Page 24 of More Than Words (Trickle Creek: The Lyons #2)

Chapter Eighteen

Delaney

M y trip to the city had been surprisingly smooth. I still didn’t understand why the shipping hub needed to see me in person, requiring a four-hour drive both ways, but considering it got my inventory shipment released, it was time well spent.

At least, that’s how I had to look at it.

And because everything went so smoothly with the shipping hub, I was able to complete my little side quest to pick up Ethan’s labels quicker than expected, too.

I was still about ten minutes away from Trickle Creek when I noticed the time. The community meeting would still be underway.

I didn’t have to go.

It had been a long day. What I really should do was drive straight home, make myself a mug of herbal tea, light a candle, and sink into a big bubble bath where I could soak away the ache in my shoulders from far too long behind the steering wheel.

That would definitely be the better choice.

But it wouldn’t be the choice that would allow me to see Ethan, even for a few minutes.

So, when I pulled up to the four-way stop, instead of turning right, toward my shop and apartment, I took a left and headed to the community hall.

The parking lot was half full when I pulled in. The meeting had been going on a while, but with any luck, things would be winding down soon.

I snuck inside as quietly as possible, pulling my scarf off as I attempted to blend in near the back.

I found a spot along the far wall and had started to scan the room, looking for Ethan when the woman standing next to me nudged me in the ribs and handed me a copy of the agenda.

“We’re almost done,” she whispered. “Just talking about new permit applications.” She jabbed a finger toward the bottom of the paper.

“Thanks.” I smiled at her and continued to scan the full room in search of Ethan. I was glad the meeting was almost over. It wouldn’t be long before I could get a hug and a kiss and head home to my warm, cozy bed.

I spotted Lauren and Brody sitting side by side on the far right. They had their heads tilted together, discussing something in hushed whispers. I shook my head with a smile as the councilwoman at the front of the room said something that caught my attention.

“A patio space in the plaza would offer guests and townspeople another option for a gathering space.”

A patio ? I nodded in agreement. If the Bean Bag put in some outdoor seating, that would be a welcome addition to the end of the plaza. Sitting in the warm sun, enjoying a fresh cinnamon bun and a cup of coffee would go right to the top of my weekday morning to-do list.

“The council is in agreement that any way we can attract more foot traffic to the plaza and encourage those people to stay longer will be mutually beneficial to all businesses.”

I nodded along, but froze when I heard what she said next.

“As long as the proper liquor licensing was obtained, the council is in full support.”

Liquor licensing?

The Bean Bag didn’t serve alcohol.

Maybe they were talking about the old diner that Willa had run for longer than anyone could remember. But she hadn’t changed anything—including the decor or the menu—for over forty years. It didn’t seem feasible that she would put in patio seating.

I was exhausted and clearly my brain wasn’t keeping up with what was happening, because there was no way that I heard correctly a moment later, when the councilwoman said, “Congratulations, Mr. Lyons. This council member looks forward to enjoying a cold beer on Peaks & Brew’s new patio this summer. ”

Peaks & Brews?

My stomach dropped.

As in, Ethan’s brewery?

As in, the brewery that was only steps away from my quiet little bookshop?

I turned to the woman standing next to me. “What is she talking about?”

The woman handed me another piece of paper. The official proposal for an outdoor sitting space had been presented.

Small tables, tasteful lighting, seasonal planters.

The entire proposal had been crafted smoothly. It was polished. Planned.

“They just voted,” the woman said. “Right before you walked in.”

My mouth dropped open.

“It’s going to be great, right?” The woman continued. “It’s about time we had a patio in the plaza. It’ll be a real draw. And on a nice warm summer night…”

I stopped listening. My ears buzzed and my vision blurred.

Surely, I misheard. There was no way that Ethan would put this together without talking to me about it.

After all, I was his neighbor. Our doors were only feet away from each other. We already had issues with noise when it came to book club nights. And a patio? With people drinking? Right outside my front door?

