Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe (Pepper Bay #14)

26

Tyler

It was the day after Boxing Day, and although Tyler had seen Erin enjoying the festive season with his family, he couldn’t help but notice something between them was off, and he hated the feeling, as he’d lived a whole relationship feeling that way with his ex.

He watched her sitting by the wood burner, stacking some chopped logs. It was so tempting to start a conversation, but at the same time, he was slightly worried about what turn it might take. Maybe he was imagining the atmosphere, but experience told him to nip it in the bud. ‘Can we talk, Erin?’

She glanced over her shoulder, looking as awkward as he felt. ‘Sure.’

Tyler waved her over to his side on the sofa and was pleased when she cradled his hand in hers. ‘I’m picking up on a vibe, and I don’t want to live that way ever again, so please tell me what’s going on with us.’

Erin took an obvious breath, kissed his cheek, then sat back. ‘I have got something on my mind, but I wasn’t sure when to bring it up. What with you getting attacked, then Christmas, it didn’t feel right.’

‘That makes it sound like bad news.’

‘I’m not sure what kind of news it is. My brain’s too frazzled to figure it out.’

‘Talk to me. I might be able to help.’

Her head dipped, and he knew whatever was bothering her was about to bother him.

‘My cousin asked me to move to Australia. He said he would give me a job in his company and sort me a place to live.’ She glanced up. ‘It’s a chance at a new life. With my family, Ty.’

It was hard to concentrate whilst his heart was busy crying. What she said made sense, but it wasn’t what he was expecting, not that he knew what to expect. He was sure it had something to do with her ex showing up and making her think of London again.

‘I don’t know what to do, Ty.’

There wasn’t much he could offer, but she looked like she was waiting for his advice.

What the hell am I supposed to say? Don’t go? Don’t leave me? I can’t be that pathetic .

He cleared his throat, smiling softly. ‘Only you know what feels best for you.’

‘But that’s the thing. I don’t. I didn’t know I was coming here at one point, then I wasn’t sure what to do with Chester’s shop. I sure as heck wasn’t expecting to make so many friends or feel welcome here, and now I’ve found my family and don’t know how to relate to them.’

‘Well, that’s a lot of don’t knows .’

Erin shrugged. ‘I’ve never felt so lost. Normally I’m quite organised. I know what I want and I go for it, but since arriving here I’ve been all over the place.’

I know how you feel .

‘I put all my eggs in one basket before,’ she added. ‘And look where that got me.’

‘It’s nice to have options, but you have to pick a lane and stay there. Otherwise you’ll be all over the place forever.’

Erin shook her head. ‘But I can’t decide. Each time I think I know what to do, I… Oh, I don’t know.’

‘Look, Erin. I get that you had a bad experience in London, and I have seen how much you can throw yourself into something when you want, but if your heart was truly in the sweet shop, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.’

Erin huffed. ‘It’s not that simple.’

Tyler showed his palms. ‘Okay, no need to snap. I’m just pointing out the obvious.’

‘But that’s not the obvious, is it?’ she snapped again.

‘Then what is? Because I’m lost. If you were happy here, you wouldn’t question your life. Yet here you are doing exactly that.’

‘I am happy.’

Tyler scoffed. ‘Could have fooled me.’

‘Oh, what do you know? You’re not in my head. You don’t even know me. You know nothing about how I think or feel.’

Tyler stood, not wanting to argue, especially when he didn’t feel it was necessary. ‘I’m not doing this.’

‘Doing what? You’re the one who wanted to talk.’

‘Yeah, talk, Erin. Not fight.’

Erin stood, facing him with a scowl. ‘I want to talk about my choices, Ty. I do, but you’re making light of it, and it’s not simple. This is huge for me. I don’t want to put my trust in you when…’ She lowered her head.

‘Ah, so now we get to the bottom of it. This is about me, not you.’

‘No. I just…’ Again, she left her sentence hanging, which only annoyed him further.

‘Is it that you’d like to run the shop but just not with me? Is that it? Are you that worried I might be another Harvey?’

Erin’s eyes narrowed. ‘How dare you bring him up. That’s my pain you’re messing with.’

‘I’m not trying to mess with anything. I’m trying to understand why you don’t have trust in me.’

‘Why would I have trust in you? I haven’t known you long.’

‘You know as well as I do we both feel a connection that feels as old as time.’

‘Well, if you feel so connected to me, why don’t you understand?’

‘Because you’re not making much sense right now.’

Erin huffed, folding her arms. ‘Oh, so I’m in the wrong?’

