Page 39 of Need You To Choose Me

“I’ll be out in a second,” a female voice calls from the kitchen.

“No rush,” I yell back, taking in the familiar space. The small café and bookshop were decorated in peachy and dark wooden tones that fit our little town perfectly. The music was softly playing in the background, tuned in to the local country station. The whole place has a homey vibe that I simply adore.

A few tables were filled with people. Old Mr. Maverick was sitting at his usual spot, reading newspapers. A group of teens was giggling as they watched something on their phones, and then there were Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Tyson sitting in their spying corner.

They spot me instantly and wave me over. “Savannah! How are you doing, my dear?” Mrs. Miller asks as I join them. “We heard about your house. Are you okay? Do you need help with anything?”

I wince softly. Of course they heard about the house. Nothing could stay hidden for long in Bluebonnet Creek.

“No, I’m fine, but thank you. I’m just sad things turned out the way they did, and the cottage got destroyed.”

“I’ve been telling Marcus that he needs to take better care of his property. Didn’t I tell him that, Trish?”

Mrs. Miller nods, her lips pursed. “You sure did, Millie.”

“Damn right. But did he listen?” Mrs. Tyson tsks unhappily and taps my hand affectionately. “If you need any help, you let us know. Okay?”

My heart swells at their kindness. The two of them were pushing eighty, and Mrs. Miller was even using a walking stick, but I knew that if I asked, they’d help me in a heartbeat; that was the beauty of living in a small town. People might be nosy as hell, more often than not, but they took care of their own.

“I’m good, really, but I appreciate it.”

“You moved into your grandmother’s house?”

“That’s right, ma’am.”

“I told you.” Mrs. Miller glances at her friend. “I saw Charlotte today at the store, and she told me she saw lights there and people moving around. At first, she thought somebody was breaking in, but then she saw your car.”

Mrs. Tyson scoffs. “That one always had a flair for dramatics. We haven’t had a robbery for longer than I’ve been born, and it’s been a hot minute since that happened.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to hide my amusement at their banter. One thing was for sure: there was never a dull moment between the two of them.

Mrs. Miller gives me a knowing look. “I’m happy to hear that, though. Your grandmother would love to know that you and your baby will make that house your home instead of having it sit empty. That woman loved you so much.”

That familiar pang of sadness hits me at the mention of my grandmother. I didn’t think it would ever go away, not fully, but it wasn’t as intense as it used to be.

“Yeah, she would.” I thought living in her house would be hard, and on occasion, it was. I still couldn’t bring myself to go to her room. However, I also started to remember the good timeswe had together, of which there were many. “There are some things that need fixing, but we’ll get there.”

“You really shouldn’t be lifting things now that you’re pregnant,” Mrs. Tyson points out before glancing at Mrs. Miller. “Trish, didn’t you say your nephew is coming?”

“Yes, he just called me yesterday to confirm it.” Her eyes shine brightly as they fix on me, and I know what will come out of her mouth before she even opens her lips. “You know, if you need help moving something, I’m sure he’d be more than happy to help while he’s visiting.”

“Oh, no, that’s fine. I’m not really lifting anything.” I shake my head before she can get any ideas. “I’m focusing on just clearing out stuff and unpacking.”

This wasn’t the first time they’d tried to set me up since they found out I was pregnant, and I feared it wouldn’t be the last. I wanted to keep my pregnancy to myself for as long as possible, but since those first weeks were pretty rough, with me throwing up constantly, people quickly caught up. They all assumed the baby was my ex’s, and we split up, and I didn’t try to correct them because I thought it’d be just Munchkin and me, only…

This baby is as much mine as it is yours. So, no. I don’t agree with this bullshit.

Blake’s words ring in my head, and I can feel a knot form in my throat. This whole situation was such a mess, and I had no idea how I’d deal with it.

“You guys could still go out and grab a coffee,” Mrs. Miller points out, breaking me out of my thoughts. “He can’t very well spend all his time with me. I’m too old to entertain him.”

“You’re not old, Mrs. Miller!”

Just then the kitchen door squeaks open, and Jessica appears at the counter, a smile pops up on her face when she sees me. “Savannah! How are you doing?”

“Good, I—” The smell of apples and cinnamon reaches my nostrils, and my stomach grumbles, reminding me of the reason I came here. “It’s like you’re reading my mind.”

I turn to Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Tyson. “I’m off to grab some of those desserts while they’re still warm, but I’ll see you ladies for the book club?”

---