Nip it in the Bud (Bunch-A-Blooms 3)

“Are you leaving soon?” Neomi asks.

“What? No. I have four more months before I tour. You know that.”

“I do, but this feels like more than just a breakfast,” Neomi replies.

“You’re right. I do have some news to share with you, but it’s not about Daddy leaving early.”

They both relax and take their seats at the table as I pull the casserole out of the oven to cool and take a seat across from them.

“I know you’ve noticed I haven’t been around as much lately. There’s a reason for that. Daddy met a special woman, and we’ve been dating. I never mentioned her, because I wanted to make sure this was going somewhere before I announced it to you.”

“And it’s serious?” Neomi whispers.

“Pretty serious. I like her, and I see her being in my life for a long time.”

“What’s she like?” Ilana asks.

“Willow is a lot of fun. She’s smart, driven, and creative. She loves to read and explore.”

“Is she pretty?” Neomi asks.

I chuckle. “I think she’s beautiful.”

“What does she do?” Ilana asks.

“She co-runs a floral shop.”

“Does she have kids?” Neomi asks. Her hazel-colored eyes are wide and full of worry.

“No, she doesn’t.”

“But she likes them?” Ilana adds.

I smile. “Very much so. I wanted to bring up the idea of meeting her with you before I asked her.”

“Meet her?” Ilana asks, stunned.

I nod my head. “I think it’s time. If you feel up to it.”

They share a glance I know has communicated sentences.

“You don’t have to answer me yet. Think on it, okay?”

They nod.

“Now the casserole should be ready to serve.” I stand and move to dish things up.

The conversation drifts away from me and Willow and onto tests and projects. I’d never let the girl see, but I’m sweating bullets. I’ve never gotten to this stage with anyone else, so it’s a first for me, too. If my girls and Willow don’t click, my plans are going to come to a screeching halt. I need you to work this out for me, God, ’cause I can’t see life without Willow. That woman has crept under my skin and changed my life for the better. I thought I was fulfilled before, but I was wrong.

***

Thank you, God, for Pinterest. I smooth the white linen tablecloth over the table and add a wide crystal vase I’ve filled with pink and white peonies. Big ups to my memory and the woman who helped me at Bed Bath & Beyond. I’d left the studio and run errands to prep for tonight. The girls have an in-service day at school, so they’re staying the evening with Mom. They know I’m seeing Willow. I haven’t heard from Monica yet about the Involuntary Removal of Parental Rights, but I know it’s only a matter of time. She’s not known for biting her tongue, so I’m assuming the mail is slow.

I place the white square plates in front of our seats along with the beige linen napkins I’ve wrapped in a simple silver napkin holder and folded into a fan. Who knew the time I put in as a waiter would pay off? Before I landed a contract, I worked two, sometimes three jobs to make a living and still have a flexible schedule. Satisfied, I nod at my work. Not bad. I move to the kitchen and wash my hands. I keep busy, preparing the Skillet Lasagna, and lose myself in the task, grateful for the silence in my head.

My head is a six-lane highway. There’s always traffic and more accidents than I want to admit. I’ve learned to cope with it by focusing completely on one task at a time when I can. I pop the skillet into the oven, place the garlic bread on a cookie sheet, and move to get dressed.

When I open the door an hour later, I damn near swallow my tongue. She’s an angel in a white lace skirt that skims her mid-thigh in jagged points and a low-cut V-shaped white tank top. My fingers itch to trace her curves and run across her sienna-colored skin. She’s a bronze goddess ready to be worshiped. It’s all I can do not to go to my knees and taste her skin.