“Maybe. I like sharing my problems and receiving support, same as I like supporting the people I care about and hearing what’s on their minds.”
I grunt. “Sounds awkward.”
Nicholas laughs. “Sometimes. But I get it. You’re the only one who knows what’s right for you.”
I do like helping, feeling like I’ve contributed something. It’s just thesharing my problemspart that I struggle with.
“Randy was a difficult man, wasn’t he?” I ask, wondering in the back of my mind if Nicholas sees me that way, too.
“In his way. But he was fun. And funny. He was always busy with living. Even though he grouched around and cussed at everyone, he was out in the world every day, hurrying up and down the street, just being Randy. His philosophy was to do what made you happy, and everyone else can fuck off.”
“Now that’s a philosophy I can get behind.”
“What do you do to make yourself happy?”
“Work.”
He laughs. “Okay. But what else?”
“I don’t need much. I like to drink a beer at the lake. Kick back with a movie. Just chill out. You know,” I half-joke, “so I can work more.”
We walk up a slight incline, and a woman with silver hair and a watering hose appears before us.
“Nicholas,” she says. “I thought I spotted your car.”
Nicholas introduces us, and a moment later, he excuses himself to talk to Aurora. I lean against a tree, catching some shade, and watch bees and butterflies float among the flowers.
It take a lot of guts to launch a business like his, even with family support. And the way Nicholas talks about his craft is sexy to me. He’s skilled. And he’s done the hard work to refine his talent into something impressive.
If I were ever going to date someone, a person like him would make sense. Someone who understands the value of making something, building with your own sweat. But a person who doesn’t give in to the grit of it. Someone who lightens me up, reminds me I can enjoy myself, too.
Not that I’d ever consider a relationship.
Nicholas seems like the kind of guy I could trust, but that’s the problem. Because eventually he’d remember what he really wants, someone else sweet and kind to sweep him off his feet. Someone for candlelit dinners and marriage proposals. Someone with friends and family like his.
Not me.
When Nicholas returns, he has a folder under one arm, and he looks frazzled.
“Everything okay?”
“It’s fine,” he says, although not convincingly. “The corporate store wants to place a huge order, but she’s being generous and allowing me to reserve my flowers first. There are a couple flowers they want to buy her out of entirely going forward, but those are all common, and I can source them elsewhere.”
I furrow my brow. “But you’re not happy with that.” Somehow, I’m able to read him. “You’re like me. You don’t want your business to run on favors and goodwill.”
Nicholas rubs his hand over his face. “I like patronizing Starlight!” he says. “They benefit from my business, and I benefit from theirs. That’s the whole happy relationship. And if that’schanging, beyond how it makes me feel, I need to consider the implications. If the suppliers start getting better offers, I can’t expect them to turn the business down.”
“Yeah. I can understand why you’d feel that way.”
Casually, Nicholas links his arm with mine. He doesn’t make anything of it, but my pulse jumps as we start back down the path.
True to form, he doesn’t let the bad news shake him for long. Instead, he takes a deep breath, turns his face to the sun, and leads us back down the path.
“I’m grateful for Aurora, regardless. And we’ll see what the other farms have to say. Now let’s find Kavya. We can’t lose her to the ranunculus.”
