Chance to Bloom Read online

Loved working with Gary all those years.

  It hadn’t made sense to Jack the first time Ethan had brought up his admiration for Gary, and it didn’t make sense to Jack now, either.

  Still at a loss for words, Jack pushed his chair back from the table. “I should go, Trudy. I should… apologize, or… something.”

  Trudy sighed. “He’ll be okay. He’s tougher than he looks. I didn’t mean to provoke him,” she paused, her casual shrug indicating otherwise, “but sometimes that’s the only way he’ll open up. Anyway, I do hope you’ll come back over sometime. We’re really not as barbaric as it seemed tonight.”

  Jack gave a rueful smile. Dinner had been great. What had come next… not so much. Still, Trudy and Ethan were nowhere near barbaric.

  “If all of your meals taste this great, there’s no way I could refuse,” Jack said politely, even though it was hard to imagine Ethan wanting Jack back in his home after… this. Jack stood up and looked through to the living room, to the door that Ethan had stormed out of just minutes before. “I really should be going. Thank you for everything, though.”

  After a quick goodbye, Jack was back outside, back in his truck… he couldn’t quite bring himself to drive away, though.

  Seeing Ethan upset—knowing that Jack had made him feel that way—had been excruciating for Jack. He liked the guy. There was no denying he was attracted to Ethan. And driving away before he’d had a chance to try and explain himself just felt… wrong. At the very least, he half-hoped that Ethan might come back and be willing to talk. Maybe give Jack a chance to tell him that selling the shop wasn’t anything personal. It was just business.

  And anyway, Ethan’s job would still be secure, even after Jack sold the place. He’d make sure of it.

  But Ethan didn’t come back, and after a while, it became clear that Jack wasn’t going to get a chance to tell him any of those things. At least, not tonight. So, for the second night in a row, he drove back to his hotel room wondering what in the hell he was doing.

  If the night had started out feeling like a date, it had definitely ended with the feeling that Jack had blown it.

  He longed for the simple, regimented life he’d led for years in the Corps. The life that—on base, anyway—had never held many surprises. Everything in the military had a place and a time, a rule and a regulation. There were names and labels and ranks and chains of command.

  Ethan’s passionate, emotional blowup reminded Jack that the rest of the world didn’t necessarily work that way.

  As he pulled up in front of the squat, two-story hotel he’d been staying at, he was tempted for a moment to turn his truck around and head right back to Quantico. To just forget about his dad’s things and the shop and Ethan and fucking Bridgewater. Except… Jack wasn’t wanted there, either. He even had the medical discharge papers to prove it.

  Looked like he wasn’t wanted anywhere.

  Sure, Ethan’s mother may have made him feel welcome, but Jack was totally out of place in Bridgewater, just like he’d predicted he would be. And as much as he hated that he’d hurt Ethan’s feelings, the things Ethan had said at dinner only reinforced Jack’s belief that he was doing the right thing. The only thing.

  He needed to push the sale through as quickly as possible so he could be done.

  Done with the flower shop. Done with the rest of his dad’s things. Done with feelings he wasn’t equipped to deal with.

  Just… done.

  Maybe then he’d be able to find some peace. Or even, if he was lucky, a place where he could get a bit of that happiness that he’d felt for a minute that morning.

  Back when Ethan had still wanted to smile at him.

  Chapter 7

  Ethan

  Ethan didn’t know where he was going. He was just driving. He’d planned on driving until he’d either cleared his head or run out of gas, whichever came first… and since he only had a quarter of a tank and about five dollars in his pocket, he was hoping to clear his head pretty quickly.

  He hadn’t meant to get so worked up. He’d spent the entire afternoon mentally preparing for the evening ahead, knowing that he’d be sitting across from Jack and with a pretty good idea that his mom wouldn’t hesitate to ask all the questions Ethan had been avoiding.

  Ethan had anticipated it—he’d seen the whole thing coming—but he still hadn’t been able to keep his emotions in check. And then, when he was given the opportunity? Yeah, fine. He’d said what was on his mind.

