by Lexy Parker
I looked to my left and saw a white sign in the shape of an arrow, pointing to the storefront.
“Cupid’s Arrow,” I grumbled, reading the name on the sign.
I checked out the front of the building, noticed it was a small shop with a large picture window with an image of the typical Cupid’s bow with the name of the store written in white inside of the bow. It was cheesy. Very cheesy, but it seemed to be an effective method of attracting customers. The store wasn’t open yet. I’d made it five minutes early.
I stared through the window of the shop and could see pretty floral arrangements along with helium balloons. I was probably jaded, but the only thing I thought of when I saw flowers were funerals, weddings, and people who fucked up and hoped to work their way back into someone’s good graces. I remembered giving Tara flowers a few times until she told me she’d prefer it if I got her plants instead. She hated when the flowers died.
I smiled thinking of the orchids, violets, and variety of other flowering plants I had brought her when I returned home after a deployment or extended leave. Our house had been filled with plants. Her green thumb made them thrive. I found myself absently spinning the ring on my finger before snapping myself out of the melancholy.
I drove around back, following the instructions the owner had given Clay to pass along to me. I found the alley with one spot available to park in. I took it and turned off the truck. Before I could get out, I noticed the door opening, and I waited.
I watched, my mouth hanging slightly open as I stared at the vision before me. The woman, she was model pretty. Her blond hair had a slight wave to it. I wondered if it was natural or the result of some curlers or whatever, wondering if women still did that. She was petite, thin, and shapely. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was wearing a pair of jeans that clung low on her hips. A pretty light-blue sweater with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows was the perfect color for her pale hair and fair skin.
If she was the owner, I had been very wrong about her age. She was probably in her early twenties, I guessed. Maybe she was the granddaughter of the owner, I reasoned. That made sense. A young woman, especially as beautiful as she was, wouldn’t be the owner of a flower shop. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she carried what looked to be a heavy bag of trash across the alley to the dumpsters.
Just when I thought she was the most graceful creature I had ever seen, she tripped, nearly falling to her face. I bit back a laugh when I read the curse word on her lips as she scowled at the offending rock that had nearly taken her down. Okay, so she wasn’t a graceful woman. She couldn’t have it all, I supposed. Her beauty was enough to get her through life. Walking and chewing at the same time were probably not her strong suit.
It was at that moment, she looked up and saw me. Even from the distance, I could see she had big blue eyes framed by long black eyelashes. She was stunning, breathtaking. She lifted her hand and waved, before tossing the trash in the dumpster and heading my way.
I got out of the truck, steeling myself to meet the woman who had enchanted me with her beauty. I didn’t want to look like a drooling idiot. I wasn’t sure why I cared what she thought of me, but something inside me did care. I didn’t want her to think I was a drooling idiot. It was that male ego I still harbored somewhere inside. I had thought it long gone but seeing her reminded me I was a man. A man with eyes that could see an attractive woman.
Chapter 6
Jamie
I saw the logo on the side of the truck and knew it was my new delivery driver. I was surprised to see he was already there. I walked toward the truck, wondering why the guy was sitting in there and not getting out. I hoped he didn’t expect me to carry all the flowers out to him. If that was the case, I was going to have to go back to the drawing board. I was paying them enough for him to walk inside the damn shop.
The man jumped out and came around the back of the truck, taking long strides toward me. I stopped walking. Holy mother of God. My mouth went dry as I took in the sight of the tall, lean, yet built, muscular and drop-dead gorgeous man walking my way with a small smile on his face. It was a sexy smile, revealing a full set of straight white teeth. He could not possibly be the delivery driver. The guy should be half naked on a billboard somewhere. Naked. Oh God. What did that man look like naked?
His brown hair was cut short, showing off his square jawline and perfect cheekbones. I could see the confidence in the way he walked. He was one of those guys who could kick ass and take names without breaking a sweat. He was built, but not like body-builder built. He was sexy as hell. I just hoped he wasn’t the kind of guy who knew how hot he was and was convinced he was God’s gift to women. I couldn’t stand arrogant men or women for that matter. The guy standing in front of me was the total package in the jeans, brown boots, and a Nike zip-up hoodie that gave him a sporty, casual, laid-back look.
“Hi,” I said, finding my words—well, one word—and managing to keep from completely making a fool out of myself by openly ogling him.
“Hey, I’m from the delivery service,” he said, the smile still in place.
I nodded. “I see that.”
He grinned. “I guess that’s obvious.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Not always. You’re early. Thank you. I really appreciate that,” I said, finding it difficult to string together words. He was making me befuddled, like I-couldn’t-remember-my-own-name befuddled.
“Of course,” he said, as if it was no big deal.
“My last delivery guy showed up whenever he rolled out of bed. He wasn’t exactly reliable. I guess I should be glad he quit,” I mumbled, wondering why I felt the need to tell him all that.
“Sounds like it. I’m Philip, by the way.”
“I’m Jamie,” I said with a smile. “Come in and I’ll show you what I have for the day.”
