Page 24 of The Ex Effect (Meet Cute in Minnesota #1)

I lifted a brow. Do I really want to know what this is? “If you say anything about my crow’s feet, I’m whipping this spoon at you.” This earned me a soft chuckle and a peek at those glorious dimples.

“I think you’ve earned every single one of your smile lines and should wear them proudly. As did I,” Frankie said.

She’s not wrong. Ever since Lisa got sick, my mentality on aging shifted. Age was a gift, and one that I’d never take for granted. Not everyone was lucky enough to watch their face evolve. “Okay, so then what has changed?”

“I mean, your fancy-as-hell wardrobe for sure. Pretty sure you used to live in leggings and couldn’t walk in heels for shit.

” Frankie grinned, and I was definitely going to wipe that off her face later.

“But there’s more. The old Morgan would not have hopped on the back of a Harley in a two-second decision because she didn’t want to miss her nephew’s soccer game.

Or wouldn’t’ve looked at this insane pile of stuff and thought ‘opportunity’ instead of disaster or wouldn’t’ve kept a straight face when opening up that outhouse at that diner. ”

“Oh God, that was so gross. I have no idea how I kept it together.”

“So gross,” Frankie said. “But also…don’t hurt me for saying this…there’s a level of despair to you that I don’t remember, either. Like a heaviness. The spark, the fire, doesn’t seem to be there anymore.”

I hate that Frankie was right. That these last few years, the toll of losing everything I worked so hard for had worn me down to a fraction of who I used to be.

After Frankie left, I did recover. Sure, I never met another love of my life, but I did become a fully functioning human again.

Watching Sam and Lisa struggle through her breast cancer and coming out the other side gave me a new lease of my own life.

I took nothing for granted, I filled myself in the love of my niece and nephews, I buried myself in my other love—work.

But seeing that love being ripped away from me chipped away at who I am.

I set my empty bowl to the side and crossed my ankles.

“This discount wedding and event center, Dreams, opened up a few years ago. They have cheaper prices than me, and their showroom’s beautiful, but there’s nothing personal about the coordinating experience.

You’ll maybe talk to five different people.

You might start with one coordinator and get switched to another.

The turnover is pretty high, but still, I can’t compete. And…my business is tanking.”

Well, shit . There it was, out in the open. Not even my family knew of my struggles, even though it didn’t take a genius to figure out why I was free during the spring weekends to babysit, when that used to be a rarity.

Frankie’s eyes crinkled sympathetically, while kindly sparing me the full-on pity look.

“That sucks. I can’t even imagine how hard it is when you put your heart into something and watch it fizzle,” Frankie said. “But you’re really talented. Maybe this is just a rough patch.”

“Maybe.” I shrugged, but it wasn’t a rough patch.

The fee from this wedding was the only thing keeping me afloat right now, until I figured out a new business model or decided to completely close up the shop.

God, I was just so freaking tired. Not from today, although that, too.

But from the fight in me, the drive that had pushed me to succeed.

The fire that had always been there was flickering out and I couldn’t stop it.

All I wanted was to slip into a twelve-hour coma where I slept without waking up with a palpitating heart. “Honestly, it doesn’t even matter.”

“ Of course it matters.” Frankie crisscrossed her legs and leaned towards me. “I’m really sorry if I ever gave you the impression that I don’t value what you do. That’s the furthest thing from the truth.”

The words filled me in a way that I needed more than I knew. I took off my handkerchief, smoothed back my hair, and reattached it. “Frankie, can I say something?”

“Yeah, of course,” she said. “What’s up?”

I rested my head against the bark for just a moment.

“I know you and I have some differing thoughts about being on time and things…” Frankie’s jaw flexed, and I almost stopped myself.

But if we were going to work together this summer, I needed to call it out.

“But if you are not a few minutes early, my anxiety flies through the roof. And I know it’s not your problem, it’s mine, and I totally get that.

And out here on the farm, it’s not the biggest deal in the world.

But if we have a meeting somewhere, or there are clients involved, if you could be there like five minutes early, it would mean a lot.

Just so I’m not worried, or thinking maybe you forgot or something happened… ”

Frankie’s jaw relaxed and she nodded. “That’s totally fair, and I’ll definitely make a point to be early when meeting with clients.”

And I’ve officially exhausted all my emotions for today. I stood and dusted off the seat of my pants. “Ready to get back at it?”

Frankie nodded, lifted herself from the ground, and followed me back into the barn.

“Where did you go this afternoon?” I asked, picking back up the broom .

Something clouded Frankie’s face, a look that I couldn’t put my finger on. But the light in her eyes dimmed, and Frankie gazed at the floor. She didn’t say anything for so long that I almost apologized for being nosy, when she sighed.

“There was something I had to take care of.” Frankie grabbed a box and carried it outside without another word.