6+ Us Makes Eight_A Teacher and Single Dad Romance

by Nicole Elliot

  “Was the event a good turnout though?” I asked her.

  “Oh yeah, we surpassed our goal. Bryan and I were very pleased.” Bryan was her husband and partner in crime. When I saw them together, I envied her but in a good way. I wanted that; to one day be so happy next to the love of my life. It was obvious how much he loved her, the way he looked at her with such adoration.

  “That’s amazing.” I wrapped up the flowers and tied them off with ribbon.

  “Please, let me know if they call you. I’ll be back soon.” She waved over her shoulder as she headed out.

  “I will, see you!”

  She always came every week. The next time she came, I was preparing for the anniversary for a sweet, older couple. They said they were at the gala that night, and that the lilacs reminded me of their wedding. Of course, that brought my mind right back to that stranger.

  I was currently free; all my events were finished. I hoped for another of course, but the last three exhausted me so I kind of just wanted to slow down. I took a long lunch and went to meet Ivy in the city. She worked in an office building and the design firm took up about ten floors. But there was a nice sky café we always went to there.

  “Anything new today?” She asked me, furiously stabbing her salad with her fork.

  “No. I’m still recovering from the last few weeks.” I told her.

  She was doing well too, she had gotten a promotion to executive assistant. The only difference was a better pay and access to the dump closet. That’s what they call the room where they discard the old fashions. She was so good at her design though, that she managed to make the striped romper she wore look like it was still in style.

  “I can imagine. More work will come too, you’re official. Have you gotten the business cards yet?” She gasped.

  “Ugh, no. I keep forgetting to go to the post office! They’re just sitting there.” I laughed, not believing I was that tired and busy.

  “You’re insane…still thinking about that guy?” She asked. I made a face.

  “Sometimes,” I shrugged. I think about him all the time, about how he felt and about how he made me feel. If I ever saw him again though, I didn’t even know what I would do.

  “You might run into him again. And if you just ask Sasha, you might find out who he is.” She scolded. She had been telling me to ask Sasha since day one, and I just couldn’t do it.

  I didn’t really take charge like that, and I wouldn’t know what to do if she gave me his contact info or anything. Yeah, I was adventurous that night, but that wasn’t really who I was. And there was no way I could do it twice.

  “I can’t. It’s fine anyway, he’ll be a distant memory soon.”

  ~

  Back at the shop, I watered a few of the begonias sitting on the windowsill. They were outdoor plants, so I kept them by the window. I hadn’t started putting anything out front yet because I still hadn’t set up the surveillance cameras, and people steal the oddest things.

  Once I did that, I was about ready to go. I tugged on my sweater and my phone went off with an email. I glanced at it and didn’t recognize the sender’s address, so I just held off looking at it until I got home.

  Since it was the middle of the month, I went through my much-hated process of sending bill payments out, so they would arrive before the fifteenth. Once I paid everything, I had a few hundred left over. I put some in savings and kept the rest. If I needed something, it was nice to know I could pretty much just buy it now. Within reason, of course.

  And I had real food.

  I started making some chicken and sat in front of the television while the meat cooked. I remembered that email and got to looking at it.

  Hello Miss Michelle,

  This is Levi Daniels. I received your contact information from a friend of Mrs. Hallows. I am getting married in two weeks and my florist backed out. I know it is last minute, but I want to book you for the event. Whatever your rates are, I will double it. I want this to be perfect for my fiancé and me. I will meet you at your shop tomorrow at noon if you’re up for it.

  I read the email over. He really did seem desperate, and I thought it was sweet that he wanted to please his fiancé so much. I had a few days of break from the last event, so there was no reason to say no. It was just that weddings were so different, and I was afraid the short notice would make it hard to get things ordered on time. We would have to start right away.

  I replied saying I would meet him, it was past appropriate business hours, so I didn’t expect a reply. My dinner tasted even better knowing I had another client. I wasn’t sure if I would charge him double though, but of course there was nothing I can do if he insisted.

  Chapter Twelve

  Tristan

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “Hi honey, what are you doing? Probably nothing.”

  “Spot on. I was actually trying to find a florist for Levi. He’s getting married and he asked me to be his best man.”

  “Oh, that’s sweet. You two have always been so close. But why are you trying to find a florist?” She asked me.

  “Theirs quit and he asked me to help him out with all of the planning. He has this case keeping him busy; wants everything to be perfect for Gabrielle.” I explained, my voice even.

  “Oh, that’s sweet honey. Why do you pretend to be mean? Anyway, won’t it be hard for you?” She asked me.

  “Not really. Vivian hired a planner.” I murmured. I suspected she would ask me that. And I especially didn’t want to tell Natalie because she would definitely give me hell for it.

  “I see. Well if you need a florist I know a really good one. She actually did the charity ball for Sasha, she hired her.”

  My breath stilled. The thought of that ball brought me back to the woman in the maze. And the flowers I fucked her up against.

  “Really?” I cleared my throat.

  “Yeah. I’ll send you her info.” Seconds later, my phone went off with her message.

  “Thanks. How are you and Dad?” I should probably call my dad more, but I never needed to most of the time. He usually bothered me about twice every month.

