“You heard me, back inside.” Zoe held the shop door open as Whiskers took her good ol’ sweet time sauntering back inside.
Zoe smiled after her, but her mind was already drifting to the mystery flower. She still hadn’t found any mention of the Northern Loop or Cherry Blossom Trail in the old books from the library, and it was starting to bug her.
Pulling out her phone, she texted:
Hey, Mom. Ever heard of the Northern Loop or Cherry Blossom Trail?
Her phone buzzed a minute later.
Oh sure, I remember the Cherry Blossom one. I think.
Any idea where?
It ran behind the orchard past Willow Glen, right before that one bridge.
The bridge by Mr. Alders’ place?
Could be! Or maybe the bridge by the cherry stand. Hard to say. I haven’t been up that way since I tried to picnic there and got chased off by geese. Terrible day. Good potato salad, though.
Zoe shook her head. Her mom really wasn’t much help, but she loved her just the same. She pocketed her phone and turned to the next task at hand, which was switching out her welcome mat from winter to her spring edition. The bright blue wicker mat was stenciled with white daisies and the wordWelcomein a curly script. She was also pulling out her miniature orange tree now that the danger of frost had passed. She loved that little tree, even if the oranges it produced tasted more bitter than a lemon.
“Must be spring if that tree’s out,” Emily said. She owned the Pumpkin Pie Bakery across the street and a few shops down. Her blonde hair was pulled back in her usual top knot, framing her heart-shaped face. Judging by the bag in her hand, she’d made a quick stop at the local hardware store.
“Can’t resist bringing her out. It’s tradition,” Zoe said with a smile, adjusting one of the tree’s glossy leaves. “Clementine and I have survived five winters together. She’d never forgive me if I left her inside on the first warm day.”
Emily laughed softly. “Spring is such a beautiful season. All the flowers, baby animals, and pastel colors—love everywhere. I just need to find a man to stroll through the Spring Market with me.”
Zoe’s brows lifted with interest. “No luck yet?”
Emily gave a light laugh. “Please. Half the men in town are either already dating, married, retired, or allergic to commitment. I’m starting to think I should just date my mixer. At least it never lets me down. Oh, which reminds me. I have a citrus bar recipe that you’ve gotta try. Those tart oranges of yours would be perfect.”
“Ooh, tell me more.”
Emily went on to describe the recipe before heading on her way, but truthfully, Zoe had only been half listening. Instead, she was thinking about what it would be like to bake with Jackson.
They could be like any other couple, spending quiet time in the kitchen, mixing and stirring something while soft, jazzy music played in the background. He’d come up behind her, put his arms around her waist, and nuzzle her neck while they swayed together. She’d playfully tell him to stop, but secretly she’d love every second of it.
If she were his real girlfriend, she’d twirl in his arms, slip her hands around his neck, and pull him down for a kiss that would only escalate from there. She felt so safe in Jackson’s arms.
In a perfect world, she’d tell him that. She’d lay her heart out, bare her soul, and see where the cards fell. She’d almost done it once.
It was prom. They’d all gone in one big friendship group after she’d chickened out and didn’t ask Jackson. In her defense, he didn’t ask her either. And there was no one else she was remotely into. Most of the boys were immature and childish. Even back then, she’d known she wanted someone who saw her as a person, who cared about her mind, her dreams and not just her body. That was hard to find in high school.
She thought she’d found it with Jackson. They were best friends, which was the only thing that stopped her from pouring her heart out as he twirled her around the dance floor to “You Belong With Me.” He’d looked at her, their eyes catching, her breath hitching, and she’d been ready to tell him she loved him. Maybe it was the dim lighting, the soft music, the couples pressed close all around them…It was their moment, just like in the music video. Then he’d said something like, “I’m so lucky to have a friend like you.”
Talk about a gut punch.
Jackson’s comment had her swallowing her words. He wasn’t wrong. She was lucky to have a friend like him, and she cared about their friendship more than anything. If they stopped being friends, she’d be heartbroken. She couldn’t risk it, not when he’d never once made a pass at her. Not when he left for boot camp. Not when he shipped overseas. Not when there was a chance he might never come home again. Not once at any going away party, bonfire, or kayak trip did he say or do anything to make her think he cared for her as more than a friend. So she’d kept quiet. Year after year.
But now?
Now something felt different. Or maybe it wasn’t. Maybe he was just a very, very good actor, and she was falling for his performance.
A baby’s cry in the distance snapped her out of her thoughts. Kaylee Summers, with her little girl, was walking down the street. They sometimes came into the flower shop and bought daisies, which Zoe thought were the friendliest of flowers. So bright white and welcoming. You couldn’t not smile when someone handed you a bouquet of daisies; it was an unwritten rule. Zoe wasn’t close friends with Kaylee. She’d been four years ahead of her in school, but Zoe knew who she was. The sight of her with her baby reminded Zoe not to get too wrapped up in a future she couldn’t have with Jackson.
If she really wanted a family, she needed to go after it herself—or find a man who shared her dreams.
“What are we looking at?” Cassidy called, her bright voice carrying across the sidewalk.
