by Tara Randel
After last night’s debacle, when he expected Kady would have nothing to do with him, it bothered him to no end. He liked her, liked being around her. If she refused his company, well, it didn’t sit right with him. And then there was the fact that she had connections to this town, so he really needed to find Esposa for her safety, as well as that of many others.
She glanced at her watch. “We need to get moving. The first workshop starts at ten and I want a good seat.”
They picked up the pace and headed, along with a growing crowd, to the hotel.
“So where were you going when we met up?” Kady asked.
“I got up early. Took a walk along Main. Stopped at a few places.”
“It’s early. Most stores are just starting to open.”
“The coffee place was hopping.”
She grinned. “Cuppa Joe.”
“They serve a good cup of coffee.”
“And it’s the place in Cypress Pointe to socialize.”
Most coffee shops were. “I’m starting to like this town.”
“As opposed to?”
He debated answering. “Miami.”
“Cypress Pointe can’t be anywhere near as exciting as Miami.”
She had no idea.
“C’mon—South Beach? Shopping? The gorgeous beaches.”
“The crowds, the crime,” he countered, “and since I work, I don’t get to the beaches.”
“I guess it’s the same for everyone. We never take advantage of the beautiful locales we live in.”
“You’ve lived here all your life?”
“Yep. Left for a little while, but decided I wanted to work at my parents’ shop...so here I am.”
“Good for me.”
She shot him an amused glance before they entered the hotel lobby. The noise level was high from people mingling before the morning sessions began. Freshly brewed coffee, and a sweet scent he hadn’t noticed yesterday, filled the open area. Captured by the rays of sunlight streaming in from the large windows, Dylan noticed many arrangements scattered around the room. All he could think was Thank goodness I’m not allergic to flowers.
“Listen, I’m going to take off,” Kady said in a distracted tone. “Maybe we’ll see each other later.”
Disappointment settled in his gut. “I could join you.”
She hesitated, and then her eyes narrowed slightly. She looked ready to say something. Then the walls were back up again. Clearly she didn’t trust him. “Thanks, but I’m good.”
She turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd, leaving him wondering what had just happened.
“I see you’re making friends.”
He heard his mother’s voice before she stepped beside him.
“I was.”
Jasmine waved her hand. “Kady will get over last night’s mix-up.”
“I thought she had.”
“Until I materialized?”
He sent her a sideways look. “You do have a way of appearing at inopportune times.”
“It comes from raising four boys. I seem to have trouble radar.”
“I’m not in any trouble.”
“Not yet. Just give it time.” She raised a brow. “Do you think I don’t know when you’re up to something? This has to do with a case, doesn’t it?”
“I’d rather not discuss it.”
“I knew it.”
“Mom. Please. Let it go.”
“I worry. Especially since your injury.”
“Which has healed.” Okay, it was a little lie, but he couldn’t have his mother babying him. If he needed any gentle, loving attention, he’d rather have it from Kady.
And where did that thought come from? What was up with him? He had a job to focus on, despite the fact that he wanted to walk the beach with Kady and kiss her again. Whoa, buddy. The case came first. Finding Esposa was his number one goal, not getting romantic with a woman he’d only recently met. A woman he’d leave when his job was done here. His pursuit of her had to be secondary. For everyone’s sake, he needed to find Esposa.
Still, it bothered him that she dumped him when he wanted to be sitting beside her in a workshop, quietly critiquing the speaker.
“Look, I need you to run some errands for me. My workshop is this afternoon and I don’t have a few things.”
“Things you conveniently forget? Mom, you’re always organized.”
“Not when my topic gets changed.”
“How did that happen?”
“I don’t know,” his usually calm mother cried. “This is my first time speaking.”
Concern flooded him. His unflappable mother was headed for a meltdown. “Take a breath and tell me what happened.”
His mother closed her eyes. Inhaled. Exhaled. After a few seconds, she looked at him.
“Way back when the committee asked me to speak, we decided on the romance of flowers. I thought they meant how picking the right flowers can make an arrangement romantic. When I read the workshop description last night, I discovered they misunderstood. I’m supposed to talk about what specific flowers mean, not the actual arranging.” Her tote bag slipped from her shoulder. She rummaged inside until she pulled out a folded piece of paper. “I was up late last night gathering information for a new presentation. Here’s a list of supplies. I’ve called around town and found the places that have what I need. I wrote them down as well.”
He scanned the list she stuffed in his hand. “Oh, no. No way.”
“You have to, Dylan. I’m counting on you.”
He closed his eyes. Jeez. When he signed on to pretend to help his mom, he didn’t think he’d have to actually do anything.
“You have three hours, son. I’m depending on you to be my assistant.”
He flashed back to the horror on his brothers’ faces when they tried to opt out of staying at the convention with their mother. He understood now just what they were feeling.
He glanced at the list, then his mother’s panicked face. He had to do this for her.
