“My grandmother, actually,” Geri corrected.
“Right. Your grandma. Well, the crazy thing is, I don’t even remember which one of us broke it. All I can recall is creating this elaborate plan to ask for Mom’s forgiveness.” Across the table, Sophie’s parents nodded their heads, the memory gradually coming back to them, as well. “I wrote the script, of course, and Derek memorized it to present it to Mom, in true anchorman fashion. And Sophie had the idea to give her a bouquet because in her words, flowers always made everything better.”
“And I still stand by those words,” Sophie chimed in. “But probably not the manner in which I got those particular flowers.”
“Right,” Scott said. “If memory serves me correctly, you lopped off Mrs. Frankfurt’s daffodils, the ones her late husband had planted as bulbs the year before. Not sure Mrs. Frankfurt ever did accept our apology for that.” Scott paused. “Anyway, what strikes me most about this memory isn’t that I would one day turn into a writer, Derek would actually become an anchorman, and Sophie would—in fact—become a flower farmer. What always stands at the forefront of my mind is that we were a team and our goal was forgiveness. Somehow, over time and through actions I take a lot of responsibility for, that team pulled apart.”
Sophie could feel her throat go raw. She grinned up at her brother affectionately, encouraging him to continue. She had waited for this day for so long.
“Caroline, you’ve got a great teammate in Derek, you do. But speaking as a married man, forgiveness—and the humility to ask for it—is the foundation of any great relationship. If you can practice daily forgiveness, you can and will get through anything.”
“Here, here!” Derek said as he stood to his feet and draped an arm around his brother. “To forgiveness!”
“To forgiveness.”
“And to getting to bed at a decent hour the night before your wedding so you don’t look like a zombie bride on the biggest day of your life!” Caroline exclaimed, looking at her wristwatch in panic.
“Oh goodness, it’s ten o’clock already!” Geri said. “How did it get so late?”
Chairs scraped across the wood planked floor as family members stood from the dinner table. Guests gathered in clusters of conversation as others excused themselves for the night, thanking the Potters for hosting such a lovely evening. Cole took Sophie’s hand into his and guided her off to the side of the noisy room where they could be alone.
“Thank you for inviting me here tonight,” he said in a lowered voice.
“Of course. You’re my plus one.”
“I like that.” He beamed. “You have an amazing family, Sophie. I already knew that, but tonight just solidified it for me.”
“A family you should do everything in your power to become a part of, son.” Martin came up behind Cole and squeezed his shoulders. He slapped a palm to his back, the way Sophie’s dad often did with his sons.
Cole’s face went red, just like a sunburn.
“I’m headed back to the hotel for now, but I’ll catch up with you both after the wedding. I know you have a busy day ahead of you, Sophie,” Martin said.
“Actually, all of the hard work is already done. Tomorrow I just get to enjoy the celebration.”
“As it should be,” Martin noted, enveloping Sophie in a fatherly hug. He leaned back and looked at her with kind, thoughtful eyes. “Take care of my boy, will you?”
“Absolutely,” Sophie agreed. She smiled up at Cole who wore a look of complete adoration on his face. She was certain hers reflected just the same. “Always.”
“And you take good care of Sophie, son. Do not let this one get away. I know I told you I would support you in any way possible with this move out to California, but if I hear of you doing anything to lose this incredible woman, all bets are off. Understood?”
“Understood, Dad.” Looking down only at Sophie, Cole’s reverent gaze all but took her breath away. He drew her into his chest in the fiercest of hugs as he said, “I don’t plan to ever let her go.”
22
One Year Later
“WHAT IS CAROLINE’s current favorite? Mint chocolate chip or mocha almond fudge?”
Cole held up two cartons of ice cream.
“Neither,” Sophie said as she took both from his hands and placed them back into the freezer case. “Neapolitan.” Scanning the frozen food section, her gaze landed on the flavor in question. She tossed the half gallon into their shopping cart. “I honestly think each week of her pregnancy could be marked by a different ice cream craving.”
“At least. But don’t forget that short window where she only ate potatoes. Scalloped. Twice Baked. Mashed.”
“French fries,” Sophie continued, giggling. She pulled her shopping list from her purse and scanned the items written on it. “Okay. Looks like the only thing left is the dressing for the salad. That’s a couple aisles over, I think, with the croutons. We should probably pick up an extra box of those, too.”