‘There is no right or wrong, just me trying to help you decide which road to take, but you seem adamant to make this complicated.’

Erin marched off to her bedroom. ‘All I wanted was for you to tell me what to do.’

Tyler followed, then leaned on the wall along the passageway. ‘I can’t make that decision for you. It’s life-changing.’

‘Yes, I know that. Why do you think I’m such a mess?’

Tyler took a calming breath and lowered his tone. ‘I want to help you. All I’ve done since I met you is try and help you.’

A scoff of a laugh came from her room. ‘Oh please, Tyler. You had your own agenda.’

He straightened, frowning. ‘No I didn’t.’

‘Yes, you did. All you cared about was not losing the shop.’

‘I’ll admit I didn’t want it to close, but that’s not why I helped you. I really cared about Mr Masonville, so it felt like the right thing to do to look after his granddaughter.’

Erin came marching around the door, coat in hand. ‘I don’t need babysitting. I’m a big girl.’

‘That’s not what I meant.’

‘Oh, I know what you meant. Truth’s coming out now.’

Tyler shook his head. ‘I have always been honest with you.’

She stopped in her tracks, causing him to almost topple over her back. ‘You wasn’t just now,’ she said through clenched teeth, pointing at the sofa.

‘What did I lie about?’

‘You didn’t lie. You just wasn’t honest with me.’

Tyler had no idea what she was going on about, and he was too tired to care anymore. His side hurt, his head ached, and his bed called.

‘All I wanted was your truth,’ she mumbled, but he heard.

He watched her walk towards the front door. ‘Just because I can’t decide for you, doesn’t mean I’m dishonest. Sort your own life out, Erin. I need a rest.’

She slammed the door behind her, and he sprinted to the window to see what direction she stormed off in.

What the hell just happened?

He turned to get some painkillers, then his front door opened. Thrilled she had returned, he got ready to welcome her back with a smile. But it was Heath entering.

‘I think it might snow again,’ he said, stomping his feet on the doorstep. ‘Where is Erin off to?’

Tyler shrugged, then went to the sink to get some water. ‘I have no idea. She’s got the hump about something, and I’m dumbfounded. Oh, and dishonest, apparently.’

Heath sat at the kitchen table and breathed out a laugh. ‘Why, what did you do?’

‘She has a huge decision to make, and she expected me to make it for her. I think. Anyway, because I didn’t, she said I wasn’t being honest.’ He swallowed some tablets and sighed.

Heath was frowning, looking slightly amused. ‘I need some context.’

Tyler joined him at the table. ‘Her cousin has invited her to Australia, but not for a holiday. He’s offered the lot. Job, home, family. All the things she’s always wanted.’ He looked over at the door and shouted, ‘Yeah, I know that much about you already.’ He flopped back in his chair and sulked.

Heath’s mouth quirked. ‘Oh, little brother, what am I going to do with you?’

‘Well, I was about to take a nap, so you can leave me alone if you want to do something for me.’

‘I can go one better than that, Ty.’

Tyler sat up, intrigued. ‘Go on.’

‘The way I see it, Erin has two choices. Stay here or move to the other side of the world.’

Tyler quirked an eyebrow. ‘Yes, I worked that much out, thanks.’

‘She didn’t want you to make that decision for her. She wanted you to make her feel secure about staying here.’

‘But I have made her secure. I gave her a door key.’ Tyler motioned to the front door. ‘I made it clear I like her. I asked her to move in with me permanently. She knows how I feel about her.’

Heath waggled a hand. ‘Does she?’

‘Well, I don’t know what else I’m supposed to say.’

‘She’s not been here long, Ty, and she’s still finding her feet, then she gets an offer that moves the goalposts again in such a short space of time. It’s a lot for anyone to take on board. I think she wanted you to make all the confusion go away.’

‘I don’t know how to do that. I don’t know what I can add that would make her feel this is where she belongs.’

‘Do you really think she belongs here?’

Tyler nodded immediately. ‘I don’t have any doubts. Yes, I get that she has blood relatives now, but I made it perfectly clear I view her as one of us.’

Heath shrugged. ‘Then I guess it’s up to her. If you’re sure you can’t do anything else to make her feel stable and secure right here, then there’s nothing more you can do.’

Is there more I can do? What if I decorate the flat. Show her what her home could look like. Let her know she isn’t stuck with me .

He couldn’t think of anything else to do. ‘I need to find her and talk to her again. I have an idea I want to run by her.’

Heath nodded. ‘Okay, but give her a minute to cool off. She’s probably in Mum’s, having a cuppa.’