The Resurrection of Wildflowers (Wildflower #2)(78)

“It makes perfect sense. I want you to do whatever it is that makes you happy. I don’t care. I’ll support you no matter what.”

“Thank you,” she whispers almost shyly. “I want to keep my mom’s store.” I’ve suspected as much. She’s far more attached to it than her mother’s house, which we’re hoping to put up for sale in a few weeks. “I’m just trying to figure out how. I can’t keep it and not use it, you know.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out. I mean, you could always do this.” I point at the spread of items for the cupcakes.

“Do what?” She sounds stunned. “Open a bakery? Thayer, I’m no professional.”

“Lots of home bakers open their own business. You could do it too, Salem. I know you could.”

Her nose crinkles as she thinks it over. “Hmm, maybe.”

“What were you considering before?”

She shrugs. “Nothing I was crazy about, but cupcakes,” she muses. “You might be on to something and I know it sounds crazy but I think my mom would be proud to know that I was making cupcakes in her shop.”

“I think she would too.”

“And maybe I could start making candles again—make ones in cupcake scents and sell them too.” She’s starting to glow now, getting excited over this idea.

She continues to ramble about what colors she’d paint the walls, what kind of décor she’d want, she might not realize it, but I do.

She’s just found her passion.





It’s fully dark when Caleb pulls into our driveway. Seda hops out from the back, running over to hug her mom and then me.

Caleb gets out, grabbing her bag and slowly approaches us on the porch.

“Seda, why don’t you run inside and grab a cupcake?” Salem asks her.

“Really?” Her eyes light up. “You never let me have sweets before bed.”

“Tonight is an exception.”

“Yay!” Seda runs inside, the door slamming closed behind her.

When she’s gone, Salem asks him, “You’re not going all the way back to Boston tonight, are you?”

He shakes his head. “No, I was actually wondering … well, I wanted to talk to you guys about something.”

“Oh?” She arches a brow.

“Why don’t we sit down?” He suggests, looking slightly uncomfortable.

Salem and I end up on the swing while Caleb pulls up one of the other chairs on the porch.

“Is everything okay?” Salem asks, genuine concern in her voice for her ex.

“Yeah, nothing’s wrong.” He runs his fingers through his hair.

“So, what is it?”

I narrow my eyes on the man across from me, watching him curiously.

With an inhale of breath, he says, “You’re selling your mom’s house, right?”

Salem’s brows furrow. “Yeah.” She crooks her head to the side. “Why?”

“And you’re planning on living here? You won’t be moving?”

Salem looks at me, a question in her eyes.

Do we tell him?

I nod. I’m not going to stop her from letting him know and he’s so involved in our lives he deserves to know.

“Thayer and I got married this weekend.”

Caleb’s eyes widen. “Oh, wow. Uh. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” Salem tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. “To answer your question, yes, we plan on staying here. Thayer’s updated this house and I love it. It feels right to stay.”

“Good, good.” He rubs his hands over the legs of his pants. “I want to buy your mom’s house.”

“What?” Salem blurts, stunned.

I narrow my eyes on the man across from me, wondering what his thought process is behind this.

“I want to buy it. Seda’s going to be with you the majority of the time and I know that makes the most sense with school and everything and I like the idea of her growing up in my childhood hometown.” Salem told me once that Caleb is descended from our town’s founding family. “If I buy your mom’s house that means I get to see her more often. I’m close, but I have my own space. I can fix it up and make it my own. I’d keep my place in Boston and I’d be there most of the time, but I could come here on the weekends. It might do me some good to get away from work and the city.” He exhales heavily. “I want to be close to my little girl. I don’t want our relationship to change. I promise you guys will hardly see me. I’ll keep to myself. Whatever you and Georgia plan on selling the house for, I’ll pay it.”

Do I love the idea of Salem’s ex living right next door?

Fuck no.

But at the same time, I understand his motivation and commend him. Not many men would go out of their way for a child that is biologically someone else’s. I have my issues with Caleb—and if I’m honest with myself they all stem from jealousy—but he’s a good man. He deserves to find his own happiness in this world, and I hope one day he does.

Salem and I exchange a look, a million words passing unsaid between us. It’s a beautiful thing when you can talk to someone without even opening your mouth.

“All right,” Salem says. “It’s yours.”