by Ava Wood
“Not yet. I thought about calling her last night, but I decided to wait until I had another chance to talk to Talia. I’m hoping I can talk her out of this insane decision.” Reina nodded and left the cooler, leaving Sara to inventory the flowers alone. She had to find some way to bring Talia to her senses. Surely she could help Talia see reason and not make such a hasty decision. When Sara heard the cooler door open again, she said, “Did you decide to help me in here after all?” She turned around to find that it wasn’t Reina standing in the cooler, but Talia.
“I wanted to talk to you about Landon again. I want you to reconsider. I realize I said I could make the decision without you, but I really want you on board with this. It means a lot to me that everyone in the shop be happy with this decision.”
A ridiculous smile was on Talia’s face and Sara had to look away. She couldn’t stand the thought that Landon was the cause for that foolish grin. She focused on the flowers, pulling out the wilted and counting those that would be usable come Monday morning.
“Sara, please.” Talia moved closer, but Sara continued to focus on the task at hand.
“What? What do you want from me? I’m fairly certain you’ve already made your decision. You don’t need my approval, remember?”
“No, I don’t. But I would like it. I don’t want any hostility in the workplace.”
“That didn’t seem to bother you a few weeks ago when you were in a constant state of bitchy.” Sara looked up from her clipboard at her sister. “I don’t know why you are so determined to bring him in here and mess up the good thing we have, but if you are so adamant about it, then fine, bring him in. I’ll be civil.”
“Sara, please. I don’t just want you to be civil. I want you completely on board. I’ll need your help in convincing the girls that having him here is a good idea.” Talia’s smile was lost. Sara could tell that the strain between them was truly hurting Talia, but she just couldn’t accept Landon in their lives.
“No way. I’m not helping you convince them. If you want him here, that’s on you. I’ll tolerate the decision; I’ll make things easy on him, but you, well that’s another story.” Sara knew she was being unreasonable, but she just couldn’t support her sister’s decision, not when she knew what he really was. Talia stomped her foot like she did when they were girls. Sara knew her sister hated not getting her way.
Repressing a giggle, she recalled all of Talia’s outbursts as a little girl. “Throw all the tantrums you want, Talia, but you won’t change my mind. If you want the girls’ approval, you’ll get it yourself. End of story.” She returned to the flowers, hearing Talia leave the cooler. While she was looking through a container of gerbera daisies, she heard the sound of Talia’s angry footsteps heading back upstairs.
Chapter 10
Story of My Life
Monday morning, Landon woke alone. After a rather uncomfortable day of inventory at the shop, he decided it was best if he started his first full day of work arriving from his own apartment. He’d hoped it would ease some of the tension the girls were feeling, but waking without Talia was a truly lonely feeling. In just two nights, he’d grown accustomed to waking next to her. It was a feeling he wasn’t familiar with, but he wanted to get used to. He loved the warmth he felt holding her in his arms. He loved listening to the sound of her soft, even breaths when she first fell asleep. He loved the little moans she made when she was deep in dreams. Being around her was changing him into someone he no longer recognized, but he liked this new man he was becoming.
Charged with the awareness that he would be in her presence soon, he sprang from his bed to prepare for the day. Digging through his closet he searched for something that was dressy enough for work, yet just casual enough for a flower delivery man. He hadn’t noticed any of the girls in a particular uniform, but he wondered if there was a certain dress code for delivery drivers. He was tempted to call Talia for advice, but he thought better of it, deciding she would tell him if what he wore wasn’t appropriate. His jade dress shirt looked just smart enough, while still seeming approachable. He slipped on a pair of khaki pants, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and stopping just below his tattoo, and left the top two buttons open for added effect.
His nerves were wearing thin as he headed downstairs for his trip to the shop, grateful for the adrenaline rush he would feel the moment he hit the throttle on his Harley. He hoped it would be just enough to take the edge off. When he fired the motorcycle to life, the roar of the engine sent a wave of calm over him and he pulled out of his brother’s drive. He drove through the morning traffic, only getting stuck a couple of times, and arrived just in time.
