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Not being able to be with her and Nora for all those years was hard on me. Just like her living without her father her whole life was hard on her.

“Are you going to kiss me now?”

Her breathless question has my mouth watering to do just that. I lean forward and rub my cold nose against hers. She closes her eyes and parts her lips. I dip down, my mouth nearly to hers, when the door opens behind her forcing her to stumble back.

“Oh, Sandy, I’m so, um, sorry. Ugh.” Janey groans and then points down the hallway. “Claudette escaped and I have her trapped in the bathroom. She refuses to let me pick her up.”

Sandy shoots me an apologetic smile. I know our kiss will have to wait.

“Need a ride home, Janey?” I ask the nurse.

“He’s good people,” Sandy assures her. “Go on. Get out of here. I’ve got this.”

I’ll get that kiss.

And all the ones after that too.

Soon.

Maybe tomorrow.

7

sandy

“I think you should get The Lovebird Latte.”

I almost kissed Upton.

My mind keeps drifting to how good he smelled and the intense look in his eyes. But then, we were interrupted. And now, all I want to do is daydream about what could have been last night, but I’m slammed busy.

“Drea Higgins,” a lady with pink hair and braces says as she takes her turn at the counter. “I think my mom ordered two wreaths.”

“I’ll go check in the back,” I say in a bright tone. “Hang tight.”

Wild Petal has been incredibly busy all day. So much for training. It’s been trial by fire since Isabel turned the sign from “closed” to “open.” Luckily, the register is pretty self-explanatory and I caught on quickly.

“Higgins. Two wreaths,” I call out as I push through the doors.

Isabel has festive holiday flowers everywhere. It looks as if a poinsettia bomb landed in her lap. She jabs a finger in a general location, sips the rest of her iced coffee, and then turns her attention back to a massive arrangement of red roses and tinsel.

I locate the marked wreaths, pack them in boxes, seal them with the Wild Petal Christmas sticker, and then carry them out to the customer. We have a few issues with her payment methods and end up getting her mother on the phone to use her card. By the time she leaves, the line is out the door.

I can’t imagine how Isabel would be doing without me.

“Last name Stevens. Decorative garland. Six four-foot strands of them,” a man with a bushy mustache grumbles. “Seems like you need more help.” He squints and then a smile tugs at his lips. “Say, are you Goldie Everhart’s girl?”

His question catches me off guard and I freeze. “Er, yes, why?”

“Look just as pretty as I remember. You always took after your momma. Beautiful line of women.”

I force a friendly smile and then scurry to the back to locate his garland. Isabel frowns when she sees my expression.

“Everything okay out there?” she asks as she curls ribbon. “Need a break?”

“I’m good,” I choke out. “Promise.”

Once I locate the garland, I take care in packaging them up. The man happily chirps about my mother and her birds while I try not to get weepy. Finally, the man leaves and I’m given a reprieve.