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“Thank you.” His words are sincere, but I definitely detect a guardedness in his eyes.
“I was in the area.”
That relaxes him. His smile stretches before he takes a sip of his coffee and turns back to his phone. The same tension from before rolls over him.
“Everything okay?”
“Nope. My driver called off sick, and I have a huge wedding delivery to make. The planner has already called me twice for updates, and the shop gets busy in an hour. If he’d called earlier, I could have delivered them before I opened, but now—”
“I got you.”
His head snaps up toward me, heavy frown crossing his forehead. “Ah, no. I’m not complaining so you’ll do it.”
“I want to.”
I swear Orson’s eyes almost fall out. “You gave your day off last week to help me. I can’t ask you to do it again.”
“You didn’t ask. I also didn’t offer. I made a statement, and that statement stands.”
“Ford—”
I step right into his space. “Don’t make this any more difficult than it needs to be, sweetheart.”
He swallows, rough and thick, and I love the way his Adam’s apple bobs up and down. “I’ll feel bad.”
“So gimme an IOU, then.” I slap his ass. “Now, giddy up, pony, and tell me what to do.”
Without waiting for his direction, I walk over to the cool room and slide open the heavy door. Buckets of flowers sit on pallets, but by the door is very clearly the wedding order. A handful of bouquets and a buttload of large flower arrangements.
Orson appears at my side, close enough that I can feel his body warmth. “Maybe I should take them.”
“You want me to watch the store?”
His face contorts as he thinks, and I wait patiently. I’m happy with either option, but a quick drop-off sounds easier.
“I’m torn.” He chews on his thumbnail while he thinks. “The shop is going to be busy. Very busy. And people don’t just buy off the floor; they want things made custom. But a wedding is important, and this planner is … well, let’s say she scares me.”
“I should get along well with her, then.”
He glances up at me in surprise, and I can’t control my laugh.
“I scare most people. This isn’t news to me. If she thinks she can intimidate me, she’s in for a shock.”
“I guess …”
“Wow. Such confidence in me. You better stop with the compliments before I get a big head.”
He shifts anxiously. “You know it’s not like that. I’m overly conscious that this is a big day for the couple and would hate it if my flowers were the reason their day wasn’t perfect.”
And this is why I’ve decided he’s special. This is why I’m cool to hang around, even ifmoreisn’t on the cards for us—because Orson has a big heart. Hell, it’s why I’d even consider amorewith him in the first place.
I have no real opinion on relationships. Some are shitty, and some seem like they were always meant to be, but from what I’ve witnessed, most relationships have ups and downs. They require work. It’s not the kind of thing I’d jump into with just anyone—I’ve rarely ever had that itch to even try—but I know what I feel for Orson isn’t all about sex.
Ienjoyhim. Our time, our jokes, ourdates.
With one hand over my heart, I raise the other and say, “I swear to be the most attentive and thorough delivery driver you’ve ever had, and then after your shift tonight, we can go for a walk along the boardwalk, and you can buy me some gelato.”
“You’re not going to drop this, are you?”