  Surely Jack couldn’t have thought that Ethan wouldn’t have any opinion, right? And okay, so Ethan could have presented his opinions better, but still…

  Ethan sighed and looked up at the red traffic light, realizing for the first time exactly where he was. Bridgewater wasn’t a large town, by anyone’s definition, but Ethan had driven completely across it, almost straight to Frankie’s apartment.

  The light turned green, and he pulled into the parking lot in front of Frankie’s building. He’d gone the whole day without talking to Frankie—partly because he’d simply been too busy worrying about his evening from hell, but partly because he’d been avoiding the conversation that he still wasn’t sure how to have with his friend.

  But it was a conversation that needed to be had, and he needed to do it before Frankie went back to work.

  Plus, if there was anyone who would understand what Ethan was going through, it would be his friend and coworker.

  Ethan only hesitated for a moment when he turned off the car, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel as he tried to figure out what, exactly, he was going to say.

  Hi, Frankie. Um, guess what?

  Hey, Frankie, looks like we both might be unemployed.

  So, Frankie… know of any good jobs around town?

  Okay, so maybe none of those were a great way to break it to him.

  Whatever.

  He’d just have to wing it and hope for the best.

  Ethan got out of the car and walked up the flight of stairs to Frankie’s door, immediately knocking before he could change his mind. He tried to smile when Frankie opened the door, but he could tell right away that his friend could see right through him. They’d been friends for a few years—long enough to have seen the ups and downs in each other’s lives. Through it all, Frankie had always been there for him, ready to listen and provide whatever comfort and reassurances he could.

  “Oh my God, I know that look,” he said, taking Ethan by the arm and pulling him inside to give him a much-needed hug. “What happened? Spill.”

  For several long moments, Ethan didn’t say anything. He simply closed his eyes and let himself be comforted. He knew Frankie wouldn’t be put off for long, though, and he had to blink back the tears that kept welling up as he finally pulled away and walked over to the sofa, letting himself sink down into the cushions before looking up to meet Frankie’s concerned stare.

  “It’s been a horrible day, Frankie. The worst.”

  “Mhm, I gathered that. Wanna talk about it?”

  Ethan shook his head. “No, but we’re gonna have to anyway. I think you’d better sit down.”

  “Oh, God.” Frankie didn’t argue, though. He didn’t even crack a joke. Ethan’s tears and doom-and-gloom tone must have been pretty convincing.

  Once he was seated next to Ethan, Frankie raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

  “Jack—Gary’s son—finally came by the shop.”

  “And that’s… bad news?” Frankie cocked his head to the side. “I thought that’s what we’ve been waiting for. Is he a jerk or something? Do we hate him?”

  Ethan laughed for the first time all evening. At least he never had to worry about Frankie’s loyalty.

  Still, even though Ethan had been trying to figure out what, exactly, he was feeling from the moment he’d stormed away from the dinner table, his emotions were still all jumbled. A part of him wanted to hate Jack, and he was definitely pissed, definitely resentful of the decision to sell. But it was impossible not to feel empathy and sympathy
for the guy at the same time. He’d just lost his father, and even though the two men clearly hadn’t been close, it was obvious that the loss had still affected Jack deeply.

  Then there was the irrational but still difficult-to-ignore attraction or… something… that Ethan felt whenever he was around Jack. The butterflies that seemed to come out of nowhere any time Jack even looked his direction. The way Ethan hadn’t been able to think of anything or anyone else since the moment they’d met. The hot-as-hell fantasies that he’d been trying not to let himself indulge in.

  Every one of those completely different and confusing emotions had been battling it out in Ethan’s head and heart all afternoon, but there was still no clear winner.

  “No, he’s not a jerk. And I don’t hate him, although it might be easier if I did. But he’s actually really nice. And hot. But—”

  “Hot? Really? Tell me!”

