by Cilla Lee
“I don’t know.”
“Now, is the perfect time, it’s summer, what is your color scheme your favorite flower” flower arrangements flash through my mind roses pansies orchids carnations of the colors of the rainbows
“I don’t have any favorite flowers,” she says
“Color than?” I ask having so many ideas go through me at once
“I do love purple,” she says, and I think of every purple flower than look out the window it is summer
“Oh, orchids are a wonderful flower, they love humid conditions and last really well and with the days heating up.”
“What colors do they come in?”
“Oh, you can get orchids in every color of the rainbow varying shades from whites to pastels, they're a perfect wedding flower or maybe roses, you could have them tinted to the color you want, and they smell amazing, but the heat can affect them. Oriental lilies are another great flower mixed in with some roses maybe there great for a beach wedding, but carnations make a wonderful bouquet you could have white with a pale pink maybe add in some succulents.”
“You really love flowers, huh” I smile
“I’m sorry I do get carried away when it comes to flowers, it is a florist’s bread and butter” Zoey smiles at me
“Do you want to head downtown and have a look and see what they have,” she asks me and my heart beats a little faster
“Really!”
“Sure”
“Oh, that would be great” we head outside, and Saint calls out to her, and we both stop
“Where are you going, baby?” Saint asks her
“Ella and I are going into the florist in town to look at flowers.”
“Flowers” she nods, and he looks a little confused, he gets up and walks over to us pulling her to him
“Ok,” he says, and Zoey smiles, I see the love both of them have for one another, and Joe flashes through my mind (damn I’m sick of thinking about him)
“I love you,” he tells her
“I love you too,” she says, and I step away from them and head to the car to wait for Zoey. We drive to the florist shop downtown, and I look up frowning
“What’s wrong?” she asks me
“It’s a bit run down” Zoey looks up
“It does seem old doesn’t it.”
“It could be so much more, look at the location on the corner of town the building itself is amazing. It has to be at least one hundred years old, and look at the displays. Such a shame, maybe we should go somewhere else” I tell her
“This is the only florist in town,” she tells me, and I look around at the prime location (what this shop could be such a shame)
“Really”
“I could order the flowers online, I know Lilly had hers brought in from Seattle.”
“Let’s see what they’ve got first before we do that, they might surprise us,” I tell her
“Ok” we both head into the store the doorbell rings overhead, and an elderly woman comes out from the back, the smell of the flowers taking me back to my own shop
“Good morning ladies, what can I do for you?” Zoey and I smile at the women
“Yes, I was just coming to see what flowers you have, I’m getting married and,”
“Marriage is such a wondrous thing, to join a communion of two people, what flowers do you have in mind?” Zoey looks at me, and I step forward
“We were thinking orchids.”
“Orchids” the women, says smiling “such an amazing flower such a beautiful flower any other flowers you were thinking of”
“Maybe roses,” I tell her
“In this heat, they wouldn’t last too long.”
“What about carnations?” Zoey asks, and I think about the combination
“Yes, carnations are a good choice.”
“What would you recommend?” Zoey asks her
“That depends on the date or the time of the day you get married, I know some people just think that you pick the flowers that you see in a magazine, and that’s it, and we put it together. But flowers are delicate things, and once you pick them or cut them, they start to die fast. The weather can play a major factor in your flowers and your bouquet."
“Well, I haven’t even set a date yet” the lady smiles
“Well, I have a large choice of flowers to choose from would you like to look at my book and then when you decide on the day and time you come back, and we’ll choose your flowers.”
“Zoey, and this is Ella, she’s a florist too,” Zoey says to the woman she looks at me
“Is that right,” I smile nodding
“You have an amazing store location, but…”
“I know, since my husband passed away a few years ago, it’s getting harder for me to work the shop,” she says, and I feel sorry for her, I know how hard it can be
“Do you not have any help?” I ask her
“No, it’s just Charlie and me” she tells us and Zoey and I look at each other
“Charlie?” Zoey asks her as a little flat face dog comes waddling around the corner
“Ladies meet Charlie,” he lifts his head up for a second, then drops back down to the floor
“Well, let’s have a look and see what flowers you have,” I tell them and Gladis goes back and gets her book while Zoey and I sit and wait Charlie at our feet.