As he walked out of the hotel, back into the morning glare, he decided that catching scumbag drug dealers was easier than being his mother’s assistant at a florist convention.
CHAPTER SEVEN
STILL SEATED AT the table after enjoying a delicious meal and listening to a great luncheon speaker, Kady studied the workshop schedule, debating which class to attend next.
During the break before lunch, she’d run over to the shop. Christine had everything well in hand. Pleased, Kady decided to take the stephanotis home for her special bouquet in case she didn’t have time later on. She arrived back at the hotel in time to grab a seat for the luncheon.
The only choices were a lecture on exotic flowers or the romance of flowers featuring Jasmine Matthews. Before everything happened with Dylan, she’d checked off Jasmine’s workshop to attend. They may be rivals, but the topic played right into Kady’s wheelhouse. The more she learned about the meaning of different flowers, the more ammunition in her arsenal when advising brides on their floral choices.
If she wanted to gain the reputation as the go-to florist for all things wedding, she needed to hone her edge. Learning everything there was to know about the romance of flowers, she could guide her brides to make choices that came from the heart, not the wallet, and therefore establish The Lavish Lily as the florist shop for weddings. She’d already received rave reviews from the brides she’d worked with. She needed to keep the momentum going in order to book so many weddings she didn’t have time to breathe.
So going to the workshop might be awkward. She might have to see Dylan. Could she put aside her pride if it meant helping her business? She scanned the workshop description again and decided, yes, she could do this. Taking the class didn’t mean she’d cower before Q
ueen Jasmine. Instead, let the queen worry about her.
She gathered up her pen, notebook, conference binder and tote. Only a few minutes to spare. Maybe she’d be lucky and snag a seat in the back of the room.
Wishful thinking. When she arrived at the assigned location, almost every seat was taken, except for a few in the front row. Figures. She was just about to back out when Jasmine caught her eye. Kady read the silent dare there. Now she really couldn’t leave.
Making her way down the center aisle, she took a seat at the end of the first row, next to the wall. After pulling out her notebook, she waited for the lecture to start. Jasmine seemed preoccupied. What was going on? She was just about to ask the woman sitting next to her when a commotion sounded from the back of the room. She turned, catching sight of Dylan dragging something down the aisle while balancing local store bags hanging from either arm.
He met his mother and she whispered in his ear. His head dropped and Kady got the distinct impression he didn’t like what his mother said. She sat back, enjoying the show. Her afternoon was looking up.
He placed the bags on the long table behind the podium and wrestled with the big thing he’d dragged in. As he righted the object, Kady realized it was a life-size cutout of Cupid. Arrows and all. Just then Dylan looked up. His gaze scanned the room and finally collided with hers. He stopped, and she could have sworn his ears turned pink. She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing out loud as Dylan moved to help his mother empty the shopping bags.
Finally, Jasmine stepped to the podium and adjusted the microphone.
“Sorry for the delay. My assistant was late getting here.”
Dylan shot his mother a wry look, which made Kady chuckle quietly. Assistant, huh? He must be loving the title.
“Today I will be discussing the romance of flowers. As you can see by our friend Cupid, romance is always the heart of the matter. Why, Valentine’s Day is only a few weeks away. Perhaps Mr. Cupid has a thing or two to teach us.”
Jasmine took a stack of papers from the podium and handed them to Dylan. “My assistant will distribute a handout I hope you find informational.”
Dylan took the papers and handed them off to each person at the end of each row to pass along. He looked at her again, his metal-colored eyes warning her not to say a word. Oh, she would, but later, when she had him at her mercy.
“As you can see, I’ve used examples of the more commonly used flowers and their meanings.”
When Dylan returned to the front, he removed single stems of flowers from one of the bags, placing them before his mother. From the distance, Kady assumed they were artificial. A no-no at a florist convention, but she understood that Jasmine needed visual aids that wouldn’t wilt. Then Dylan removed another item from a bag. He unrolled what at first glance seemed like a poster, but when she recognized it, Kady’s stomach dipped. A vintage print listing the meanings of flowers that had been hanging on the wall in Fowler’s Antiques forever. She’d wanted to buy it for the shop, but it was pricey and her folks wouldn’t okay the purchase.
Dylan stood at the front of the room holding the print, his eyes locked on something in the back, his expression dour.
“As you can see from the lovely print, here are a few of our favorite flowers and their meanings.”
The beautiful print background resembled parchment, on which an artist had rendered the likenesses of six different flowers, the meanings written beside each one in flowing script. So old-fashioned, compared to the completely modern man holding the print who was dressed in a gray Henley shirt, worn with a pair of black jeans and boots.
“First we have lily of the valley, signifying happiness. Calla lily, one of my personal favorites, which means beauty.”
Hmm. Jasmine’s favorite. Kady scribbled it down.
“Gardenia, joy. Orchid, love. Lilac, first signs of love. Anemone symbolizes expectation. And of course, the red rose, which represents passion.
