Love Blooms

by Jo McNally

  He nodded as he helped clean up. Yeah, she’d liked it. She’d told him on their picnic lunch that Buttercup drove like a brand-new car now, and that her grandmother would have loved it. Especially the daisy wheels.

  Logan picked up the rakes and shovels off the lawn.

  “And she liked the picnic. I saw you two go strolling into the woods afterward.”

  Owen nodded again. The picnic had led to a scorching hot kiss. He’d thought he’d made a real breakthrough, until she told him it was a mistake and moved out of the inn.

  “So... Dr. Find-Love worked,” Logan said. “What’s next?”

  Owen rolled his eyes, but he pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened the app. He scrolled down the list, looking for something he hadn’t tried.

  When all else fails, puppies and kittens almost always work! No woman can resist a baby animal. Soften her heart with a small ball of fluff that signifies unconditional love.

  He turned the phone so Logan could see the photo of an adorable puppy and the accompanying tip. Logan really started laughing then.

  “All I can say is my wife was not impressed when her former in-laws gave a puppy to the kids for Christmas. She was a cute ball of fluff, but she was also a terror that peed and pooped on everything for a month. Piper adores Rosie now, but as a puppy? You don’t have enough time in town to get past that housebreaking curve.” Logan looked thoughtful for a minute. “But a kitten could work. Lily’s been begging us for a cat, and the Martins up on Hill Road near the winery have a litter of them. I know this because Lily heard about it from the Martins’ granddaughter at church camp, and Lily mentions it to Piper and I at least five times a day.”

  Owen sat on the back of the Bronco and brushed mulch and dirt from his sneakers. “Are you seriously suggesting I give Lucy a kitten?”

  “Hey—something cute and fluffu was Dr. Find-Love’s idea, not mine. But...you could call it a housewarming gift.” Logan pulled his own phone out and pulled up a picture. “And they are pretty damn cute. Unfortunately for Piper and I, the Martins’ granddaughter has her own phone...she’s eight...and has been sending kitten pictures to all the kids at church camp. She has a bright future as a marketing genius.”

  The photo was of several balls of golden fluff with round eyes and long hair. Damn. They really were cute. And if he thought so, Lucy might think so, too. A kitten just might be a way to open that door of opportunity a bit more while he still had a week or so to win her heart. He ignored Logan’s laughter as he got the phone number and directions to the Martins’ farm, just a mile or so beyond Falls Legend Winery.

  By three o’clock, he’d showered, changed and driven to the farm. There was a For Sale sign at the end of the long driveway, and the elderly couple explained they were moving to Florida to escape the New York winters. The home was more farmhouse style than Victorian, although they had painted it bright blue with white shutters and trim, so it was still cheery. There was an enormous old red barn behind the house, and a tall metal pole barn beside that. Mr. Martin used to be a long-distance truck driver, and had built the pole barn to house his truck. It was a nice setup, but he could see how it was probably too much for them to maintain any longer.

  The kittens were so freakin’ cute that he was tempted to scoop up all six of them, but four were spoken for already. Besides, handing Lucy an entire basket full of kittens to care for didn’t seem like a very good idea. So he’d selected the smallest because she had the most interesting features, with four white socks and white tips to her ears and tail. As if her extremities had been dipped in white frosting.

  And now she was mewing inside the soft-sided carrier he’d picked up at the pet store, along with dishes, kitten food and a litter box. He wasn’t just giving Lucy a kitten, he was giving her a kitten kit. He glanced at the cat carrier on his passenger seat. This was a bold move that could backfire. But a kitten would give Lucy some company in that house she’d rented. And every time she looked at the cute cat, she’d think of him. That was pretty brilliant.

  He parked in front of Rendezvous Blooms and grabbed the carrier. The supplies could wait. Maybe he’d even get an invitation to deliver them to her house personally tonight. This kitten was the best idea ever.

  She looked up when the bell rang over his head. She was behind the counter, and he stayed on the opposite side of the display shelves, wanting to hide the surprise. Lucy’s eyes widened.

