Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Phoenix
“He’s a handsome one,” Amara said as we worked on filling the last of the day’s orders.
My cheeks flushed and I busied myself with the bundles of baby breath, making sure they were even, a task I already had finished. I couldn’t make eye contact, nor did I know what to say without being blatantly obvious.
I had an insta crush on the sexy mountain man.
“Thane’s known him for a long time. He’s a good guy. Takes care of his Gran who raised him. Though now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him with a woman. Hmm. Maybe he hasn’t found the right one yet.”
I said nothing and continued fiddling with the flowers, not a single thing accomplished in the five minutes I’ve stood here like a deer caught in headlights.
“I’ll have to ask Thane.” Amara mused as Chevelle breezed into the backroom.
“Ask Thane what?” Chevelle said as she set down the bags in her arms, all of them bursting with flowers.
She was the other florist who worked here.
Chevelle was loud and outgoing, the opposite of my sky, quiet persona.
She was funny and kind, and her floral arrangements were serious goals.
Amara, my boss, was one of the sweetest people I’d ever met, and I couldn’t be happier to work with two amazing women.
But I still found myself guarded and closed off.
Unless we talked about plants of course.
I’d smile and make casual chit chat, but it took me a long time to open up. Though I could feel my shell cracking with every day that passed.
Probably why my mom was my best friend, not having many friends during my school years, and too shy to even think about talking to a boy. Eventually, I went on a date or two, had my first kiss, but as far as love? Nope, didn’t happen for me.
“Why Lyric hasn’t had a girlfriend. At least one I’ve seen.” Amara answered.
Chevelle’s eyes lit up as they widened. “Oh, the tall, dark, and handsome one on Thane’s crew? He’s a looker.”
I couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped my throat, both women looking at me with amused, yet puzzled expressions. “Sorry, it’s funny to hear you both gush over men when you both have your own hot mountain men!”
Amara threw her head back in laughter. “Oh, sweetie, you’ll learn soon enough that the endless stream of handsome mountain men doesn’t end around here, even when you score your own.
So have fun browsing the menu, you just can’t order when you’re locked in.
Luckily for you, you can indulge. But watch out for that love bug. ”
“Oh yeah, it hits hard and fast. I didn’t want to believe Amara when she first told me. Until it happened to me that very same day.” Chevelle laughed loudly and shook her head. “Wooo, it’s powerful, watch out, Phoenix!”
“I think I’m safe, guys. I grew up in Appleridge. Been around mountain men my whole life. Haven’t fallen for one yet.” I said while my cheeks burned a thousand degrees. I was sure if I looked in the mirror, they’d be flaming red.
“Just haven’t found the right one yet. Happens fast for some, slow for others. Either way, you can enjoy a fun project with the hot mountain man for the next few days.” Amara jostled me playfully in the side with her elbow.
“Wait, back it up. Did I hear that right?” Chevelle clapped and did a little jig dance. “You are working with Lyric?”
My entire body flushed, and my heart raced in my chest.
“Yep, she’s going to help him on a reno project for a couple that wants their sunroom redone. They want an indoor Zen Garden.”
“That’ll be fun. I’m sure you two can bond over some plants.” Chevelle teased and I wanted to melt into the floor, the liquid seeping into the ground and disappearing.
“Okay, okay, we’ll stop now. You’re as red as a tomato. Do you need some water?”
I inhaled and the words tumbled out so fast, I couldn’t have stopped them if I tried. “I’ve never been on a real date with someone.”
“What? No way.” Chevelle said as she walked over to my other side.
“How can that be? You’re gorgeous, Phoenix.” Amara asked, her voice soothing and full of sympathy.
“If you guys can’t tell by now, I’m a little on the shy side. So, making friends, talking to guys…it’s not easy for me.”
Amara wrapped her arm around my shoulder while Chevelle rubbed my arm.
“I totally understand. I was the same way when I was a kid. I guess I grew out of it, but I know how you feel. A lot of times people think you’re snobby or mean when you don’t talk, but that’s simply not true.
Besides, we already know how to open you up, just talk about your favorite thing, plants. ”
We all laughed, and my shoulders relaxed, the pressure eased in my relationships with the two women I worked with.
“Not everyone is a talker like me. Doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love. And when you meet the right person, I bet he’ll crack your shell wide open.” Chevelle ran a hand through her hair. “He’ll make you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Later that night, over dinner with my parents, a weekly tradition since I lived in their finished basement, I thought about what Amara and Chevelle said.
Maybe I would find love one day.
It wasn’t like I yearned for it, but I wanted to be loved one day. I wanted to start a family and settle down. If it didn’t happen, I’d be okay, I’d even accept it if need be.
But in the meantime, I needed to figure out how I was going to work around such a sexy guy without clamming up and turning a thousand shades of red.
I waited outside the flower shop for Lyric the next morning, my sketchpad clutched in my fingers. Nerves ran up and down my spine and no amount of comforting self-pep talks were helping.
Barely sleeping a wink, I spent most of the night sketching and resketching my ideas, only to toss them all in the trash. I finally settled on one, but still couldn’t sleep, grateful when my morning alarm finally went off.
After showering and loading up on coffee, I dragged my shaky, anxious ass to the flower shop. You got this.
There was no reason to be nervous, I told myself for the thousandth time that morning.
He’s just a guy. A harmless guy who needed a florist’s help.
So, what if he was the sexiest guy I’d ever seen before?
So, what if I wanted to climb him like a tree, these primal urges dredged up from somewhere deep inside.
I didn’t have urges like these. What was he doing to me?
I reminded myself that when we finished the project, I’d never have to see him again.
As his truck pulled into the parking lot, the blood rushed through my ears.
My heart doubled, no tripled in speed, as he came towards the front, pulling up at the curb where I stood.
It was hot and muggy outside, my usual jean shorts and a t-shirt not enough to keep me cool.
Sweat trickled down my back and I prayed it didn’t leave a wet spot.
“Hey pretty lady. Looking for a ride?” Lyric grinned as he rolled his window down.
I swallowed hard. He was more handsome than I remembered, probably because I could barely bring myself to really look at him yesterday.
But today, today I found the courage. I drank him in like the tall glass of sexy water he was. And I even flirted back. “Actually, I am. Care to give me one?”
“Always for a beauty such as yourself.”
My cheeks flushed as I rounded the truck and slid into his truck. His woodsy scent filled my nose, and somehow my nerves slowly dissipated.
“Ready to see how much sunlight we’ve got to work with?” Lyric winked and when his eyes trailed down my body, a fiery gust of wind blew over me, leaving me squeezing my legs together in a desperate need for friction.
“Yes. Then I can decide our plants.”
“Great. Let’s go.”