He Loves Me Not (Bunch-A-Blooms 1)

“Hey, I totally get it. There’s a lot of people invested in the two of you. A break up would make things awkward, to say the least. Damn! I knew there was something special between you two.”

“What? Why?”

“The way he looks at you when you’re not paying attention … that’s never been a best friend look. And you give the look right back.”

“I-I guess I didn’t notice,” she whispered.

“Yeah. I kind of figured it wouldn’t be a welcome observation, so I kept my thoughts to myself.” She hugged her. “I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks, O. I was worried you’d be mad.”

“Oh, I’m irritated. No more secrets, please.”

“I promise,” Petunia said.

“How serious is this?” Olive asked.

“Very.” The words nearly choked her as she forced a smile.

“Wow.”

“Yeah.” She laughed. “You think you’re shocked?” I just found out about this yesterday.

“Tell me everything,”

Petunia told her the story she’d concocted with Mason between snacks. From the slight curving of her friend’s thin, berry-colored lips to the approval shining in her eyes, Petunia could tell she’d succeeded in fooling her. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. Part of her had hoped her friend would see the lie for what it was … call her out, and force the truth from her. The truth could feel like a lot to bear when you were the only one privy to it.

“Enough about me. Tell me about you. Any mystery men in your life?”

“Unlike you, I don’t keep big secrets. And no. It’d take a special man to deal with my weird hours and, let’s be real, my eccentricities.”

“Don’t say that bullshit. That’s not you talking, that your ex-douche nozzle, Mick.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to think he might’ve been right. It’s a barren wasteland for me when it comes to dating.”

“It’s just not your time yet,” Petunia insisted.

“Still an old romantic after all this time. Maybe because you always had your Prince Charming waiting in the wings, even if you didn’t know it. Or maybe you did on a subconscious level.”

“Don’t let that brilliant, creative brain of yours run away on you.”

Olive laughed. “Can’t help it. Oh my God. Wait until Willow finds out,” she exclaimed, mentioning their fellow friend and her assistant manager.

“She, unlike you, will not be so forgiving.”

“No, ’cause she’s asked you point blank if the two of you were sneaking around a million times.” Olive laughed. “You’re in trouble.”

“Don’t I know it? I’ll have to bring her Dunkin Donuts Coffee and Buskens bakery items as a peace offering when we open the shop together Monday.”

“You may come out alive. What did your parents say?”

“We’ll find out tomorrow. We decided to break it to everyone at once. The family dinner tomorrow got turned into a dual family barbecue. Yay.”

“I sense sarcasm.”

“Ding, ding, ding. Give the lady a prize,” she said, imitating a game show host.

“You two will be fine. Isn’t it a parents’ dream come true to have their family friends merge through marriage?”