Courageous Love - Jerry Cole Page 0,34

to live here with you. I wanted that life. But if I don’t go home my father will destroy this town. It would be selfish if I stayed.”

I balled my hands into fists so tight my nails dug into my palms.

“I love you. And that’s why I can’t stay.”

I wish I knew how to solve this so I could stay and my father would leave me alone. But I was the youngest son. The screw up. The one who’s only good at being a florist. I wasn’t smart enough to figure it out like the twins insisted I should.

I waited for some kind of response, some hint that he had heard me. The house only creaked as it settled as the late fall’s chill settled over the evening. I went to sleep alone that night.

Chapter Eighteen

The chime as I entered the florist rang and it made me realize how many little things I would miss when I was gone. I held the folded-up apron against my chest and rang the bell on the counter.

Beth hustled in and immediately looked at my arms. “Oh Adam.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah. I have to quit.”

She rushed forward and pulled me into a tight hug. I was expecting her to be madder, the hug was unexpected.

“Stacy told me everything,” she explained as she pulled me in tighter.

“She did?”

“Of course, we’re friends too you know.” She clicked her tongue. “It’s just awful what your poor excuse for a father is doing to you.”

“Yeah.” I felt weary suddenly. Beth was such a strong solid presence in my life now that I couldn’t imagine life without her and her little shop.

“We’ll figure it out though so keep your apron,” she said abruptly and broke the hug to start walking away.

“Wait. What?” I jogged slightly after her as she headed into the backroom and began to do busywork.

She barely glanced up at me. “You’re going to come up with a plan to stay and tell your dad to piss off.”

I blinked. “No I’m not?”

“Why not?” She asked as she grabbed a duster and began tidying.

“Because it’s impossible,” I said incredulously. “I wish there was something I could do but there just isn’t.”

“Impossible huh? You know what else was impossible?”

“What?” I was starting to get frustrated.

“Convincing a town set in its ways to like the local graveyard keeper.” She bopped my nose with the end of the buster like punctuation to her point and then continued to move around the room, basically ignoring me.

“That was different,” I tried to say.

“How so?” She didn’t even look at me.

“It just was. No one in town was a billionaire with a deed to half the town.” I wish I could have her confidence, but she just had no idea what my dad was really like.

“Tell me the truth Adam.” She finally turned and looked me dead in the eyes. “Were you willing to do anything to make Cecil feel welcomed in town again?”

“Yes.” I didn’t even hesitate.

“And you were willing to do anything to make him happy?”

“Of course.” I was almost offended that anyone would think otherwise.

“Then why aren’t you willing now?”

“Because it’s so much bigger—”

“Uh, uh, uh.” She shook her finger at me. “The question is the same. This is for both of your happiness. Don’t give up so soon. It might not work out, but why are you going the easy way? Why not try to fix everything?”

“I need to go.” I looked up at her.

“I thought you might. Now head on out of here and start using that brilliant mind of yours to save the town and your relationship.”

It wasn’t until I was halfway home that I realized she called me brilliant. Me? Brilliant? That couldn’t possibly be true.

***

I found a note on the counter from Stacy saying she was out and wouldn’t be home all day. It didn’t give a reason why, but it was too much to ask Stacy to explain herself better and be a little less mysterious.

I had no idea if Cecil was still in the house or if he’d run off or if he was somewhere in the graveyard. I just had a feeling based on the last time he disappeared like this, that there was somewhere inside of here that was special to him. A place he went when he was upset.

“Cecil?” I called to the seemingly empty home.

No response, which I expected.

“Cecil?” I called more gently. “I want to talk. I know last night I said I had to leave and that might