  “No, Frankie—I mean, yes, he’s definitely hot. Hello, all those years in the Marines. But that’s not the point.”

  “I don’t understand.” Frankie was looking at Ethan like he’d lost his mind. “If the point isn’t about him being hot and nice and finally showing up to help us at work, then… what is the point? What else is there?”

  Ethan gave a wry smile. If only things were that simple. If only their biggest concern was still whether or not Jack would show up to work, or whether he was nice, or hot.

  “He’s gonna sell the place, Frankie. He’s talking to those corporate guys from New York who kept trying to get Gary to become a franchisee.”

  “What? No… what?” Frankie shook his head and furrowed his brow. “That can’t be right. Are you sure? How do you know?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. He told me. Straight from his lips to my ear, just like it was no big deal. And then, like, right after that, my mom came in and invited him to dinner!”

  “Oh my God. Are you serious? That’s… really messed up.”

  Ethan rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it. She’s giving him hugs and telling him how much we miss Gary and making a damn lasagna for him, and meanwhile, he’s planning on selling the place right out from under us.”

  “Okay, wait. Hold on.” Frankie put his hands up in a mock surrender. “This is too much. So he’s for sure gonna sell the flower shop, and now your mom is like… besties with him? Am I getting it right so far?”

  “Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”

  Ethan still couldn’t believe it. It all sounded almost comical when he said it out loud—especially with Frankie’s spin on things—but there was really nothing funny about any of it. The momentary relief he’d felt getting everything off his chest ended just as quickly as it had come, with the feelings of hopelessness and desperation coming back full force.

  And even though he was usually the one with all the answers, he was counting on Frankie to come through for him this time.

  Frankie was unusually silent, though, and the crease in his forehead—a sure sign that he was concerned and upset—had only deepened as Ethan spoke.

  “So… what are we gonna do? What are you thinking right now?” Ethan asked, trying and failing to judge which emotion—concern or anger—Frankie’s expression indicated. “Are you as pissed as I am? Please don’t start crying, because I definitely won’t be able to hold it together.”

  Frankie might not have eaten, slept and breathed flowers like Ethan did, but there was no doubt in Ethan’s mind that the news would come as a surprise. And Frankie had been showing an interest in more than just making deliveries lately. Ethan had been teaching him the basics of flower arranging, and Gary had started letting him donate some of the excess stock from the shop to the nursing home where Frankie’s grandma lived.

  Ethan assumed there had to be an emotional connection there, even though Frankie—by his very nature—usually tried to keep things light and breezy, tried to make it sound like he wasn’t too attached.

  “No,” Frankie shook his head. “I’m not gonna cry. I’m just… surprised. Shocked, really. But there’s not much I can do. I’ll just keep on keepin’ on and show up to work until someone tells me I don’t have a job anymore, I guess.” He shrugged. “What are you gonna do? Are you still gonna try to move out of your mom’s place soon? I know it was only gonna be a temporary thing when you moved back in with her, but…”

  “Yeah, it was supposed to only be temporary. I mean, it still is. But maybe a little longer, now? I just don’t know how I can realistically think about moving out now that I don’t know what’s going to happen at work.”

  “I guess we could apply at Simply Flowers if we had to…” Frankie’s tone—and the fact that he didn’t even make eye contact with Ethan as he spoke—made it apparent that it was a half-hearted suggestion, at best. They’d both commented over the years about how miserable it would be to work for their local competitor, with out-of-state owners and a shop that had none of the personal touches of Beverly’s Blooms.

  “Maybe… but I don’t even think that’ll be an option. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than a couple of cars in their parking lot at a time. They probably couldn’t even afford to take both of us on, even if we wanted to go there.” Ethan grimaced at the thought. “And even though it probably goes without saying, I’ll go ahead and say it anyway—I don’t wanna work there.”

  If it came down to it, Ethan would suck it up and do what he had to do. But even if he did hold his nose and submit an application to Simply Flowers, it would probably mean not only a pay cut he couldn’t afford, but another demoralizing setback. One of what had become a string of recent failures in his life.

