My head falls back on a laugh, and I instantly reach for my phone, all nerves from our earlier conversation forgotten.
I’m unlocking my phone when something occurs to me.
“Wait.” I snap my attention to Mrs. Buckley.
Her head bobs knowingly.
“Did Dutton buy these from you?”
“I wouldn't be delivering flowers from any other shop, Brooke dear.”
I wave the card in my hand back and forth. I know what I read, but I still need to ask.
“No, I know, but like he came into your shop and physically bought these flowers and spoke to you? I mean, he had to, right? You don’t have anyone else working for you.”
She steps toward the door.
“Yes, he came in yesterday during the festival all on his own, bought these flowers, and then apologized. It was … a true display of his character. I didn’t believe you at first, but that man was not the angry boy I remember.”
Of course not—he’s all grown up.
“It was lovely to put something so horrid behind us. I hope I see him in my shop more often now that you two are dating.”
“Oh, we aren’t dating,” I tell her and then grab the flowers again to smell them.
I’ve never had flowers given to me before. Even at prom, Donny Sander forgot to get me a corsage.
“Aren’t you, though?” she asks.
I shake my head.
“Nope, we’re just friends.” I mean every word of it this time.
“Oh, well, you two could have fooled me,” she says and then steps out the door.
Have we given off the impression that it’s more? Are we hanging out too much? It doesn’t feel like too much. It feels … natural.
Perfect. Now the town rumor will be that Dutton and I are dating.
My father is going to just love that.
My smile falls for the briefest of moments before my phone lights up.
It’s a text from Dutton.
Dutton
Closed. My door is 100 percent closed.
I press my lips together, biting my bottom lip as I look between the text and the flowers.
I’ve never had anyone send me flowers, and I love that Dutton is the first. This thing between us is real, and him walking into that flower shop is huge. He really does want to show people the type of man he truly is.
We need to celebrate.
I quickly lock the door again, rush to finish closing up, and then haul my flowers to my car. Next stop, Lovers Lodge.
True to his word,the door to Dutton’s office is closed.