Chapter Nineteen
Blaze
The door opens to the clubhouse, and I notice Zoey and Ella walk in, Zoey in her property jacket with a huge smile on her face. She heads over to Saint, but I only watch Ella as she walks up the hall to the kitchen. I pick up the pool cue as Saint carries Zoey upstairs “Damn that was so hot” Cookies says, and Oki and I look at him
“What was hot?” Oki asks
“Saint and Zoey, I totally thought he was gonna fuck her right there and then” I shake my head at him
“How old are you fuckhead?” I ask him, and he grins
“Brother, Saint wouldn’t fuck Zoey anywhere any of us could see her,” Oki tells him
“I just saw some of her side boob” I look at Oki who just shakes his head
“You’re a fuckhead,” I tell the fuckin’ idiot
“So, you gonna tell us what’s up with you and Ella?” he asks me changin’ the subject, and I look at him
“None of your business” I warn him givin’ him the look to stay out of my business, or I’m gonna fuck up his face
“So, I can take a shot at her” I stand up holding the cue harder ready to swing it at the cockhead (he’s such a dumb fuck)
“You take and shot and so will I between your fuckin’ eyes if you go anywhere near her” I warn him and he laughs
“I fuckin’ knew it, you’re so into her” I frown at the dickhead
“What are we in middle school?”
“Fuck off, I’m just sayin’ I knew you liked her from the way you were actin’ last night.”
“Cookie shut the fuck up, why aren’t you at work anyway,” Oki asks him, and he smiles
“Cause you and me Brother are gonna be workin’ together.”
“Fuck, I should get Slice or Homer,” I tell him
“No fuckin’ way, I might get a nice piece of ass tonight at the Den,” he says smilin’
“Fuckhead, we work when we're at the Den nothin’ more,” I tell him
“Don’t be such a bore” I roll my eyes at the idiot
“I mean it, I catch you fuckin’ some chick when you’re supposed to be workin’ I’m gonna kick your ass dickhead, we clear” he huffs like a little girl
“Fuck man you're no fun.”
“How in the fuck did you become a Devil?” I ask confused
“You fuckers are lucky to have me as a brother, I bring more pussy around here than anyone,” he says smilin’
“He’s got us there,” Oki says takin’ his shot
Zoey and Saint come walkin’ back in and there both smilin’ and Saint pulls Zoey to him kissin' her, he whispers somthin’ to her, and she walks
off, and he slaps her on the ass, a minute later we hear the girls all scream
“What the fuck is that about?” Razor asks coming out of his office gun in hand
“The women,” Saint tells him, and he places his gun back in its holster coming over and grabbing a coffee
“What the fuck are they screaming for now?”
“Asked Zoey to marry me,” Saint tells us all, and we all look at each other surprised
“You what?” Razor says
“Asked her to marry me.”
“Jesus now we're gonna be havin’ another fuckin’ weddin’ here.”