Using the code Talia gave him to enter the back door, he walked into a room of gossiping women. Camey, Reina, and Sara were huddled together, whispering amongst themselves. The moment he strolled in, the trio looked up from their huddle to give him a contemptuous look then scattered. It was apparent that the girls still hadn’t come around to Talia hiring him and he worried what that would do for the work environment. If he felt, for any reason, that he was harming Talia’s business, he would have to quit and find employment elsewhere. For now, he would bury himself in work and prove that he was indeed an asset to Perfect Petals, realizing the only way to do that was to get straight to work. He found the clipboard with the morning’s work hanging on a hook next to the cooler and checked it for the first deliveries of the day. With the clipboard in hand, he headed into the cooler in search of a hydrangea, delphinium, and ranunculus arrangement listed as the first delivery. As he tried to remember what exactly ranunculus looked like, he heard the cooler door open and turned to find Talia standing in the doorway.
“You’re here.” She sounded relieved.
“Were you expecting me not to show?” He smiled his panty-dropping smile. Old habits die hard.
She shook her head and stalked toward him. When they were mere feet apart, she reached out and took hold of the lapel of his jade shirt, pulling him toward her. “This color looks good on you.” With those words, her mouth was on his, her tongue delving deep. Their simple kiss quickly evolved into something more as she clasped one leg around him, then wrapped her arms around his neck.
Landon slipped his hand into her hair, feeling that silky texture between his fingers. He was glad she’d worn it down today. He could smell her gardenia scent all around him and his erection grew. He’d completely forgotten where they were when he heard someone clearing their throat nearby. Reluctantly, he pulled away from her to see who witnessed their moment of passion.
“Excúseme.” Reina stood in the doorway without an ounce of apology in her voice. She was clearly unhappy that they were taking advantage of the brief moment of privacy.
“We were just…” Talia sounded scatterbrained. She smoothed her hair and straightened her shirt that had inched up marginally during their passionate kiss. “Never mind.” She huffed and was out the door.
When the door shut behind Talia, Reina rounded on him. “Seriously? What is your problem?” She was standing nose to nose with him. “You don’t get enough action in your other job?” She spun on her heel to leave the cooler.
“Reina, wait.” Landon called after her, but it didn’t slow her retreat. She was out of the cooler before he could reply.
“Everything okay?” Talia woke with a start when Landon climbed from the bed.
“Yeah, I just want to get in some time at the gym. I’ll be back before the shop opens.” He sat down on the bed next to her and kissed her cheek.
“What time is it?” She squinted briefly, but quickly shut her eyes.
“It’s four. Go back to sleep.” He tucked the comforter back around her shoulders and before he rose from the bed, she had already fallen back to sleep. He couldn’t help but watch her for a moment, her slumbering frame barely moving with each breath she took. “So beautiful.” He grabbed his clothes from the floor and got dressed. When he shrugged on his shirt, he slipped out to the living room, deciding to set up the coffee maker for Talia so she w
ould have a fresh cup ready when she got up. He put the coffee in and set the timer for 6AM, knowing her alarm was set for then.
When he was finished, he crept out of the apartment and slipped out the back door to head to the gym. He was desperate to work out his frustrations from the hostility he was feeling from Camey, Sara, and Reina. He’d only worked there two days, but they made it very clear that it was two days too long. He was going to have to work twice as hard to prove his worth. He knew it didn’t help that the girls knew about his colorful past. At least he didn’t have a criminal record, but to them, it didn’t matter. He had a very promiscuous past and, until he could prove to them that he’d left that life behind, he would have to tolerate a little bit of resentment here and there. For now, he’d leave all his frustrations on the gym floor and make the most of a difficult situation.
