Page 25 of When Fate Breaks
“I’m sorry,” I mutter, pushing away from the island, standing up to gather our pizza plates. “He’s stressed. His business deal fell through.”
“How often does that happen?”
I pause, looking up at Blake. “Almost never.”
He stares at me for several seconds, his eyes shifting between mine. “Good,” he finally says.
* * *
I rollover to my other side for what has to be the hundredth time tonight, still not able to get comfortable. When that still doesn’t help, I move to lay on my back. I close my eyes tightly, telling myself to focus on the gentle rhythm of Remy’s breathing next to me as I count down from one hundred. After counting down from one hundred for the seventh time, I resign, my eyes springing open to stare at the ceiling.
I can’t sleep. My brain simply won’t let me. I let out a groan, rolling myself out of bed and grabbing a robe to slip over my old oversized One Direction sleep shirt and plaid pajama shorts as I push the bedroom door open. I pad to the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of water and laying my head down on the kitchen counter. I’m not sure how I thought cold water or cold tile against my face would help to make me sleepier, but it was worth a shot. I let out a sigh, dumping the remainder of my glass down the sink before heading back to my room.
I start to make my way there, but pause just as I pass one of the hallways, taking a step back to look down it. I squint my eyes, examining the door at the very end of it. The door leading directly into the greenhouse. I tell myself I should just keep walking, but curiosity (and insomnia) gets the better of me.
I approach the door, trying to keep my movements as quiet as possible as I reach for the doorknob. Once again, it only gives about a quarter turn before it catches. I let out a huff and try again.Nothing.
I’ve heard before that the definition of insanity is trying the exact same thing twice and expecting different results.
So I try it a third time.
The knob once again turns the same amount, but, just as I’m about to stop pushing it, it turns just a fraction more. I let out a squeal of accomplishment.
Now we’re getting somewhere.
I remove my hands from the door altogether, rubbing them together in preparation. Then, I lean the entire side of my body against the wood, taking a few quick breaths. “Here we go,” I mutter to myself. I pull back just slightly, mentally counting to three before throwing all of my weight into the door while turning the handle as hard as I physically can.
To my complete shock, it gives instantly, and I find myself yelping in surprise as I literally fall into the greenhouse. My shoulder hits the ground and I let out a grunt, rolling stiffly onto my back. “Shit,” I curse. I slowly peel my eyes open and gasp, clutching at my chest, when I find Blake standing directly over me.
“Hi there,” he says, tilting his head. “Whatcha doin’?”
I roll my eyes at the sarcastic tone of his voice, covering my face and the smile of embarrassment plastered across it. “Oh, nothing. Just chillin’.”
“Uh huh,” Blake nods, reaching an arm out and pulling me to my feet.
“Thanks,” I say, brushing myself off.
Blake hums in response, moving to sit on a bucket in the corner. There’s a notebook and a pencil sitting on another bucket right next to it, the notebook page full of numbers and sketches like he’s been planning.
“Couldn’t sleep either?” I ask, nodding to it.
He shakes his head as I close the now-functioning door I just fell through, leaning against its frame. We sit in silence for a few minutes, Blake staring down at his notebook and me staring out at the night. Oddly, it’s not uncomfortable.
“So,” Blake says suddenly, breaking the silence.
“So,” I echo him.
Blake’s lips pull to the side, his head turning away for a moment before looking back at me. “The hardware store? Really?”
I blow out a breath.
Okay,nowit’s maybe a little uncomfortable.
“Yep,” I reply. “Pretty much. We’d knowofeach other before, but that’s the place we actually got toknoweach other.” Blake’s lack of response makes me keep talking, needing to fill the silence. “He just came in one day. I didn’t give in to him at first, but…he just kept coming back. He can be very persistent.”
“I can see that,” Blake says.
“Yeah, well…” I acknowledge, averting my gaze. “It's been good. He’s been good for me. The timing of it all was really perfect. He kinda showed up right when I needed him.”
