Coming Home (Pierpoint View #1)

Chapter Twenty-Two - Summer

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Summer

After Brooks called me last night, which I ignored, he sent me a message, which also went ignored.

Sorry I missed you tonight, work ran late. I’ll speak to you tomorrow.

The message was mundane enough, but it still rubbed salt in the wound. It’s not his fault, he doesn’t know that I know, but it still felt like an asshole move nonetheless.

Because of that though, I’ve been tossing and turning all night, not being able to fall asleep, so when the sun starts to rise, I leave my bed and move to the couch, taking my duvet with me.

Since I left the pub yesterday, my feelings have gone from numb, to anger and upset now that I’ve had the chance to think about it more.

Work ran late. Oh yeah? What work, Brooks? Being a professional hockey player? Lying to me about it?

I’m being bitter and petty and I can’t place the full blame on him, I could’ve asked, but the wound is too raw right now.

I open the shutters to the bay window and crack it open, letting the early morning breeze in, goosebumps rising on my skin.

I lay and watch the sunrise until I make the decision to keep the cafe closed today, something I’ve been debating since I got home last night.

As a business owner, I know the stakes of keeping the place open and not closing out of the blue, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it today. Not when the people that come into this cafe are from the town. People who I gave those discount cards to because I was so thankful for their help and appreciative of their hospitality and how at home they made me feel here.

I text Lennon, hopefully it’s still early enough that she’s hasn’t started getting ready for the day, letting her know she didn’t need to come in today but that she will still get full pay.

I put my phone on do not disturb and and grab my laptop off the coffee table, making a poster that I can print and post on the front door saying that we would be closed due to unforeseen circumstances.

The worst thing is, it should have been foreseen. I should have seen it coming, I don’t trust people, look where it got me in the past, and here I am again, basically in the same position.

I’m not being logical, I know that, I’m not being responsible, I know that too; but I’m hurt and I’m allowed to take a day to process my feelings, thats one of the luxuries of owning your own business, even if it does cost you.

Eventually, when my stomach makes itself known and I can no longer ignore, I head downstairs.

Despite not opening today, I still turn the espresso machine on, the oven too. Since I’ve opened, I think of the cafe as an extension of my own place and it’s nice knowing I have all of this at my fingertips and I think what I really need is to indulge in a nice, warm hot chocolate and some freshly baked cookies.

As I wait for the cookies to finish baking, I check my phone.

I have a message from Lennon, letting me know that she’ll spend the day with Gray instead and to call if I need anything, I send a thumbs up emoji back, not wanting to be so petty as to not answer the girl. I’m upset, not a dick.

Then I have two missed calls from Alex, surprising for her because she usually hates talking on the phone.

I don’t respond, I think I’m angry at her the most. She’s the one that talked through everything with me, talking me through the pros and cons of being with Brooks, of telling him how I felt, and she didn’t think to tell me that one little detail even though being with someone in that kind of profession was a deal breaker for me.

The timer on the oven rings and I let half of the cookies cool, the rest I put on a plate and take it upstairs with me, hot chocolate in the other hand, and back to my cocoon I go.

In the week since finding out about Brooks and I’ve calmed down a whole lot. I’m still entirely pissed at Alex and I’ve ignored Brooks’ calls and messages every night but I’ve calmed down enough to the point I opened the cafe the day after my one of wallowing.

Lennon’s also come back to work, she does still say ‘love you’ when she leaves for the day and I still look out for her for my own piece of mind, especially when I know she’s been out the night before, I ask where she’s been, who she’s been with but other than that, we’re completely professional.

And I can’t lie, it’s been nice to have interactions with someone other than asking them what kind of coffee they wanted.

“Boss, I think we’re going to need more of those brownie things,” Lennon asks, coming into the kitchen, and placing the empty tray down on the counter.

“Yeah, looks like we do.” I take it and put it through the dishwasher, opening up the container with the rest of the brownies I baked this morning.

Out of the blue, Lennon asks, “Have you been eating?”

I’m so shocked at her question, I almost drop the lid.

“Why do you ask?”

She scrutinizes me, “You look thinner, paler. Have you been outside?”

A take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I haven’t had time to go outside this week, Lennon. I’ve been here.”

“That’s fair, but are you eating?” she asks again.

It’s not an out there question, I have lost a little weight. From the Taylors not being able to leave me any leftovers anymore and the fact I work long days and have no energy to make myself anything so I’ve just been eating whatever items we have left when we close, I haven’t been eating much.

