“A few years ago, the big companies used to wire out all of their orders to shops across the country so that everyone got a piece of the business,” he went on. “Now they’re opening their ownshops, these soul-sucking flower factories everywhere you turn around. It’s getting harder and harder for small independent shops to turn a profit on anything other than weddings and funerals. That’s great in the spring and summer, but you need to work yourself to death every single week from March until September just to pay back all your accounts and keep the lights on through the winter.”
Sumi wondered how they weren’t able to hear the sound of her heartbeat as it crashed against her chest, seeming to smash against the very walls of this shop. “Oh,” she practically whispered. “The shop that’s close to my condo, where I live right now, it’s um, a Bloomerang franchise?” She didn’t even have a chance to continue before he was pulling a face, and somehow eventhatwas attractive.
“Greedy vipers who are killing this industry. And I know a thing or two about vipers. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no way to compete with them.”
She wasn’t sure how her legs managed to carry her out the door, barely remembered getting into her car. Her hands trembled. She felt ready to shake apart.No! This is your dream! He’s wrong. Just because his business isn’t good, doesn’t mean you’ll have the same problem. You will be apartof the industry, not the thing that’s killing it. He’s probably just stubborn and doesn’t want to adapt to the new ways things are done.
She was halfway home when she decided to pull off the highway, directing her car into the drive through line of a chain coffee shop and treating herself to an iced latte.What an obnoxious man. What a handsome, obnoxious man. Pulling out her phone, she quickly tapped open the DiscHorse icon.
PinksPosies&Pearls:This has been the weirdest day.
It’s been amazing. It’s been the happiest day of my life, thus far, I think.
The house issogreat. I went to see it for the first time, and it’s beautiful.
It already feels like home, and I’m so, so happy.
I am definitely selling my condo! Like you said, no time like the present.
PinksPosies&Pearls:But then, before I drove home, I stopped into this little specialty store.
And the guy who ran the place was such a jerk!
He basically shat all over my dreams??
I only hope the rest of my new neighbors are going to be nicer than him.
She squirmed once she was home and tucked beneath the covers.He was so handsome. Ridiculously handsome and he knows flowers. How is that not a match made in heaven? Ranar.Stupid handsome, but also kind of a jerk. Sumi wasn’t sure if she was giving the handsome naga a completely fair characterization, for nothing he’d told her had been delivered in arudeway, but still.Tactless. Just his opinion, and I’m pretty sure it’s a bad one. The Lucky Lily cancels him out.
She avoided telling ChaoticConcertina anything more than that.He doesn’t need to hear that you were about to present yourself on all fours like a bitch in heat.After all, she had determined that changing the kind of relationship they had would be a bad idea.He’s your friend and you can talk to him with no judgment. And you kind of need that right now.
Sumi was gratified when her phone pinged a short while later.
ChaoticConcertina:First of all, I am so thrilled for you.
Congratulations!
I’m so glad the house is something you can see yourself in.
That’s so exciting! It’s time to start packing, huh?
Okay, secondly, fuck that guy.
Like, seriously. Fuck that guy.
There are always going to be jealous people who try to bring down others’ happiness.
Don’t let them get to you. Don’t give them the space in your life to affect you at all.
I’m so happy for you, Pinky. Everything’s coming up roses.
Suggestible (Still a Flashback)
Ranar
“Ranar, what iswrongwith you?!”
Grace wasted no time rounding on him; the pretty, dark-haired woman barely clearing the sidewalk with her wrap of loose stems before Grace was slapping her hand down on the counter once more.