  “Good, we are working on another development. I actually think it will be our last one.” She sighed.

  “Really? Retiring already?” I smirked. Mom and Dad weren’t that old.

  “Maybe. We haven’t really thought about it. Just a thought right now. I have to go into this meeting, but I’ll talk to you later on.”

  “Okay, bye Mom.”

  “I love you.”

  I checked the contact information and sent it to Levi. Hopefully he wasn’t too busy that he couldn’t coordinate with the florist himself. Emilia Michelle was her name, it almost sounded like a pen name. Suitable enough for a florist.

  He said his thanks and I continued watching television in peace. I was too young to not be working. Maybe I should start another company, I kind of missed the work. The technology part of it, not the business side. This time I would bring someone in for all of that.

  I dismissed the thought for a moment, but I was always intent on doing something with mobile apps and wired connectivity. I could partner with a bigger company or do it on my own. But like my Mom and Dad retiring, it was just a thought.

  I spent the rest of the night with a few beers and a movie, and I ended up falling asleep on the couch. I woke back up with the sun trickling in my eyes and I groaned. Realizing I was still on the couch I got up slowly and made my way back to my bed and shut my blinds. I was just falling back asleep when I heard my phone ring.

  “Hello?” I asked groggily

  “Dude, it’s eleven in the morning,” Levi said.

  Fair enough.

  “What’s up?” I rolled out on my bed, putting my phone on speaker. I yawned as I rubbed the water from my eyes. I was getting old, that has to be why I wake up so sore.

  “I can’t make it to meet the florist at noon. Help me out, please?”

  He sounded like he was driving, speeding too. I didn�
�t want him getting into an accident or something.

  “Sure man, don’t sweat it.”

  “Thanks, I’ll send you the address.” He hung up.

  I groaned and tried to get a few more minutes of sleep, but then I read his message and found out the meeting was across town at noon, I had to get up.

  “Fuck, me.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Emilia

  I decided to call Ivy and tell her the good news.

  “Hey, are you busy?” I asked her.

  “Nope, just sorting the boss’s emails.” She groaned. That was arguably her least favorite part of the job, the clerical stuff.

  “I just got another client. A wedding.”

  “Oh yay, I love weddings!” She squealed. It made me laugh because I knew she only liked them because I bring her. She finally got to break her dry spell at the last one.

  “I know you do. Anyway, I’m meeting him tomorrow at the shop. I just wanted to tell you, so I could make it official.” I laughed.

  “Aw, well I’m happy for you. See, something good did come out of that ball.” Yeah, and into me too.

  “Yeah, that’s true.”

  We talked for a little bit before we both had to turn in.

  The next morning, I went for my run and then showered after my coffee for breakfast. My stomach still got knots when I met with new clients. I dressed in slacks and a silk, purple blouse. I pinned my hair up and put on some lipstick, I wanted to look presentable for the first meeting. Usually, they see me in my flower clothes which are just jeans and a ratty old tee.

  I headed to the shop and got there around noon. I usually opened up about one anyway. When I rounded the corner, I nearly tripled in my heels.

  I did a double take, even rubbed my eyes and checked to see if I had five fingers and not six before I accepted it. The man from the party was standing outside the shop. He was very concentrated on what was on his phone screen, but it was him. Dashing as ever in his jeans, crisp, linen white shirt, and a messy array of dark blonde hair falling over his forehead.

  I felt my heart in my throat, and my chest in my stomach. Or the other way around. I didn’t know what was even going on at all. I couldn’t believe it. The feelings of that night came flooding back to me, and he was so attractive I felt it all over again. The heat creeping up my neck, the clench of my thighs and belly. My fingers were clammy, but it all went away when I put the pieces together.

  It was him. He was the groom. He was getting married. Why else would he be at my shop? I never imagined his name being Levi, but I knew it was him who emailed me. Him who was getting married and wanted to make his fiancé happy. One month wasn’t long enough to fall in love and get married, he must have been engaged that night. Bile rose in my throat in disgust.

  Everything I thought of him, the fantasy I built up came crashing down. I stepped back around the corner, leaning on the wall as I tried to catch my breath. I almost felt sick. Perhaps because I was both devastated and confused, mostly hurt at the truth. When I felt the wetness in my eyes I mentally cursed him for even making me feel this way.

  But it was disappointing to think that everything I thought is a lie. Maybe I built him up in my head, but that night wasn’t a lie. He seemed very kind, more down to earth than anyone in that room. He felt good, too. I realized I was mostly disappointed he was taken but was fine with it if he was the type to cheat on his fiancé.

  Before I knew it, I was walking away. I should not be unprofessional, but I just couldn’t do it. My emotions would overcome me and then I would have a bad reputation if I treated him badly or didn’t do a good job. I almost wished I hadn’t replied to the email because then it would seem I just never got it. But I did.

  He would know I ignored him. And didn’t come. He couldn’t know it was me from the party, could he? I know I never told him, but there was a possibility he knew.

