Always There For You by Halli Starling

Author:Halli Starling [Starling, Halli]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Halli Starling Books
Published: 2023-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

“Purple or blue?”

“Hmm?”

Hadley held up two tablecloths. The purple was a thick purple velvet that needed to be hemmed properly. And the blue was so dark it looked almost black, but it would need weights sewn in to keep it from slipping. “I’m undecided. You’re a decider. Help.”

Amelia gave the frame by her right shoulder a nudge to center it. When Hadley sent her the thumbs up, her friend turned that full focus onto her. “The blue.”

“Oh, very decisive.”

“You asked.”

She smiled. “I did. So I’m going to put this upstairs and water the plants.”

Amelia wiggled the hammer in her hand. “Go forth and cleanse the air, my friend.”

That made her wrinkle her nose. “You’d need a lot of plants up there to get all the alcohol out of the air.”

Amelia’s answer was a snort and an eye roll before turning back to the various decorations left to hang up. Hadley took her time fussing with the little corner nook Amelia had given her for her dog and cat sweaters to sell and the tarot readings she’d be doing. The readings were just for fun, but she was already devising a calendar of events; one at Amelia’s behest, of course. But time alone meant her mind wandered, and it never wandered more than when she was absorbed in a calming task like sewing or tending to plants.

She looked over a little succulent that she’d repotted last week and sighed. The wall of various pots and jars, all salvaged from the local recycling center, glinted in the soft afternoon light that poured in from the skylights. The plants were thriving in this spot, just like she figured they would. And in the evening, their leaves shone softly as the pendant lights over the bar and tables flickered on. It was a magical spot, a little indoor garden with wine and conversation and she couldn’t wait to watch it flourish. To watch Amelia flourish.

The bathroom, the confessions, and ultimately Amelia asking her to move in had been three days ago. Three days. It had felt like forever in the best kind of way. She went to sleep with the creaking of trees humming lullabies, occasionally backed up by soft drumming rain. They made coffee to-go at home, said goodbye to Mr. Buttons if he was around, and then drove Amelia’s little hatchback into Breakwater to park behind the store and start their day. It was routine, it was normal.

For Hadley, it was heaven.

Maybe age was the real burden here, so eager to show Hadley what she’d been missing all those years bouncing around the planet. It sounded nice, the life of a wandering backpacker who went from city to city, breathing in oceans and markets and drinking in cafes. But sustaining that got harder each time she had to leave Amelia.

Because she’d been leaving home every time, and every time it hurt more.

There had been a moment that night, when she’d whispered her secret into the humid air and the soft skin of

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