  “You know you could always come stay with me for a while if things get too rough at home,” Frankie said, smiling. “It might be fun to be roommates for a while.”

  Ethan grinned. “It would be fun. And I do appreciate the offer. But it’s not really bad at home. Mom and I usually get along really well, actually. Tonight was just too much, with Jack and everything. Plus, when I do finally move out, I want it to be a long-term thing. I want to sign a lease in my own name again, you know?” He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Or be able to answer the phone without wondering if it’s a bill collector on the other end of the line. I’m slowly paying down all the past-due bills that Kevin left me with, plus the eviction settlement but… it all takes time. And money. And now—just when I’m starting to make progress in putting all that shit behind me—everything is up in the air again. And I’m sure I pissed Jack off at dinner, so that’ll make things really fun tomorrow at work.”

  He slumped back against the couch cushions, exhausted from the day’s events and the mental energy it took just to stay on top of everything else. Ethan didn’t normally let his precarious financial state get the best of him—it was his own poor judgment in trusting his ex that had gotten him into the predicament, after all.

  But today, it was all just… a lot.

  There was never a good time to hear that the job he loved, the place he felt safe and happy, was getting sold and would likely change beyond all recognition. But coming on the heels of Ethan having the first twinge of maybe-possibly liking a guy for the first time in a while? The considerate way Jack had brought Ethan coffee just that morning, the cute blushing, the hot looks Ethan thought they’d exchanged…

  Yeah, too much.

  After several long seconds of silence had passed between them, Frankie looked up and nibbled at his lip. “Well, if Jack is as nice as you said earlier, maybe he won’t hold it against you? You could just tell him you were having a bad day, and stress, and… whatever. Maybe he’ll get that.”

  Ethan appreciated the effort, the fact that Frankie was trying to put a good spin on what had happened, but Ethan had a feeling it might not be so simple.

  “Maybe.” Ethan frowned. “But I don’t think you’re allowed to have bad days in the Marines. Not without getting yelled at, anyway. So… maybe not.”

  Frankie’s eyes widened. “Do you think he’ll yell at you?”

  “I do
n’t think so. But who knows? And at this point, who cares?”

  “Man, you need something to take your mind off all this… madness.” He waved a dismissive hand in the air and paused for a second, then added, “You need to get laid.”

  “That’s probably the last thing I need right now,” Ethan said, snorting. It wasn’t like the thought hadn’t crossed his mind—especially since he’d met Jack. But just… no. “Life is complicated enough without relationship stress on top of everything else.”

  “I didn’t say you needed to jump into a relationship. Jesus, Ethan. It’s okay to just go out and have some fun without putting a ring on it. Just sex. No strings. Is Major McHottie Jack single? Maybe some good could come from having him around the office, after all.”

  Ethan rolled his eyes again, but couldn’t help laughing. This is why he’d instinctively known to head straight to Frankie’s place when he’d been upset. He just had a knack for making Ethan feel better.

  “Yeah, no. That’s not gonna happen. I’m pretty sure he’s straight. Or… well, I don’t know what his deal is, really. But… no.”

  “So you’d turn him down if he showed up in your bed later?”

  “Well, I didn’t say that.” Ethan shrugged. “I mean, yeah, probably tonight I’d turn him down.”

  It was Frankie’s turn to laugh as Ethan considered the possibility. “There is something to be said for angry sex, you know. But whatever. Try not to stress too much, okay? We’ll figure a way to get through this, no matter what happens.”

  Ethan stood up and pulled Frankie up and into a hug. “You’re the best. Seriously. Thank you.”

  “I’m glad you stopped by. I was missing my daily dose of Ethan. Next time, let’s make it a little happier though, okay?”

  “Good plan. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

  As he said goodbye and left, Ethan still didn’t know what he was going to do about the situation at work, or the situation at home, or his money situation. But he didn’t feel like any of those things were impossible to get through anymore, either.