With a snarl, Daisy replied, “According to him, it is if I let him pay for an abortion. Otherwise, he’s already signed the necessary forms to revoke all of his parental rights.” She wiped her eyes, wishing she could simply refuse to shed any more tears about this. “It is not his. It is mine. He’s married.”
“Married?” Camila gasped. “Are you kidding?” Daisy shook her head, and her cousin said, “Oh, I have a few choice words that would describe him. But I don’t think God would approve, so I will keep them to myself.”
Despite the conversation, Daisy chuckled. “You’re the only one who knows.”
“My cousin, your secret is safe with me. I have your back. If you need anything, you let me know.”
After taking a series of deep, cleansing breaths, Daisy said, “I honestly feel a lot better now. I think I just wanted someone else to know.”
“Is this why I haven’t seen you at church?”
Guilt burned heat into her cheeks, and her stomach knotted. “I’ve been there. I’ve just been filling in with the kids. I had nursery last week and the two-year-olds the week before.”
“Mmm hmm.” Clearly, her cousin knew she had intentionally avoided the music and sermons. Camila went back to putting the bouquet together. “I have to finish this because Xavier will be here to deliver it in just a few minutes.”
“I know. It’s okay.” She leaned against the counter again and drew her finger along the edge of an index card that Camila had taped to the glass. “I’ve also been dating Ken Dixon.”
Camila stopped working again and stared at her. “Wait. The Ken Dixon?”
With heat flooding her cheeks, Daisy nodded. She knew that Camila knew about her crush on Ken from the moment it happened. Camila’s brother Xavier attended youth group with Ken and his brothers. So, Daisy and Camila would often hang out while waiting for her older brother to get out of youth group. “How did you manage to get a date with none other than the Ken Dixon?”
She shrugged. “His construction company is funding a house project next month. He just showed up at my office. Neither one of us knew who we were meeting that day. Irene had set up the meeting without names.” She met her cousin’s eyes. “I tell myself after every date that I won’t see him anymore. Then it’s so perfect to be with him. But it’s wrong. I’m not being fair to him.” She made a small noise of frustration and looked back down at her thumbnail as it played with the edge of the tape.
“Daisy, you are not going to be a size two for very much longer. You’re going to have to say something.”
With a snort, she replied, “Yeah, I know. I’ve been practicing. How about this? Ken, I really like you, but I’m pregnant by this married guy. Hope you don’t mind.”
Camila nodded. “I see you’ve been working on what to say.” She pursed her lips. “I don’t envy you.”
“Yeah.” She straightened as she heard the bell ring, announcing the opening of the door. “Me either.”
She turned her head toward the door as her cousin Xavier strolled into the building. “Daisy! Good to see you.” He looked at his sister. “So, delivery boy wrecked your van?”
Camila snarled. “Don’t text and drive.” She shook her head. “He’s the third driver I’ve had this year. If I can’t get flowers delivered, then I’m going to have to close down. And now my insurance is going to go way up. Again.”
Xavier went around the counter and put his arm over her shoulder. “I got you, Camila. I work remotely. I can code all night and deliver for you all day. We’ll get you through this.”
Daisy watched them interact and realized how much she missed having her brother around. Maybe she would call him tonight.
“Guess who Daisy’s dating.” Camila wiggled her black eyebrows at her cousin. Daisy gasped, then put her hands to her cheeks.
Xavier finished going through the orders that had automatically printed as they came into the online portal, then looked her up and down. “Ken Dixon.”
She gasped. “How in the world?” She looked from Xavier to Camila. “If I hadn’t been right here with her this entire time, I’d swear she called you.”
“No psychic powers between siblings.” He held up a piece of paper. “He just ordered you a bouquet of daisies and yellow roses.” Camila plucked the paper out of his hand, and he teased by asking, “Would you like to wait for them, or shall I deliver them?”
Before Camila could read the greeting Ken had sent, Daisy snatched the paper from her. She scanned the order and found the message block.
Thinking of you. Thought I would give you a reason to think of me. —Ken
“I guess it’s good I said something before you saw this order, then,” Daisy said. She fanned her face with the piece of paper. “Yes, I think I will wait for them. Thank you, Xavier. You are very kind.”
She pulled out her phone and started to text Ken but decided to call him instead. She stepped far enough away from the counter that they would have a hard time hearing her. Over in the far corner of the flower shop, she examined the sunflower wreath hanging next to a sign that said, “Order your wreaths for August today.”
Ken answered before the second ring finished. “Hi.”
She smiled and turned her back on her cousins. “I don’t know if you knew this, but my cousin Camila owns a flower shop. And, so, I was just hanging out here talking about my love life, and this order comes over the printer.”
