8. Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Ella
It’s Valentine’s Day. The day I’ve been dreading.
Only now, it’s not so bad. I’ll be spending it with Joe at the nursing home. And there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
After more than a week of hard work—and a few stolen kisses—we load the van with dozens of floral arrangements, each one a colorful explosion of pinks, purples, and creams, accented with delicate greenery. The arrangements are designed to brighten up the nursing home rooms, to bring a little joy to the residents. And while we did include plenty of roses, that’s not all we’ve included.
So, these are the best arrangements to come out of my shop all week, if I do say so myself.
When we arrive at Maplewood Senior Living, the warm scent of cinnamon and lavender greets us. The facility is cozy, with plush armchairs arranged in small gathering spaces, walls adorned with framed photos of smiling residents, and staff bustling around with cheerful efficiency.
As soon as Joe steps inside, a hush falls over the common area. Then, the whispers start.
“That’s Joe Matthews!”
“I knew he’d be tall, but goodness, look at him in person!”
Joe takes it all in stride, greeting each resident with a warm smile, bending down to shake their hands, asking them about their families. He kneels beside a woman named Dorothy and hands her a bouquet of soft pink roses and cheerful daisies. She clutches them to her chest, eyes misty.
“You’re a good boy, Joe Matthews,” she says. “Your mama raised you right.”
And as I watch him, something unexpected blooms in my chest. There’s no denying what I’m feeling now.
This is love.
True love.
The kind you read about in books and see in movies.
The kind I never believed existed.
And I’ve never been more afraid of anything in my entire life.
As Joe delivers the flowers to each resident, I hang back a little. He’s the person they want to see. Not me.
With each smiling face Joe greets, my heart swells with even more love for him. It’s so full it could burst.
What happens now? He’s still under contract. That means he has to go back to Louisville, right? Will he ask me to go with him? Or will I only see him in the off season? Or, worst of all, is this all one-sided? Is my heart the only one on the line here? I have no doubt that Joe likes me. But love? He couldn’t possibly love me so quickly, could he?
But I do love him. So, maybe he could love me too?
After the last bouquet is delivered, Joe scoops me into his arms and spins in a circle. “Was that amazing, or what?”
“You’re amazing,” I say.
“You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever known, Ella Banks.” He kisses me gently. “I have a surprise for you. In one of the refrigerators in the van, I’ve packed all the ingredients I need to make a home-cooked Valentine’s Day meal for you. Preferably at your house, unless you want my mother to dine with us.”
I laugh weakly. “You’re a man of many surprises, Matthews.”