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A matching smile pulls across my face. “Thanks, best friend forever!”
Jameson lets out a laugh next to me. “You’re going to listen to him and not to me?”
Squeezing his hand, I press against him. “Probably. You got a problem with that, kid?”
“Yeah. But you can make it up to me later, babe. Now open the damn door.”
When I open the door, a rush of people enters the shop. The rest of the Waters family. My mom. My friends. Everyone I know in this town and a bunch of people I haven’t even met from surrounding towns.
The next three hours are a whirlwind of talking and laughing and showing off my shop. There’s a raffle. And I make some sales. Everything’s fifty percent off for our big opening tonight.
Tables from the bakery are set up outside for a kind of street party vibe. And the weather cooperated, and it’s not raining.
It’s surreal
I can’t believe that I actually have a flower shop. The flower shop that I always dreamed of.
And I have the man I always dreamed of. Maybe Jameson isn’t what I was looking for. But he’s exactly right. The way he loves me is exactly what I always dreamed of. He makes me so freaking happy. And he’s so freaking proud of me tonight. Every time I look for him, I catch his eye because he’s watching me. No matter who he’s talking to, he’s watching me. He gets a big smile on his face every time he sees me looking back at him.
I freaking love this man more than I thought was possible.
“Hey, Mom! Thanks so much for coming tonight! I’m sorry I didn’t spend more time with you. I didn’t know it would be so crazy.”
“I’m so proud of you, sweetpea. I can’t believe my little girl did all of this. The shop is wonderful.”
Nodding, I look around me. At my shop. At the shelves Jameson built and installed, with a little last-minute help from his brothers because of his broken arm. At all the flowers and bottles of lotions and oils, creams, and scrubs. And at all the people here. People I know and love. People I see around town. People I don’t even know.
“I kind of can’t believe it’s real.”
“It’s real. Your dad and your grandmother would be so proud of you, Lilybear. Just like I am. I’m just sorry that your sisters aren’t here to see this.”
“It’s okay. I sent them pictures in the Wilson Sisters chat. Ariana said she’s going to try to come home and bring the kids to visit in the next couple of months.”
“She didn’t tell me that! That’s wonderful!”
“She literally just told me today, so don’t worry. You’re not behind on the family gossip.”
“Okay, okay. I think I’m going to head home now.”
“Out after nine o’clock at night! It’s past your bedtime!”
“I know it. I’m so proud of you. And you look so happy and so lovely tonight, sweetpea. That dress is so flattering on you. And the appetizers were perfect. So light and… oh, shoot, I’m not allowed to say that kind of stuff anymore. I should just keep my big mouth shut. I just meant you look beautiful. You always look beautiful, no matter what you wear. And the food was wonderful. Everything was wonderful. I love you so much, Lilybear.”
“What do you mean, you’re not allowed to say that anymore?” Did my mom finally start listening to me about the words she uses? The things she says? She never has before. Maybe me getting drunk and storming away from the table to the bathroom the other night finally hit home?
“Never mind. Don’t you worry, I’ll get it right. And I’ll pop by the shop tomorrow when you’re less busy. I’m so stinking proud of you! Good night, Lilybear.”
“Thanks for coming. I love you.”
Between nine-thirty and ten, the crowd thins out until it’s just Jameson’s family left. Everyone helps bring in the tables and product displays back into the shop and put all the bakery’s tables back inside next door.
“Thank you all so much for your help. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”
“That’s what family’s for,” Jasper says with a grin.
“Enough to send me home with some of this shaving cream?” Jarret asks from where he’s squeezing the tester onto his hand.
“Are you actually going to use it?” I don’t think I’ve seen Jarret’s bare cheeks since he was seventeen.
