Chapter 17
It had only been a week since Isla had been in the flower shop, but she’d missed it. Some people might’ve thought she was stuck, working for her parents at the shop, but the truth was, she loved it. Grandma and her parents had given her an appreciation for flowers, and that love grew into a passion in designing one-of-a-kind centerpieces for special events.
She currently had ten centerpieces to get done for a wedding and was looking forward to diving in. Mom smiled big when she walked in.
Her blonde hair, like Isla’s, was braided down one shoulder, and the green apron she always wore in the shop was secured tightly around her waist. “There’s my daughter!” She announced before putting down the bouquet she was working on to give Isla a hug. She pulled back, holding Isla’s arms and looking at her with a tilt of her head. “I almost forgot what you looked like.”
Isla laughed. “It’s only been a week, Mom.”
“Feels like forever. The house is so quiet without you.”
“Deb, leave the girl alone. She just walked in.”
Isla smiled as her dad came out of the back where she worked, mostly. His brown hair speckled with a few grays was in need of a cut. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hi sweetheart. How’s life of being a homeowner?”
She could lie and say it was a piece of cake, but she’d never been one to fudge the truth. “Stressful. I broke two glasses, overloaded the washer, and had a pipe burst.”
“What?” Dad’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you call me? How bad is it? I’ll head over as soon as finish inventory.”
“Dad, it’s okay. I fixed it.”
His eyebrow arched toward his outgrown hair. “You? Fixed a burst pipe?”
“I might’ve had some help.”
Isla swore Mom’s eyes lit up. “Does it happen to be a certain neighbor who moved in recently?”
“Maybe.”
“Nolan fixed the pipe. Okay, good.”
Dad had always loved Nolan and trusted him to take care of things when he couldn’t. “I helped! I even hit the wall with a sledgehammer.”
“Sledgehammer!” Dad exclaimed. “What the hell were you doing with a sledgehammer?”
“We needed to get to the pipe in the wall, and since the wall was already water stained and ruined, Nolan said it was best to replace that section, so he let me take it down. Then I helped cut the pipe and solder a new piece in.”
“Who are you and what did you do with my daughter?” Dad asked.
Isla laughed. “I’m a homeowner now. I grew up.”
“Well, stop it. I don’t like it.”
“Don,” Mom said. “Be proud of our little girl.”
“I am, of course I am, but little by little, you’re not going to need me anymore.”
Isla wrapped her arm around Dad and rested her head on his chest. “That’ll never happen, but I think it’s time you slow down a bit, and it’s time I start doing more things on my own.”
Dad kissed the top of her head. “My baby is all grown up. Lord help me.”
“It had to happen eventually,” Mom said.
“Have you heard about the hurricane?” Dad asked. “The last time one hit this early in the season was Hurricane Agnes in June of 72’. They’re still not sure of this one’s path, but if it comes up the coast, it’ll be a direct hit, so you’re going to have to make sure all the outside furniture is secure.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. I think I can handle it.”
“Deb, did you hear that? She really doesn’t need me anymore.”
“Come here and I’ll help you lick your wounds.”
“That sounded dirty.” Isla’s nose wrinkled.
Mom smiled. “I know.”
“Okay, I’d love to stick around and chat, but I have to get started on those centerpieces for the Nealon wedding.”
“Your work station is waiting for you.” Dad motioned toward the back area, and Isla headed to her home away from home.
The centerpieces would match the shabby chic wedding, and Isla planned on using distressed wood rectangular planters filled with a mixture of white and pink hydrangeas, pink peonies, eucalyptus, and a few well-placed white roses to symbolize the bride and grooms undying love.
The bride had loved the mockups, and Isla was excited to bring it to life. She sat down and got to work. She had five out of the ten done when a familiar voice floated in.
Isla looked up just as Raelyn, Morgan’s Bay’s party planner and good friend of Isla, strutted in, brown hair blown out in beautiful layers that bounced with each step she took. The tan wedges she wore gave her an extra three inches to her 5’4 frame and accented her olive skin toned legs. She wore a navy blazer over matching shorts and a white camisole beneath. She had the planner in her hand, not that Isla was surprised, Raelyn would be lost without it. She also held a folder, which meant she was here to talk business.
“Hey,” Isla said as Raelyn plopped in the chair across from her and slipped out of her blazer.
“Summer heat is already kicking my butt.” She waved her hands at her face, then straightened. “So how have you been?”
Isla finished placing a rose in the centerpiece she was working on. “I’ve been good.”
“Good, I’ve been worried about you.”
“You weren’t worried about me. You were worried about your clients.” Raelyn used Isla for all her flower needs. She would bend over backward for her clients.
“Probably true, but I was worried about you, too.”
