Loves Me, Loves Me Not by Elena Aitken

Author:Elena Aitken [Aitken, Elena]
Language: eng
Format: epub

After talking it over with her dad, and telling him about the potential opportunity in the mountains with Beth's contacts, Daisy still wasn’t any closer to a decision and she needed some air. Leaving him in charge so she could go for a walk, she stepped out into the overcast Saturday afternoon. It wasn’t raining, yet. And with any luck, it would stay away. Lord knew they’d had enough rain in the last week to last them awhile. But in Calgary, the alternative to rain could easily be snow and the rain would make everything green and beautiful, so she wouldn’t complain too much. Besides, she might even welcome the rain if it meant she could cuddle under the umbrella with Ben again.

The thought popped out of nowhere. Especially considering she’d done her best to push him out of her mind for most of the morning while she dealt with her shop. It had worked, too—well, for the most part anyway. But she still wasn’t any closer to making a decision about BWI’s offer.

“One thing at a time, Daisy,” she said to herself. “First the shop. Then the guy.” She glanced around to see whether anyone had heard her, but of course no one had. There’d have to be people around for that, and since BWI had started to buy up everything within two blocks, there was barely anyone left at all. It made her sad to walk down what were once vibrant, busy streets, now left mostly desolate and empty.

What had once been a thriving little community full of quirky shops, and an eclectic mix of people who all stopped to say hello and knew one another’s name, was now little more than a ghost town. What few people there were came from the high-rises nearby. But even they didn’t bother to come to her block anymore. What was the point when there was nothing left open? Flowers were more often than not the extra thing people only thought of after they’d picked up their groceries or dry cleaning. She couldn’t realistically expect anyone to come all the way into a dead neighborhood just for her arrangements. Even if they were the nicest in town.

When the buyouts had started, they’d started slowly. First the dry cleaner sold, and then the bakery had closed. But when BWI bought the two small apartment buildings that were the heart’s-blood of their neighborhood, the rest of the shops closed at a rapid rate. Without anyone to sustain them, they didn’t have a chance, and the buyout offers got smaller and less attractive, because BWI knew they had no choice. Except now they were getting desperate, because Daisy’s offers had gotten bigger. And so had the pressure they’d put on her.

Daisy kicked at a rock on the sidewalk. And for what? All this pain and suffering that they’d caused to good people. People who’d worked their whole lives to build up businesses and lives for themselves. Her anger built as she walked down her empty street.

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