Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
“You’ll have to tell me what Maddie says. I think she’s going to love the white jasmine,” Veronica tells the woman, while I do my damnedest to listen rather than gawk. I’m the boss—eavesdropping is acceptable, but staring is not.
With a smile, the woman takes the massive bouquet from Veronica. “And to think I was going to get her red roses. Pfft. But these are hilarious. I mean, after popping out three babies, what could be better?”
That’s odd. I stop my work on the bike, putting my glasses in my pocket then setting my tools down on the counter. Daisies often symbolize new beginnings, as well as innocence. I’m not sure how Veronica jumped to jasmine as the right gift for Maddie.
Oh, shit. What if Veronica’s flower radar is out of whack? Did I hire her because I felt guilty for wanting her? Goddamn my faulty judgment.
The customer draws the bouquet to her nose and sniffs it. “Thanks . . . a bunch.”
Veronica smiles, then waves goodbye to the woman as she leaves.
Since Zara’s intensely discussing the merits of electric bikes with a hipster, I grab the chance to touch base with my new employee, and head to the flower side of the shop. I gesture to the front door, swinging shut behind the customer. “So, she got jasmine for a friend who had a kid? Instead of daisies?”
With a laugh, Veronica shakes her head. “Her friend just got her tubes tied.”
I frown. “And she’s giving her flowers?”
Veronica gives me a silly boy look. “Don’t you know flowers are great for any occasion?” she asks sweetly.
Damn. She’s right, and I am off my game. “Well, sure. That’s the message we want to promote,” I say, like yup, that’s what I meant to say.
“And Tina wanted to bring Maddie something irreverent, to celebrate this end of an era and the start of a new one. But she couldn’t find the right flowers online.”
I like the sound of that. “Go on,” I say.
“I suggested jasmine because they symbolize . . . desire.” Veronica gives a little shrug, just east of coy, just north of naughty. “So she wrote on the card: Congrats, Maddie! You can get it on all the time now. Cute, isn’t it?”
“Very cute,” I say evenly, so I don’t reveal that my store manager’s advice is gold, and, fuck, now I’m thinking about getting it on all the time with Veronica. Maybe I’m the one who needs daisies to restore my innocence. My mind just dropped to gutter levels. “So, how’s your second day going so far?”
There. That’s so boss-like, not perv-like.
“It’s great,” she says, but with a touch of forced cheer and I get it. The first few days in a new job can be tough.
“Let me know what I can do. If you need anything. Iris is the flower genius, but I’ve learned tons from her, and I’m happy to help. Honestly, the jasmine was a stroke of genius,” I say, hoping to give her a boost of confidence.
She’s quiet for a few seconds, but with her brow furrowed, her brain is busy. “Actually, I wanted to bring this up during the interview, but I was a little distracted,” she says, looking me square in the eyes.
I was distracted too, but lingering on that moment when fate-flipped-us-the-bird isn’t wise. “We can talk now,” I say helpfully.
“Because, you know, Friday was a little awkward,” she adds, then gives me a rueful smile, a concession to the weirdness of our situation.
It was beyond awkward, I want to shout. We texted about the importance of daily tongue-rolling, for fuck’s sake. What’s done is done though. “And here we are, working together,” I say, pretending things aren’t weird.
But what else is there for me to do? Nada.
“I wanted to share some of my ideas for how to market the shop,” she offers. “Would you be open to hearing them?”
Hell yes. That’s more than I expected from a new hire. “I’d love to,” I say, but then the bell above the door dings, and a new customer comes in.
“Raincheck?” she asks.
“It’s a date,” I say before I think the better of it.
Don’t say date again, you dipshit.
Especially since Veronica squints, clearly flustered by my faux pas. Well, better she should squint than cringe.
And on that put-my-foot-in-my-mouth note, I sequester myself in my office with Trudy for the rest of the afternoon.
I don’t get another chance to chat with her until the end of the day. Zara’s finishing a tune-up, so I join Veronica as she sweeps flower clippings on the floor.
“So, about those ideas,” I say, diving straight into business, just business.
She sets down the broom and dustpan, then points to the front of the store. “That cute chalkboard outside? I think we can mix it up each day with a new saying, and a reason to buy flowers, and post it on your social. You have a decent Instagram presence, but you could post more regularly. Here’s my idea. You know how the Internet celebrates everything with a national day?”