Page 10 of Mountain Pine
I grab the jar from her. “You’re the best.”
“I know.”
When I leave, a boost of energy zips through me. We’ll lie and say it’s from the moon pickles.
“Hey, Conner!” Taylor runs out of her shop, her rubber boots stomping across her muddy yard and she leans into my passenger side window. “So, are you coming over tonight for a beer?”
I’m exhausted. I just want to finish this day and crash because I’ll be up at the ass crack of dawn again tomorrow picking more dandelions for this little ray of sunshine who is smiling at me. I should say no. Tell her I’ll take a raincheck. Explain that I’m dog tired and could fall asleep right this second if I gave myself a chance to close my eyes.
Instead, I say, “Hell yeah. I’ll be here as soon as I’m done work. Want me to bring anything?”
Chapter 3
Taylor
“I have plans already.”
“With who? Your other boyfriend?”
I hate how he calls Conner that. Crossing my arms, I glower so he can feel through the phone how fed up I am. Austin knows damn well that he’s in trouble with me and bringing Conner into this argument will only make things worse for him.
“Come on, Tay,” he groans impatiently. “You aren’t still mad about that weed shit are you?”
“It’s not weed shit. It’s dandelion tea. And it’s mybusiness, Austin. Clients depend on me to provide specific products.” That I am once again reminding him of this is so infuriating.
“How many people do you know drink dandelion tea?”
“Enough to make me five grand a year.” And granted, that’s not a lot, but it’s not my only product. Besides, dandelions are free which means it’s pure profit. They’re also rich in vitamins A, K, C, and potassium and supportsliver function.
Oh! I should try to start a dandelion tea trend online. One solid, viral video and I’d be set! Making a mental note to run that by my friend Grace, who is an influencer and knows everything about making money, I get my attitude back where it belongs.
Aimed at Austin.
“If you can’t support me, then we have a problem.”
“Babe, Idosupport you. I bought you that energy bamboo chime thing you wanted, didn’t I?
Wow. What level of standards is this? Was it nice of him to buy me a windchime? Yes, of course. But support isn’t a windchime. It’s…
“This isn’t going to work, Austin.”
“Okay. If you’re busy tonight, we can have dinner tomorrow then.”
“No. I mean us. This isn’t going to work betweenus,Austin.” Silence spreads across the phone line and I worry we’ve disconnected. “Hello?”
“I’m here.” His voice is cautious. Clipped. Quiet.
It makes me feel bad. We’ve been together for over a year, and it’s been great for the most part. Okay, it’s been good, not great. Breaking up with him over the phone seems wrong though. So cold and impersonal.
“Can we talk about this later?” he asks andI cave.
“Yeah. Sure.”
Every time we’re on the brink of splitting up, I don’t follow through with it. I always chicken out because Austin isn’t a bad guy. We just have different lifestyles that don’t match the way I wish they would.
The way…
Conner honks his horn as he leaves.