  “She rubbed her nose, but she had a small smile on her face. “Doing deliveries for Connie again?”

  “Not today. Connie hired Mack Dennis’s son from the hardware store to cover whenever Greg couldn’t do it.”

  She rubbed her nose again, and coughed, frowning as she answered. “You’re sounding like a local, Owen. You know all the news.” She sneezed. “Excuse me!”

  “Bless you.” He waited as she pulled tissues out of the box under the counter. “Summer cold?”

  She shook her head, sneezing again and blowing her nose. “I was fine this morning.” She sneezed again, then rubbed her hand on her chest absently. “What brings you in?”

  “I haven’t seen you much this week, and wanted to see how you were doing. How’s the house?”

  “It’s...it’s fine.” She sneezed twice in rapid sequence, swallowing hard before continuing. “It’s nice to have the space and privacy and...” Another sneeze. “The ability to cook for myself and operate on my own schedule.”

  Connie walked out front from the workroom, with Cecile Manning close behind.

  “Is that you having a sneezing fit out here?” Connie asked Lucy.

  “Yes...” She sneezed again. Owen realized this might be the perfect time to spring the kitten on her. With an audience of two cooing older women who would surely love the kitten, Lucy wouldn’t be able to resist. The women talked while he set the carrier down and pulled out the kitten, who was wide-eyed and clinging to his hand with needle-sharp claws.

  “Are you feverish? Your face is red...” Connie put her hand on Lucy’s forehead. Lucy coughed, her hand at the base of her throat.

  Cecile frowned. “It’s not red, it’s blotchy. Like hives...”

  Owen stepped around the display unit, holding the golden kitten in the air like it was the Lion King. “Surprise!”

  Cecile gave a big grin. “Oh my God, look at that adorable little thing!”

  Yes. This was just the enthusiasm he’d hoped for from the ladies. Lucy was coughing again, and waving her hand back and forth. Waving at the kitten? At him? Waving them away? He brought the kitten to his chest and focused—really focused—on Lucy. She sneezed again, and her eyes were puffy and red. Had she been crying earlier and he hadn’t noticed? She took a deep breath, and he heard a wheezing sound. He stepped closer, holding the kitten with one hand as he reached out with the other.

  “Lucy? What...”

  “Get back! Get away!” Lucy cried, swatting the air between them as her tears fell. He took another step, instinctively wanting to help. It was Connie who finally put the clues together.

  “It’s the cat! Get out of here with that thing!” Connie put her hands on Lucy’s shoulders, her voice leveling. “Come in back, away from that damn cat and your idiot fiancé”

  Owen groaned. Allergies. Lucy had allergies. He knew that. He just didn’t know one of them was cats. What in the hell had he done?

  Connie rushed Lucy into the backroom and out of sight. He was going to follow, but Cecile disabused him of that thought in a hurry, stepping in front of him. There was accusation in every word she spoke.

  “You knew she was allergic and you brought her a kitten?” Cecile was usually a bubbly bastion of pink. She’d told Owen she was on his side, but that didn’t seem to be the case right now. “What kind of person does that? Did you think you could make her ill and then rescue her somehow? What sick kind of trick are you pulling?”

  “I didn’t know!”
he shouted. “I knew she had some allergies, but I didn’t know she was allergic to cats. Is she okay?”

  There was silence from the back. Had she passed out? Was she still breathing? Cecile glared at him, then walked to the doorway and checked. Her shoulders eased, and her anger faded when she came back.

  “Looks like she’s fine. Connie’s got her sitting by the open door.” She looked at the kitten he was still clutching to his chest and her expression softened. “You didn’t kill Lucy, but I’m a little concerned about that cat.”

  “The cat’s fine.” But he relaxed his grip anyway, and the kitten mewed its thanks.

  “The cat needs to leave. And frankly, I think you do, too.”

  He put the carrier on the counter as Cecile watched, and slid the protesting cat inside. Looked like he was going to have to check the Taggart Inn’s policy toward pets. He headed for the door, but Cecile stopped him.

