by Angie Pepper
Tina looked down and pretended to read the article about trouble at Buckingham Palace.
“Sure,” she said. “Ask away. I don’t think she’s seeing anyone right now. Not since the last one ran for the hills, changed his name, and then faked his own death.”
“Your sister doesn’t sound like such a catch.”
“That’s why I’m always trying to throw her in as a bonus bride.”
“Why all the talk about weddings? Are you getting married soon, Flower Shop Girl?”
“Not that I know of. I have been getting a lot of save-the-date invites lately, though. I suppose I should check for my name.”
He stared at her steadily. “You’ve already got your bridal flowers planned out, haven’t you?”
“No,” she said, which wasn’t entirely true. “The only thing I have planned out is a bunch of future dental work, from eating all this junk.” Tina picked up her bag of chewy candies and offered him a piece.
“Oh,” he said. “Do you have a dentist appointment on Friday?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Then you’re free,” he said. “Come out with me for drinks.”
“What kind of drinks?” She kept her gaze down on her magazine. If she looked into Luca’s striking blue eyes, she’d get lost.
“Networking drinks,” he said. “Two local business owners getting together to swap tips. You were right about the folks around here hating me. They’re all irate about losing their service garage.”
“Told you so.”
“I’ve been thinking, since you have the remarkable ability to spot all my many shortcomings a mile away, we can get some drinks, and you can tell me everything I’m doing wrong.”
“Sure. You don’t even need to ply me with liquor to get my tips. For one thing, don’t change the name of the shop.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s called Ralph’s Garage. And your new business is a garage, right?”
“Yes.”
“My advice is that you keep calling the place Ralph’s Garage. Add on a smaller sign saying you specialize in bikes. You can keep doing some oil changes and light maintenance on cars for a few years, until people get used to you. It’s not going to happen overnight. Folks around here don’t jump on every trend that comes and goes. That’s why the cupcake shops and the churro hut are gone. You’ll probably do just fine, but even a well-run business that opens on time takes some time to get established.”
“You’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“This neighborhood is my whole life.”
“Should I change my name to Ralph, just so I don’t alarm any of the folks who don’t appreciate new ideas?”
“It wouldn’t hurt.”
“I’m not changing my name to Ralph. And I’m opening a garage for bikes, not cars.”
“Eventually you’ll just do bikes. Like I said, it’s not going to happen overnight. When you do get too busy for cars, find some other places to refer the business to. Don’t just tell folks to look in the phone book or research a place online. They hate that. Get out and try some other garages yourself, until you find one you like, and then refer people to a place or two that you personally vouch for. Like Ralph's, but a slightly longer drive across town. If you ease people in, they’ll appreciate it.”
He was quiet for a moment then said, “You’re a savvy business person, even if your posted hours are unreliable.”
She glanced up at his gorgeous face. The combination of his good looks and his compliments about her business school made her head go blank. What had they been talking about?
“Forget about networking drinks,” he said gruffly. “You’ve already given me my money’s worth. I’ll have to buy you dinner. Anything you want. Dinner on Friday?”
“Friday’s no good. I’m always busy on Fridays.” That was as big a lie as any Tina Gardenia had ever uttered inside the flower shop. Even bigger than telling a customer she liked daffodils. Horrible flowers.
“Busy,” he mused. “Your sister said you’d be free, but she must have forgotten to check your social media. I’ve been checking, and I’ve noticed that Friday night is when you put bow-ties on that kooky cat of yours and take photos of him looking disgruntled.”
“That’s how he always looks.”
“Muffins can take a night off,” he said. “I’m flexible. We could get an early dinner, or a late one. I’ll work around your busy schedule.”
“Maybe some other time.”
“Today’s Wednesday,” he said. “You have two days to think it over. I know I’ll be thinking about it. Dinner on Friday.”
She chewed her lower lip. Why wasn’t she saying yes? Was it because the Luca in her imagination was so much easier to handle than Luca in real life? The one in her daydreams didn’t lodge complaints about her not being there, or question her truthfulness about Friday night plans. And how did Luca know she’d picked up a new bow-tie for Muffins?
Luca took the bag of candies from her hand then plucked out a half dozen of the fuzzy peaches. That was all of the fuzzy peaches that came in one bag.
“Hey! Those are the best ones,” she said. “All you’re leaving me with are blue sharks and whatever those other things are. Mushrooms?”
He put three fuzzy peaches in his mouth, then another three. “Mmm.”
“Real mature.”
He gave her a wide grin. His teeth were covered in peach-colored candies. Then he turned and walked out, boots thudding on the floor.
She stared after him helplessly. His butt looked so good in his jeans that she wished he’d walk slower. If only she hadn’t pushed back the fern jungle and made the aisle so wide.
The door closed behind him.
Tina stuffed some blue sharks in her mouth.
What just happened?
First of all, she had been robbed of her fuzzy peaches.
Second, Luca Lowell had asked her out on a date. He’d made it sound like it would be about business, but then like it wasn’t.
She smacked her hands to her face. She hadn’t exactly said yes to him.
What was wrong with her? Besides everything.
