AllFreeNovel
Share Us
12
Paul
The minutes could not have passed any slower that week. I’d get distracted with something at work, be pumped that time had probably gone by fast, then look at the clock and groan out loud when I realized it wasn’t as long as I’d hoped. And then at night, I’d sleep like crap. I’d toss and turn, too wound up to fully rest, my dinner-and-a-movie date with Shelby never far from my mind. It wasn’t like I’d obsessed over it with conscious what-ifs, but it was more of a restless feeling that I couldn’t shake.
I knew we had sparks. I saw them flying around us on the dance floor last weekend after her wedding date had finally decided to bounce. But when she’d asked me to come over right on the heels of that prom night conversation, it wasn’t exactly clear if she wanted it to be a romantic date or a let’s-get-back-to-normal date. Sure, I could probably safely assume it was the former. But you know what they say about assuming things. What if I showed up there with flowers, expecting romance, and got friend-zoned all over again?
Nah. Hold on. I needed to chill out. Like Will loved to remind me, I’d been worried about that freaking friend zone for so long, I’d basically built my own house there and popped in a pool for those hot summer months. It was time to take charge and move myself out. For all I knew, that was where Shelby thought I wanted to live for the rest of time. And it definitely wasn’t. So I needed to buck up and show her. I still wasn’t sure if I’d grab her and kiss her, but I would buy her flowers and show up tonight ready for the kind of date I wanted it to be.
I got ready in record time, grabbing the first date-like thing I found in an effort to not overthink it. I pulled the black polo over my head and slipped a pair of dark wash jeans over my boxer briefs, calling it good. Casual enough for a night in, but the collar suggested more of an effort than a band tee would have. And that, right there, was a big step out of the friend zone. I’d shown up to Shelby’s place in sweats before, totally unconcerned about what I looked like. Not tonight.
On the way to her apartment, I took a detour and walked from my place to Hattie’s shop. Shelby and I both lived within walking distance of most of the stuff in our little downtown area. Me in a fourplex a couple blocks down, her in a studio above a coffee shop in a row of businesses. We joked that the prime real estate was wasted on her though since her already irregularly beating heart didn’t take very kindly to caffeine.
“Hey, Hattie,” I greeted the older woman with a smile.
“Hi, Paul. Don’t you look handsome tonight? Big date?”
My pulse jumped. This might not be any old “big date.” It might be the biggest date of my entire life. Because there was no doubt in my mind that if Shelby and I got started down this road, that would be it for me. I wouldn’t be able to stop. I wouldn’t turn around or slow down or any other car-driving-down-a-road analogy.
With a nervous smile, I buried all of that and simply nodded at Hattie. “Yep.”
“Already? It hasn’t even been two weeks since you got turned down in front of the whole town, Paul.” She wagged a finger at me so I stood straighter, but before I could reply she leaned closer. “But who’s the girl?”
I gave her a crooked smile. “Can I just get some roses, please?”
“Sure, dear. What color?”
My eyes scanned the cooler full of roses she gestured to. “The yellow ones, maybe?”
Hattie frowned. “I thought you said this was a date.”
“Uh, it is. Why?”
“Yellow roses symbolize friendship, Paul.”
I chuckled. She said it like I was supposed to know that, but even though I’d come in for flowers here and there throughout the years, that didn’t make me an expert. The yellow roses reminded me of Shelby. Happy. Bright. The red ones were classic, sure, but I wanted something a little moreher. That being said, if yellow symbolized friendship, they were out. I didn’t need anything else that would put me in that category.
“What else do you suggest?” I asked.
Hattie put her hands on her hips. “It would help if I knew who I was choosing for. Everyone’s so different, you know.”
We stood in a silent standoff for a moment. Hattie was so transparent I could practically see the flowers in the case behind her. But I wasn’t going to fall for her trap. If I told her I was bringing these flowers to Shelby’s place for a dinner date, the whole town would know about it before we even got to dessert.
And while I loved Shelby enough to want to shout it from the rooftops if tonight went well, I wasn’t going to do that without her knowing. She’d need to be right there with me, ready to share the news. Not blindsided by someone in the grocery store who heard it from their cousin’s teacher’s daughter.
“Hattie,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest and fixing her with my most convincing smile, “I guarantee you’ve helped a guy buy flowers for a mystery woman or two. Help me out here. No questions asked.”
For a minute she looked like she might say no as she stood there with judgy eyes, but then she brightened. “If I guess correctly will you tell me?”
“No.”
She huffed. “Fine. Right this way.”
I followed her with a grin as she led me to the last refrigerated case on the left and opened the glass door, pulling out a bouquet that had a lot more than just the dozen yellow roses I’d first considered. “Oh, wow.”
“Wow is right. This is a work of art. You’ve got apple blossoms to show you prefer her above all else, white hydrangeas for grace, pink roses for gratitude and admiration, spiraling white veronica for loyalty, and last but definitely not least, leaves of Salicyn willow.”
“And what’s the willow for?” I asked as she finished pointing out each thing in the bouquet. I couldn’t believe there were so many different meanings for flowers.
“Salicyn willow symbolizesenchantment. It’s said that these leaves will attract love.”
I took the bouquet from her outstretched hands and swallowed past the nerves in my throat. “It’s beautiful. Thank you, Hattie.”
We went to the register and she rang me up, looking at me the whole time like she wanted to say something but held back. I thanked her again and headed for the door. When my hand closed around the old gold door handle, Hattie’s voice floated over from behind the counter. “Tell Shelby I say hi.”
With a shake of my head, I left the store, not looking back to confirm or deny what she’d said.
