Bloom

“It’s an arrangement meant to bring sunshine to someone’s day.”

“A sunshine bouquet it is.” I slide my credit card out of my wallet. “Dial it back from what you put together last night. I pissed off a few people on the subway when I unintentionally stabbed them in the back with that thing.”

“You said you wanted something extra special.” She shoots me a smile.

I raise both hands in surrender. “I did. Today I want something beautiful that I can control on the subway.”

“What time will you pick it up?”

“I’ll text you later to let you know.” Rubbing my jaw, I clear my throat. “Ignore the texts I sent you earlier.”

She pauses, looking over at her phone. “You texted me this morning?”

“Twice,” I admit. “When you didn’t respond, I realized you were probably asleep, so I came down here to slip a note under the door.”

“You did?”

I straighten in place. “I feel guilty that you had to play messenger for Wren.”

“Don’t.” She looks down at the bandage on her finger. “Shit happens.”

Shoving my credit card at her, I huff out a laugh. “You know it. Charge my mom’s flowers to my card.”

She waves it away with a flick of her hand. “Pay me when you pick them up. I haven’t turned on the computer system yet since I don’t officially open for business for another two hours.”

“That’s my cue to get the hell out of here, isn’t it?” I ask half-teasingly.

“I don’t want word getting around that I take orders before seven a.m.,” she says, amusement lacing her tone. “I’ll see you later, Liam.”

That sets her off back toward the door of her store.

Once it’s unlocked and she’s pushed it open, I turn to face her. “Thanks again, Athena. Thanks for everything.”

Her lips part in a soft smile. “I’m glad you stopped by.”

I am too. I’m damn glad I stopped by.

Chapter 6

Athena

“Are you making that bouquet for the Queen of England?” Leanna squeezes my shoulder as she passes behind me. “It’s taking you forever. It was perfect twenty minutes after you started.”

I take a step back and survey the finished product. “Does it look like sunshine to you?”

“That face looks like sunshine to me.” She circles a finger in front of me. “You’ve been grinning since I got here. What’s that about?”

I point at the screen of the laptop Leanna set up on the corner of the table that we use as a workstation. The wooden table may be old, and the baby blue paint is chipping off of it, but it works for us. It belonged to the previous owner of the shop, so I’ve always considered it a good luck charm.

“Online orders have been coming in all day.” I wink at her. “Why wouldn’t I be grinning from ear-to-ear?”

Sliding her reading glasses up the bridge of her nose, she studies the screen of the laptop. “These orders are all from today?”

Nodding, I carefully place the vase containing the bouquet for Liam’s mom into the cooler. I make a note of the order number on a piece of cardstock before tucking it between two yellow roses.

“They all came in since this morning.” I stand next to her. “It’s all thanks to you.”

She tucks a lock of her black hair behind her ear. “I can’t take credit for that. You need to thank Al. He’s the one who came up with the design for that online ad.”