Page 18 of Let's Be Forever

“I’m happy we did this.” She smiles. “And hey, you’re a good mom. I’m proud of you.”

I dip my chin, feeling a wave of emotions. “Clementine, it’s too late in the day for this. Stop flirting with me.”

She blows me a kiss and leaves.

When she’s gone, I can’t help but feel a heaviness in my chest. The smile I was forcing slips, the tension in my head resurfacing.

He’s not here. I don’t have to be on edge. He’s not going to take Rosie away.

There’s ten minutes until closing and as much as I consider locking up now, I don’t. There’s a possibility that a new customer could come in and become a potential regular, like Mrs. Dawson.

They’ve all shown up right before closing because they were craving something sweet and then stuck around. So even if there’s only a few minutes left, it can’t hurt to stay open until then.

Either way, Em did a good job about cleaning before she had to go. I don’t have much to do but clean the tongs and trays, and dust the crumbs off the wooden countertop.

My gaze flicks to the door and large windows. Since no one passes by, I take the opportunity to check the bottom drawers, making sure we have enough brown paper bags, boxes, and business cards.

I’m crouched down, looking at the last drawer, when I hear the front doorbell chime.

Kicking it closed with my foot, I stand, shoving my glasses back up the bridge of my nose. “Hi, welcome to Everything Every—” The rest of my words dissipate, along with the air in my lungs.

I freeze, unable to move, but my heart beats into a frenzy. I’m almost afraid I’m experiencing cardiac arrest. Every hair on my body stands, goose bumps break loose on my skin, and dread courses through me.

“Hi, Anna,” Sylas says from the front door.

8

ANNA

I stand rigid,inundated with a pressure so intense it makes me dizzy. I don’t know how I manage to stand upright, how I don’t break into a sweat.

My stomach churns, and unease rips through my veins. I have to swallow hard, force the bile down, and remind myself to breathe.

Sylas still stands unblinking by the front door, but he smiles, and those goddamn dimples make an appearance.

I don’t stare too hard, don’t react like I would have a few years ago. Even though it’s all I want to do. Ear-piercing shrieking ricochets in my head, bouncing around inside my skull, desperate to be let out, but I raise a deceptively calm smile. In spite of the rage that now consumes me, I do nothing but fucking smile. If I don’t, I’ll end up in jail for committing murder.

“Hi.” I somehow manage to find the strength to release that word and the next ones. “Welcome to Everything Everything.” Each syllable is strained. I try to sound casual, friendly, but I’m struggling to come off that way. It takes all my focus not to tell him to fuck off. “We’ll be closing in ten minutes, but you’rewelcome to browse and buy. If you need help, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m more than happy?—”

“Anna,” he interrupts, mouth cast in an uneven smile, his dimples gone, hiding beneath the scruff. “Please don’t act like you don’t know who I am.” He sounds devastated—pathetically so—his English accent heavy, which I know means he’s exhausted.

Sylas does too good of a job of looking sorrowful, but I know it’s all a ruse. I know he’s playing me, maybe thinks I’ll jump in his arms, beg him to come back. He probably expects me to be thrilled that he’s standing here acting helpless. But I won’t fall for his games. I know better. And I know if I’m not careful, he’ll take Rosie from me.

“More than happy to help,” I finish. I don’t mean to grind my teeth, for my jaw to tic, for the friendliness I was already failing to exude slips off my face. “As I said, we close in ten—” I glance at the watch around my wrist. “Eight minutes,” I correct.

Grabbing the dirty tongs and trays behind me, I take them to the back, dropping them in the deep sink. Gripping on to the edge, I lower my head and fight against the quiver of my chin.

Do not cry. Do not cry. Do not cry. Anna, you better not cry. You promised yourself you wouldn’t. Do. Not. Cry.

It’s a brief chant, and although the quiver persists, I manage to get myself together before I walk back out. I glance at my watch again. Six minutes until closing.

Sylas is in the same spot. I want to scream and ask him what he’s playing at. Why he’s just hovering there looking so defeated. I want to do so many things, but I physically bite my tongue. I will not give him the satisfaction of an outburst.

“Are you finding everything okay?” My lips are lifted so high my cheeks burn from the hold.

No matter what life throws at us, we’re going to do it together. I promise.

He said that so many times and I believed him. I really wish I hadn’t. I wish I’d listened to Maya. She warned me, begged me to break things off with Sylas. She knew he was going to break my heart, but I defended him, maintaining howdifferenthe was. That he wasn’t like the rest. That he wouldn’t break my heart. He promised, as he made love to me, and swore he’d never leave.