He followed me through the back door. I was silently praying I wouldn’t trip and fall on my face like an idiot. I realized he’d probably seen me stumble over the stupid rock. That was only a little embarrassing. My back-room area wasn’t exactly tidy. I knew exactly where everything was, but I imagined it probably looked like a small bomb had gone off to any newcomers.
“Is this your shop?” he asked.
I smiled and nodded. “It is.”
“Oh.”
“Oh? Does that surprise you?” I asked.
He shrugged. “No, not at all.”
I could tell he was suddenly uncomfortable and wondered what kind of conclusions he had drawn about the owner of the shop. He wouldn’t be the first one. I had more than one person ask me to get my manager or the owner. When I was feeling really feisty, I would tell a particularly difficult customer that the owner was away on business. Sometimes, I just didn’t feel like being the boss. Those times were rare, but it did happen.
“Okay, so, I don’t have a lot for today, but Valentine’s is right around the corner, and things will pick up. It’s probably better it’s slow now. It will give you a chance to get used to the job,” I explained.
He nodded. “Okay, sounds good. Busy is good, I guess, for you at least. I’ll make sure I’m on time.”
I grinned, glad I didn’t have to say it. “Thank you. I really appreciate that. I know these are just flowers, but to the people who order them, and to the people who receive them, it can be a huge thing. If a boyfriend or husband forgets flowers on a special day, it could end a relationship. I don’t want to be responsible for that. You get the fun job of giving people a smile. I hope that makes your day a little brighter.”
He scoffed. “I don’t know. Seems hasty to end a relationship on a lack of flowers,” he grumbled.
I laughed. “I agree, but that’s not up to me to decide.”
“Okay. I get it. I’ll make sure all the flowers get to the places on time. I’d hate to be the guy who caused a divorce because I slept in,” he mumbled.
“See. You get it. My last guy didn’t understand how important it was,” I said, bobbing my head excitedly.
When Philip looked at me with those clear, green eyes, I felt my heart stop for a brief second before kicking back up and damn near beating out of my chest. Good God he was fucking hot. He had to be new in town. A man like that would create some buzz. I had never seen or heard of him before.
“It’s my job. I don’t have to get it,” he replied.
I looked at him. “Are you new around here?” I asked him.
“Yes.”
I smiled and hid my frustration over his lack of information. He was a man of few words, apparently.
“All right, these are the deliveries for today. Here is the sheet with the addresses. Can you sign my paperwork to show you’ve picked them up?” I asked nicely.
He nodded and reached out with his left hand. It was then I spotted the wedding band. Of course, he was married. Why wouldn’t he be. He was handsome as hell and probably had a gorgeous wife at home. It explained why he wasn’t overly chatty. I liked that. He didn’t want to give me the impression he was interested and was keeping it all very professional. That was a good man. No flirting, no looks, just doing his job. His wife was a lucky lady.
I pointed him to the cooler where the orders for delivery were waiting. He carefully carried them to his truck with me carrying one small vase full of flowers.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, getting into the truck.
I stepped away, watching him drive out of the alley and turn onto the main road. He took the corner carefully, which made me smile. I liked that he considered the flowers to be precious cargo and was careful not to tip them over. My new delivery driver was going to work out great, I decided.
I headed back inside just as Dani was coming through the front.
“Hey!” she greeted.
I could tell she’d been at her spin class. She was wearing her leggings and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Her cheeks were flushed and there was a sheen of sweat over her forehead.
“You look perky!” I said with a laugh.
She nodded, drinking from her water bottle. “I feel perky. I’m telling you, you have to try these classes. They give me so much energy in the morning.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t see how pedaling a bike for I don’t know how many miles gives you energy. Don’t you want to go home and take a long nap after a grueling workout?”
She shook her head. “Definitely not. You have to come with me one of these days.”
I groaned. “I know, I know. I will, one of these days.”
“Was that the new delivery service?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yes, and I think it is going to work out great. The guy is very professional and was even a few minutes early.”
“Really?” she asked with surprise.
I wrinkled my nose, thinking over the interaction with the guy. “He seems too, I don’t know, good, maybe,” I mumbled.
“Too good? Too good for what?” she asked.
“I mean, he is very confident or at least he looks confident and like the kind of guy you would expect to run his own company or be some big CEO at a prestigious corporation. He doesn’t seem at all the type to be a delivery driver making minimum wage,” I told her.
“Maybe he is the owner. You own your shop and you are the one who answers the phones, greets customers, and does the arrangements,” she pointed out.
I nodded. “Yes, but I know he isn’t the owner. This guy, Philip is his name, he’s new to the area.”
“Hmm, interesting,” she said, a sly smile spreading over her face.
I shook my head, holding up my hand. “No, no, nothing like that. He’s married.”
She pouted. “All the good ones are.”
I laughed. “You don’t know if he’s a good one.”
“The way you described him, he sounds good. Is he good looking?”
I couldn’t stop the smile that spread over my face. “Very.”
“And you’re sure he’s married?” she asked.
I nodded. “He had a wedding ring and he gave off a vibe that said he wasn’t interested in being friends. Like, a guy loyal to his woman.”
