Bloom

She tilts her head. “You’ll never find that out. I plan on sticking it out until the day I die.”

I can only hope that’s the truth.

“I’ll take you up on that offer for my birthday.” I smile. “I want to take the day to get ready for a very special dinner my family has planned.”

Narrowing her gaze, she studies my face. “I hope Liam will be there.”

Hearing his name come from her lips so effortlessly keeps the smile on my face. “He will be.”

“Mark my words, Athena.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “By this time next year, you’ll have a diamond ring on that finger.”

I glance down at my left hand. “One day at a time, Leanna.”

“An assistant can dream, right?” She flashes her wedding ring. “When he does pop the question, promise me that you’ll let me help with the flowers for your big day.”

“I promise,” I sound back even though I don’t want to tempt fate.

Liam and I are a long way from exchanging vows. We haven’t even said I love you to each other yet, but I feel it inside. After today, I think he might too.

***

“You like this guy a lot, don’t you?” Jeremy leans his hip against the kitchen counter in my apartment.

It’s late.

I’ve worked non-stop for the past few days because I booked a last minute wedding.

The original florist bailed, so the bride came to me in tears three days ago.

I was still wallowing in the lingering grief of finding out the truth about my father when she walked into the shop.

I sat her down, went over what she envisioned for her wedding, and I set out to make it happen.

It took calls to three different suppliers on the east coast, but I pulled it off.

Leanna worked late the last few nights, and we had to reschedule the drop-in flower arranging class, but we

got the job done.

“Liam is a good man.” I take a sip of water. “You’ll like him, Jer.”

He nudges the bag of food he brought with him toward me. “You should eat something, Athena.”

“Leanna ordered pizza.” I glance into the brown paper bag. “I’ll make a sandwich before I go to bed.”

“Can you see yourself marrying him?”

I choke on the last swallow of water in the bottle. I cough once and then again as I wag a finger at my brother. “Don’t go there.”

I don’t mention the fact that Leanna is still driving the marriage train at high speed. She’s mentioned it at least once a day since Liam came into Wild Lilac. I haven’t seen him since. I pointed out that fact to her, but she laughed and told me that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

“We are dating,” I say on a wheeze. “Promise me that you won’t bring up marriage at my birthday dinner.”

His hand dives into the bag. “I promise. I’m putting this food away, and then I’m taking off. Eat and then sleep, Athena.”

I need to fit a call to Liam in there too, but I don’t tell my brother that.

“I’ll see you on Sunday,” I say with a smile. “You’ll be on your best behavior, right?”