Isla laughed. “What can I do for you?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Raelyn dropped the folder onto an open spot on the tabletop Isla used as her workstation and started pulling out pictures. “I have a fiftieth wedding anniversary, and I’ve talked the clients into small centerpieces. I need about twelve. Nothing elaborate — something simplistic yet fun. The couple is a young seventy-five.” Raelyn pointed to the pictures she’d laid out. “I was looking at these.”
The pictures were pretty with sunflowers and gerbera daisies, but Isla like the flowers to not only look pretty, but to have meaning as well. “Violets and yellow roses are used to commemorate fifty years of marriage, so I think we should somehow incorporate those into the design. Violets are tricky, though.”
“But you’re the best, and I’m sure you can figure something out.”
“When’s the party?”
“August, so you have a little time.”
“I’ll come up with some ideas, get costs together, and get back to you then.”
“Perfect. Now let’s talk about the baby shower I have at the end of August. Cost is not a problem. It’s a very well-to-do family, and this is their first grandchild. It’s a boy, and the shower will be held in the backyard of their estate.”
“Are you looking for centerpieces as well?”
“Yes, and what do you think about doing a flower wall?”
Isla had done a few before and enjoyed placing the flowers. It was therapeutic. “I’m all for it.”
“I knew you would be! They just want a place where people can take pictures.”
“Why don’t we do flower boxes for the centerpieces that look like the alphabet blocks, painted in white and blue and for the flowers, white and blue hydrangea, white roses and I’ll dye some roses blue. We can use the same flowers in the wall. It’ll be really pretty.”
Raelyn smacked her hand down on the table. “Sold!”
“That was easy.”
“Because you always know exactly what I want, even when I don’t.”
“Part of my job.”
“And why I keep coming back to you.” Raelyn gathered her papers and put them all into her folder. She placed her planner on top and jotted a few things down before looking up at Isla. “Now that the business portion of our meeting is over. Want to tell me what’s going on with Nolan?”
Raelyn was more than a professional acquaintance; she was also a good friend who Isla had grown up with. “According to the rumor mill, Nolan was at your place last night and there was pizza involved.”
Isla shook her head. “Word travels fast.”
“In this town, it travels faster than the train to Penn. Now spill the deets.”
“There’s nothing to spill. He’s helping me with some home repairs, and we ordered a pizza.”
Raelyn’s head tilted, and her lips pursed. “You honestly think I’m going to believe that?”
“It’s the truth.”
“I’m not saying it’s not, but there is a lot more to that story.”
“Don’t you have a client to go harass? Or another vendor?”
Raelyn looked at the designer watch on her wrist. “Not for another ten minutes, and you know how much I can accomplish in ten minutes.”
“Just enough time to nag me to death.”
“Exactly, so let’s avoid the slow torturous death and get it over quick and smoothly.”
“There’s not much to say.”
“Not much to say? Your ex is back in town after three years, he’s living in the house right next door to you, and we all know you’re still in love with him.”
Isla’s head popped back. “What?”
“You haven’t dated a single guy since he left, and you bought plenty single lady toys at my sex toy party. Doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. Besides, I’ve known both of you a long time. What you two had isn’t something you get over in a lifetime, and since neither of you are close to knocking on heaven’s door…” Raelyn shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter. Even if I am, he’s moved on.”
“Does he have a girlfriend?”
“No, at least I don’t think he does.” She never asked; she didn’t think it was any of her business.
“Then it definitely matters.”
“I humiliated him. He’s not going to want to get back together with me.”
“Think about it for a second. He came here. His parents moved away a year ago. Why not go stay with them? Why return to an empty house?”
“He has friends here. Milo and Connor.”
“While I love both of them, I wouldn’t leave a place like Seattle to come back here for them. There was something else pulling him here, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he hasn’t even realized it yet.”
“You’ve always been a hopeless romantic.”
“Now if the man of my dreams could get on my schedule and make an appearance in my life already, I’d be happy, but since he’s being rude and making me wait, I have to live vicariously through you.”
“You’re only setting yourself up for disappointment then.” Nolan had kissed her last night, but today he hadn’t even as much as walked too close to her. If she had to guess, he had gone home and stewed in regret all night.
“You keep thinking that.” Raelyn picked up her planner and folder. “Next time I see you, I’ll be happy to say I told you so.”
Raelyn left like she arrived, fast and with purpose. Isla started working on the centerpieces, but her mind kept drifting to her kiss with Nolan, and Raelyn’s words.
Could she be right? Did Nolan coming home to Morgan’s Bay mean something more than she thought?
Isla wasn’t going to speculate. She’d done enough speculating in her life, and every time, it only led to disaster.