Lydia's Pine Harbor Christmas, стр. 15
“Marco, I can’t have lunch or dessert.” He looked stunned, but he didn’t protest, so Lydia went on. “There’s a lot going on in my life right now. I promise it’s nothing you did. I just need some time to myself. I could lie and say that I’m busy and not answer your calls, but I won’t do that to you. Your friendship has meant a lot to me.” He drew in a breath, but before he could speak, she interrupted. “It’s a small town, so it’s hard to avoid each other.” She tried to smile, but it was hopeless. It was the wrong time for tears, so she fought them. “Let’s just call it a breather.” That was the worst lie you’ve ever told in your life. This is goodbye forever. Only Lydia’s forever was worse, because Marco would always be in it, just out of reach.
Lydia skipped lunch and brought back a coffee.
Allie stuck her head in the doorway between the shop and the back room. “That was quick.”
Barely nodding, Lydia sank into a chair facing the window. Crusted white snow coated the buildings and benches surrounding the harbor. A few forlorn fishing boats sat in the frozen water as if caught unaware of time passing around them. Winter could be so bleak, she thought.
Allie sat down next to Lydia, where she had a good view of the shop in case anyone wandered in. “What happened?”
As much as Lydia wished she could cry and just let it all out, she couldn’t. All that misery lay locked in her heart with no hope of release. “I sort of broke up with Marco.”
“Broke up? That sounds…”
“If it does, then it’s my fault. We were just friends. I knew that. I guess I just reached a point where I couldn’t be his friend anymore.”
Allie said softly, “Because you feel more.”
Lydia nodded as she stared at the horizon. “Bryce and I have been seeing each other. He likes me.”
Allie’s eyes brightened. “Well, that’s good.”
“It is.” Lydia exhaled. “It’s so much easier with Bryce. Everything is calm and serene… and bland. But I think it could get better. Not everyone feels fireworks and heart-pounding longing. Love can take time to grow, right?”
Allie’s eyebrows drew together. “I think so. It’s different for everyone.”
”I want it to be different for me.” She took a sip of her coffee and savored its warmth and comforting flavor. “I think I hurt Marco’s feelings.”
“But he had to understand how you felt.”
“He would have—if he knew.”
“You didn’t tell him?”
“I couldn’t get the words out. I’ve already ripped open my heart. I couldn’t just put it all out there for Marco to stomp all over.”
“He cares too much about you to do that.”
Lydia leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling’s edge with tear-moistened eyes. “I don’t understand why, but having him care like that makes it worse, in a way. All that caring looks too much like what I wish I could be. It’s like a carrot dangling in front of my face, and I’m the jackass.”
Allie gently rubbed Lydia’s shoulder then gave it a pat. “Don’t you think you’re being a little bit hard on yourself?”
“Yeah… I’m more of a cute little kitten in his eyes—something to find adorable and play with for a while then set aside when something cuter comes along.”
The bell over the shop door rang to announce customers. Allie said, “We’ll talk later.” She gave Lydia’s hand a squeeze and went into the shop, gently closing the door behind her.
Nine
Marco returned to the brewpub in time to finish the lunch rush and do most of the side work.
Only then did Theo approach him. “Sit down.”
Mel stopped by on her way out the door and leaned on the bar beside Marco. “You still owe me a full shift. That was the agreement.”
He stared down at his hands. “Yeah, got it.”
“Good, ‘cause I’m going out for the evening, and my phone will be off.”
Without looking at her, he said, “Good. Have fun.”
Puzzled, she looked at Theo and exhaled loudly. “We could change it to tomorrow if you want.”
Theo said, “That’s okay. You go ahead.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, we’re good. Thanks.”
Theo slid onto the stool beside Marco. “So, what is it?”
Marco stared at the bottles lining the wall. “I’m not even sure what I did, but Lydia doesn’t want to be friends anymore. I was a little irritable the other day, but she’s got no right to complain about that. You should see her in the mornings.”
“And you can’t think of anything that might have prompted this?”
“No. I thought we were really good friends. That’s how I felt, anyway. But she’s just cut me off with no explanation.”
“What about the new boyfriend?”
That touched a nerve. “Boyfriend? I wouldn’t call him that.”
“But maybe she would.” Theo hastened to add, “I’m just guessing. But maybe her boyfriend—”
“Bryce.” Marco smirked.
“Right. Maybe Bryce has something to do with this. I mean, it’s kind of obvious, isn’t it? He’s probably jealous.”
The thought bothered Marco. “That’s a little possessive of him at this stage in the game, don’t you think?”
Theo used his soothing parental tone, which at the moment, irritated the heck out of Marco. “I don’t know. Wouldn’t you be? Look at it from his point of view. He’s an outsider. He meets Lydia, and he’s crazy about her. But she’s got this guy in her life, and they’re more than just friends.”
“Hold on. No one said that.”
Theo looked at him impatiently. “No one has to. He just has to see you two together.”
“If that is, in fact, the