DAMAGED Godwin's Grocery

I never moved on. I tried, but I couldn’t. I will spend my entire life loving her even if she’s determined to leave me. 

She’s Juliet and I’m Romeo. 

Claire

Just when things between mom and I seem to be getting better, Rose has a scare that lands her in the hospital. Mom discovers that I’ve been keeping Carmel a secret from her and tells me that we’re not welcome at Apple Blossom B&B.

So I pack up my bags and head to the only place I can think of that will take me and a pregnant dog in…Jax.

Of course, he answers the door in just a towel with his hair damp and his chest glistening from water droplets. Thankfully, I regain my senses and ask him for a place to stay while I sort out my life. He’s hesitant, but agrees.

His only condition: I work my room and board off at his pub.

Which seemed easy enough. Until I see just how popular he is with the ladies and I hate that those pesky twinges of jealousy rise up in my chest when I see him enjoying that attention just a little too much.

I’m angry at my mom and I’m angry with Jax. One drunken night, I do the unthinkable. I ask Jax if his lips feel the same as they did when we were dating as teens.

His gaze turns dark as he stares at me and asks, “Do you want me to kiss you, Claire?”

I know I should say no, but I don’t. Now everything has changed but I’m still the same Claire with all the issues I that had before.

I know how our story ends. I’ve lived it before. Fate doesn’t want us together. Ever.

Juniper

I’m determined to put my life with Kevin behind me. He was my past and I’m ready to focus on my future. Mom and dad? They aren’t so convinced.

Sure, they offer to let me work at Godwin’s Grocery. It’s a simple job that lets me get out of the house and focus on healing. But I wonder if it’s just a way for my parents to keep tabs on me.

I haven’t told them what happened withKevin. My black eye speaks volumes all on its own. I know they want to know what happened. Especially since he’s a Proctor: the wealthiest family in town. But that’s a road I don’t want to go down…

Until Kevin calls me. He’s sorry for what he did and he wants to talk. We’d been together for so long, that I agree. It’s the least I can do.

Mom and dad don’t want me to go, but I’m an adult, I can make these decisions on my own. Until mom suggests that I take the new hire with me. His name is Boone and he looks like he belongs on the battlefield, not stocking shelves.

Not wanting to start a fight, I agree. But when Boone doesn’t leave my side, my parents plan starts to unfold. In the small town of Harmony Island, they found me a bone fide bodyguard.

I’m annoyed and I let Boone know it. I’ll be fine. My future doesn’t include Kevin until…it does.

Claire

The blare of my alarm caused me to moan and pull my pillow over my face. It was 5 a.m. on a Tuesday, and if I didn’t get out of bed and get Carmel out for her walk, Mom would be up and getting breakfast started, and I’d miss my window to slip out before she saw me. 

But I was so tired. It felt like a monumental task to pull my body out of bed and get dressed. 

“Blast you, dog,” I murmured as I rubbed my eyes and yanked my comforter off my body. I stretched my arms over my head and yawned as I tried to loosen my stiff muscles. 

Mom had gone on a rampage yesterday, and we spent the whole day stripping beds and vacuuming mattresses. There was a huge fishing competition this weekend, and she was booked solid. I could tell the idea of being fully booked had her anxiety spiking above the normally elevated level. I thought about talking to her about it, but decided against it. 

After all, it was a miracle our relationship hadn’t gotten worse with me being here. I wasn’t going to push my luck.

I shook my body to help my muscles wake up and stood. I slipped out of my pajamas and into a pair of yoga pants and a tank. I tied my tennis shoes, and on my way out of my room, I grabbed my old hoodie and pulled it over my head. 

I paused once I was in the hallway and tipped my head to the side, trying to catch any sign of life in the house. The only noise that reached my ears was the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the foyer that my mother had inherited from her mother. 

I sighed and made my way to the kitchen, where I grabbed a glass of water before pushing through the back door out to the porch. I bounded down the steps and glanced around one more time before I made my way to the shed. I could hear Carmel whining as I neared. 

I hated that I had to keep her here, but it was the only option. I hadn’t come clean with Mom, and I feared what she would say if she found out. Sally, my ex-roommate had called to tell me she had taken a job in St. Louis, so I needed to find a different apartment. She’d boxed up my stuff and rented a storage unit for me. 

