"Wow, that was a fast turnaround." He just placed the order on Saturday.
"Usually is. We get most of our deliveries the next day. Except weekends."
Barrett emerges and says that he'll help with the delivery since the shop doesn't open for another half an hour.
Before long, my arms are laden with vibrant blooms. A cascade of crimson-red thornless roses fills my arms, and Caleb's, too. Barrett chuckles and grins at the scene in front of him. With a quick motion, he raises his phone. "Hold it, boys," he calls out to us, and we stop. After the picture, he pockets his phone and escapes to the back alley to grab more flowers and supplies.
The delivery isn't just the roses. There are also sunshine-yellow sunflowers, elegant lavender, fragrant eucalyptus, and the striking deep purple of calla lilies.
Caleb, with a knowing wink, steers us towards the pile of tickets. "Looks like Barrett knew what we needed based on these order slips."
"Yep. And we're going to have a busy day ahead of us." I tell him, excited to make my mark.
"Divide and conquer?" Caleb asks.
"Divide and conquer." I give him a fist bump, and we begin.
After making a couple of arrangements each, Caleb and I decide it's time for a break. I pull out my phone to check my messages since I felt it vibrate in my back pocket while I was working.I hold it up to my hear so I can listen to the text.
Jason:I hope you're enjoying your first day. Can't wait to hear all about it.
Warmth spreads through me that has nothing to do with the humid air of the shop. Jason's message feels like a sunbeam cutting through the pleasant haze of rose and lily.
I can picture Jason, with his kind eyes and steady hands, being playful with the students in his classroom today. He said they have several craft projects lined up for the holiday and that he will probably be sporting glitter until Easter.
I can't wait to share about this intoxicating day. This new life I'm creating with so much opportunity and possibility.
We've been texting back and forth since Saturday, getting to know each other a little better before our date tonight. I decide to forward the picture Barrett took of Caleb and me with the flowers.
He sends back a heart.
When Caleb comes back, he hands me a water bottle and promises we will have lunch delivered around noon,"a perk of the job",he claims. He nudges my shoulder, a friendly smirk on his face as he gestures towards my phone.
"I take it you're texting with a particularly hot teacher-daddy?" He teases.
"Don't let your daddy hear you say that. He'll growl and get all possessive." I laugh.
"You noticed that did you?" Caleb blushes.
"I think it's sweet that he’s still like that after you guys have been together for so long." Jealousy rears its ugly head.
Still buzzing from Jason's text, I meet Caleb's gaze, a new confidence solidifying within me. The shop, with its symphony of colors and fragrances, feels like a place where anything is possible. Even a promising connection with a charming, daddy-type stranger.
As we both randomly grab the next ticket to work on, mine is a vibrant arrangement of sunflowers and eucalyptus destined for a birthday. When I glance at the bottom of the ticket, where it states:Customer Special Request, I see the note and stop to think about what I'm reading.No roses. Other flowers can be used with the sunflowers.I wonder if the person hates roses. Or their favorite flower is the sunflower, like mine.
I get lost in my head, and before I know it, my hands are weaving a narrative.
Barrett's voice cuts through the Disney tunes playing on the Bluetooth speaker. His tone is soft and serious. "Ben, could you pop into the office for a few minutes? We need to get your new hire paperwork sorted."
My stomach flips. I've been so caught up in the rhythm of the shop and the easy camaraderie with Caleb that I forgot about the business side of things.
Caleb smiles at me as I set down the floral wire, unaware of my internal freak-out.
I follow Barrett into the small office, the air tinged with an anxious undercurrent to the flowers sitting on his desk.
Barrett slides a thick stack of papers across the desk. "Just need you to fill these out. Standard stuff."
My eyes land on the dense blocks of text, the endless lines of tiny print blurring before my eyes. A familiar knot of dread tightens in my chest. I try to focus as my gaze skitters across the page, each word a separate, insurmountable obstacle.
