The Road to Us

✨ Chapter Sixteen | Carlos

— Hudson —

Leaving the library felt like a punch to the gut. After seven years, I never imagined I'd be fired... especially not for something as ridiculous as falling for someone. I understood Mrs. Thompson's position on policy, but it didn't make it any easier to accept. 

It felt like I was being punished just for loving Colton.

Colton, in typical Colton fashion, had quit before Mrs. Thompson even had a chance to pull him aside. He said he didn't want to make things worse for me, but I knew it still stung... He loved those kids, and that job was more than just a paycheck for him, it was his chance to make a difference. 

My heart broke for him. He didn't deserve this mess, not with everything else going on at Phoenix Cycles. 

He kept telling me it'd be fine, that Chuck was stepping up to help after his dad pulled the plug. I wanted to believe him, and I did my best to stay optimistic.

As much as I missed the comfort of the library... the quiet corners where I could lose myself in a book, the feeling of being surrounded by stories waiting to be discovered, and Jackie and Evelyn who'd always had my back... I knew I couldn't stay stuck in that chapter of my life.

The same day Colton and I got back from our camping trip, I started applying for jobs. The days stretched into weeks, and every rejection chipped away at me a little more. But then, finally, I got a call for an interview...

I was lucky enough to land a job at a local plant nursery.

It was an entirely different world. Instead of the muted whispers of the library, I was greeted by the rustle of leaves and the earthy, soothing scent of soil. The air felt fresher, cleaner, like every breath I took was helping me heal. The plants didn't care about who I loved or what I'd been through. They just needed water, sunlight, and a little bit of care. And in return, they grew.

Jenna, the nursery's no-nonsense manager, was the first to make me feel at home. She reminded me of Mrs. Thompson in some ways... tough, meticulous, but with a surprising softness underneath. She could bark orders one minute and then patiently show me how to coax a stubborn cactus into blooming the next.

Carlos, a part-timer with an encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and an endless supply of homemade snacks, became my go-to work buddy. He had this infectious energy that made even the longest days fly by. After work, we'd sometimes grab dinner at a nearby diner, talking about everything from what we'd done that day to the dreams we were still chasing.

The nursery wasn't what I'd expected, but I loved it. 

The rhythm of the work, the way it demanded my attention but also left me with enough space to think... it felt right. Almost like I was supposed to end up here, like losing the library wasn't just an ending but a push toward something better.

Every day felt like planting new roots of my own. I was learning, growing, and finding out that life had so much more to offer than what I'd left behind. It wasn't the life I'd imagined, but maybe it was the one I needed.

⏳ ⏳ ⏳

It was one of those ridiculously slow afternoons at the nursery, the kind where even the plants seemed to be on a break from doing anything productive. 

Jenna had tasked me with reorganizing the fern display, but my mind kept drifting to Carlos's latest culinary "masterpiece."

Carlos was one of my coworkers, around my age and height.... maybe a touch taller... with messy, curly dark hair that somehow managed to look both effortless and intentional, like he spent hours perfecting the "I just rolled out of bed" aesthetic. His warm olive skin was a canvas for an assortment of plant tattoos and intricate floral patterns, each one more vibrant than the last.