Carry Me Home (The Home Series: Book Three) by Megan Nugen Isbell Page B

he did and now he’s back and you have the chance to talk to him.  You have the chance to get your answers and maybe even be friends again.”
    “Jesse and I can’t be friends again,” I said quickly.
    “Maybe not the way you used to be, but Riley, what you and Jesse had was special and you can’t tell me you don’t want him back in your life in some way, even if it’s just to be civil towards each other and to know you’re both okay.” 
    “I don’t know what I want,” I sighed. “I thought I was okay with everything.  I thought I was really over what happened, but seeing him…it’s made me see I’m not.  I mean…I’m over him,” I stammered, but I noticed the way my mom eyed me doubtfully. “Don’t look at me that way.  I am over him, but I guess I’m not over how things ended between us.”
    “Then you might not want to miss out on your chance to get the closure you need,” she added and I just shook my head as I looked at her.
    “I hate when you’re right,” I said, finally taking a full bite of my dinner and she just smiled.

 
    Chapter Nine
     
    Even though it had been a few days since Jesse came by, I couldn’t get our conversation out of my head and my mom’s words were always in the back of my mind.  I buried myself in my work while I was there.  It was my safe place.  The place I could forget about it all, or try to anyway.  So when the familiar bells jingled on the door to the flower shop, and I looked up to see Jesse standing at the front of the store, I didn’t know what to think. 
    My mouth felt dry and I didn’t quite know how to react.  Things had n’t ended well the day by my grandparents’ old garden.  I thought he’d understood I didn’t want to talk to him and yet he stood before me again.  I didn’t say anything as he made his way to the front of the shop where I was standing.  He stopped across from me, the counter separating us. I caught a hint of his cologne and I was surprised at what vivid memories could be conjured by a single scent. 
    “Jesse…what’re you doing here?” I finally said after what seemed like forever.
    “Actually,” he began and I had to give him credit.  He seemed relaxed and I wondered how he did it, unless he really wasn’t nervous, which I couldn’t understand how that could be possible. I felt like nothing more than a jumble of nerves. “I wanted to get some flowers for my dad’s grave.  I couldn’t keep avoiding you, seeing how this is the only flower shop in town,” he said with a quiet laugh in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood.
    “Well, let me help you pick something out,” I said, trying to keep it strictly business. “What’d you have in mind?”
    “Um…I’m really not sure.  Flowers aren’t my strong suit.  I just want to put something there while I’m in town.  I feel badly that it’s been so long.”
    “So…do you want something large or simple?” I asked, surprised by the normalcy of the conversation. 
    “Probably something simple.   You know my dad wasn’t one to make a big deal about anything,” he said and I nodded in agreement.
    “No, he wasn’t.  Simple is best then,” I said, reaching under the counter and pulling out a book of arrangements.  I handed it to Jesse and he started flipping through it.  I stopped him when we came across an arrangement of carnations on the page. “If you want to go with meaning, carnations are good.  White carnations are for remembrance.”
    “I didn’t realize flowers had meanings.” 
    “Yeah, they do.”
    “Interesting,” he nodded as he kept flipping through the pages. “What about sunflowers?” he asked, stopping on a nice, simple arrangement.
    “They actually strand for adoration,” I said and he looked up at me contemplatively.
    “My dad liked sunflowers,” he said softly.
    “And you adored him,” I added quietly and he nodded as he swallowed hard.
    “Can you just make me up a bouquet of sunflowers? I think that