"I know. You have your life in Atlanta," Mitch said, finally taking her hand from Lilly's knee, missing the warmth under her palm immediately. Her mind raced at the implications of Lilly coming into ownership of her family’s bar, but she quickly pushed them aside. Now wasn’t the time to think about that.
"It's not that. I don't want to think about running the bar because that means Aunt May can’t. If it's mine, that means she's no longer here," she said with such sadness Mitch just wanted to take her in her arms. She barely resisted the urge to. She doesn’t want my comfort. She made that clear ten years ago.
"Do you have someone in Atlanta that could come and… be with you?" Mitch asked finally, gesturing to her phone. She’d heard enough of the conversation to know Lilly had someone significant in her life.
Lilly looked up but not directly into her eyes and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear that escaped out of her loose bun. Mitch recognized the fidgeting and knew she probably wasn’t going to like what Lilly said next.
"She's my business partner... and my girlfriend.”
Mitch nodded slowly as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She figured that’s who Lilly was talking to, but the confirmation made her heart hurt. She kept her expression as neutral as she could. "Well, perhaps she can come here and be with you?"
Mitch watched Lilly take in a deep breath and let it out slow. Like Mitch had seen so many times, Lilly composed herself within seconds.
"I'll be fine. I'm going to stay the rest of the week to see what I need to get sorted for Aunt May and then I'll make whatever decisions I need to after that," Lilly said, all trace of tears and distress gone.
"Okay, well, I'm here too if you need help with the bar or anything, although I think I'm really only suited for labor or repairs that need to be done," Mitch said with a crooked grin.
"Don't sell yourself short there, Hotshot Captain," Lilly said with a small, teasing smile.
Mitch simply nodded, and her lips ticked up on one side. She straightened herself behind the steering wheel. "Take you to May's house or back to Sunnyside to get her car?"
"May's please. I took a ride share to see her today," Lilly said and reached around to fasten her seat belt as Mitch did the same and then they pulled out of the parking lot.
Chapter 5
Mitch was awakened by an exuberant dog tongue and groaned as she pushed Ellie away.
"Why can't you just nudge me with your nose, huh?" she mumbled through a yawn and sat up slowly continuing to try to dodge the tongue bath.
She slid out of bed, pulled on a sweatshirt and some sweatpants, and shoved her feet into her slippers as the dog danced around her.
"All right, all right." Mitch laughed as the dog raced down the loft steps before her and stood at the front door.
Mitch pulled the door open and poked her head out into the brisk morning air to watch Ellie run to her favorite bathroom spot.
She left the door cracked open and went to put water on to boil. As her water heated, she ground just enough coffee beans for one cup and put them into her French press. She stood looking out the window over the sink, absently watching Ellie make her rounds.
It had been surreal seeing Lilly again and spending that much time with her after all these years. Though Mitch hated the circumstance that brought Lilly back home, it was good to see her. But it hurt, knowing Lilly had a girlfriend. What did you expect, Mitchell? You gave up on her as surely as Lilly packed her bags and left.
She often wondered if it was a mistake to try and read the letter Lilly wrote her so soon after she left. She had been so raw and hurt, she couldn't see past her own thoughts and feelings. She didn't want to read about how Lilly had loved her but not enough to stay and make a life with her. “Fuck this!” Mitch had shouted after reading the first paragraph. She had stalked outside to their small patio, lit it, threw it into the grill and watched it burn.
That damn letter haunted her for a long time, at least until she was convinced that Lilly had in fact, moved on. She'd yet to do the same, however. It had been ten years and she'd given up trying to figure out why she couldn't. She used to think it was because she knew she made a huge mistake not reading the entire letter. Then she wondered if it was because she was still in love with Lilly. After only a couple of days with Lilly back in her life, she now knew it was because both of those things were true.
She was drawn away from her thoughts when the kettle whistled. She went to grab it off the stove and poured the water into her press. She had three more days off but had already taken care of all the things she'd needed to. So, she decided to take a nice long jog into town with Ellie.
Being a Hotshot meant being in the same shape as an elite athlete so even on her days off, she needed to keep her cardio and strength up. The jog to downtown and back, as the crow flies, would be the perfect workout.
She fed Ellie and then made herself a bowl of quick oats and some egg whites. She got dressed, pulled on her trail running shoes and grabbed Ellie's leash.
By the time she got to the bottom of the trail that led to the road to town, she was thankful for the cool weather. She called back Ellie, who had been running in front of her sans leash, so she could put it on her before setting off along the semi-busy road.
She let the loud, aggressive music coming from her earbuds drive her onward until she reached the first buildings that began the Main Street businesses. She passed the credit union, urgent care, Molly's Shoe Emporium that had been there before she was born.
She passed Claire's Hair Salon, waving when she saw the business' namesake working at the chair nearest the window. Her feet began to slow when she reached the end of the first block and she found herself crossing the street to the other corner, pulling the door open to Bender's Bar.
She stood right inside the door letting her eyes adjust to the low light and once they did, pulled Ellie's leash tight to her and made her way toward the bar.
Lilly was looking over the schedule that Mark had made up when she heard a voice come from the bar. She hurried to the saloon doors that separated the kitchen and bar area and stopped short when she saw Mitch walking up to the bar.
"Mitch, hi," Lilly said in surprise as a smile crossed her lips unconsciously. "We don't open for another hour if you're looking to get your drink on." Lilly teased. "You look like you ran here." She reached under the bar and grabbed a clean glass and filled it with water from the bar spigot. She pushed it across the bar toward Mitch.
"Well, I did." Mitch laughed with an exaggerated huff as she pulled the glass toward her. She looked back at the door. "Sorry, the door was open, so I figured the bar was too," Mitch said before downing half the glass.
Just then Lilly heard a bark and her eyes lit up as Mitch looked down and gently reprimanded a dog she hadn't seen Mitch come in with.
"Who is this?" Lilly cooed as she came around the bar and immediately knelt in front of the excited black dog, rubbing her neck affectionately.
"This is Eleanor, or Ellie," Mitch said, obviously amused.
"She's beautiful and so sweet!" Lilly gushed as Ellie pushed her head into her chest wanting to be pet more. She rubbed the dog's head as she watched Mitch take out a collapsible silicone bowl from her back pocket and lean over the bar to fill it from the bar tap.