“How do you know that?” Saint asks him as I take another shot and it goes into the corner pocket
“Because I know those women, fuck!” he says going back into his office, and I look up just as Jake hobbles past us all mumbling to himself
“You good man?” Saint asks him
“Yeah,” he says as he walks past us. Saint gets up and walks to Razor’s office goin’ in, and I watch Jake hobble past and wonder what the fuck is up with him, he’s been real cagey since he’s got back mumblin’ to himself all the time
“He’s not lookin’ too good,” Cookie says, and the three of us watch Jake disappear into his room
“No, he’s not,” I say as I take another shot
“So, you and Ella” Cookie asks again. I pick up one of the balls and throw it up and down, and Cookie holds up his hands. “Fine, fine, I’m out,” he says walkin’ off fast
“Fuckhead,” I say to myself, but Oki laughs takin’ his shot. I look back up as Cookie comes walkin’ back in as Saint comes out of Razor’s office
“Dude, you got a fuckin’ hot as fuck chick lookin’ for you outside,” he tells him
“What? Who?” Saint asks him
“I have no fuckin’ idea, but my dick is hard as fuck man.” I watch as Saint walks towards the door Cookie right on his heels when it comes to pussy Cookie’s the first one there. Well him and Gunner (fuck) I play Oki for a few more games when Saint comes in with a woman
“Damn, who’s that?” Oki asks, and I shake my head havin’ no idea, the women come out of the kitchen, and we watch the interaction, Saint takin’ the chick into the boss’s office, but all I look at is Ella as they all walk outside. Saint and the chick come out of Razor’s office when my phone pings and I pull it out of my pocket the same time that Oki does and he looks at me as Saint, and the chick walk out.
“That’s weird Church at this time,” Oki says as he places his cue on the table and we walk towards our Church room.
*
“So, what’s this about? I was in the middle of a stock take” Tiny says, and we all sit lookin’ at Razor
“Seems we have someone extorting the towns shopkeepers pretending to be one of us,” he tells us all, and we all look at each other
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Stryker asks him
“Maria’s niece came to see Saint today, asking if we’d go easy on her Aunt, seeing that we know her and all and that our monthly protection payments were getting too much for Maria to keep up with” I look at Saint
“So, you're saying someone is pretending to be a Devil,” Oki asks him
“Yep, jacket and all” Saint says
“Who the fuck would have one of our jackets?” Cuff asks him
“That’s something we are going to find out, any of you missing a jacket,” Razor asks us all
“Boss where all wearing our jackets,” Cuff says stating the obvious
“That’s the point fuckhead, whoever this is has stolen one” I try and think how he could have gotten one of our Cuts
“From who?” Colt asks him
“I want this motherfucker found, Mia said the guy collects at the end of the month, which is in three weeks, I want someone at her shop that week all week just encase this fucker comes early”
“I’ll do it,” Cookie says, and I roll my eyes, the fuckhead would volunteer, by the way, he was droolin’ all over the chick today I wouldn’t put it past him to ask
“You fuckin’ would,” Saint says
“Come on, did you see her man Damn, I’ll take one for the team and hang out with her,” Cookie says smilin’ like a fuckhead
“No,” Razor tells him
“Why not?” Cookie says soundin’ like a little kid who wants a toy at the store
“Because you’re too interested in gettin’ your dick wet than workin’, Widow I think it should be you they won’t suspect a woman,” she nods her head, Scythe sittin’ with his arm over the back of her seat
“Cool, um, who’s Maria?” she asks
“She’s the one that does all of our jackets,” Razor tells her, and she nods
“Ok”
“Good, Cuff go over to Maria’s and see if she can give us a description of the guy.”
“Boss how do we know that it’s one of our jackets” Slice asks and I roll my eyes
“Because she’s the one that makes them dumbass, so I think she’d know what the fuck they look like”
“Yeah, right, I didn’t think of that” we all smile, shaking our heads at the idiot as Socket scruffs his hair
“Fuck off,” he pushes Socket away
“I want you all to go into town two at a time, talk to the other shops about the guy get as much information as possible and tell them to keep their god damn mouths shut. I want this fucker as soon as possible, no one pretends to be a Devil and gets away with it.” As we leave Church, I see the girls are all sitting on the sofas on their phones
“You and me tomorrow,” Sinner says to Saint, and he heads towards the door. Saint walks over to Ella and Zoey pullin' her onto his lap, and I wish I could do that to Ella. Fuck all of these things I want to do to her but I can’t
“What ya looking at baby?” Saint asks Zoey, and she turns her phone around so he can see the screen
“Wedding dresses,” she says, looking back at her phone and I sit down next to Ella her scent hitting my senses and my dick hardens (fuck she smells like flowers)
“You wanna go halves in a Chinese?” I ask Saint
“Sounds good, baby you want Chinese,” he asks Zoey, and she just nods her head not even lookin’ up, she then turns to Ella and there talkin’ about girls’ shit
“So, this guy what do you think?” I ask Saint, and he looks at the girls, but there to interested in whatever is on the phone
“Whoever the fuck he is I feel sorry for him,” Saint says, and I look at him a little confused
“You feel sorry for him?” I ask him wantin’ an explanation “Why?”
