If Tomorrow Never Comes (Harper Falls Book 2) by Mary J. Williams
Authors: Mary J. Williams
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first joined there was no shutting you up. But after the first year, nothing. Mom liked it that way, she could pretend you weren't in any danger if she didn't know any details."
This was news to Alex. He'd known his parents had wanted him to go to college, but every penny they had was tied up in their business and he hadn't ever been much of a student. The thought of four years trapped in one classroom after another and then facing massive student loans had been the deciding factor. He'd never dreamed of a career in the military, but it had seemed as good a choice as any. He'd found a home, a calling. However, he'd been blissfully unaware that his job had been a source of worry to his mother.
"I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on you."
Lila put her cup on the coffee table before sitting next to her brother.
"I was pretty wrapped up in my own world," Alex admitted.
"And why shouldn't you have been? You were an adult with a job, an important job. I'm making it sound like we all sat around with nothing better to do than worry. I had school, Mom and Dad had the business. I just meant that when you could write or call home, you never shared any details, not even minor ones."
"It's easier not to say anything than try to skirt around what I can and can't say. I got excellent at small talk." He thought for a moment then asked,"Was I a huge bore?"
"No," Lila laughed. She'd never seen her brother anything but sure and confident. Worrying about his lack of interesting conversation was something new, and she liked how it humanized him. Hero worshiping someone when they were never around was one thing, but after Alex had joined the Army he had seemed larger that life. If they were going to have anything resembling a normal sibling relationship, she was going to have to stop thinking of him as superhuman.
"You were always funny and charming though you became a bit more serious as the years went by. I remember Dad commenting on it after one of your calls. He thought you seemed more grounded, Mom thought you looked sad."
"When was this?"
Lila thought about it. "About five years ago, I guess."
Right after he had left Dani. Alex had been ripped up inside and felt the need to reconnect with his family. He thought he'd done a good job of covering his feelings, but leave it his mother to know something had been wrong.
"They were proud of you, Alex. Never doubt it." Lila laid her head on his shoulder; it felt good to have her brother close by. "I was proud, too. I bragged all the time about my badass brother."
"Ya?"
"Ya. And Alex, I'm still proud of you."
"I'm proud of you, too." Alex gave her shoulder a squeeze. "It couldn't have been easy to start over, hundreds of miles away from your friends. Jack says your shop is doing banner business."
"It's been a lot of work, but Rose was the one that got the customers heading my way."
"Jack's Rose?"
Lila nodded. "I helped her out one night and she was so grateful she sent all her friends to buy flowers and plants, arrangements for parties, even weddings. Thanks to her, I've hired one full-time employee and two part-timers."
"So why don't you sound happier?"
"It's late, I'm tired. I save my cartwheels for earlier in the day." Lila knew she sounded defensive, but she resented Alex 's insinuation. She was happy—mostly.
"Are you writing?"
"Who has time," Lila said in an off-hand manner. She gathered up their mugs, almost full with tea neither of them had drunk and rinsed them out, leaving them to drain on the rack by the sink.
"You always made time. You always carried around a notebook, jotting down random thoughts."
"And now I keep my thoughts in my head. No big deal."
"Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted you to give up your dream to keep their's alive."
Now that was hitting too close to home, Lila thought with a wince. She didn't want to get into this, not with Alex, not with anyone.
"I like flowers, I know flowers. Flowers make people happy, so selling them makes me happy. End of
This was news to Alex. He'd known his parents had wanted him to go to college, but every penny they had was tied up in their business and he hadn't ever been much of a student. The thought of four years trapped in one classroom after another and then facing massive student loans had been the deciding factor. He'd never dreamed of a career in the military, but it had seemed as good a choice as any. He'd found a home, a calling. However, he'd been blissfully unaware that his job had been a source of worry to his mother.
"I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on you."
Lila put her cup on the coffee table before sitting next to her brother.
"I was pretty wrapped up in my own world," Alex admitted.
"And why shouldn't you have been? You were an adult with a job, an important job. I'm making it sound like we all sat around with nothing better to do than worry. I had school, Mom and Dad had the business. I just meant that when you could write or call home, you never shared any details, not even minor ones."
"It's easier not to say anything than try to skirt around what I can and can't say. I got excellent at small talk." He thought for a moment then asked,"Was I a huge bore?"
"No," Lila laughed. She'd never seen her brother anything but sure and confident. Worrying about his lack of interesting conversation was something new, and she liked how it humanized him. Hero worshiping someone when they were never around was one thing, but after Alex had joined the Army he had seemed larger that life. If they were going to have anything resembling a normal sibling relationship, she was going to have to stop thinking of him as superhuman.
"You were always funny and charming though you became a bit more serious as the years went by. I remember Dad commenting on it after one of your calls. He thought you seemed more grounded, Mom thought you looked sad."
"When was this?"
Lila thought about it. "About five years ago, I guess."
Right after he had left Dani. Alex had been ripped up inside and felt the need to reconnect with his family. He thought he'd done a good job of covering his feelings, but leave it his mother to know something had been wrong.
"They were proud of you, Alex. Never doubt it." Lila laid her head on his shoulder; it felt good to have her brother close by. "I was proud, too. I bragged all the time about my badass brother."
"Ya?"
"Ya. And Alex, I'm still proud of you."
"I'm proud of you, too." Alex gave her shoulder a squeeze. "It couldn't have been easy to start over, hundreds of miles away from your friends. Jack says your shop is doing banner business."
"It's been a lot of work, but Rose was the one that got the customers heading my way."
"Jack's Rose?"
Lila nodded. "I helped her out one night and she was so grateful she sent all her friends to buy flowers and plants, arrangements for parties, even weddings. Thanks to her, I've hired one full-time employee and two part-timers."
"So why don't you sound happier?"
"It's late, I'm tired. I save my cartwheels for earlier in the day." Lila knew she sounded defensive, but she resented Alex 's insinuation. She was happy—mostly.
"Are you writing?"
"Who has time," Lila said in an off-hand manner. She gathered up their mugs, almost full with tea neither of them had drunk and rinsed them out, leaving them to drain on the rack by the sink.
"You always made time. You always carried around a notebook, jotting down random thoughts."
"And now I keep my thoughts in my head. No big deal."
"Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted you to give up your dream to keep their's alive."
Now that was hitting too close to home, Lila thought with a wince. She didn't want to get into this, not with Alex, not with anyone.
"I like flowers, I know flowers. Flowers make people happy, so selling them makes me happy. End of
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