And he never even mentioned it.

We were together just over twenty-four hours ago. Together , together.

He could have asked me about it. Discussed what a patio would mean for Plot Twist . But he hadn’t said a word.

Was that intentional?

Ethan knew I wasn’t going to be at the meeting… was that by design?

So I couldn’t protest?

My mind spun.

This couldn’t be happening.

The meeting was adjourned. A whoop of joy caught my attention and I spun, seeing Ethan for the first time, high-fiving Brody in celebration.

I watched while he turned to accept a congratulatory handshake from someone I didn’t recognize. He was smiling and laughing as though he hadn’t just upended my entire world.

Like this wasn’t something that would without a doubt impact my store, my business, my entire livelihood that I’d worked so hard to rebuild after so many years.

Yet, he’d never brought it up. Not once. Not while we were in my shop decorating, or lying in bed together, or sitting at his kitchen table pretending that we might be able to be something together. Might be able to be a family.

His eyes met mine then. A second later, his smile faltered.

I didn’t wave. I couldn’t move. I was frozen in place while my whole world shattered around me.

I was such a fool.

I’d been played.

I had to get out of there.

Ethan

Holy. Shit.

That was way easier than I would have guessed. I’d hardly been able to give the whole idea much thought yet, and just like that, with barely a question or a conversation, it was happening.

I chuckled a little under my breath and scrubbed a hand over my face while the reality of what I’d just signed up for sank in. One more thing to add to my already overflowing to-do list.

“Congrats, brother.” Next to me, Brody held up his hand for a high five. “I look forward to having beers on the patio this summer.”

“You and me both,” I said. “And you’ll earn those beers, too. I’m definitely going to need some help with this.”

Before he could answer, we were joined by other business owners offering me congratulations and thanking me for bringing the idea of some outdoor seating to the plaza.

I shook hands with a council member and someone else clapped me on the back. “It’s going to be a busy summer, Lyons.”

I could only hope that the patio space would be as popular as everyone around me seemed to think it would be.

Opening a new business was never easy, and Peaks & Brews was no exception.

With the amount of overhead that had been required to get set up, turning much of a profit in our first year was going to be tricky.

But outdoor seating had the potential to improve that bottom line.

It was everything I hoped for since the first time I looked at the old Chinese food restaurant and visualized what a brewery space could be and that I could be the one to turn it into something.

A huge smile on my face, I turned toward the crowd, scanning the room, and that’s when I saw her.

Delaney.

She stood alone by the back wall, with her coat still on.

She’d made it after all.

My stomach flipped the way it always did when I saw her pretty face.

For half a second, I didn’t register it. Just smiled like an idiot and lifted my hand in a half wave.

Then I saw the expression on her face.

No smile. None of her usual warmth. Just…flat.

Like she was holding back tears or something worse.

Before I could make a move toward her, she turned and slipped out the door. Fast.

Like a get me the hell out of here fast.

Shit .

Vaguely, I excused myself to whoever was listening, not waiting or caring whether anyone responded, as I hurried through the crowd after her.

By the time I made it outside, she was almost at her car on the other end of the parking lot.

“Delaney!” I called out. “Wait.”

She stiffened, hesitating for a second before continuing her charge across the snowy parking lot to her car.

“Hey.” I caught up, lightly grabbing her elbow. “What’s going on? Where are you?—”

She spun to face me. The hard look in her eyes stopped me as she thrust a package at me.

“Your labels.” Her voice was ice cold. “But I don’t suppose you really needed them at all, did you? It was just a way to keep me out of town a little longer.”

“What?” I shook my head and tucked the package under my arm. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

“You’re really asking me that right now?”

I blinked, feeling like I’d missed something critical. “I am…I… Delaney. What’s going on? Did something happen in the city?”

“The city?” Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. “If we were in the city, instead of this small town where you and your family know everyone, I might have at least had a chance.”