“Because the fuckers a walkin’ dead man and he doesn’t even know it” I laugh and the girls look up at the two of us
“What’s so funny?” Zoey asks us
“Nothin’ baby go back to looking for a dress, you’ve only got two weeks remember” Zoey smiles and Saint pulls his phone out
“What do you want?” he asks me
*
We all move into the kitchen so we can eat at the tables, the girls in their own little world talkin’ about colors and flowers and ribbons and shit. I watch as Ella smiles every now and then at what Zoey says and I swear my heart skips a beat “You ok man” Saint asks and I take my eyes off of Ella to look at him
“I’m good,” I tell him as Candy Lila and Summer walk in all smiling
“Hey Blaze,” Candy says coming over and sitting next to me
“What the fuck do you want?” I ask annoyed that she’s anywhere near me when Ella’s around
“Just wondering if you wanted some company,” she asks me, and I quickly look at Ella, and I can see she’s embarrassed, she looks away, and I instantly miss her eyes on me
“I have company already,” I tell Candy, but she giggles looping her arm around my waist
“You know what I mean Summer Lila, and I would love to join you in bed tonight.” I grind my teeth getting really fucked off
“No,” I tell her pushing her off of me
“But you love having the three of us,” she whines, and I narrow my eyes at her, and I feel her stiffen a little
“Oh god, don’t you know what no means or would you prefer absolutely not, most certainly not, of course not, not at all, nope, nah no way, naw or nay or maybe in another language Afrikaans Nee, Albanian Jo, Cantonese m hai, French non, German Nein maybe Japanese lie do you need to know more, he said NO so go away” Zoey says, and Ella Saint and I stare at her as Candy gets up and the three of them storm out “What?” Zoey says as we all stare at her
“That was amazing, do you know how to speak all those languages?” Saint asks her impressed, and she smiles shakin’ her head
“No, Simone and I had this weird thing we use to do in college, we’d learn a word in every language once a month.”
“Why?” he asks
“Because we were nerds, and what else did nerds do other than study,” she tells us and Saint laughs
“Baby you're one sexy as fuck nerd,” he tells her, and I watch Ella blush, but Zoey just blows him a kiss as Ella stares at her phone like it has the mysteries of life on it and I smile (I love her shyness).
Chapter Twenty
Ella
After Zoey and Saint went up to bed, I stood up putting my phone away “Well, I think I might head up to” I tell Blaze, and he stands up
“Stay, have a drink with me or how about a game of pool” I shake my head, knowing I’m bad and that everyone keeps letting me win because they feel bad for me “Ok something else than,” he says, and I shake my head again
“No, I’m just going to head up” I walk to the kitchen door when I feel his hand on my elbow, and I turn looking up at him (god he’s so cute)
“How about a ride?” I bite my lip, thinking about the vibration of the large engine exciting my lady bits, but I shake my head
“Another time,” I tell him, and he frowns “How about a game of cards,” he says, and I smile, giving in not liking the frown on him and he smiles at me, and I swear I almost combust
“Cards” he nods
“Just cards,” he says, and I see a sincere look on his face
“Sure, why not,” I tell him
“Poker,” he says, and I shake my head having no idea how to play that game