All Chapters of Blooming Backwards : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The buzz of conversation had long died down in the main dining room. Only the low hum of jazz from the speakers and the occasional clink of glassware remained. Kevin’s restaurant had officially closed for the night, but the bar stayed open—quiet and dim, reserved for those needing to decompress. Johnny sat at the far end, nursing a neat bourbon, staring into the amber liquid like it might hold the answers he couldn’t seem to find. Dane sat beside him, arms crossed, his drink untouched. “That went to hell fast,” Dane muttered, breaking the silence. Johnny didn’t look up. “She wasn’t supposed to be there. I told Lauren it was a business meeting. She twisted it, like always. And now Minnie—” He ran a hand through his hair, jaw clenched. “She looked at me like I was one of them.” Dane finally took a sip, then winced. “You mean like the people who used her? Yeah, well, you kinda dropped the ball, man. Again.” “Thanks for the support.” Dane shrugged, leaning back against the bars

The magenta feels louder than it looked in her bathroom mirror.Minnie steps into the front office of El Camino House with her hoodie tugged halfway over her freshly dyed hair, hoping to fly under the radar. But no such luck. The second she walks through the door, the scent of cinnamon coffee, printer toner, and overdue paperwork hits her—along with the voice that never misses a beat.“Well damn, who gave you a glow-up over the weekend?” calls Lani, her receptionist, spinning her chair halfway around to gawk. “Okay, Punk Barbie. I see you.”Minnie tugs down her hood with a smirk. “Felt like something new.”“New color, new vibe,” Lani says with an approving nod. “Please tell me this is because you finally dropped that cosmic baggage you’ve been carrying since—well, forever. Or at least tell me you got free dessert at that fancy-ass dinner.”Minnie hesitates. “Define dessert.”Lani narrows her eyes. “Okay, so no. Let me guess—Lauren showed up, stirred the pot, and then had the nerve to

Minnie didn’t hear the door open. She barely noticed the footsteps until Johnny’s voice landed behind her—low, gentle, familiar. “You okay?” She jumped, instinctively folding the note in half and pressing it flat on the desk like it might disappear if she didn’t look at it. “I’m fine,” she said too quickly. Johnny didn’t move closer, but she could feel the weight of his concern even from across the room. “You looked like you were about to crawl out of your own skin. What was that?” “Just… something stupid,” she muttered, standing and slipping the note into her pocket. “Lani thinks it’s someone being weird.” “You don’t.” Minnie hesitated. Then offered a partial truth. “Let’s just say… I’ve had some trouble in the past. Someone not letting things go.” His brow furrowed. “Your ex?” She didn’t answer right away. Johnny stepped closer. “Is this guy bothering you now?” “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “Could be him. Could be someone playing games. But… the notes? They’re gettin

The roller rink was exactly how Minnie remembered it—only smaller.The disco ball still spun in lazy circles over the warped wooden floor, and the snack bar still sold greasy nachos with watery cheese and icee cups stacked too high. Kevin was already halfway into a slushie by the time she laced up her skates, while Dane glided past the group like he’d trained for this day.Johnny wobbled up beside her, his laces loose and his expression confident. “Haven’t skated since… ever.”“You say that like it’s going to stop you from trying something stupid,” Minnie muttered.It didn’t.Within ten minutes, Johnny had attempted a backward spin, nearly faceplanted into a tween birthday party, and—somehow—ended up crashing into her with a wide, unapologetic grin.“See? I knew you’d catch me.”“You are six feet of chaos on wheels.”He grinned, panting. “And you’re exactly where I want to fall.”Later, they piled into Johnny’s black SUV with Dane driving, and headed to Knott’s Berry Farm. The weather

Johnny leaned against the edge of the patio bar, the cold bottle of beer sweating in his hand as he watched Minnie laugh with his grandfather and a few of the old war-buddies-turned-board-members who had stayed behind after dinner. She was in her element—attentive, curious, steady—and she hadn’t even realized yet how much they adored her already.He smiled to himself.“She’s good for you,” came his father’s voice from behind him.Johnny turned slightly, letting out a slow breath. “Yeah. I think so.”His dad took a sip from his glass of bourbon, nodding toward Minnie. “She listens. Knows when to speak and when to just… let people feel seen. That’s rare.”Johnny looked down. “I’m trying to fix things. I messed up back then.”His father nodded. “You were young. But I know everything that happened—after the party, when you shut down. I watched you break your own heart pretending it didn’t matter. Thought maybe you’d tell me back then. But you’re telling me now, and that’s what matters.”J