Jon: No.
Amanda: We’re in a fight.
ALL HANDS ON DECK
Evie: We need to talk.
Jon: Are we breaking up?
Evie: Not THAT talk.
Evie: Besides, I’m out of your league.
Jon: You should be so lucky.
Evie: Get home when you can.
Evie: I have news.
The moment I opened the door, the smell of flowers filled my nostrils. Lilacs mingled with roses, each a rich scent I’d walk out with. It was everything I had hoped for in a flower shop. Vases covered almost every surface, some with flowers, some with clippings yet to be arranged. Even the arch over the door had a trellis with vines, making for a grand entrance.
“Mimi’s grandson!”
In the coffee shop, I hadn’t thought about her voice. Now, in her flower shop, Marigold had a slight chime in the way she spoke. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was one of the faeries that called tree stumps home. Through some magic, she had grown and now spent her days bathing in the scent of spring.
I stopped by a short Grecian column, leaning in to smell a bouquet of multicolored roses. They had a sweet moistness to them that made me smile. Everything about her shop screamed joy.
“I was wondering if you could help me?” I entered, realizing that I was about to stir the pot. It’d be impossible to make this request without activating the phone tree. Let the rumors fly. I’d endure whatever Firefly sent my way.
Marigold didn’t walk from behind her counter. She glided. If I didn’t know better, I’d say translucent wings flapped back and forth, allowing her to hover above the shop floor. It didn’t help that she wore a billowing dress with a floral print that crept up her side and crossed over her chest.
“Happy or sad?”
I cocked my head to the side, not sure what she asked. Even her smile had a warmth. The lines along her face deepened, revealing she spent more time with a smile than without.
“The occasion. Is it a happy one or sad?”
I’d describe every encounter with Tyler as happy. It had been days since I saw him last. Every time I closed my eyes,I saw him laughing, the sound of his intermittent snorting echoing in the back of my head.
She nodded. “Definitely a happy one.”
I slid my backpack off my shoulder, holding it by the strap as I walked further into her shop. Marigold gestured to the entire back. “We love happy occasions.”
“She lives for the happy ones.”
I jumped at the gruff voice. Sitting in an armchair, almost hidden by potted shrubs, I could see Peter’s eyes. He raised a hand, giving a wave. “Mr. Olsen, good to see you again.”
He turned back to his book, engrossed in the story. Knowing he found a perch in amongst the greenery completed the picture. After seeing them in the coffee shop, I imagined they were the couple that did everything together. He read while she lived out her dream, making my heart swell.
“I’m not really a flower guy.”
“But you want to impress a certain gentleman.” I couldn’t even stammer out a reply. Of course, she knew what I wanted the moment I entered. “Just so happens that I know a certain librarian loves purple orchids.”
There was no point in arguing. “Would those say I think you’re special?”
“When I’m done with them, of course.” She didn’t wait for confirmation as she worked her way to the fridges in the back of the store. “Speaking of… what’s your favorite color?”
Odd question. “Cerulean.”
