“He demonstrated enough for me.” Grandpa placed a hand on his chest. “Intuition told me it was okay to invite him.”
My grandmother used to envy his intuition. It was as if he had this connection to God, or the angels whispered things to him. Had Grandpa tapped into his gut when he invited Kain for lunch? Or had he been under the spell of gratitude? I’d never been attracted to men with ink, but it suited him, made him more . . . alluring.
If Grandpa liked Kain, then I shouldn’t be too worried about being attracted to him. Would I agree to a date if he asked me out again? A thrill shot through my body at the thought.
Maybe it was time I gave myself a chance at happiness.
“After this episode, I’m walking downstairs to do some stretching exercises with my friend Emilio, and then I’ll be back to start lunch.” He unpaused his show.
Granda had a friend living in the same building but forgot to mention it to me.
“I can help cook.”
“No.” He held up a hand. “Let me treat myfavoritegranddaughter to lunch. You can sit back and relax.”
I shook my head and didn’t even bother reiterating the fact that I was his only granddaughter. He loved making that comment, and I loved hearing it.
After I finished my coffee, I got up. “Do you want any breakfast?”
He shook his head. “I had yogurt earlier. And I also took my meds. So, no need to worry.”
Since I didn’t have to help Grandpa, I returned to my bedroom and sat at my desk to work on my dream. It was fun to pretend I owned a flower shop. I could understand why all those manifestation classes suggested you envision your dream—to dive into the powerful feeling as though it had already happened. I’d printed out images I loved on Pinterest and put together a scrapbook showcasing everything I wanted in my store: the color scheme, the fixtures, lighting, vases, and even the packaging. Figuring out the details delighted me.
After a moment, my mind wandered back to Kain. Hummingbirds fluttered in my stomach as I searched for him on the internet. I clicked on a few images of him in a tank top, working out at his gym. Tattoos covered taut muscles, like a warrior ready for battle. He had a gorgeous face with a chiseled jaw, high cheekbones that belonged on models, masculine lips, and piercing green eyes that held secrets I wanted to know. The bio on the gym’s website said he had a black belt along with all the instructors at his gym. Several years ago, Kain won several awards for his tattoos. I’d never met anyone so fascinating.
How could I not be intrigued? I understood beauty. I worked and arranged it at Happy Flowers. I had a good eye for color, composition, and texture, and I knew what beauty could do to someone’s emotions. When I created exquisite bouquets for my customers, the joy on their faces told me my arrangements were worth it. Kain was one of those hardy plants that mesmerized without needing a lot of care.
What got him into tattoos? Did he attend art school? Maybe he took a class at Framingham State University, which was his alma mater. What else was he skilled at? My loins tightened at the thought. He was an eligible bachelor most women wanted. Why did he want to date me?
My phone pinged with a reminder that I had an hour before Kain’s arrival. Where had all the time gone?
Rushing to my closet, I rummaged through my selection, which wasn’t large. I hadn’t shopped for myself in a while because the money had been put into my savings for the store. I settled on a casual cotton dress. Then I spent too much time putting on makeup and finished with a spritz of perfume.
I looked in the mirror. Satisfied with the dress, I spun around, loving the flowy skirt. I left my hair down, adding to the casual look I was aiming for. Walking out to the kitchen, I found my grandfather wearing my yellow apron, humming while he cooked. He stood with his back to me, and I cherished this moment more than he could ever know.
The doorbell rang, and I went over to the monitor, saw Kain smiling on the screen, and buzzed him in.
I opened the door, and his powerful energy wrapped around me, causing goosebumps to rise all along my arms. My body zinged with a boost I couldn’t stop craving.
“Hello.” He raked his gaze up and down my body. “You look nice.”
Kain wore dark jeans with a black knit top that showed off his muscular chest and bulky arms. Powerful green eyes pinned me to the spot, and I wanted to run my fingers through his shaggy dark brown hair. My eyes slid to the ink on his neck. Tattoos had never looked more beautiful to me than they did on Kain. He smirked as though he knew I was staring at him.
“For you and Grandpa Collins.” Kain handed over a box of cupcakes from Can’t Top This.
“You didn’t have to bring anything.” I moved out of the way, inviting him inside. “You’re the guest.”
“You’re treating me to lunch, so I should bring dessert. It’s been a while since I’ve had a home-cooked meal.”
“What’s wrong with you, boy?” Grandpa Collins poppedinto the hallway, approaching Kain. “What do you normally eat?”
“I live alone, so I don’t need to cook.”
“A big boy like you needs to eat healthy to stay strong.” Grandpa patted Kain’s arm and led him to the kitchen.
“Have a seat and get ready to eat.” Grandpa smiled and returned to the stove.
I took out the cupcakes and displayed them on a pretty dish.
