The Resurrection of Wildflowers (Wildflower #2)(13)
CHAPTER 10
THAYER
When I crack my eyes open in the morning, my first thought is; I told her I hated her?
What a fucking bastard I am.
Salem has every right to hate me. I know I lost myself to my grief after Forrest’s passing. It was something no parent should ever have to live through. There are days where the grief comes back full force and cripples me. On those days I end up calling my guys and telling them I won’t be in to work, and I sit in the treehouse or visit his grave.
If only I hadn’t been such a lazy fuck and gotten it built for him.
Maybe then … maybe then.
“Fuck,” I groan aloud, crossing my arm over my eyes.
I try not to let myself go down that path with my thoughts, but sometimes it’s hard not to.
Shoving my sorry ass out of bed, I hop in the shower.
My body yearns with the need for a release. It becomes impossible for me to ignore my aching cock. Seeing Salem again has awakened desires in me I long thought dormant. Gripping the base, I stroke up and down, rolling my wrist around the tip.
I don’t mean to, but I can’t help it when I picture Salem in my mind.
It’s always her. Even when it shouldn’t have been. Even when I broke us.
My release comes fast and hard. When it’s over, I lean against the shower wall.
I finish washing up and get dressed for work. Tugging the Holmes Landscaping shirt down over my torso, I reach for my cap and sunglasses.
The very same pair of sunglasses Salem bought me.
They’re loose and beat up, I need a new pair, but I refuse to part with these. I guess I’m a sentimental fool like that.
Lacing up my boots, I head downstairs and scarf down a bowl of cereal. It’s not the healthiest breakfast—especially with my choice of sugary cereal in the form of Fruity Pebbles—but it’ll have to do. I don’t have the time for anything else this morning.
Normally, I’d head out to my greenhouse before leaving, but thanks to my extra time in my shower I can’t afford to spare time for that either.
Quickly rinsing my bowl, I swipe my keys from the counter and head out to my truck.
Before I can back out of the driveway, a phone call comes through the speakers. Laith’s name flashes across the large display.
I don’t really feel like talking to my brother right now, but I have a forty-five minute drive to the site so I might as well get this over with.
Pushing the button on my steering wheel to answer his call, I greet him with a simple, “Hey.”
“Are you sober?” He laughs after he asks it.
It’s his standard greeting.
I roll my eyes. He knows I’ve stayed away from alcohol for years. I don’t have a drinking problem, but I did rely too much on it after Forrest died. It became a drug that could numb my feelings and put me to sleep.
Now, I choose to stay away because it’s not worth feeling like shit to drink it.
“I’m always sober.”
“Can’t blame me for checking.”
“Why are you calling?”
“Because I can.”
“I’m on my way to work, so if it’s something important get a move on with it.”
He chuckles. “Have some patience, Thayer. I can’t call and check on my big bro?”
“Sorry, I’m running late this morning and it has me on edge.”
What really has me on edge is how I can’t get Salem off my mind.
“Somehow I don’t believe that’s what’s on your mind.”
I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose when I roll to a stop at a red light. “Salem’s back.”
It’s all I have to say. After she was the one to call Laith all those years ago and he came to the rescue, I had to fill him in on what was going on with her.
The fucker laughs and laughs and laughs. “Oh, you’re fucked.”
“Why?” I bite out through clenched teeth.
“Don’t play stupid, bro. You’ve been hung up on her all these years. She’s still married?”
“No,” I sigh.
“No? Well, that’s good then. Why do you sound pissed?”
I’m quiet for a moment. “What if I fuck up again?”
“Easy, don’t fuck it up.”
“I don’t want to, but I have a feeling we have a lot of baggage to wade through.”
This time he’s the one who’s quiet. Then he asks, “Is she worth it?”
“She’s worth everything.”
“Then I say, don’t let this chance pass you by. You deserve to be happy—more than anyone I know.”
My brother’s support surprises me, but I guess it shouldn’t. He’s always had my back.
“Thanks. I gotta go.”
“Sure. Talk to you soon.”
He ends the call and I spend the rest of my drive wondering if it’s possible to right my wrongs and finally get the girl.
CHAPTER 11
SALEM
“I miss you,” I tell the sweet face on my phone screen as I lock up my mom’s shop behind me. It’s been permanently closed for a few months now, once my mom got too weak and tired to work, but there are still things to move and clear out before we figure out what to do with it. Selling the store makes the most sense—Georgia’s a nurse, she’s not going to open a store, and I’m … well, I don’t know what I’m doing. Stupidly, though, I hate the idea of getting rid of it. It was the first thing our mom ever really did for herself.