My job had called to say that they would have to take me off payroll if I didn’t tell them definitively when I was going to return. I told them I’d be back after this weekend, which seemed to appease them. Mom was getting better, and with Rose here, I was just getting in the way. 

“Carmel,” I whispered. Her nose appeared between the door and the frame as soon as I started to push inside. Her tail was wagging, shaking her now round belly. 

She found my hand and started licking it over and over. I laughed as I crouched down and scratched behind both of her ears. She turned her attention to my nose, and I let her lick me a few times before I stood and reached for the leash I’d stashed on a hook in the back. 

“Come on, girl.” I hooked the leash to her collar and turned back to open the door. “Let’s get you out of here before someone sees you.” I paused at the door and peeked out to make sure that the coast was clear. 

Then, I made a kissing noise, and Carmel fell into step with me as I hurried toward the woods and slipped into the protection of the trees. 

It was a beautiful morning. The smell of dew and leaves filled my nose as I walked Carmel on the now worn path we’d made in the woods behind Apple Blossom B&B. The sky was warming with the sun, whose rays were peeking over the horizon. I let my mind wander as I studied the path in front of me. 

It was strange that I’d been here for a month and a half already. Time had just flown by. I guess when you’re hiding a secret from your family, the days just tick by. Mom had been a bit more manageable since I’d promised to stay until she could fully return to her tasks around the B&B. 

I didn’t bother to tell her about losing my apartment or Carmel. It seemed like she appreciated my help, which made my stay less strained. 

Anything I could do to get through my time here, I was going to do. 

We passed by the pond where I’d run into Jax, and my entire body heated from the memory. I’d managed to keep my contact with him brief and concise. After I texted him that Carmel was pregnant, he responded that he would help take care of her, which I appreciated. 

He even came to the vet appointment where we found out that there were at least five puppies in there. He hadn’t said much. Instead, he just kept to the far wall and let me converse with the vet. I hated the inquisitive look that the vet tech gave me as her gaze drifted from Jax to me. 

Thankfully, she didn’t say anything about Jax being my ex or what this meant for us. When I went to pay, Jax stepped in and handed his card over to the receptionist. If he saw my glare, he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he kept his gaze forward until the receptionist handed him back his card and the receipt to sign. 

Last week he stopped me on the street and insisted that I come to the pub to get the bag of dog food he’d bought for Carmel. Besides that, he kept his distance. 

I hated and loved that at the same time. Being in my hometown was bringing up all of my old feelings, and I hadn’t realized how stitched into my past Jax was. Every corner. Every building. Every person reminded me of Jax and the feelings I used to have for him. 

It was its own kind of torture that faded but never went away. 

Wailing sirens drew my attention up. I looked through the trees in the direction it was coming from but couldn’t make out what department it was or where it was going. 

I glanced down to see Carmel had heard as well. Her body was pointed in the direction of the sound. Her ears were lifted, and her head tipped to the side. She whimpered, so I reached down and scratched her head. 

“Let’s go, girl,” I said as I turned to head back. 

She looked tired, and I didn’t want to push her farther than she wanted to go. Plus, I had this feeling in my gut that the sirens were headed in the direction of the B&B. 

As we got closer, I saw the lights of an ambulance through the trees. My stomach dropped. People were gathered around, and when I saw the orange paint of Rose’s Toyota Corolla in the middle of them, all thought left my mind.

I sprinted the rest of the way through the woods, across the yard, and pushed through the group. Tears filled my eyes as I stared down at Rose. 

She must have collapsed as she was getting out of her car. The driver’s door was open, and she was lying on the ground just outside of it. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were closed.

“Rose?” I whispered as I tried to push past an EMT to get to her. 

“Ma’am,” the EMT said as they lifted their hand to stop me. 

Two other EMTs moved to lift Rose’s body up to put her on a gurney. Her arms fell to the sides of her body, and the reality of what was happening hit me like a freight train.

“No!” I wailed, suddenly finding my voice. I pushed against the EMT’s arms, which had surrounded me. “Let me go!” I screamed as I struggled to break his hold. 

“Ma’am, you cannot go over there.” His voice was direct and sharp as he held me against his chest. 

Tears were streaming down my cheeks. This couldn’t be happening. Rose was more of a mother to me than my own mother was. My mom was standing a few feet off, watching as the EMTs rolled Rose’s limp body over to the ambulance. 