“A chance at what?” My head spun. I could not keep up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“A chance at not having my entire livelihood destroyed, Ethan. That’s what.” She jerked out of my touch and wrapped her arms around herself like a hug.

Yes. I definitely missed something critical. “What are you talking about?”

“You know that patio that just got cheers and high-fives? The one that’s going to go right in front of my store and be filled with rowdy people drinking alcohol and completely destroying the peaceful vibes of my bookstore? That’s what I’m talking about.”

“Wait.” I opened my mouth and shut it again. “That’s it? That’s why you’re upset?”

She took a step back as if I’d slapped her, and I instantly regretted my choice of words.

“I…it’s…” My gut twisted to see the way she was looking at me. “It’s nothing major, Delaney. It’s just a few tables. Maybe some umbrellas and?—”

“It’s right there, Ethan,” she cut me off.

“Right out front of my door. The music. The loud patrons. Right outside my windows and the reading nook where my customers sit and read. Where kids come for story time. Where people gather to talk about books and things that resonate with something deep inside them. And now, right outside there’s going to be a bar.

” She blinked hard. “So, yes , Ethan. It really is something major. And you didn’t even think to mention it to me. ”

I didn’t mention it? But I must have. I searched my memory for the last few days and the time I’d spent with Delaney. Amazing time. All of it. We’d talked about so many things. And then we weren’t talking at all. But…

Shit.

It had popped in my head at breakfast the day before, but then…

“Don’t tell me it slipped your mind.”

I swallowed down the words and tried again. “It didn’t seem like that big a deal.” The words sounded weak coming out of my mouth.

Her expression cracked. Even in the dimly lit parking lot, I could see the glisten of a tear in her eye before she swiped at her face with a mittened hand. “You made me feel like we were building something together, Ethan. Something real.”

“We are.”

“No.” She shook her head. “ We aren’t. You were building something for yourself. And I was just…it doesn’t matter.”

“It does.” I reached for her, but she stepped out of my reach. “That’s not fair, Delaney.”

“No?” she asked, her eyes shining now. “Then why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tell me about what you were planning or ask me what I thought? Why didn’t you talk to me about how it might impact me ? Or my business. Or everything that I’ve built.”

I didn’t have a good answer.

I forgot. I didn’t think of it. I didn’t want to bother her when she was already so busy. It didn’t seem important.

They all sounded like exactly what they were. Excuses.

“I should have told you,” I said.

She pulled her coat tighter. “It’s not even that you didn’t tell me, Ethan. It’s that you didn’t even consider me.”

“Delaney—”

“I’m such an idiot.” Her voice cracked, but she didn’t back down. “You waltzed in next door with all your charm, smooth talking, and flirty smiles. And like a love-sick fool, I fell for it.”

My chest squeezed. “No. It’s not?—”

“I knew better,” she continued with a scoff. “But I still let it happen. I let you make me feel like I mattered.”

“You do!”

“Like this thing between us might actually be something real, and it might actually mean something.”

“It does .”

“Does it?” she snapped. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like it was all smoke and mirrors while you buttered me up and made it nice and easy for you to push your own agenda.”

She stepped back and looked away as if she couldn’t stand to be so close to me.

“No.” I shook my head. This was all wrong. “It wasn’t?—”

“You know what the worst part is?” she said quietly. “I let myself believe that you were different. That you weren’t going to destroy me.”

“Delaney. Please?—”

“Good night, Ethan.” She turned and closed the distance to her car.

I followed behind her because I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

She didn’t yell or slam the door. Worse, she got in and started the engine as if it were just another quiet ending to an evening.

Only it wasn’t.

I took a step back to avoid being hit as she pulled out, her headlights sweeping across the lot that had started to fill with others leaving the meeting.

I stood on the edge of the pavement and took two steps after her car as she turned onto the street, as if I could stop her, knowing there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

Instead, I stood there like a complete idiot who’d realized just a little too late that I’d gotten everything I wanted. And in the process, lost everything I needed.