“Okay,” I told her.
She led me to the register. “Wait right here,” she instructed.
To the cashier, she said, “I’ll ring up Mr. Cattaneo after I prepare his flowers. Please go to the back room and grab those rose-gold vases for me. A customer is coming later to pick them up.”
The cashier nodded, then rushed from behind the register. Facing me again, Blossom smiled.
“Give me one second, and I’ll have your order ready.”
“Thanks,” I told her.
My eyes remained on her as she returned to the flowers and prepared them. I followed her movements as she took them with her behind the register. I wanted to ask her where she was going today that required her to wear such a form-fitting dress.
However, I didn’t have the right to ask her those questions. Not yet. She told me how much I owed her. I gave her my card, wanting to tell her to keep it. What was mine was hers anyway. But she wasn’t ready to hear that yet.
After ringing me up, she handed me back my card and a receipt. Then she handed me the bouquet of flowers.
“Here you go, Mr. Cattaneo. Peace lilies. They should brighten the house and help keep the air fresher. I hope your cousin likes them.”
“Thank you, Blossom.”
“You’re welcome.”
With that said, she stared down at a clipboard and began reading the paper attached to it. That was it. She was done with me.There were no lingering looks. No sneak stares at me from under those long lashes of hers.
No sign that she knew me as anyone other than Monique’s future brother-in-law. I felt stupid as hell for just standing there, holding my flowers, staring at a woman who refused to look up at me.
Holding in my sigh, I turned and left her shop. The bell chimed above me as I stepped outside. Halfway to my car, I stopped and looked back, expecting to find her staring back at me. The doorway was empty.
She wasn’t standing there watching me this time. I stared at the glass door for a few seconds, waiting for her to appear. Needing her to appear. She didn’t.Fuck!Disappointment washed over me, a cold chill that left me feeling discarded.
This encounter hadn’t gone the way I’d hoped. But I wasn’t giving up. There was always tomorrow. Today would not be the last time I stepped into Blossoms and Vines. It definitely wouldn’t be the last time I saw Blossom Brooks.
“Pretend all you want,” I whispered as I walked toward my car. “But you’re already mine, Blossom. And I’m going to prove that to you soon.”
***
BLOSSOM
––––––––
I could still hear the sound of the bell chiming after Rome left my shop. No, the bell wasn’t still ringing. However, the soundkept repeating in my head as I stood there, staring down at my clipboard.
Though I wanted to, I didn’t look up. I couldn’t. I had to be strong. So, I resisted the urge to look out the door and see if he’d turned around. I wanted to know if he’d paused by his car and glanced back at the shop.
I wanted to know if he was watching me the way I wanted to watch him. But I didn’t look. I kept my eyes on the paper before me, unable to read a single word through the tears that blurred my vision.
I blinked, forcing them back. This was progress. It had to be. The last time he’d walked into my shop, I’d almost fallen apart. Today, I held it together. I’d looked him in the eye. I’d helped him pick out flowers.
I’d sounded professional, polite, unbothered, even though my heart had been breaking the entire time. I tightened my grip on the clipboard and still didn’t look toward the door. Not once.
He had to be gone now. It had to be safe to look up. Still, I waited. I had to be sure. Because if I saw him again right now, I would surely fall apart. So, I waited, keeping my unbothered mask in place.
Yes, this was progress. Even if it hurt like hell. I blinked rapidly when the breakroom door opened, and Kelly stepped back into the front of the shop. I couldn’t let her see me shaken up.
Clearing my throat, I raised my head and looked her way. One look at her told me Rome's unexpected appearance had rattled her, too. Her shoulders were hunched over. Her gazeimmediately moved toward the front door, then she slowly stared around the shop, searching for the threat.Poor thing.
"Hey," I said softly.
