Laughter bubbled out of me before I could stop it. “You’ve officially made him regret walking through the door.”
Briggs adjusted his hat, the gesture neat and deliberate. “I’m here because you insisted on a break. Not because I’m shopping. I can pivot, though.”
“Youthinkyou’re here to guard Lila,” Sage countered, leaning an elbow on the counter. “But really, you’re here because you like my plants. I can tell. Stoic cowboy on the outside, closet succulent-whisperer on the inside.”
“I don’t talk to plants, but I could be a closet-succulent whisper if needed.” He gave her a little look that made her blush.
Briggs wasn’t much of a talker, and I hadn’t been able to learn much about him so far, only that he’d served in the military and perhaps spent some time on the rodeo circuit. This banter with my bestie was intriguing. Maybe he was interested in her? I’d be a pal and try to do a little match-making, but he didn’t even live here, and that was a no-go for Sage. She was a hometown girl.
Not to mention, I didn’t know much about Briggs. I didn’t even know if he was single.
“Exactly what someone who talks to plants would say.” Sage gave a flippant shrug and a hair toss like she dismissed him out of hand. Total rage bait.
I nearly choked on my laugh, hugging the fern tighter. Sage had that relentless spark, and it was impossible to resist. Briggs’s mouth twitched, almost a smile. “Could you take this? Or maybe set Bob back on the counter? I think he’s gained a pound or two.”
Sage caught it, too. “See, Lila, he’s cracking. There’s a smile. Next week, he’ll be naming orchids after his childhood pets.”
“I don’t have orchids,” he grumped.
“You will,” she said with absolute certainty, taking the fern from me and setting it back on the counter.
The banter carried on while Sage darted around the shop, tying up bouquets of lavender, humming under her breath while we talked. Briggs stayed near the door like a watchful sentinel, but his eyes followed her movements more than he probably realized.
At one point, Sage slid a small journal across the counter. Its cover was pressed with wildflowers and stitched with care. “Here. A manly pressed-flower journal. Start with daisies.”
Briggs touched it with two fingers, expression unreadable. “Daisies are manly?”
“If a Viking can braid his hair, you can press flowers. Don’t limit yourself. It’s not good for your constitution. Let yourself breathe, Mr. Redhawk.”
That pulled a real smile out of him, brief but there. I felt something inside me ease at the sight. For all the heaviness shadowing my life lately, the warmth in this little shop made me smile.
“You two are getting along disturbingly well.” Letting myself lean into the moment, I smiled at her.
Sage smirked. “It’s called making friends, Merrick. You should try it.”
33
Lila
The last night for January’s book club selection had the shop packed tighter than ever. Usually, I set up large tables near the back of the shop and pushed them together with folding chairs, but I had to squeeze in even more today. Every seat was taken, and the air was filled with chatter.
Mia had set up a plastic T-Rex skeleton over the pastry case and wrapped its skull in fairy lights. I was pretty sure she had stolen it from her parents’ Halloween decorations, but it was pretty cool.
The smell of espresso mixed with butter and vanilla filled the room with warmth despite the drizzle outside. Voices rose as everyone eagerly talked over each other about the last chaotic chapters. Finishing a book was always exciting because it was a surprise, and there wereno more secrets or withheld details. It was a no-holds-barred kind of conversation.
“It was absolutely terrifying,” Mrs. Callahan declared, pearls bouncing as she gestured with her half-eaten brownie. “That poor lawyer was eaten right off the toilet! And those children, goodness gracious. I’d have fainted on the spot.”
Janice gave her a scathing look, but I pre-empted her. “Now, Janice. Let’s get you another cupcake. Remember our rule.”
She rolled her eyes, but kept her mouth shut, as Mia took my cue and ran to get her a cupcake. We had a very strict rule about not shaming people for watching the movie and sometimes coming to book club just for the social aspect. It was important to me that everyone was welcome. I wouldn’t have Janice or anyone making snide comments to others that might make them feel small. Janice, in particular, needed concrete positive reinforcement sometimes. I loved her, but she could be a bit of a busybody.
When I rang the brass bell, the sound cut through the noise. “Okay, final thoughts before we wrap upJurassic Parkfor good?”
Hands shot up. Jesse from the hardware store scratched his beard. “I still say Hammond got what he deserved. Greedy old coot. No sense bringing back lizards bigger than trucks.”
“You mean dinosaurs,” Mia laughed, rolling her eyes as she passed another latte across the counter.
“Same thing,” Jesse fired back, earning more laughter.
