his grip, but didn’t let go.

  “Wait, please. Can I at least ask what made you change your mind? Did you decide to go with someone else? I’ll match any offer.”

  Jack easily shrugged Mike’s hand off, a grin spreading across his lips as he nodded. “Yeah, I guess you could say I decided to go with someone else. But there’s no way you can match what he has to offer.”

  “I will, though! Who is it?”

  Mike raised his voice, but Jack didn’t care. He was already crossing the parking lot to his truck. Jack turned when he got there, half-expecting to see Mike still standing right behind him.

  But he was still back in front of the door, where Jack had left him, looking lost and alone. Defeated.

  For a split-second, Jack felt sorry for the guy. He’d have to go back to his boss and face whatever the big man’s wrath might be. Jack hoped the guy would at least go easy on Mike. It wasn’t his fault, after all.

  He just couldn’t compete with Ethan.

  Nobody could.

  Once Jack had realized—with Frankie and Luca’s help—what that feeling was that had made his stomach clench, that had made him stress and worry, laugh and smile, cry and wonder—there wasn’t a choice left to make. It had become crystal clear, and nothing could change his mind.

  It wasn’t nerves. It wasn’t anger, or resentment or grief. Those things were still there, of course, but none of those feelings mattered in the end.

  All that mattered was love.

  Love.

  He loved Ethan. Jack laughed out loud as he started his truck and revved the engine. It felt good to think about love. It was going to feel even better to say it when he finally was face-to-face with Ethan again.

  Jack was done being stupid. Done waiting. Done being a dick.

  The problems that money could’ve solved would wait. He could—would—figure those things out another time. If he couldn’t have basic happiness—love—in his life, did anything else matter anyway?

  He’d fucked things up with Ethan at every turn, but he was ready to ask—to beg if he needed to—for forgiveness.

  He just hoped Ethan would understand. He’d have to, right? Jack was gambling on love, so love had to win.

  Chapter 19

  Ethan

  Ethan opened his eyes, turned his head to look at the clock, checked his phone, then closed his eyes again.

  It was a process he’d been repeating pretty much continuously since sometime the day before, only interrupted by a mostly-silent dinner with his mom and a few hours of restless sleep.

  He’d feigned sick when he’d come home from the flower shop the previous morning, and luckily—for once in his life—his mother hadn’t pushed it. Hadn’t tried to force-feed him the little orange Airborne tablets that she seemed to have an infinite supply of. Hadn’t even suggested-but-really-demanded that he make an appointment with the doctor.

  She’d just let him do his own thing—maybe using some top-level mom skill to pick up on the fact that he needed some
space—and Ethan was grateful for that small reprieve.

  Adele was wailing through his earbuds, and had been pretty much nonstop since he’d last spoken with Jack. It just felt right, like she was singing the soundtrack to the past couple of months of Ethan’s life. A little melodramatic, maybe, but he didn’t care.

  She gave a voice to the hurt and pain he was feeling like nobody else could, and for now, for the moment, he just wanted to wallow. In grief, in self-pity, in pain and confusion. He’d normally do his best to suppress those kinds of feelings, to push them aside with a smile and a shrug, a sarcastic comment and a wink.

  Not today, though.

  A pounding on his bedroom door cut through the music and nearly made him jump out of his skin.

  “Ethan!” Trudy Massey’s voice boomed out as Ethan scrambled out of bed. “I know you’re in there. Hurry up and come out here.”

  He opened the door a crack and frowned. “I told you I’m not feeling well, Mom. Can it wait?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m afraid it can’t. Your friend Jack is here to see you, and I told him you’d be right out.”

  Ethan rolled his eyes. He hadn’t told her about the fight with Jack—hadn’t even hinted at it. Ethan just didn’t have it in him to talk about it with her yet… and he especially didn’t have it in him to talk about it with Jack.

  “Tell him to go away,” Ethan said, flatly. “Tell him I’m sick. Tell him I’m dead.”

  He tried to close the door again, but his mother wasn’t having it. She wedged her foot between the door and the frame, then pushed it open wider, furrowing her brow.

  “Ethan Adam Massey, sick or not, you need to get out here this minute. Jack is your friend. And your boss. You can’t just ignore him.”

  He rolled his eyes again and flopped back down on his bed, wondering briefly if a person could strain an eye muscle from rolling them too much. Or a… tendon, or whatever. He was definitely at risk of eye-whatever-strain, though, and—not surprisingly—his mother hadn’t budged.

  Not helping.