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“But on the other hand,” George cautioned, “the flower shops in town might not appreciate your encroaching on their territory.”
“Don’t you think Mrs. Peavey has the right to hire whomever she chooses?”
“Sure, as long as Defy the World Tomatoes understands the risk.”
“It’s only one wedding. We don’t plan to become full-time florists, so I doubt anyone will toss a flowerpot through our front window.”
George nodded thoughtfully. “Just remember, problems have a way of snowballing.”
Darcy just shook her head. She loved flowers, but wiring and wrapping their stems with florist’s tape wasn’t her idea of fun. “Thanks for your opinion, George. I haven’t really made up my mind.”
Griffin approached in time to hear that last remark. “Not about me, I hope.”
Darcy hadn’t expected to see him so early. He was dressed in gray slacks, a navy blue blazer and a white oxford cloth shirt with a narrow blue stripe. The tip of a blue tie with tiny red accents peeked out of his jacket pocket.
She hadn’t even brushed her hair since leaving the Great Escape at the dock and quickly combed her bangs with her fingertips. “While this may be an enormous shock, Mr. Moore, not all of our conversations here revolve around you.”
George tipped his hat and scooted out of Griffin’s way. “I’ll see to the watering.”
“Thanks, George.” Darcy stood, but didn’t think it was a good idea to kiss Griffin when anyone might walk by and glance into her office. “How did the practice go?” she asked instead.
“Pretty well, but I still had time to have a key made.” He handed it to her attached to a key chain with a smiling plastic daisy.
“This is awfully cute, but I’ll return the key just as soon as you get home.”
“Whenever,” Griffin replied. He pulled a small velvet box from his pants pocket and placed it in her hand. “This I want you to keep.”
It was slightly larger than a box for a ring, but Darcy was still afraid to open it. She slid his key into her bib pocket, but then just held the gift in an awkward grasp. “What’s the occasion?” she asked.
“Does there have to be one?” Griffin leaned against the doorjamb and folded his arms across his chest. “Go on, open it. I can only stay a minute, and I want to know what you think.”
Darcy made the mistake of looking up at him, and he wore such an inviting smile that she couldn’t think at all. “You’ll only be gone a few days,” she argued. “I don’t need a present to remind me of you.”
“Open it, or I’ll open it for you,” Griffin responded.
Pressured, Darcy took a single peek, saw the flash of diamonds, and slammed the lid shut. “Griffin!”
He laughed, cradled her hands with his and opened the box to show off a gold quarter note accented with pavé diamonds suspended from a fine gold chain. “I saw this a couple of years ago in Vienna, but I haven’t had anyone I cared to give it to until now.”
It was a stunning gift and, even knowing it was probably a mere trifle to such a wealthy man, Darcy’s eyes flooded with tears. “If it came from Austria, I don’t suppose you can take it back,” she murmured.
He slipped it around her neck and fastened the clasp. “It was meant for you, Darcy, please don’t cry.”
She wiped her eyes with her fingertips. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Thank you will do for now. If you’re inspired to be any more appreciative, it will have to wait until I get home.”
“I really wish you’d been there to see the whales this morning. I missed you.”
Griffin gathered her into a fierce hug. “Believe me, if I’d been there, it wouldn’t have been pretty.”
Darcy relaxed against him and hoped he wouldn’t feel her heart doing flip-flops. Then she remembered she hadn’t put on any pumpkin pie spice and feared after being out on a fishing boat, she might smell like a seagull. When he stepped back much too soon, she was sure she must.
“I’ll be back Sunday afternoon, and I’ll miss you too.”
“Will you call me Saturday night? I want to know how the concert went. It’s sure to go well, but I’d still like to hear the audience reaction to your composition.”
“It might be awfully late by the time the applause stops,” Griffin teased.
