really sorry for passing out so fast the way I did. I don’t usually drink that much, that fast. I’m such a lightweight now.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “I’m just glad you were here. Mia, I have so much going on around me, I feel like I can’t breathe.”
“And where exactly are you going to go to breathe?” Mia asked.
I bit at my bottom lip for a few seconds. “Los Angeles.”
Mia looked forward.
She didn’t say a word.
I counted to five in my head.
“Okay, you have to say something now,” I said.
“No, I don’t,” she said.
“Yes, you do.”
Mia stood up.
I grabbed her hand. “Wait.”
She turned her head and looked down at me. “You’re doing what you need to do.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“Never,” she said.
“I just…”
“I know,” she said. “I know.”
“You don’t agree with it.”
“It doesn’t matter what I agree with or not,” Mia said. She turned and grabbed my hand with both of hers. “See, what makes a best friend the best ever… understanding. I understand. The shop is going to be fine. You’re going to be fine. Anyone who asks about you, I’ll let them know you’re mourning the loss of your mother.”
“That means you’ll have to hear about it over and over,” I said.
“That’s what a best friend is for.”
I stood up. “Mia… I feel terrible. But I can’t help this. I need to go there. I need to…”
“Just let me ask one thing.”
“Sure.”
“Is this a real thing?” Mia asked. “Are you going there to be with him?”
“No,” I said. “I feel comfortable with him. Just like I used to feel.”
“You’re flying in that private, rock star jet, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Bree,” Mia said. “Just be yourself. Find yourself. If there’s anything I can do here…”
“Just keep an eye on this place,” I said. “Throw the dead flowers out. That’s about it.”
“And what are you going to do with the news you received last night?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know yet,” I said. “What would you do? Would you want to meet your birth parents?”
“That’s a great question,” she said. “I’m glad I don’t have to answer it.”
Mia winked at me and walked out of the bedroom.
There was a part of me that wanted her to get mad at me. To call me crazy for doing this. To tell me this was a bad idea and that my heart was going to get involved. That I was going to get hurt. That the flight back here was going to be lonely, tear filled, and I was going to feel worse when I came back than when I left.
She didn’t say any of that.
She left me to think and feel whatever I wanted.
Which was really scary.
It was the first conversation I had with my mother since her death.
It was all still very raw.
Leaving town so soon probably wasn’t the best look or idea.
There were things to handle with the lawyer.
I had to decide what to do with the ashes.
If I had done things a little more traditional, I wouldn’t have been able to leave. I would have been getting ready for the services…
I chose to stand at my bedroom window.
And in my head I talked as though my mother was standing behind me.
I loved her.
I missed her.
I believed that she wouldn’t want me to wander around, sad, depressed, and confused.
The thought of being in town was just… hard.
Was I running from my problems?
Maybe. Just a little though.
At least I was going somewhere that felt safe.
Because Sebastian…
I let out a small gasp.
I ended the conversation with my mother and ran to the nightstand to get my phone.
A flood of memories washed over me from the night before.
When Sebastian and I had been on the phone…
What did you say to him?
My heart sank.
I flirted with him on the phone. I said things to him. I talked about touching myself…
I debated on texting or calling.
This was a calling situation.
I shut my eyes and made the call.
“There she is,” Sebastian’s voice said.
My cheeks burned hot. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, Bree.”
“Sebastian…”
He laughed. “What?”
“I was drunk.”
“I know that, babe.”
“Anything I said…”
“I get it. No need to get all worried. It wasn’t like I stuck my hand down my jeans and asked you to keep talking, right?”
I sighed.
Butterflies danced in my stomach.
“Right,” I said.
“I do have one question though,” he said.
I swallowed hard. “What?”
“You were pretty adamant about coming down here.”
“That part was true.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I already talked to Mia. The shop will be covered.”
“Good,” he said. “We have a couple shows to play. So if you come, you