Taking hold of the cart, Sophie maneuvered through the crowds. The grocery store was always busy on weekends, but with her flower harvesting schedule and Cole’s work week, it left Saturday morning as the only day for errands. Tonight they had plans to host Caroline and Derek for dinner at Sophie’s townhome. Her sister-in-law was due in just under a week, and Sophie knew once her little nephew made his debut, their family dinners would be few and far between.
She looked down at her list again and startled when the cart came to an abrupt stop.
Letting out a yelp, the woman in front of her grabbed her heel, wincing. When she turned around, Sophie’s face immediately flushed with embarrassment. “Tammy! I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going!”
Her brother’s co-host strained to smile through gritted teeth as she continued rubbing her ankle. “Sophie,” she said, then looked to Cole standing off to the side. “Cole. So nice to see you both.”
“You too, Tammy,” Sophie said. “Is your ankle okay? I honestly just wasn’t paying attention. I’m so sorry.”
Tammy swatted at Sophie like she was an annoying fly. “It’s fine.” Nothing in her clenched tone indicated it was fine, but Sophie knew better than to keep apologizing. Groveling was not necessary when something was a complete accident. “Cole, I was so surprised I didn’t see your name on the entry list for the backyard competition this year. I know you’ve been quite successful getting your landscape design firm up and running here in Fairvale. I thought you’d be on that list, for sure.”
“Once was enough for me,” Cole said. He hooked his hands on Sophie’s shoulders possessively and squeezed. “I got all I needed from it.”
“But you were so close last year with second place. Didn’t want to try again for first?”
“Nope.”
“Well, that’s a shame. It would’ve been nice to have you in the competition again. Our loss. Maybe next year?”
“Maybe,” was all Cole said as Tammy smiled and said her obligatory goodbyes. Sophie tried to ignore the slight limp in Tammy’s step as she headed toward the checkout stand.
“I feel terrible that I clipped her with the cart.”
“Oh, don’t feel bad. Tammy’s dramatic. Remember how she acted when she read last year’s winner? You would’ve thought she was announcing the Best Picture at the Oscars.”
“And the look on her face when it wasn’t the McAllister property that won,” Sophie recalled. She turned the cart down another aisle and browsed the shelves for her favorite Italian dressing.
“At some point we should stop calling it the McAllister property. Derek and Caroline have owned it for almost ten months.”
“The Potters’ property does have a better ring to it, doesn’t it?”
Sophie stretched up to grab a bottle from the top shelf, but Cole stepped in to pull it down for her. He placed it in the basket of the cart.
“I can’t believe I’ve owned my portion of it for a year now. I’m still pinching myself over how everything turned out in the end,” S
ophie continued.
Leaning down to steal a kiss, Cole said, “I pinch myself every single day.”
“Surprised you haven’t given yourself a bruise yet.”
“Nope, just butterflies.”
“You’re silly.” Sophie leaned into Cole’s side. “Let’s get finished up here so we can head back to my house. I can’t wait to get my hands dirty with our newest project.”
“In fairness, Soph, your hands are always dirty.”
“Well, that just goes with the flower farming territory!”
* * *
SOPHIE SCOOTED OUT from underneath the truck, the wheels of the creeper rolling like skates across the garage floor. The smell of oil and grime and rust filled the tight space and it took her instantly back to long days spent restoring her treasured truck in this very garage. She loved that a scent could transport her so easily in that way.
“Hand me the wire brush for the drill?” she asked as she peered up at Cole who hovered just over the open hood. He was so handsome with his squared jaw, glasses, and the permanent smile he always seemed to have for her. Even the fresh stripe of grease that crossed his cheek made him all the more endearing.
Cole walked to the nearby table, grabbed the brush, and then handed off the attachment. Sophie fit it to the power tool and pulled the trigger to make the brush spin.
“There’s a lot of rust under here, Cole.”
“I figured there would be. This might be a bigger restoration than your last one. I remembered it being in better shape when I asked Dad to have it shipped out west.”
“I’m always up for a challenge,” Sophie said, rolling back under the truck. The drill squealed again as she began scraping at the underbelly of the vehicle. It would take months to get this truck road worthy, but neither Cole, nor Sophie, cared about the timeframe. It was an undertaking born from love and shared interests and they both knew working on it together would only bring them closer.
Cole looked down at Sophie, at her legs and sneaker-clad feet that peeked out from the classic truck. He’d had a knot in his throat all morning and afternoon and nothing he did could loosen it.
“Can you grab that undercoat spray for me?” Sophie’s voice hollered over the pulsing drill. “I want to test out a small portion here and see how it takes it.”
Cole made deliberately loud steps toward the toolbox, but when he came back, he held something else entirely in his hands.