The door chimed, and Tina’s sister walked in. Megan didn’t even say hello before diving for the bag of candy. “You ate all the peaches,” she said.
“Luca Lowell ate them.”
“Who?”
“A customer. The guy who took over Ralph’s Garage. He came in today, and he didn’t even buy flowers. He asked me out for drinks. No. He upgraded it to dinner because I gave him some business advice.”
“You? Giving advice?” Megan snorted. “Poor guy.”
“You’re a monster.”
“I know.” Megan gave her sister side-eye. “He was asking me about you when he picked up his flowers Monday. We are talking about the super-hot guy with the motorcycle boots?”
“That’s the one.”
“He’s really big,” Megan said, stuffing more candies in her mouth. “He’s too big for one girl. You should share him with me.”
“Ew. Why do you have to be like that?” Tina pulled away the candy bag before her sister ate them all.
“I’m just kidding. Take a joke, Teenie! He’s all yours.” Megan wrinkled her nose. “He’s not really my type.” She stole the candies back. “When are you going on this date? I told him you’re free anytime, if he can drag you away from Rory. Don’t worry. I didn’t tell him about how weird you two are together. I didn’t want to scare him off.”
“Thanks. I think we’re going out Friday, but I’m not sure I said yes.”
Megan looked thoughtful for a minute. “Okay. Yup. That makes sense. Of course you didn’t say yes. You don’t know what’s good for you.” She yawned and started looking over the new floral display by the counter. She pointed to the fresh-cut parrot tulips on display and changed the topic. “Those are gorgeous, but you can’t put yellow and red together.”
“Of course you can.”
“No, you can’t. I
t makes people think of ketchup and mustard. Like on hot dogs.”
“Maybe yellow and red do that for you, but you don’t speak for all customers.”
Megan gave her sister a duh look. “Uh, I think I know what people like, Teenie. I’ve only been in this business for, like, ever.”
“Fine.” Tina started separating the yellow and red tulips. The yellow ones had red bases. The flowers did go well together. Megan was just crazy and stubborn about, well, lots of things.
Megan slurped noisily on the candies. Tina’s sister was a loud eater. She was loud in a lot of ways.
After a moment, Tina asked, “What do you mean I don’t know what’s good for me? Ever since you got into self-help, you think you’re the expert on everyone else. You’re always acting like there’s something wrong with me.”
Megan picked up the magazine and leafed through it. “There’s nothing wrong with you that can’t be fixed. I’m actually glad you’re cautious. We don’t know anything about this Luca guy. He could be a serial killer.”
“Serial killer? I don’t think so. He’s probably just a garden-variety jerk.”
Megan looked up from the magazine, her eyes crinkling at the edges with her smile. “At least he buys flowers. That’s always a good sign. There are far worse guys out there than the ones who buy flowers.”
“Except he’s been buying apology flowers for a woman who was mad at him about something.” Tina coughed and corrected herself, finger in the air. “Technically, two different women.”
The crinkle left Megan’s eyes. “Ouch.”
“Exactly.”
Tina started gathering her purse and things so she could go home to Muffins. Luca was wrong about one thing. She didn’t spend Friday nights dressing up her cat and taking his photo. That was something she could do any night of the week.
Megan flipped through the magazine. “Oh, Meghan Markle. You’re a disgrace to the Megan brand. What have you done now? Tsk, tsk.”
“Do you think Luca’s out of my league?” Tina asked. “Do you think I could actually date him? Assuming that whatever he did to have to buy those flowers for other women wasn’t too bad, and that he’s not seeing them anymore.”
“Luca Lowell? He’s not in your league, Teenie. He’s not in anyone’s league. He’s in his own league.”
That wasn’t the answer Tina was hoping for. Her insides twisted up. Inside Tina’s brain, the well-worn neurological pathway for yelling at her sister lit up with green lights at every intersection.
“Meenie! Why’d you have to open your big mouth and talk him into asking me out if you don’t think I even have a chance?”
“Me? I didn’t do anything. He was the one asking all the questions.”
“That’s not how it sounded when he told me about it. It sounded like you were playing matchmaker.”
Megan pointed at her sister. “This is called transference. You’re upset about something else, and you’re taking it out on me, the innocent bystander.”
Tina told her sister where to take all her therapy talk, then Tina started walking out. Storming out. In a huff.
Megan reached out with her wrestler speed and grabbed Tina’s arm to stop her, mid-huff. “Tina,” she said, using her sister’s real name to show she wasn’t messing around, for a change. “All I meant by saying he’s in his own league is that he’s not your usual type. He doesn’t look like he collects trading cards and superhero figurines. He might not even live with his mother.”
Tina shook her arm away from her sister’s grasp. “Whatever. I heard what you said, loud and clear.” She resumed storming out of the shop in a huff. There were some casualties in the fern jungle, with a few dropped fronds.
Megan called after Tina, but only half-heartedly, and with a mouth full of Tina’s candies.
Chapter 7
Thursday morning, Tina Gardenia was shocked when she opened the flower shop and found it looking very different from how she’d left it the previous afternoon.
Her first thought was that they’d been robbed. What else could explain it? The cooler shelves had been stripped bare of flowers. The fern jungle was a desert wasteland. Only a few potted plants remained. What kind of a thief stole flowers?
