A motor-mouth southern belle tries playing detective only to collide with a dangerously sexy biker.
Ellie Robinson takes it upon herself to secretly vacay to Sunny Valley, Alabama, on her best friend's behalf. There, Ellie uncovers a shocking truth...
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I couldn't eat.
Not a single bite.
I'm now hiding out in the bathroom, trying not to cry but my tears fall into the porcelain sink and I stupidly watch myself fighting back the sobs, taking the sleeve of my shirt to wipe the snot from my nose.
I tried to put on my best forced smile at dinner, but this pain I couldn't hide. Addie and Georgie kept glancing over at me in concern. Not even TreeTrunk taking his knuckles, sliding it romantically over Joss's cheek could bring a smile to my face. Or Shae discreetly touching one of Lex's fingers when she needed comfort because Quinn asked how her dad, Dick, was doing, who suffered from a heart attack a month ago.
Then my dumb, unbelievably wonderful brother gripped my shoulder inconspicuously. I broke in that moment, excusing myself, escaping to bathroom to cry like an idiot.
I've been in here for fifteen minutes.
If I let Lee see me like this I'll make him feel terrible, so, yeah, I'm staying locked away in here until I can manage to compose myself.
I'm really hoping they all think I'm pooping.
I don't know what's wrong with me. This shouldn't be hitting me so hard. He'll be back...
Right?!
So why do I feel so alone?
I straighten my shoulders, smacking my cheeks. I have to be strong because I knew this was coming. He is doing what's best for himself. His father just died and he was right when he had explained everything to me. He couldn't leave Adonis to do everything by himself.
I'm not going to lie though. I shut off as he continued explaining why he had to go. My mind just went blank, void of anything.
It was freaking selfish of me.
I'm still being selfish.
It was stupid of me to think he would leave his life behind for me, his brother, friends, the club.
The heavy weight of loneliness sits in my chest like a moldy sponge. It's absorbing all my doubts and fears, swelling up inside of me up to my throat, ready to be squeezed and drained of all the toxins and bacteria.
I suck in a long, shaky breath and as I blow it out between my lips, it's hot and causes my burning eyes to sting, my nose to heat up. My hands stumble for the towel hanging off the hook by the sink. It's like I had cut a raw onion, making my sensitive eyes ignite. Taking to towel I run it over cold water then press it to my eyes.
"It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay," I say with a wobbly voice.
This is one of those instances where I wish I had my flowers waiting for me back at the shop. I could whisk myself away to a place where this pain can't touch me. My fingers would cut, organize, and caress flowers, the velvet petals cleansing me of all the stress and fears. My oasis where I can shut my brain off and do the meticulous work I love so much that calms me.