“I am, thank you for your concern.” is all I say.

The last thing I need is for this to be a thing, I’m fine and I know I have to eat better but there’s just been too much going on this week.

She hums, as if she doesn’t believe me but I’m saved from further interrogation by the bell, indicating a new customer.

I replace the brownies onto the tray and take them out to the front, sliding them back on their little shelf.

“Summer?” I look up and see Fred.

I haven’t had the heart to even think about Fred. I looked at him as a parental figure, trusted him too, and he let me be left in the dark about this, and sure, I know I haven’t told him lots about my past, but I’m still upset.

“Hi, what can I get for you?”

“Summer—”

“Your usual? Tea?”

“Girl, will you just listen to me for a second?” He’s getting annoyed, but my stubbornness can rival his these days.

“That will be $3, I’ll just get it made for you.”

He slams his hand on the counter, the noise alerting all the customers and they look our way, the room falls silent.

“Summer, you’re a grown ass adult, act like it.”

Feeling embarrassed and completely admonished, I mutter, “Fine.” And let him follow me into the kitchen, leaving the mumbles of the customers behind.

I had left a couple chairs in here for when Lennon and I want to get away from the chaos out the front, and I pull one up for me and one for Fred. He settles himself down, angling the chair so he’s directly across from me.

He looks at me expectantly, as if he wasn’t the one that came to me.

He sighs. “Summer, we’re not the ones you’re mad at.”

“You didn’t tell me.”

He raises an eyebrow, “It’s not our place to tell you, Brooks should be the one doing that.”

“Well he didn’t.”

He shakes his head. “No, he didn’t. We all thought he had.” He looks disappointed at that.

“Well if you all thought he had, then why did no one mention it?”

“Because we all promised him when he made it big, we wouldn’t mention it to anyone new who came to town. He values his privacy here.”

And I think that’s the point that hurts me the most.

“Grayson said the same thing.”

“It’s true,” He nods. “We keep his identity a secret here so he has somewhere to come back to. Like he did earlier this year, he needed time away from hockey to heal, he came here.”

“So, it sounds like to me that you guy’s don’t trust me to also keep it secret,” I say, crossing my arms.

He sighs in exasperation, leaning forward on his elbows on his knees, “Why would you think that, Summer?”

“Because that’s what you just said. You said that you don’t mention Brooks to people new to town because he values his privacy. I thought I was welcomed with open arms, but you guys didn’t trust me enough to keep that secret, so apparently not.”

“Summer, that’s not true. You know it. Don’t hate the rest of us for what Brooks failed to do.”

I feel the burn of tears behind my eyes and so I close them, willing them to not fall.

“He’s right, Summer.” It’s Lennon, “I love my brother, but he can be an ass sometimes. We’re sorry that we never told you, but it wasn’t our place to do so.”

Thats the first time anyone has apologized this whole time, and I get it, I really do.

I peel my eyes open to look at Lennon, she’s standing in the doorway, wringing her hands together and I’ve never seen her looks so young. She’s 19, an adult, but she’s really just a girl looking for her own place in the world too.

“I know, Lennon.” I say, my voice small.

“So are you good now, sweetheart?” Fred asks.

“Fred! You can’t just ask if she’s good now.” Lennon comes over to me, wrapping her arms around my head, resting her cheek on my hair. “Women are complex creatures, we deserve to be emotional about these kinds of things.” She pats my head a couple times.

Fred raises his hand in defense, “Okay, okay. Will you be okay? Is that better?” he asks.

I can feel Lennon shrug, “A little.”

“Well, I’ll leave you guys to it. My work here is done.” Fred slaps his hands on his thighs and stands up, coming over to me, grabbing my shoulder. “I am sorry, girl.” he says, then leaves through the kitchen door.

“Are you okay, boss?” Lennon asks, still having me locked in her arms.

I chuckle. “I’m okay, Lennon.”

“Are you sure? I can stay hugging you if you want?” she says, and it makes me laugh more.

“Lennon I think we have some customers to serve.”

“Oh shit! I didn’t make that guy’s coffee!” She runs away quicker than I’ve ever seen her move.

They’re right and I knew way before that little intervention. Deep down, I know it’s none of their responsibilities to tell me, but Brooks isn’t here for me to be mad at so maybe some of my anger got misplaced.

I also feel a little ridiculous now, it’s been a week of ignoring people and I can only imagine what they’ve all been saying amongst themselves about me. Although, I’m sure they’ve been saying worse things about Brooks judging from how they’ve all reacted to the situation.