Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
ALICE
“Enchanted Petals. Alice speaking. How can I help you today?” I cradle the phone between my ear and shoulder, popping stems of roses into a polka-dot vase to put out on the floor.
“Alice. It’s Bexley Hart.”
“Bexley. Hi.” I straighten up. Why is the GM of the Black Diamonds calling me? Better yet, why is she calling the shop? “How can I help you?”
“Well, as I’m sure Declan has told you, our ring ceremony is in two weeks.”
“He mentioned it, yes.”
“Well, our florist who was doing the centerpieces backed out. She is pregnant and had to go on unexpected bed rest and can no longer handle the event. Anyway, I know this is last minute, but would you be able to help out and do it?”
“Me?”
“Yes,” Bexley tells me. “Declan speaks very highly of your skill, and we would compensate you for the short notice, but we’d love it if you could do it. Something fresh and bright for the summer.”
My mind is already spinning about gorgeous flowers that can be used in beautiful vases for the centerpieces.
Coral peonies. Ranunculus—just for Declan, of course. Lush garden roses. Hydrangeas. Dahlias. Cosmos. Add in some simple huck greenery and lush genestra, and it’ll be a masterpiece.
“You’d really want us to do it?” I ask again.
“I’d love to be able to support one of my players’ wives and have a local shop do it.” Heat creeps over my cheeks. It’s still weird to hear myself be called Declan’s wife.
“We’d love to help you out.”
“Fantastic.” I hear her clap her hands over the line. “Is the contact email on your website still a good one for you?”
“It is.”
“Great. I will get my assistant to send over the details to you. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.”
“Thank you so much for this opportunity. I really appreciate it.”
We end the call and nerves start to take over. Declan told me about the event. How every member of the staff is invited to receive their Stanley Cup Championship rings. It’s a night that all the players have been looking forward to.
And we’ll be doing the flowers.
“Leon!” I shout.
He’s dashing out of the back office, a panicked look on his face. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”
“Bexley Hart called and we are now doing the flowers for the Black Diamonds ring presentation dinner in two weeks.”
I imagine my face looks much like his. “Two weeks? Do you know what we’ll be doing?”
The tablet on the corner of the workbench dings. Grabbing it, I see the email and pull it up. “Umm, a lot.”
I pass it over and watch as his eyes go wide. “Wow. We’ve got our work cut out for us. Three dozen centerpieces plus a few pieces for the stage?”
“We’re going to have to work a lot of overtime to get this done.”
Leon crosses his arms and looks at me. “You already have ideas, don’t you?”
I smile at him. “You know I do.”
He passes the tablet back. “You take the lead on this one.”
“Really?”
He nods. “Get everything ordered and I’ll help with assembly, but we all know how much you love the Black Diamonds.”
I shake my head at him and start tapping away to our vendors’ sites. If we’re going to pull this off, I need to order flowers today. “I’m going to ignore you, because I need to start ordering flowers now.”
Glancing at my phone, I have just enough time to get over to my favorite wholesaler before it closes.
Maybe I can even rope Declan into coming with me.
“Will you be okay manning the shop?”
“Honey, please. I can run this place with my eyes closed.”
Locking the tablet, I press a kiss to his cheek and run into the back room to grab my things. “Thanks, Leon!”
Alice
Want to go flower shopping with me?
Declan
When and where?
You’re not going to ask why?
Do you want me to ask why?
Yes, but I’m going to tell you when I see you
Not at all cryptic, Froggie
Text me the address
I fire off the address and grab my keys to head out. We’ve done big weddings in the past, but an event this size? It might be our biggest yet.
This could lead to a lot of great things for the shop. My mind is spinning with all the different arrangements I could do, but I keep coming back to my original idea.
Bright blooms to decorate each table to celebrate winning the Cup. Each one will be a masterpiece in floral form.
When I pull into the parking lot of an old warehouse outside the city, Declan is already waiting for me.
“Why are we here?”
Declan looks casual as ever in a black T-shirt, stretching across his broad chest, sunglasses covering his eyes, and a pair of running shorts and sneakers.
“Bexley Hart called.”
“She did?”
“Yes. Enchanted Petals is doing the flowers for the ring ceremony.” I squeal in excitement. “Do you know what this means for us?”
“Alice. This is amazing. I’m so proud of you.” Declan pulls me in for a bear hug, squeezing me tight. “I can’t believe you get to do this.”
“All because of you.”
He shakes his head. “I’m sure she looked at your social media to see what all you do. It’s all you, Froggie.”
Linking my arm with his, I drag him inside. “Come on. We have some flowers to order.”
The fragrant aroma of flowers greets us as we walk inside. It’s cold in here, keeping everything fresh. Wren, my friend who works here, is waiting at the front desk.
“Alice. It’s nice to see you,” she greets me. “What are you looking for today?”
“Well, we’ve got a big event coming up in two weeks and I’m going to need everything you’ve got.”
“Hit me. What are you doing?”
I cue up the tablet and show her the specs for the job. Telling her my idea, she nods along.
“Yes. This is brilliant. These are going to look amazing in this space. I can see them now.”
Having her confirm everything I just told her has my pride swelling. My parents might not consider this a job, but I’m good at it.
No, great even.
“See what we have that you might want and I’ll start work on orders.”
“Thanks, Wren.”
I wave at her as I pull Declan through aisles of flowers.
“So this is where you come to get flowers?” Declan asks, looking around.
Rows upon rows of shelves hold flowers in buckets. Some are wrapped, ready to go out the door. I shiver as we pass under the AC vent keeping everything cool.
“One of the places. Usually I take them back to the shop every morning, but not today. We need them fresh.”
“How long will all of this take to put together?” he asks, fingering one of the flowers on the shelf.
I smack his hand away. “Once they come in, it’ll take a few days. I’ll be pulling some long hours to get this done.”
“I know you can do it.”
I find the aisle I need, pulling out one of the ranunculus and examining it.
“Hey, that’s our flower.”
I beam at Declan. I love that he knows that.
“It is.”
“Will I get to see the arrangements before everyone else?” he asks.
I shrug a shoulder and turn down another walkway. “No. You’ll get to see them on the night of the ceremony.”
“Including you?”
I laugh. “I’ll see them before the ceremony. I have to put them together.”
“I know, but I want to see them with you. I want you to come with me,” Declan says.
I stop in my tracks. “To your ring ceremony? I assumed I would because we’re married.”
Declan grabs my hand and pulls me back into him. “I don’t want you to come for that reason. I want you to come with me because you want to. On a date.”
“A date?”
“Yes, Froggie. A date. What do you say?”
A real-life, actual date with my husband?
Butterflies swirl in my stomach. It feels like so much more than just a date. Like our relationship hangs in the balance on my answer.
I could say yes just to keep up appearances. But I don’t want to. I want to say yes for my own reasons.
And that’s exactly what I do.
“Yes.”