“Were you able to find it for me?” she asked after a long stretch of quiet. She waved a hand out from under the truck. “Cole?”
Rolling out, Sophie’s eyes fell wide open at the sight of the man she loved, down on one knee, a single red rose in his hands.
“Sophie—”
“Cole? What are you…?” She sat up on the rolling board, now face to face.
“Sophie, when I came out to California, I wasn’t hoping to find love,” he began through a strained voice. “I was hoping to find success. And I did find that, along with a new definition for it. For me, success is no longer measured in money or jobs, but in the love you’ve created and the joy your life brings. And Sophie, my life has never been more joy-filled than when I’m with you, here in Fairvale.”
“Cole.” Sophie gasped as she saw the glimmering diamond ring peeking out from between the crimson petals. “Oh, Cole,” she whispered again.
“Sophie Potters, will you marry me? Will you let me spend every season of every year of the rest of our lives loving you and nurturing you and caring for you? Our love has grown so much over the last year and I can’t wait to see it continue to bloom.”
“Yes, Cole!” she shouted. The rolling board shot out from underneath her as she flung herself forward and into his arms. “Yes, I will marry you!”
“Really?”
“Yes, really! Was there ever any doubt?”
“Doubt? No. I just wasn’t sure if the timing was right, what with Derek and Caroline’s baby coming later this week. I didn’t want to steal their thunder.”
“Steal their thunder? I’m not worried about that. But I will be stealing that ice cream of hers to celebrate. I’m going to go grab it from the freezer right now.”
Cole took the sparkling ring from the folded petals and slipped it onto Sophie’s finger. It was a perfect fit. “We won’t have to do that. I’ve already got reservations for the four of us at Aromatizzare.”
“Derek and Caroline knew?”
“Everyone knew.” Cole laughed. He ran his hands up and down Sophie’s back, holding her close, never wanting to let go. “Even your mom. I’m impressed she kept that a secret.”
“You and me both.” Sophie rolled her wrist back and forth, admiring the shine as the ring cast slivers of light across the garage walls like a disco ball. “I’m actually glad we’re going out to eat. I was having a hard time getting excited about cooking that chicken casserole. But the Lover’s Special—that’s something I can get excited about!”
“Me, too,” Cole said. “Think you’ll share with me this time?”
“Cole, I just agreed to share my entire life with you.” She pulled him into a long kiss, then said, “I’ll gladly share my dinner. But I get first dibs on the manicotti. You always take the biggest ones for yourself.”
“Deal.” Cole smiled at his fiancé, feeling more at home than ever before, knowing this feeling would exist no matter where they were. There had been a time when he thought home was a place, but Sophie showed him it was a person. It wasn’t your address that mattered, but the space where your heart took up residence, and Cole’s heart belonged with Sophie, now and forever.
“Let’s get cleaned up,” Sophie said, still staring appreciatively at her ring finger. “I feel like I’m not quite fancy enough for this ring just yet.”
“That ring doesn’t even hold a candle to your beauty, Sophie.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“Have you ever known me to say anything that wasn’t true?”
“No,” Sophie said. “You’re the most honest man I know, Cole. Which is why I love you and I trust you more than anyone. I can’t wait to become Mrs. Blankenship.”
Cole beamed. “That’s the next big question—the wedding date. I figure we’ll want to coordinate around your flower and market seasons.”
Grabbing his face with her hands, Sophie stared deeply into Cole’s eyes, a love and a desire unlike anything he’d experienced present in her gaze. “Cole, the only season in my life that matters from here on out is the one I’m about to embark on with you. You’re the most important person in my entire world.”
“Even more important than your flowers?”
“Even more important than my flowers. I love you, Cole. With everything within me.”
“I love you, too, Sophie,” Cole said, knowing this was what it felt like to win in both love and life. He would forever have Sophie, his new family and friends, and the town of Fairvale to thank for that.
The End
About the Author
Growing up with only a lizard for a pet, Megan Squires now makes up for it by caring for the nearly forty animals on her twelve-acre flower farm in Northern California. A UC Davis graduate, Megan worked in the political non-profit realm prior to becoming a stay-at-home mom. She then spent nearly ten years as an award winning photographer, with her work published in magazines such as Professional Photographer and Click.
In 2012, her creativity took a turn when she wrote and published her first young adult novel. Megan is both traditionally and self-published and In the Market for Love is her ninth publication. She can’t go a day without Jesus, her family and farm animals, and a large McDonald’s Diet Coke.
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