She ran to check the cash register. It wasn’t exactly full of money, but that was normal for the morning. The float was still there.
The slot where the sisters kept receipts was stuffed full of paper—all receipts dated from the previous afternoon. There were multiple transactions, so it hadn’t been a bulk order from another shop.
Had Wednesday been some holiday or annual event she’d forgotten about? She checked the calendar. No holiday. Just a regular Wednesday.
Had they run an advertisement or done one of those group coupon deals? She hated those coupon deals. They were supposed to be good for businesses, but what good was losing money on every order? She pulled out her phone and called her sister.
“What?” Megan sounded sleepy.
“What happened here yesterday? I thought we’d been robbed.”
Megan snickered.
“Meenie, if the store was getting slammed, why didn’t you call me to come in and help? I would have come in, you dummy. You sold everything in here, all by yourself?”
“What can I say? I’m a spectacular salesperson.”
“Yeah, right. Was it a last-minute big event? No. It couldn’t have been that, because then you wouldn’t have all these little receipts.”
Megan snorted with laughter. “You don’t know, do you?”
Tina yelled into the phone, “MEENIE!”
Megan yelled back, “TEENIE.”
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
“I’m going back to sleep. Have a nice day!”
Tina put her phone away and pulled out the box of phone numbers for suppliers. She had to get more flowers in, before their regular delivery from the auction.
The door chimed, and in walked Luca Lowell. Unlike the last visit, he wasn’t cranky or frowning. With a big grin on his face, he was the walking embodiment of Mr. Sunshine.
“You’re welcome,” he said.
She waved at the empty shelves. “You did this? You stole all my flowers? I should have known.”
“Nobody stole anything.”
He leaned on the counter casually. He hadn’t shaved in a few days, and there was reddish-brown hair dotting his square jaw. His wavy brown hair curled around his ears. There was something about his scruffiness that made her want to touch him, even more than when he was clean-shaven.
“Put that away,” he said, pointing to the supplier cards in her hands. “Your sister already super-sized the new order that’s coming in Friday morning. She’s a funny one, your sister.”
“Megan?” Tina snorted. “Yeah, she’s really funny.”
“She told me your nicknames are Teenie and Meenie. That’s cute, and I’m not a man who uses the word cute lightly.”
“Sounds like you and Megan are best friends now. What exactly happened here yesterday afternoon?”
He scratched his scruffy chin, acting comfortable and casual around her. Tina, however, was standing tall and rigid, with her arms crossed sternly. She realized this and tried to look a little less defensive and angry. She uncrossed her arms then recrossed them behind her back.
Luca took in a deep breath and explained, “All my guys have been working hard to get the renovations at the garage done. Their wives and girlfriends haven’t been too happy. Yesterday, I told them they could knock off early. But only if they walked across the street to the best-run flower shop in town and picked up something to bring home.”
“This was you? I mean, your construction guys? They cleaned us out.”
“They sure did.” He lifted his chin. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a baby boom nine months from now.”
“Well, thank you. Gardenia Flowers appreciates the business.”
“Who?”
“Gardenia Flowers. That’s the name of
this place.”
“Right,” he said. “I think of it as Tina’s Flowers. You’re welcome. Now grab your purse. Do you prefer omelets, or waffles?”
“That’s a weird question. I like both.”
“Come on,” he said. “Your sister said you could take the morning off and have breakfast with me.” He leaned down and looked her dead in the eyes. “I know you don’t have any flowers to sell, so don’t try to bluff me.”
“Never,” she said.
“Now put a note on the door, and let’s go get some breakfast. I haven’t eaten at Delilah’s yet, and I hear it’s good.”
Delilah’s was more than just good.
“Okay,” she said.
She quickly wrote up a sign for the door, apologizing for being sold out for the day, and locked up.
Luca started walking in the wrong direction.
“Delilah’s is up this way,” she said.
“I’ve got a lot to learn, Ms. Neighborhood Expert.” He turned and caught up with her easily, thanks to his long strides.
The guy had to be six foot three, at least. Tina was not short, but she felt short next to him. Tina had done some modeling in her early teens. Nothing too fancy, just for local malls and catalogs. She’d thought she might have a career in modeling, but then she’d stopped growing. So, she went on to do what felt like the exact opposite of modeling, and got into wrestling.
Tina caught their reflection in the shop windows they passed. The two looked like they could be a couple. They matched, but without being too matchy-matchy, like those old married couples who bought the same ski jackets every season.
Luca was wearing his usual boots and jeans. Tina wore her favorite sandals, with leggings and a long tunic-style shirt. The shirt was teal, and she wore it with a green belt. She liked pairing colors that were tertiary on the color wheel, such as teal and chartreuse, or red and orange. Some people preferred complementary colors, the ones that were across the color wheel from each other, but Tina liked how tertiary colors vibrated with energy. It was what distinguished her floral arrangements from her sister’s.
She was only thinking about her clothes because Luca kept looking over at her. His mouth kept moving, like he was forever on the verge of saying something about how she was dressed, but he stopped short of commenting.