Thorn (Carmichael Series #5)✔️

Confessions

**Sorry that I wasn't able to get this up yesterday ya'll. I'm working full-time now and yesterday was just so freaking busy and by the time I laid down in bed I was NOT willing to get up and grab my laptop to post this haha. I hope you guys enjoy this update!

NOTE: DON'T ASK ME TO DOUBLE UPDATE CAUSE IT'S NOT HAPPENING. I don't have enough chapters prewritten and I just don't have the time to write right now.**

Tansy's POV

"So how was your first week of preschool?" I asked Calla as she played with some Lincoln Logs on the front counter, creating her dolls 'dream cabin' as she put it.

"It was alright, but they always make me take a nap before lunch and I don't like that." She complained.

I fucking wish I was forced to take naps during the day.

"Well, besides that. Have you made any new friends?" I asked with curiosity. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd become everyone's new best friend. She has the most infectious smile and laugh that it made it impossible not to love her.

"Yeah. Caroline and Natalie. They like Barbies, too." She beamed, pausing her building so I could see her wide smile. I chuckled in amusement. If only making friends were still that easy.

"That's wonderful, baby." I encouraged before going back to balancing the store's books.

It was quiet in the store for a little while before Calla stopped and said, "Mommy, why haven't you been home all week?" My heart squeezed in my chest at the upset look she was sporting.

Because that's not my home. It never has been.

"Well, a good friend of mine is really sick, so I've been staying with her so that I can take care of her. I don't know when she'll get better." The friend is me and the sickness is in my head. Too bad I can't tell her I don't think it'll ever get better.

"Oh...well daddy's been real angry and he's no fun to play with. And he's not very good at doing my hair for school." She pouted, her bottom lip visibly sticking out. I had no doubt that she knew the kind of effect she was having on me right now.

"I'll see what I can do." I assured her, happy to have lifted her spirits a little bit. Since it was pretty slow, she grabbed out a book from under the counter and handed it to me. I smiled when I saw that she'd picked the giving tree. I scooted my barstool back as Calla climbed onto my lap. I was glad that I'd finally invested in a much more sturdy, comfortable chair seeing as Calla refused to let me start reading until she was seated right on top of me - something that almost caused us to tumble backwards in my old chair a while back.

I was halfway through the book when the bell above the door chimed. Peeking up, I was caught off guard to see Judd standing across the counter.

"Hey." He said with a warm smile before looking down to Calla's tiny frame.

"Welcome to Tansy's floral. What can we get you?" She asked in a chipper tone - she loved helping me in any way she could.

"I'd like a...colorful assortment of flowers?" He said, though it sounded more like a question. I could already tell he was a typical man; he knew absolutely nothing about flowers beside the fact that red roses were considered romantic.

"So, is this flower shop yours?" Judd questioned her back with fake astonishment, something that made Calla giggle furiously.

"No, silly! It's mommy's shop!" She exclaimed before looking back and giving my cheeks a loving pat. I turned my head and gave the palm of her hand a kiss. She did what I taught her and clutched her hand into a fist to "save" the kiss from escaping so she has it for later. Remembering that we weren't alone, I glanced up and caught sight of Judd's very confused face. He was looking back and forth between Calla and I while blinking rapidly.