The Resurrection of Wildflowers (Wildflower #2)(67)

“This is where you’ve been getting the bouquets?” I ask, but I already know the answer. My hands go to my mouth.

“Yes,” he answers softly, watching me spin in circles.

I blow out a breath, trying to wrap my head around this.

My favorite flower.

Thayer Holmes has lovingly grown my favorite flower in his greenhouse all this time just because it reminds him of me.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“There’s so many of them.” The greenhouse isn’t massive, but it is a decent size, and he’s utilized every available inch to grow my favorite flower.

“What do you do with all them?” I touch the stem of one, inhaling the scent.

“Before you came back?”

“Mhmm.”

Surely, he sells them or uses them in his landscaping business in some way.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” I gasp, startled. “You just grow them? That’s it?”

“Yeah.” He says it so innocently. “The first time I ever cut one was for your first bouquet. Technically I cut them before that, but only when they died.”

“You are … You … I … I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

I brush an errant tear off my cheek. Thayer Holmes loves me. He loves me more than I think anyone has ever loved another person before. And all this time, he stayed in the shadows, letting my life go on because he knew I was married. He did all this never thinking he’d get another chance with me.

I wrap my arms around his neck, his own arms go around my body. He holds me tight against his solid, warm chest.

“I love you,” I whisper into the skin of his neck.

His lips press a soft kiss to the top of my head. “I love you, too, Sunshine. Thank you for loving me back.”

That’s one thing he doesn’t need to thank me for.

Loving Thayer isn’t a choice. It just is. Loving him is natural, automatic, just like my body’s need to breathe air.





CHAPTER 43





SALEM





“Dad! I’m here!” Seda runs into the house, dropping her bag on the floor.

I’ve been meeting Caleb halfway for pickups and drop-offs so one of us doesn’t have to go the whole way and I’ve finally gotten him to agree that it makes the most sense for Seda to live with me, which means I need to get her enrolled in the local elementary school as soon as possible.

“Hey, bunny.” He comes around the corner just in time for her to launch herself at him. “Whoa. Someone missed me.”

“I missed you guys.”

“We missed you, too,” I say, picking up her bag and carrying it to the steps.

“What’s for dinner? I’m hungry.”

“I’m making homemade pizza. You want to help?” Thayer asks her.

“Oh, yes!” She jumps up and down. “I love helping.”

The two of them disappear into the kitchen so I carry her bag all the way up to her room. I unpack and put away her things, hanging the duffel bag on the closet door. I go ahead and set out a pair of her pajamas in the bathroom since it’ll be time for bed soon. I know more than likely she won’t like the pair I picked and will choose another, but oh well.

Downstairs, I smile when I find my two favorite people at the kitchen island. Seda sits on the counter, placing pepperonis onto one of the pizzas. There are three total, one for each of us.

Winnie paces on the floor, hoping to snag a bite of cheese or anything edible.

“What kind of pizza are you making?” I ask Seda, smacking a kiss on top of her head.

She giggles playfully trying to push me away. “Ew, mom. No kisses when I’m cooking.” She holds up the stack of pepperonis she’s holding. “I’m making a pepperoni pizza.”

“And what kind are you having?” I poke Thayer’s side, scooting behind him.

“Meat and veggies. Put whatever you want on yours and I’ll pop these in the oven.”

“All right.”

I spoon some sauce onto the dough, add my cheese, and then top it with onions, green peppers, and olives.

“Those look gross, Mommy.” Seda points at the olives. “They look like eyeballs.”

“They’re not eyeballs. They’re olives,” I explain. “I promise they taste good.”

Seda crooks her finger at Thayer, urging him to bend lower to her level. When he does she cups her hands around her mouth like she’s going to whisper, only at a normal level of volume she says, “I think she’s lying. They must taste disgusting.”

Thayer chuckles. “I don’t like them.”

Shaking my head, I cluck my tongue. “You two are ganging up on me.”

Thayer puts a hand to his chest. “It’s not my fault you like those things.”

He sets all the pizzas in the oven, then turns to Seda. “Let me put you down.”

“No, piggyback ride!”

“Seda,” I warn.

“Please?” she adds.

Thayer turns around. “Hop on.”

She does just that, giggling when he takes off running with her on his back. Winnie runs after them barking at his heels.