“As those in the industry, we know that most folks order arrangements for special events by the type of flower they like. But to know the meaning behind the flower goes much deeper. What woman here wouldn’t want her significant other to know which flower means the most to her? As florists, it is our task to create not only what is visually appealing, but also what touches the heart.”
Exactly what Kady intended to do for her future brides.
Jasmine then went on to hold up the flowers Dylan had pulled out of the bag and explained each one. A pale pink carnation, bright yellow daffodil, white daisy, blue larkspur, bright red aster, and creamy narcissus. Flowers most people expected in an arrangement, but now seen differently by the convention attendees. This lecture confirmed what Kady had been after all along—there was a connection between flowers and the heart.
Good catch phrase. She jotted it down for later use. Succinct and to the point. The idea had always been in the back of her mind, but had never blossomed in full. With Jasmine’s help, heaven help her, Kady had narrowed down the correlation. A clearer vision of how to promote the idea at the shop. Better late than never.
By the end of the lecture, Kady could see Dylan’s patience wearing thin. At first she couldn’t wait to razz him, but honestly, she couldn’t. He must really love his mother to endure this kind of embarrassment. And didn’t that revelation make her like him even more than she already did?
“And finally, my friends. I have a gift for each of you. Dylan?”
Without changing expression, Dylan withdrew a huge fancy box of gourmet chocolates from the final shopping bag.
“Thank you for your attention. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.”
Kady raised her hand. “I love the selection of flowers you chose to show us. Could you get your assistant to gather them all together and make a bouquet?”
Jasmine’s eyes twinkled. “What a lovely idea.”
His mother took the chocolates from Dylan and thrust the group of flowers in his hands. He fumbled, then caught the stems and pressed them together. He shot her a tight smile while the room applauded his moves.
By now the chatter level in the room grew. A few people went up front to talk to Jasmine. Kady collected her belongings, then stopped short of leaving when Dylan planted his feet in front of her, blocking the way.
“I didn’t suspect a mean streak in you.”
She chuckled. “I’m sorry, but this was too good to pass up.”
“You know what they say about payback.”
“Then go after your mother. She was having just as much fun as me.”
A slight grin tipped the corner of his mouth. “That’s the truth.”
Kady looped the tote over her arm. “We have a break for about thirty minutes. How about I take pity on you and we go outside to soak up some sun?”
“Only if you promise not to rehash this embarrassing lecture.” He ran a hand over his ruggedly stubbled jaw. “My brothers warned me.”
“Then I suppose they’d like me to forward the pictures I snapped on my phone?”
His eyes grew wide.
“I’m kidding. Even I wouldn’t sink that low.”
“Thanks. I think.”
“C’mon.”
Instead of taking a seat at one of the bistro tables by the poolside café, they opted to stretch out in lounge chairs at the far end of the patio. From their vantage point they could see the beach and the blue water of the gulf beyond. A gentle breeze cooled the afternoon. A mixture of chlorine and salt water scented the air.
They sat quietly for a few minutes until Kady couldn’t take it anymore and started laughing.
Dylan glanced at his watch. “Wow. I’m impressed. You held it in for a whole fifteen minutes.”
“You should have seen your face. Classic.”
“I guess I deserve it. Probably matched your face l
ast night when I introduced my mother.”
“So we’re even.”
“This coming from the woman who swore I was out to get her?”
“Karma is a beautiful thing.”
This time he chuckled. A companionable silence fell between them.
Between not sleeping the night before and going to the shop at the crack of dawn, Kady enjoyed this break in the action. Her lids began to droop when Dylan spoke up.
“Looks like a lot of boaters on the water. Is that because of tourist season or is it always busy here?”
Kady blinked and straightened. So much for a quick nap.
“The marina is busy year-round. We get plenty of tourists, but the locals use it as well.”
“So you know most of the local people who anchor boats there?”
“Not all. It varies from season to season.”
“Any trouble between the locals and tourists?”
She glanced at him. “I swear you sound like you’re writing a travel brochure. If I were the suspicious sort, I’d assume you had an agenda behind all your questions.”
“I’m curious by nature.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, weighing his answer.
“What? Maybe I want to make a move in my life. Cypress Pointe seems like a nice place to live.”
She considered his answer. “Would your sudden urge to relocate come from your work injury?”
“Why would you ask?”
“Call it a hunch.”
Dylan gazed out over the water. Kady imagined he was deciding what to reveal. The man seemed to dole out only small tidbits of information about himself. She respected his privacy, but she was far too curious to back off now.
“I’m one of those people who really throws himself into a job. If I don’t give one hundred and ten percent, why give anything at all? In my zeal to get the job done, I miscalculated. And the result ended in an injury.”
He continued to look over the water. Not meeting her eyes meant one of two things. He’d revealed more than usual, or he’d only touched the tip of the iceberg. With him, Kady imagined the second. He hadn’t told her what type of injury he’d received. And maybe it was too much to hope he’d confide in her. Honestly, if the tables were turned, would she spill all to him?