‘Oh, she likes yellow,’ he said, perking up a bit.
‘Well then, let’s avoid the typical red roses and go with something she likes.’ I helped him create a beautiful bunch of yellow flowers and then, while I waited for Mary to finish up with the other customers, I picked out the faux flowers I wanted. I also gathered a bunch of peonies for myself and once the shop was empty, placed it all on the counter so I could pay.
‘I don’t know how to thank you,’ Mary said gratefully. ‘The shop gets so busy sometimes, I can’t keep up. I shouldn’t complain about doing good business but since my part-time girl left for university, I haven’t found anyone to help out. Sometimes, I worry about the future of the shop… but you don’t want to hear me going on. Okay, let’s put the faux flowers through the till but the peonies are on me to say thank you.’
I protested but she wouldn’t change her mind. She also gave me a wicker basket to carry it all in. ‘I enjoyed it,’ I told her as I hooked the basket on my arm. ‘I’ve had a pretty crazy morning, and helping you really helped calm me down.’
‘I’m glad. It’s been lovely having you here,’ Mary said, giving me a fond smile. ‘Come by anytime.’
Smiling, I said I’d see her soon and headed out to start the walk back to the farm. Her words rang in my ears. I already wanted to go back to the comforting shop. It was burrowing itself into my soul.
It was a slightly uphill walk so I went slowly with the big basket, the sun draping itself around my shoulders like a heated blanket. The walk was scenic and quiet and as I made my way back, I thought about how flowers could mean so much to people. They were there when you had something you wanted or needed to say to a loved one. They could brighten someone’s day or show you care or remind you of someone. My mum had loved to fill our house with flowers that had the best scents so that every day, our home smelt amazing: lavender or lilac or gardenia or sweet peas, lilies and roses, and peonies too.
I lifted the basket so I could breathe in the peony scent and I smiled. I would ask Willow for a vase and keep these by my bed.
A car beeped and slowed down beside me, pulling in ahead. I recognised Blake’s car and I walked over.
‘Want a lift back?’ he asked after he’d rolled down the window. ‘You look full to the brim with flowers.’
‘It’s getting very hot walking up the hill, I have to admit, so thanks,’ I said, climbing into the air-conditioned car, placing the basket on my lap. ‘You’re back earlier than I thought you would be.’
‘You too.’ He gave me a small smile. ‘Are you okay?’ Then his eyes fell on my hands wrapped around the basket. ‘Your ring is gone.’
‘Yeah. I’ve ended it for good with Henry.’
Blake stared at me. ‘You have?’ he asked slowly, like he couldn’t be sure that’s what I’d said.
I nodded. ‘Yes. His parents showed up for lunch and his dad started talking about their plans for me if I came back with them. I knew that I could never be myself with Henry. That life isn’t what I want. So, I said goodbye to them. I gave him back his ring. I?—’
Blake leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on my mouth. ‘Sorry,’ he said hastily. ‘I?—’
I put the basket of flowers down by my feet, reached for the collar of his polo shirt and pulled him back across the gearstick towards me. I saw a flash of his dimples as our lips met again, our mouths crashing together this time with urgency and passion that I hadn’t felt in years. I knew I shouldn’t compare Blake to Henry, but I also couldn’t ignore how many sparks I felt kissing Blake. Sparks that just hadn’t been there with Henry. It made things all the scarier but all the more exciting too.
Blake tried to wrap his arms around me but his seatbelt pulled him back. He leaned back to look into my eyes. His were dark and sparkling just like I knew mine were. ‘Kissing in a car really isn’t easy,’ Blake said with a wry chuckle.
I giggled. ‘Yeah, let’s head back to the farm. Maybe we can carry on the kiss there?’ I asked with a shy smile.
‘I bloody hope so, Daisy. I’ve thought about kissing you again ever since our first kiss.’ He switched the engine back on and pulled out into the road. ‘I can’t help but feel really relieved that you’ve ended things with Henry. I hoped you would but I would have understood if you hadn’t. I just wanted you to be happy.’
‘Thanks, Blake. And I’ve thought about kissing you again too.’ I picked the basket back up to hold it steady as we drove towards the farm. ‘But what about you and Sarah, if it’s okay to ask?’
‘I want you to feel able to ask me anything,’ he replied matter-of-factly. Those words made my heart swell. ‘Sarah asked if I’d take her back but I said I don’t think it can work after how betrayed I felt that she cheated on me. I also said I’m not sure we were ever really compatible. She asked me if I wouldn’t try again because of you, because of us…’ Blake glanced at me. ‘And I said I feel like I can be myself with you.’
‘Me too,’ I replied with a smile.
‘Sarah tried to persuade me to keep working on our dating app together. She told me to think about it overnight, then we can talk again. I reluctantly agreed to it. I keep thinking about all that money and time we’ve invested in the app… I just don’t know what to do.’
‘Would you be able to have just a professional relationship with her?’ I asked him, relieved that he didn’t want her back romantically. I understood that their business relationship was more complicated to end.
‘That’s what I need to figure out. And if not, what do we do about the app? I just don’t know if I fundamentally like the idea that people can misrepresent themselves on there by using AI. I know she didn’t like how I messaged her before we met but maybe that was a sign for us both that we weren’t meant to be.’
We pulled into the farm then and were shocked to see an ambulance outside and Willow and Dylan by it, looking worried.
‘Shit,’ Blake said, hurriedly pulling into a space in the driveway. We hopped out of his car and rushed over to them.
‘Willow, what’s going on?’ I called out as we approached.
Dylan had his arm around her and they turned to face us. Willow’s face was white with shock. ‘It’s my dad,’ she gasped out.
