2X The Heat (2X The Pleasure 1)

“I’ll try. Your dad is on the deck with a cigar, he’ll probably call you later.”

“Uh, please tell him not too. I’ve had enough phone calls for the day.”

She laughed aloud.

“Tristan, stop being so rude. Anyway, I’ll tell him you are with Natalie. I just wanted to check on you. And you are coming to the gala, right?”

“Yes, of course mom.”

“Good. If you need me to find you a date, I can…”

“No, I’m okay. Thanks though.” I silenced that idea quickly. With my luck, she already had three people lined up.

“Okay, if you insist. Be nice to your sister.” She said, her stern tone breaking through.

“I will. Talk to you later, mom.”

“Bye honey, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Maybe I should be grateful I even have family willing to bother me all day. I was being overdramatic, but when everyone kept asking about my ex, what am I supposed to do? Part of me wanted to call her and dish out all of the choice words I have for her, but that would be stooping to her level and I won’t give her that satisfaction. After all of this nonsense, I don’t even think I’ll ever date again.

Chapter Two: Emilia

I was going to need a stronger allergy medicine in this line of work. I couldn’t really complain though, I was lucky to finally have this shop, even if it was slightly small. Everything was finally up and running.

I clipped the roses and put them in their vases, lining the back wall, and then I worked my way up. The gardenias were next, and then the tulips. The flowers were blooming so well, spending my last bit of investment on that green ceiling was worth it. I didn’t have to come in and flower them as often, and they got just the right amount of sunlight.

Now all I needed were people to buy them. The hardest part was over, I guessed. Building the place up, getting a lease, commissioning flowers and growing my own consistently enough. But now, people would have to buy them so I could pay the bills. I seemed to be in a constant tug of war with paying bills, since I was twelve and my mother…

I couldn’t think of her now. I would be holed up for the rest of the day. A decade and a half later and it still hurt.

“Emilia! Emilia!” I smiled at the voice.

Dan was a sweet neighborhood kid who liked to help around the shop. But I recently found out it was his grandparents that were my most loyal customers. I started selling fresh flowers from my backyard back in college, and a kind lady started buying them from me. Every fresh bloom, then every week, then every day for the past seven years.

“I’m here.”

Dan appeared behind the azaleas. He was growing really fast, he is almost taller than me now, and his boyish looks are fading to a more handsome one. He looked just like his grandmother, Sasha. Brown hair, brown eyes, soft features.

“Nanna needs a big order.” He slipped me a piece of paper.

“How big?” I asked, before looking at the paper. When I did, I almost fell from the ladder.

“Oh my, a gala?”

He nodded.

“Another charity ball. She needs an entryway and…well, it’s all there.” He was right. She gave him a layout of the whole place, and marked where every flower should go.

“Um, when is this happening?” I asked him.

“Saturday.” He said casually, as if that wasn’t just two days away. I was wondering how the hell I would pull this off, but I couldn’t let him see that.

“Okay, great.”

“You need any help?” he offered. He was already in his school uniform, so I was sure h