  Either way, I was definitely never seeing him again.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tristan

  I grumbled, heading straight to the bathroom. I thought the hustle of the morning would make me forget about my ritualistic day dream of that woman, but it didn’t. When I was out of the shower, her face ran through my head. I imagined her in my bathroom, washing her face in the vanity, or brushing her teeth as I watched her tits bounce in the mirror.

  I need to stop before I make myself late. The weather was hot, so I wore linen instead of cotton. The shop was farther in the city, so I took out my Tesla for the first time in a while. I realized I was paying an arm and leg for storing cars that I never drove.

  I followed the directions and got to the floral shop a bit early. They weren’t open yet. Emilia’s was the name, and it fit. I peeked in the window, the flowers were beautiful, of course. Whoever it was did a good job with the gala, so I was sure they would do great with the wedding. I smiled softly when I saw the lilacs in the front, it was like my mother was reminding me to be nice and charitable. Help a friend in need and all that.

  I leaned against the wall and waited, I was sure she would be here eventually. I busied myself with old emails, just checking on my stocks and the day trades. But it was taking too long. I waited and waited. Then noon came around and still nothing. I double checked the address, and I was in the right place.

  I couldn’t believe she was a no show. Mom made her sound so professional, and she obviously was judging from her past work. So why the hell did she waste my time? I waited until ten after, maybe something happened. But by half after I was done waiting and stormed off.

  I sped off back to the city and stopped at the red light almost too late. Maybe I got pissed easily, but I just didn’t like being stood up, or when people didn’t show up to meetings that they confirmed. She replied Levi’s email, so I know she knew about it.

  As if I didn’t have enough to deal with, the car started ringing from a Bluetooth phone call. I pressed the answer button without checking who it was.

  “Hello?” I barked.

  “Someone is pissy.” I recognized that sultry, Latin voice. Gabriella had always been hot, I mean I wasn’t blind. But she had always been Levi’s.

  “Hi, Gabriella.” I sighed, trying to calm down. Maybe something just came up and she contacted Levi instead of me. But I never like tardiness or anything like that. My employees knew meeting days were nothing to play with. My time was precious. I could have been sleeping.

  “I just wanted to call and thank you for helping us out. Levi is working so hard on this case.”

  “Yeah, he is. It’s no problem.”

  “Did you already meet with the florist? I was hoping I could see some pictures. I have rounds for the next twelve hours.” I gritted my jaw in annoyance again.

  “I didn’t. She didn’t show up.”

  “Aw, well I was hoping I could get that done today. I was trying to stay on track as much as I could since the other florist quit. I guess I just have bad luck with florists.” She trailed off. Fuck, she sounded pretty sad.

  “I’ll call her and tell her to get her shit together. Don’t worry about it.”

  She gasped, “Really?” I smiled a bit. See, I could be nice.

  “Yeah. I’ll call you later.”

  I hung up. I stopped at the Starbucks around the corner for some iced coffee. I needed serious caffeine and something to really cool me off. Then I called the florist and it went to voicemail after two rings. Seriously?

  So, I just took the opportunity to leave an angry voicemail, asshole move. But I was mad.

  “Miss Michelle, this is Tristan Cox. We were scheduled to meet today, and I was waiting outside your shop for you to show up, but you didn’t. Obviously. The bride and I are on a tight schedule, so we need to meet today. Call me back.”

  I pressed end, almost cracking the phone in the process. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but I was close enough. Once I finished my coffee, I still hadn’t gotten a reply. So, I called her again, and there was still no answer. I had half a mind to find another one,
but apparently, a two-week deadline isn’t something florists were very fond of. If we wanted to stay on track, we were sort of stuck with the no show girl. I was already invested in this, and I take things very seriously. It may seem like only a favor, but I go for things head on. And it pissed me off when other people block me.

  I hate to think ill of the girl, but she needed to answer her damn phone. Maybe she got in a wreck or something. That would be the only acceptable excuse right now.

  I got ready to leave and was in my car when Levi called me.

  “Hey, how did it go?” It was after one, he probably thought I had already met with her.

  “She didn’t show up, man. Gabriella even called me earlier and she sounded pretty bummed about it. I told her I would try and meet with her today again. But she isn’t answering her phone.”

  “Shit. I don’t think any other florist would agree to this deadline. I emailed like six other places and no one would fit us in. She was it.”

  “I know. I’ll try my best, just worry about your case. I’ll let you know if something is dire.”

  “Thanks man, you are really helping me out. I gotta run.” He hung up.

  I made a U-turn and headed back to the shop. Surely, she would be there by now, and if I cornered her in her work place, she definitely couldn’t run. If she did, she didn’t have any business running a shop. If I avoided every situation I didn’t want to be in back before I sold my company, it would never be worth millions of dollars.

  I pulled up to the street and found a parking spot right out front. I strode into the shop; the door was open now as I expected. I heard something in the back, so I followed the noise. I didn’t want to be an intruding guest or anything, so I stayed by the counter.

  In a matter of moments, she rounded the corner, and stopped in her tracks. It was the woman from the ball. The woman I have literally been dreaming about for weeks. The woman I have been going on and on about, wishing I could see her again.

  And it was the florist that can’t answer her phone either. Her eyes met mine, and then the vase she was holding fell and shattered on the ground.