  “You really didn’t know Lucy was allergic to cats?”

  He searched his memory, trying to think if the subject had ever come up. “If she ever told me, I don’t remember it. I know she has mild asthma, but... It’s not my fault if she never told me, right?”

  Cecile looked both sympathetic and sad. “The fact that you were about to marry that girl and don’t know basic information like severe allergies makes me wonder what else you two don’t know about each other.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. He didn’t know how to answer the question. Through the doorway, he could see Lucy and Connie sitting by the back door, which was propped open. Lucy’s face wasn’t as red anymore. Her body looked relaxed. Or maybe exhausted was a better word for it. But she wasn’t in distress anymore. He called out to her.

  “I’m so sorry, Luce! I didn’t know...”

  Connie glared at him, and even from one room away, he felt her scorn. “Stop thinking of yourself and get that damn cat out of here!”

  Lucy met his gaze, but her emotions were harder to read than Connie’s. She didn’t speak, just stared. Not with anger, but...disappointment? Connie cleared her throat pointedly, and Owen turned to go, cat carrier in hand.

  He could have handled Lucy’s anger better than the resignation he saw in her face. His time was almost up, and he’d made a huge blunder. Maybe Dr. Find-Love wasn’t all that wise after all.

  * * *

  CONNIE GOT LUCY settled at the worktable with a bottle of water and some cookies from the box Helen Russo had delivered the other day. Frankly, Connie needed the cookies as much as Lucy. The girl had scared her half to death. Helen was the best cookie baker in Rendezvous Falls...probably the whole Seneca Valley for that matter. This box was a mix of Italian sweets, including some pastry cookies folded over a rich chocolate filling. It was good enough to move Lucy out of her melancholy. She held the cookie up after one bite.

  “Whoa. This is amazing. I need this recipe.”

  Cecile joined them with a chuckle, grabbing a cookie for herself.

  “Someone’s feeling better?”

  Lucy nodded. “Yes, thanks. The fresh air helped. Sorry for scaring you.”

  Cecile waved her off. “Please. My Charlie is allergic to shellfish, so I know all about it. If I’d thought you needed an EpiPen, I had one in my bag.”

  Lucy took another cookie. “I don’t have a lot of allergies, but cats are the worst. Dogs aren’t quite as bad, but cat dander just slays me.” She sat back in her chair, the corner of her mouth lifting. “That thing was adorable, though.”

  “The kitten or Owen?” Cecile asked.

  Before Connie could scold her, the bell rang out front. Lucy started to stand, but Connie put her hand on her shoulder and shook her head. They’d have to air out the front of the shop before she’d trust Lucy out there.

  “You sit and relax. I’ve got it.” She fixed a hard look on Cecile. “And you stop talking about how cute Owen was. The man almost killed her.”

  “Not exactly...” Lucy started, but Connie walked out front to take care of her customer. She stopped abruptly when she saw the younger couple walking through the shop, pointing at Lucy’s latest window display—a large cardboard cutout of the sun behind rustic metal pails filled with miniature sunflowers, with a few full-size sunflower blossoms she’d picked up from a farm near Geneva. The display created so much interest that a photo of it had landed on the front page of the local weekly paper.

  But this pair wasn’t here to admire the window display. Her son and daughter-in-law turned at the same time and spotted her. David’s face lit up with a warm smile. His wife? Not so much. Typical. Ever since Connies husband left, she had the distinct feeling her daughter-in-law, Susan, was firmly on his side of things. She loved telling Connie how great Dan’s Florida place was—the one he shared with Sandy. The one big enough for Susan and David to visit every winter for a free vacay.

  “Mom!” David came over and kissed her cheek. “I saw a picture of your window on my social media timeline, and I told Susan we had to come down and see it for ourselves.” He looked from Connie to Susan. “I thought we’d surprise you and maybe take you out to an early dinner.”

  Susan spoke up behind him. “Unless you have other plans, of course. We know this is last minute.”

  In other words, Susan had no desire for the three of them to dine together. And if going to dinner with them would annoy Susan...