She sighed. “Wow. Those are definitely few and far between.”
“Exactly. I wonder if has a brother,” I mused aloud.
She giggled. “Wouldn’t that be luck. Of course, if he’s all that and a bag of chips, I doubt one family would have two of those. The brother would probably be a psycho. No family gets to have that many good genes.”
I laughed. “Wait a minute. I think there can be two good siblings in a family.”
She laughed. “Maybe, but you and your brother are a rare exception.”
I smiled and nodded. “I guess we are. Oh well, enough dreaming.”
She shook her head. “It’s really too bad,” she said on a sigh.
“What is?” I asked.
“All the good ones are married or gay,” she said, shrugging.
I burst into laughter. “You know, I think you might be right. How do I find one who isn’t married yet? It’s like you have to be part of some secret club to grab the good ones before they go on the market.”
“Or, it could be the wives mold these guys into the good men they are,” she suggested.
“That is probably partially true as well. I know I’ve yet to find a guy as handsome as Philip with manners like his. It’s usually one or the other. The total package is a rarity,” I told her.
We both let the thought sink in before I quickly brushed it away. I had work to do and couldn’t sit around getting all melancholy over my single status. I had dated plenty of men, hoping to find the one, but had never gotten so lucky. I hadn’t given up on love, but I had made a conscious decision to quit looking so damn hard. If it happened, it happened. For now, I was content with my business and being me. I didn’t need a man to complete me; although, it sure would be nice to have someone to love and to be loved in return.
Chapter 7
Philip
“Come on, munchkin, we’re going to be late if we don’t get a move on it,” I hollered down the hallway of my small, two-bedroom house parked on a quiet street on the edge of town.
She walked out of her bedroom, dragging her backpack behind her.
“I’m ready,” she announced.
I helped her slide her headband into place. “I like this one,” I told her.
“Thank you. I picked it because it matches my blue shirt,” she declared.
I chuckled and nodded. “That it does. You inherit your good fashion sense from your mother,” I told her.
She grinned. “I know.”
The headbands were about the only thing that worked to keep her hair off her face. Ponytails usually ended up in a tangled mess by the end of the day. She had at least twenty headbands in every color with a variety of sparkles, polka dots, and animal prints. Thank God the things were dirt cheap because she lost as many as she kept.
“Are you ready? Do you have your homework?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yep.”
“Do you want a Pop-Tart or anything?” I asked her again, worried the school breakfast wasn’t enough.
“I’m eating breakfast at school, remember?” she said, one hand on her hip.
I laughed, shaking my head. The teenage years were going to be such a joy. She already acted so much older than she was.
“Got it. Let’s get going. I can’t be late for my new job,” I told her, grabbing her jacket from the hook by the front door and helping her put it on.
We walked outside, our small front yard in desperate need of landscaping. I hoped to make it nice once the weather changed. I had gotten the house at a low price because of the many repairs it needed. I didn’t mind the work and figured it would be a good way to keep myself busy. One of our elderly neighbors was standing on his front porch, surveying the neighborhood as usual.
I waved. “Good morning, Mr. Jacobs,” I said, trying to be friendly with all my neighbors.
The man smiled and waved back before picking up his newspaper
and heading back inside. The neighborhood was filled with mostly older couples, which made it nice and quiet. It wasn’t great for Sadie, who probably would have preferred more kids, but I didn’t want to be bothered by busybody neighbors, inviting us to barbecues and house parties. I liked keeping to myself.
Sadie climbed into the truck and announced she had buckled herself in. I double-checked anyway. There was no way I was going to put her safety in her own hands. It was the overprotective thing. I drove to the shop, taking Sadie with me to say hi to Clay before I dropped her off at school. He’d been asking to see her, and I knew how much she loved to ride in the delivery truck. She had already formed a bond with Clay even after only actually knowing him for a couple weeks. I was glad to have him in our lives.
I helped her out of the truck, and she rushed inside. By the time I made it in, she was already talking Clay’s ear off, telling him all about the kids at school and how funny her teacher was. I stood in the doorway of his small office, my arms crossed as I listened to her ramble on. Clay was nodding along, trying his best to get a word in edgewise and failing miserably.
“You need your own radio show,” he said when Sadie paused to take a breath.
“A radio show? What’s that?” she asked.
“Come on, kid, we need to get you to school,” I told her, heading off what would have been a lengthy conversation.
I didn’t want her to ask me for a radio station for Christmas. She tended to dream big. I loved that she was confident I could give her whatever she wanted, but the radio station was not in the cards—ever. She waved goodbye to Clay and followed me out to the delivery truck. I put her booster in the back seat of the quad cab and set off for the school.
With her dropped off, it was time to get to the flower shop. Using the company truck to drop her off saved me about ten minutes. When I pulled in back of the shop, I was very happy to see I was about fifteen minutes early. Any single parent could understand the joy of discovering you had fifteen whole minutes to yourself to do absolutely nothing. I turned off the truck and grabbed my phone, ready to do a little internet surfing before I had to go inside and pick up the deliveries.