When he pulled up to the gym, he was glad to see that there was only a handful of people working out. He made a beeline for the speed bag and began relieving his stress. He would put in a good two hours here and head back to his brother’s for a shower before he returned to the shop. He hoped sneaking out of the apartment before the girls arrived was a good idea.
Camey walked out of the cooler carrying an arrangement that was up for delivery. “Where’s Landon?”
Talia checked the clock on the wall before answering. “He’s on his way.”
“Mmhmm,” Sara chimed in.
“What the hell is your problem? You’re acting like I hired a serial killer.” Talia stood firm, waiting for an answer from her sister.
“Might as well have.” Sara muttered it under her breath, but Talia heard every word.
“What do you have against him?” Talia grew furious. She wasn’t getting any answers.
“Nothing, Talia. He’s great.” Sara’s words dripped with sarcasm.
“That’s enough. If you aren’t going to tell me what the problem is, then I suggest you check your attitude at the door.” Talia stamped to the front room and plopped down on a stool behind the counter.
“Mami, we’re just worried about you. How well do you really know this guy? It all seems too fast.” Reina leaned across the counter, staring Talia in the eye.
“I know him fine. You don’t need to worry. Besides, he’s been a real asset here.”
“Fine, mami. If this is what you want, we’ll respect that. We just don’t want to see you hurt, that’s all.” Reina returned to the back room as Talia checked over her list for the weekend.
Perfect Petals had a wedding in the evening and one in the morning to prepare for. She hoped the animosity wouldn’t slow down their progress for everything they had ahead of them. If things didn’t work out, she’d just have to stay home from Satin tonight and get the work done on her own.
As she clambered off the stool, Landon walked through the back door. He was wearing the black polo she’d given him for deliveries. She loved the way the dark shirt set off his sapphire eyes. She tried to ignore the instant butterflies in her belly, but they were there, always there when she least expected them. She walked into the workroom to tell him good morning and found the girls clustered in a corner whispering low.
“Get to work,” she spat. She’d had enough of their conspiracies. It was time they dealt with her decision and made the most of it. “Good morning, Landon.” She tried her best business voice to keep the girls from snickering or belittling her choice anymore. She knew there was always a hint of lust in her words, but there was no denying the chemistry between them.
She smiled in his direction, then headed to the storage room to retrieve more floral wire and satin ribbon for the bouquets. When she was getting ready to head back downstairs, she heard raised voices.
“I don’t care. You’re no good for her!” Sara was yelling at Landon.
“Sara, please…” His voice stopped when Sara’s head jerked to the top of the staircase where Talia now stood.
Waiting for either of them to say something, Talia watched as Sara and Landon parted ways and got back to work. Apparently the situation was worse than she’d imagined and it grew evident that she would be spending the evening away from the club, if only to give the girls a little space from Landon. He’d been there nearly a week and they were still giving him a hard time. What was it going to take for them to open up and give him a real chance? She didn’t understand why the girls couldn’t respect her decision. She was going to have to have a talk with them and make it very clear that if they weren’t happy with her decision they could find employment elsewhere. She was sticking to her guns regardless of what any of them thought.
Landon was still tossing and turning when he saw the clock read 3:55. He hadn’t slept a wink. The week was coming to a close and the girls still wouldn’t budge. He definitely wasn’t expecting Sara to attack him while Talia was upstairs digging around.
Frantic for an escape, Landon snuck out of the apartment and went for a run. He needed the time to clear his head. A simple trip to the gym wasn’t going to do it today, not after his lack of sleep. When he’d run nearly a mile, he turned back realizing it just wasn’t helping. He was exhausted and now, in need of a shower. He didn’t want Talia’s noisy old pipes to wake her, so he hopped on his bike and chose the short drive to his brothers for a shower and change of clothes.
He washed off, shaved, and slipped on a pair of jeans, then headed for the living room, instead finding his brother sitting on a barstool in the measly kitchen. Landon nearly jumped out of his skin finding his brother quietly sitting. “What the hell, man?”