  “I’d love that, David. What a lovely surprise. Let me just tell Lucy...she can close for me.”

  “Lucy? Oh, is that the part-time girl you hired?” David tried to look into the back.

  “She’s not a girl, and she’s no longer part-time. She’s the one who did the famous window. She’s thinking about becoming my partner in the business.” The shock on her son’s face was worth the tiny white lie. The partnership idea was Lucy’s, not hers, but David didn’t need to know that. . Connie hadn’t been thrilled at the idea originally, but its appeal was growing. Especially when she saw the disapproval in Susan’s eyes.

  “Partner? When did that happen? I thought we’d agreed that you were selling the shop and moving to Syracuse.”

  “I never agreed to any such thing.”

  “Mom...your Parkinson’s...you know you can’t keep the business... or the house...”

  Cecile came into the shop from the workroom. She’d been listening, of course. Cecile gave Connie a bright smile and a conspiratorial wink before answering for her.

  “Hi, David! Hi, Sue!” Connie bit back a laugh. Cecile knew darn well that Susan hated being called Sue. “Did you know that lots of people have Parkinson’s and manage to still do their jobs? Your mother’s latest medication mix has her feeling great. And with her new...partner—” Cecile gave Connie some amused side-eye “—her workload and stress are both reduced, which helps with the disease progression. Isn’t that right, Connie?”

  “Not that I need a spokesperson...” She raised her eyebrows at her friend. “But yes, it’s true. I’m feeling better. I’m not sure if I can credit the meds or having help in the shop, but I’m definitely better.”

  “Mom, you know Parkinson’s can come and go. You might just be having a little remission now, but eventually...”

  “And when exactly is eventually, son? Is it next year? Or is it ten years from now? You don’t know how much time I have to live independently any more than I do.” She pulled her shoulders back, silently thankful that she barely had any tremor in her hand that afternoon. “Do you want me dreading the future, or living it day by day for as long as I can?”

  “I... Mom...of course I want you to be happy. I just...worry.”

  Susan coughed softly from behind him. “But can she still maintain that house all by herself?”

  To Connie’s surprise, David beat everyone else to the punch. “Susan, knock it off. Everyone knows you like the lake house, but I’m not going to let you force my mother out of it. Has it ever occurred
to you that we’d get invited to enjoy it a lot more often if you’d lay off the constant hints?” He turned back to Connie without giving his wife a chance to answer. “And Mom, you need to ease up, too, and accept some help. I’ve offered to trim up the trees for you and mow the lawn, and you always say no.”

  Cecile crossed her arms. “Really?”

  “Oh shush, you.” Connie glared at her, which, as usual, didn’t faze Cecile one bit. It was true that she’d turned down David’s offer to help more than once, but only because she figured there was some other motive behind it.

  It was possible...just maybe...that she’d been wrong.

  She looked at her son, and silently forgave him for reminding her so much of his father. Her emotions had been in knots since Dan left, and she’d pushed David away in the process.

  Susan stepped up next to David. “I’m confused.” She pointed at her husband. “Don’t yell at me—I’m being honest. I thought the plan was for Connie to move closer to us? And yes, we’d keep the lake house for weekends, but I’m not suggesting we steal it out from under her.” She looked at Connie, and there was a surprising hint of warmth in her eyes. “If I got ahead of myself, I’m sorry. I do that sometimes. I’m just...tasky. If there’s a goal, I’ll figure out a plan to get there.”

  Connie had always known how driven her daughter-in-law was. Susan was a high level executive at a major pharmaceutical company.

  David smiled at his wife and shrugged. “I thought moving was what was best for Mom.” He glanced at Connie. “You were so depressed after Dad left, Mom. Then you got sick, and...well...you are getting older. It would be nice to have you a little closer to us if something happens, but only if that’s what you want.” He looked at Cecile. “You have people here who support you.”

  Susan took a deep breath, and Connie could almost hear the wheels grinding to a halt and changing direction.

  “I mention the house so much because I miss it.”

  Susan’s confession surprised Connie. “It’s still right where it always was.”