Chapter 2
Tuesday
“Hi, Alex. Ainsley,” I add, my tone turning curt with her arrival into my peaceful space. “What brings you to Cygnature Blooms?”
“I wanted to drop this key by for you.”
My brows jump in question as he places the shiny metal key into my palm. I turn it about in my hand, enjoying the warmth, unsure if he’s been holding it awhile or if it’s from the current transferred from his body to mine. “Why are you giving me this?”
“Your brother is going to be away. He has a few different med school interviews over the next week and said you had exams coming and might want to use his place to study.”
While I appreciate the sentiment, I’m not sure I understand. “Yeah. I might take him up on it. But I have a key.”
Alex looks surprised by this admission. “Did you ever come by when I was living there?”
“Of course not. I wouldn’t let myself in uninvited. I only used it when you two were away. Just to have a girls’ weekend or some time away from the folks.” Still living with my parents at twenty wasn’t my preference. Yet it’s saving me money, and I’m not home much anyway.
Up until a few months ago, Alex and my brother, Ricky, had been roommates. Once Alex joined the Hanover fire department, he found his own place. He said he was being proactive, preparing for Ricky’s departure once he went to medical school. Yet I secretly wonder if he had difficulty sleeping after his twenty-four-hour shifts with Ricky’s girlfriend spending more time at their place.
“Why don’t you keep this? I have one. Who knows. You might need it for something one day,” I say.
“Man.” Ainsley huffs. “And here I got excited thinking you brought me here to get me something pretty.”
My eyes flick to Alex, who looks as if he’s trying hard to prevent an eye roll. I’d wonder what he sees in her, but anyone with eyes can answer that question. She’s tall and thin with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s one of the popular girls from the rescue squad I volunteer with. Ainsley is so self-absorbed that it’d take more than her looks if I was a man, but I’m starting to think they can easily look past that if the packaging is appealing.
Yet, I didn’t think Alex was like the other men my brother’s age. And certainly not like the boys I know. Sure, he dates plenty of girls, but he seems more mature. But I admit I probably see him through rose-colored glasses.
My brother met Alex while volunteering with the rescue squad five years ago. While Ricky was focused on medical school, Alex had always dreamt of joining the fire department. In the beginning, he was just my brother’s hot new friend. But the more time he spent with our family, the harder I fell. He’s nearly five years older than I am. I’m well aware that’s a lifetime when one of you is an adult, drinking and living on your own, while even though I’m twenty, I still look too young to attempt using a fake I.D. and live with my parents.
I’ve felt like I’ve lived under lock and key my whole life. I blame the fact that I’m the youngest on why my parents seem to be the helicopter variety—always hovering overhead, monitoring every facet of my life. The same doesn’t seem to be true for my brother. Yet, Thomas Richard Palmer was born a near clone of my parents. He played with their doctors’ instruments at home as a child, professing to follow in their footsteps. I, on the other hand, preferred to play in the dirt.
My mom and dad, an internist and a surgeon, respectively, remain driven to keep medicine at the forefront of my career plans. A family of medical providers. I’m unsure if my unimpressive grades, the absence of drive toward competing for medical school acceptance, or my lack of enthusiasm over their interesting cases have made them wary of my ability to continue the family career tree. But so far, they haven’t backed down.
The door chimes again, bringing my focus to the front of the shop. My wild and wonderful friend, Grace, strolls in carrying a bag of take-out from our favorite bistro, and I can almost feel my stomach start to grumble. She walks behind the counter as if she owns the place, and I don’t miss the scornful sneer in Ainsley’s direction.
“Okay, we’re heading out. Catch you later, Sunny T.” Alex’s deep chocolate orbs and flirty dimple throw one more log on this internal flame burning bright for him.
“Bye, Alex. Ainsley.” I try a little harder not to say her name with complete disdain. It’s not her fault that I wish he were mine. She may be pretty, but she’s a superficial leech. He has to know she’s made her way through half of the men at the rescue squad and the fire department before she latched onto him. I guess the police department is next.
“Sunny T?” Grace interrupts my thoughts.
“Yeah. Alex is the king of nicknames. My brother went by his given name, Thomas, until Alex came along. But he started calling him T Ricky, and it stuck. Now even my parents call him Ricky.” I laugh.
“So, where did Sunny T come from?”
“I don’t know for certain. But I’m assuming Ricky told him about how I used to drink Sunny Delight all the time as a kid.”
“The orange drink?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s he call Ainsley?” She shakes her head in disgust. “Never mind. I really don’t want to know.”
“You know, I don’t remember him ever using anything but her real name.” Hmm. Seems odd now that I think about it.
“I think Airhead fits,” Grace adds. Snickering in her direction, I take in my gorgeous friend. Graceland Montgomery is a five-foot-six stunner named for her mother’s love of all things Elvis. She’s a natural beauty. Her porcelain skin is flawless, set against perfect bright white teeth and shining blue eyes framed by naturally long dark lashes. Yet she seems utterly unaware of how attractive she is. Instead of playing up her features in figure-hugging attire, she gravitates toward boho chick. Oversized floral is her jam.
Retrieving a soup container from the take-out bag, she continues, “So why on earth were they here?”
“Oh, Ricky has started traveling to medical schools for interviews. Alex brought by a key to his place in case I wanted a reprieve from the parentals.”
Grace’s eyes brighten, and she dances in place. “Oh.” She claps. “While the mouse is away, the cat will play.”