Dawson looked up from the newspaper he’d been perusing. “Good morning to you too, brother.”
“What are you doing here?” Landon ran his hand through his hair, trying to shake out some of the excess water that was still trickling down his back.
“You haven’t been around much and I wanted to see how you were doing. I was afraid if I didn’t let myself in, I might miss you again.”
“Sorry, Dawse, I’ve been busy. Work has been hectic.”
“So we’re back to that?” Dawson’s face fell.
“What?” Landon wasn’t sure what his brother meant.
“Are you going to move back in with Brent and Ethan then?” Dawson wouldn’t even look at Landon.
“What? No.” Shit. He thinks I’m escorting again. I have to make this right. “Dawson, I’m working for Talia…” At Dawson’s skeptical stare, he continued, “At her flower shop.”
“Her flower shop? What do you know about flowers?” Dawson laughed at him.
“Nothing,” Landon sneered. “I’m her delivery boy.” He raised his eyebrows at his brother, implying something a little more on the kinky side.
“Alright, that’s more than I need to know.” Dawson folded up the newspaper and asked, “So where have you been all night? Don’t think I haven’t noticed you sneaking in at the crack of dawn.”
“I’ve been at Talia’s.”
“I don’t understand. If you’re staying with her, why do you keep coming back here?”
“I’m trying to keep some semblance of peace with the girls at the shop. They aren’t too thrilled that I’m an escort and I don’t want to rub our relationship in their face.”
“I thought you quit?”
“I did, but they don’t know that.” Landon sat on the stool next to his brother and dropped his head in his hands.
“So tell them. Wouldn’t that make things easier?”
“I’m not sure that would change their opinion of me. I am what I am to them, regardless of who I want to be now.”
“You never know until you try.”
“I’ve got a pretty good feeling. Let’s just leave it at that.”
“It’s your life, Landon. I just don’t want to see you hurt. You’ve got to find a way to tell these women the truth and try to make amends, if not for yourself, at least for Talia. If she really means so much to you, you don’t want to destroy the one thing that’s been consistent in her life.”
Landon n
odded. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“I know.” Dawson chuckled and got up from his stool. “Well, Mya was fixing breakfast when I left so I ought to head back over and get the kiddos out of bed. Why don’t you come by tonight for dinner? Seven o’clock?”
“Sure.” Landon nodded in response. “Hey, Dawson?” His brother turned to face him. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
Landon looked at his brother perplexed. “For being my brother.”
Dawson shrugged his shoulders. “Anytime.” He smiled and slipped out the door.
When Dawson was gone, Landon got ready for his day, and prepared for what he needed to say to Camey, Reina, and Sara to change their minds about him.
“You guys embarrassed the shit out of me today.” Talia had called a meeting with the girls after their disaster of a delivery. “What were you thinking, dumping water all over Landon and acting like a bunch of clumsy lunatics? I don’t get it.”
“What’s not to get? It was an accident, Tal.” Camey used those puppy dog eyes of hers for sympathy.
“Bullshit. I’ve seen you use that accidental trip move a hundred times on guys. Don’t think I don’t know a con when I see one. You dumped that water on him on purpose, and for what? You’re the reason he found me here. Or did your forget that? All of a sudden you’re on their side?” Talia pointed accusatorily at Reina and her sister.
“I didn’t forget it, but…” Camey tripped over her own words. “I had a change of heart.”
“Why? What do you all have against him?”
“You barely know him, Tal.” Camey played the sincere friend card.
“I know him better than you and I think I know him well enough to know he’s been an asset to Perfect Petals. We would have been lost without him. You know that as well as I do.” Talia was searching for something, anything, to bring them around. They had to see that he saved them in more than one way over the last week.
“Okay, so he helped out, but why couldn’t you hire someone else. Why not bring Brandy back? I just don’t get it. Why him?” Sara whined.