Page 38 of A Winter Crush
Wareth spotted Sero, the village baker, with someone he didn’t know.
“Hello, Wareth,” Sero said as Wareth drew near. “This is Aryn. He’s from Bordertown.”
“Hello,” Wareth mumbled. He was about to continue when he paused. “Sero, do you have any Solstice loaves?” It was Solstice Eve, and he and Ori should have something special to eat for dinner.
“Of course. It’s Solstice!”
“His loaves are the best,” Aryn said, smiling at Sero. “I’ve never had anything like it in Bordertown.”
“What about sweets?” Wareth asked. Ori would love some Solstice sweets.
“I have sweets. Just come by my parents’ store.”
“Will do. Thanks,” Wareth said and continued to Sariah’s house. He couldn’t stop thinking of opening the kiln with Ori.
Sariah smiled at the sight of him. “Well, don’t you look happy!”
He blushed and turned his face away from her.
“Is everything ready for tomorrow?” she asked, setting a cup of tea in front of him at the kitchen table.
He nodded, taking a sip of the hot herbal liquid. “Just need to unpack the kiln. Quick clean. Then deliver. With Ori’s help, we should be finished early.” He fidgeted with the mug. “We’ll have time to eat a Solstice meal together.”
“I’m pleased for you. For you and Ori.”
“We’ve only been together a few weeks.”
“Maybe, but he makes you so happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen you. Happier than you ever were with Rin.”
Wareth put the cup down. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I always got the sense that you never quite fit together.” She reached over and touched his hand. “What you and he wanted were always so different. You were happy here, but Rin always seemed unsettled. And you were always fighting towards the end.”
“We didn’t fight that much.”
She gave him a look. “Every time I saw you those last few months, you were always upset with each other.”
“All couples fight.”
“Not as much as you two did.” She patted his hand. “I know it hurt, but I think it was for the best that he left.”
“I offered to go with him.”
She gave him a gentle smile. “Honestly, would you have been happy in Bordertown? You’d probably have been as unhappy as he was here. And he cared for you, and I think he knew that.”
Somehow, Wareth had forgotten how much they’d fought before Rin had left. It was like the memories of fighting had been pushed aside by the pain of being left by him.
“I don’t know how you can enjoy this so much,” Rin had said, staring down at Wareth. His grandfather had gone to the village store, leaving them alone in the studio. “We’re finished for the day. Grandpa wouldn’t expect us to keep working, but here you are still at the pottery wheel.”
“I just want to finish up,” Wareth said. He just needed to throw a few more bowls and they’d be done. “I don’t know why you’re complaining. I’m the one doing the actual work.”
Rin mumbled something.
“What was that?”
“Maybe I’m complaining because I’m bored. I’m bored of this pottery studio. Bored of this village. Bored of the same thing, day in and day out.” He threw up his hands. “We sleep. We wake up. We make pottery. Nothing ever changes! Nothing ever happens! I’m sick of it!”
“You’re just being critical,” Wareth said. They’d had this fight before. They seemed to have this fight constantly ever since coming back from Bordertown. “It’s a good life. If you just made an effort to enjoy it rather than complaining all the time, you’d see it too.”