I hated her so much. Why was she just standing there? Why wasn’t she crying? Why wasn’t she trying to stop what was happening? Why wasn’t she being the mother I needed her to be? 

“Listen, she’s weak but alive. We’re doing our job here. You need to calm down.” The EMT’s voice was gruff but kind, and it startled me. 

I stopped fighting and glanced up to see his dark blue eyes staring down at me. He couldn’t be much older than me with his tousled blond hair and soft smile that made the skin around his eyes crinkle. I stifled a sob and nodded. 

“Are you going to let us do our job?” he asked, and I began to feel his grip on me loosen. 

“Yes,” I whispered. 

He eyed me before he let me go and took a step back. He pushed his hand through his hair and then waved toward the ambulance. “We’re taking her to Harmony Medical. You can follow us if you want to.” 

My entire body felt numb, and I lost the ability to speak, so I just followed his gesture with my gaze. 

He studied me for a moment longer before he jogged over to the ambulance and climbed in the back. The sirens began to wail as the ambulance headed down the drive and disappeared down the main road. 

The crowd that had gathered began to make their way back to the B&B. Their conversations were kept to a soft hush. 

It took me a moment to find my strength. I glanced around and realized that Rose’s car door was still open, so I walked over to it and wrapped my fingers around it before I stopped. Rose’s purse was dumped out on the mat in front of the driver’s seat. Tears began to flow once more as I crouched down and began to stuff her things back inside her familiar and well-worn brown leather purse. 

Once everything was cleaned up, I held her purse to my chest as I stood and slammed the door behind me. 

I startled when I was met with the dark eyes of my mother. Her lips were tipped down into a frown, and her eyebrows were drawn together as if she were mad at me. 

“Ma—”

“Why is there a dog on my property?” Her voice was low, and suddenly, I felt as if I were a child again, getting reprimanded for stealing a cookie. 

“What?” I asked. Her words weren’t quite registering. 

“The dog. Why are you holding a leash with a dog attached to the other end?” 

I shifted my left hand, and the heavy feeling of a leash wrapped around my wrist brought me back to reality. I glanced down to see Carmel standing behind my legs. Her body was shaking as if this had all been too much for her. 

Realization washed over me when I returned my gaze to my mother. There was fire in her eyes now. She knew that I’d been keeping a secret from her. But what I couldn’t understand was why she cared more about this than Rose being transported to the hospital?

“I’ve had her here since you were in the hospital. Abigail needed a place for her, and she knew I took care of animals.” The story just spilled out of me. There was a sense of relief that came from finally telling the truth, and right now, I felt as if I were going to crumble under all of the emotional stress I’d been carrying around. 

“Abigail? The girl that owns the bookstore?” Mom’s face turned a brighter shade of red. “The one that is friends with Shelby?” Mom spat her name as if it tasted bad on her tongue. 

“What does it matter now? I need to get to the hospital,” I said as I sidestepped her and started my way back to the B&B so I could get my keys. 

“Where are you going?” Mom’s voice grew louder. I knew that she was following me, but I wasn’t going to stop. “You’re not taking a dog into my house.” Her voice had hit an octave that I hadn’t heard in a long time. 

Suddenly, my hand whipped back. I turned to see that Mom had yanked the leash off my wrist, and she was now holding it high in the air. 

“I do not allow animals on my property.” She turned on her heel and started marching a very frightened Carmel toward the main road. 

“Mom!” I screamed as I ran after her. I wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but I feared what she was capable of. 

“I told you this when you were a child, and my position hasn’t changed. I do not allow animals at the B&B.” 

I finally caught up with them. I reached down and scooped Carmel up in my arms. Anger coursed through me when I realized that she was shivering. When the leash went taut, Mom turned to face me. 

“Get her off my property.” 

I was shaking now. I wanted to scream profanities at my mother, but I couldn’t find the words. How could she be worried about Carmel when Rose was in an ambulance right now with an unknown future? Why did she always have to be so harsh?

“I’ll find her another place to stay,” I finally managed, my voice hoarse from the emotions that had solidified there. I turned and started making my way over to my car. I wasn’t sure where I was going to bring her, but I knew I couldn’t leave her here with Mom. 

“Claire?” 

I turned to face her. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest. Her jaw was set, and there was no emotion in her gaze. Any hope that she might actually take back her words and let Carmel stay slipped away with the morning breeze. 

“Yes?” I asked. 

“Find another place to stay as well.”