I arrived at work earlier than usual, even though I hadn’t slept well the night before. I could figure out why I was so restless.
After Sydney and I had our fun back-and-forth about guys and their body parts, I was laughing so hard. I didn’t know she had such a cheeky side.
As I settled into my work, I tried to shake off the tiredness. The office was quiet, so I used the early hours to catch up on tasks and organize my space.
Sydney is managing her father’s business and doing well. She never ceases to amaze me.
She’s decided to avoid serious relationships because of past heartache. Now, she prefers no-strings-attached friendships with men, just to satisfy her lady bit. She has an active sex life.
Today, I woke up from a terrifying dream that made my heart race. In the dream, Logan stabbed Asher multiple times while I just stood there, doing nothing.
I cried my eyes out in the dream, and when I woke up, I could still feel the tears rolling down my face. It was so unsettling.
I tried to push the disturbing dream out of my mind as I went about my day, but it lingered in my mind. The morning passed slowly, and I found it hard to concentrate on my work. Every time I thought about the dream, I felt my anxiety building up.
At one point, I started fearing for Asher’s life. Logan is capable of many things, and I don’t think I could live with myself if the dream came true.
I’m not a strong Christian, but I was raised to believe in God. For the first time in years, I found myself praying, hoping it would help ease my worries.
“You’re here early,” I heard Zoey say as she walked into the flower shop, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I dumped the last of the flowers in my hand and said, “Yeah, I had a rough night trying to sleep, so I thought I’d get an early start prepping the shop.”
Zoey gave me a sympathetic nod, not pushing for more details, which I appreciated.
But I needed to clear my head, and a coffee seemed like a good idea. The thought of that dream and the fear it brought still lingered, making it hard to focus.
Since Zoey was here now, I decided to step out. I need to get some coffee. So I made my way to the door.
She looked up and asked, “Where are you going?”
“I need to get coffee. I feel numb and just want to get myself back.” She nodded, understanding, and I headed out the door.
As I stepped outside, the cool air hit me, helping to clear my mind a bit. The streets were already busy, with people rushing to start their day.
I walked down the sidewalk, focusing on the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.
The dream was still vivid in my mind as I walked, glancing over my shoulder with each step.
Logan might have sent someone after me. He’s not the type to back down. He might have told me to leave out of anger, but I doubted he’d just let things go so easily.
Soon, I found the coffee shop. It wasn’t far, and before long, I was standing in line, waiting to order.
My eyes wandered around the place, taking in the warm decor and the comforting smell of freshly brewed coffee.
My thoughts were a jumbled mess. When it was finally my turn, I ordered a caramel macchiato.
After paying the cashier, I quickly made my way out, holding the warm cup in my hands.
I took a sip, feeling the warmth spread through me. It wasn’t a solution, but it was something to hold on to for now.
I was lost in my thoughts when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. My heart pounded as the coffee I had in my hand spilled since I had it close to my mouth.
I closed my eyes as I felt the hotness of the coffee on my skin. Many thoughts ran through my mind, and I was ready to give the person a piece of my mind if I turned around and saw who it was.
I slowly turned around and was about to say, “What the f-,” but the words got stuck in my throat as I looked up and saw dreamy blue eyes.
I felt myself getting lost in them, but I closed my eyes for a second to calm myself and my racing heart.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you like that,” he said, quickly pulling out a white handkerchief and dabbing the spot where the coffee had spilled.
I hurriedly pulled his hand away. Without saying anything, I turned and went back to order another coffee.
But he didn’t give up. He kept following me, sounding genuinely apologetic.
“Please, let me pay for your coffee. It’s the least I can do to show how sorry I am.”
I was frustrated. Couldn’t he just take the hint that I didn’t want to talk to him?
It was enough that I hadn’t yelled at him for spilling my coffee, and now he was still following me around, trying to buy me another one.
I stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to face him. “What is it? Mason or Ethan or whatever your name is, I am not a charity case. I don’t need you to buy me another coffee. I’m perfectly capable of buying my own.”
I knew his name was Ethan, but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that I knew it.
Ethan looked surprised by my outburst but kept his calm. “I’m just trying to help,” he said, still smiling. “I didn’t mean to suggest you can’t afford your coffee. I just wanted to make it up to you.”
“I don’t want you to make it up to me, I’m just passing through this town and want to keep a low profile. I’m not ready to mingle or make any friends right now. Thanks, but no thanks.”
He looked at me thoughtfully and asked, “Is it about your past?”
I laughed, a bit bitterly. “I guess Zoey told you too much. It’s my personal life, and if I choose not to discuss it with you, that’s my decision.”
I guess Zoey told me what I needed to know, he started to say, but I raised my hand. “You know what, just forget it,” I said, turning to leave the cafe.
I headed back to the flower shop, still shaken by my encounter with Ethan. But then I remembered I needed a change of clothes, so I stopped by a boutique. I was relieved to find that they had just opened.
I walked into the boutique, feeling a bit more at ease as I browsed through the racks. I picked out a few items that I liked and headed to the fitting room.
I found a nice floral dress that seemed perfect for work. I went to the changing room, took off the clothes I was wearing, and put them in a disposable bag. I put on the new dress, then went to the cashier to pay.
Afterward, I made my way back to the flower shop, hoping that Lily wouldn’t arrive and find me missing from my desk.
When I arrived, Zoey was busy with a delivery, so I took the chance to settle in and organize my space.
But when I turned around, I was surprised to see who was at the counter, checking through the flowers.