“Careful,” he says, quick-witted as ever, “your hurricane nearly took out my roses.”
Tess barely acknowledges him. She sweeps into the shop, a woman clearly on a mission, cheeks flushed from the warm breeze and gaze laser-focused. She brushes a strand of hair behind her ear and zeroes in on the coral rose.
“I was hoping you’d still have that rose,” she says, nodding toward it as she crosses the shop in four purposeful steps.
She lets her eyes drift over the shop. “This morning I heard from Franny, who overheard it from Laura during the early shift at the Griddle & Grain, who swears that a certain florist found a rose waiting for her. And here you are, rearranging your flowers like it didn’t mean a thing.”
I protest, “Tess...”
“And besides that, I talked to my brother last night.”
I pause mid-snip over a bouquet.
She leans her hip against the counter and folds her arms. “He said—casually, like it was nothing—that he’s enjoying this whole matchmaking thing more than heexpected. Which, coming from him, is practically a grand romantic declaration.”
“You’re smart, Maisie. Thoughtful. You overthink literally everything except this. That man is halfway down the mountain trail of falling in love with you, and you’re still looking at the map as if it’s just a hike.”
“Maybe he’s just…nice,” I say.
Jenna laughs. “He’s nice to Peaches.Youhe looks at as if you’re the first patch of dry land after miles of treading water. You’ve got both the grit and the heart to keep him safe and exactly where he wants to stay.”
I groan. “Can we not do metaphors right now? I have an actual event to prep for.”
“Oh yes,” Tess says with a grin. “The Compatibility Scavenger Hunt. Which is just another excuse for the Stitch Sisters to manufacture some suspiciously convenient sparks.”
We share a best friends laugh as we go on with our agendas, but the contest is about to notch up a level.
The scavenger hunt begins in front of Town Hall, where each pair is handed a rolled-up scroll tied with twine. Reenie beams as she explains the rules:
“Each clue leads to a local business or landmark. At each stop, you’ll find a task. Complete it as a couple. Points for communication, cooperation, and creativity.”
Our first clue reads:
“Where petals bloom and love once wilted, find the place where hearts are lifted.”
I glance at Beau, trying not to smile. “That’s my shop.”
He nods. “Obvious start. Low risk.”
“Donotjinx us.”
Sure enough, we arrive to find a mini bouquet bar set up just outside Botaniqûe. The task? Create a bouquet that tells your partner’s story.
Beau steps up to the table, frowning thoughtfully. “Uh…okay. Storytelling through flowers. No pressure.”
I hand him a stem. “Let’s see if the ‘fix-it guy’ can also fix a floral narrative.”
He glances at the daisy in his hand, then carefully picks up lavender, rosemary, and a single yellow tulip. “This one’s for how you make people feel at ease. This one’s for the way you always say something unexpected. And this one’s for hope. You don’t always believe in it, but you plant it anyway.”
I feel a twist in my chest, caught between surprise and wonder. The meanings aren’t just poetic, they’re painfully accurate. I hadn’t realized how closely he’d been paying attention.
I bite down on my lower lip almost hard enough to draw blood.
He shrugs. “That’s…probably not how this works, huh?”
“No,” I say softly. “That’s exactly how it works.”
The next clue sends us to the Sweetpines Hardware Co., where we have to hammer a nail into a marked spot on a plank.
