Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ten months later
Elliot’s palms were sweating. So much so he’d nearly dropped Goldie’s leash several times on their way here.
Which was absurd because he’d done this exact thing nearly every day for the past year. But today was going to be different.
He pushed open the door to the flower shop and Daisy beamed at him from behind the counter.
‘Elliot,’ she said, coming around to greet him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. Goldie happily circled them until Daisy reached down a hand and scratched between her ears.
‘Closest friends I’ve ever seen,’ Marty muttered as he headed out of the store with his arms filled with wildflower bouquets.
‘Friends with benefits,’ Cliff stage-whispered beside him carrying a new cactus for his windowsill. ‘That’s what the kids call it.’
Daisy stifled a laugh, pressing her face against Elliot’s neck. ‘See you next week, boys!’ she called over Elliot’s shoulder before straightening up. ‘Hey,’ she said, still smiling, and Elliot’s stomach did a concerning swoop right down to his toes.
‘Hey.’ He ran a hand through his hair, unable to stop fidgeting. ‘They can’t possibly believe we’re still broken up, can they?’
‘You know the town lost interest in us months ago. I think those two just forgot what actually happened,’ Daisy said, moving back behind the counter. Goldie followed, plopping down on the bed Daisy kept here just for that reason. ‘Crazy old men aside, I’m glad you’re here. Guess what?’
Elliot leaned on the counter. ‘What?’
‘We went viral. The shop, I mean.’
‘Really?’
‘Well,’ Daisy shrugged. ‘Mini-viral anyway, but yeah, we started a trend!’ She was nearly squealing, her face glowing with excitement.
‘I’m not surprised but tell me. What trend?’
‘You know how we did that thing on our socials asking people to tell us why their friend deserved flowers?’
‘Yeah, you got so many amazing responses.’
‘I know, and we picked a few people to send flower arrangements to, but then people started calling the shop wanting to fill in the gaps, so every person that was nominated got flowers.’
‘That’s incredible.’
‘I know! And then, an influencer-type person learned about it and amplified the whole thing and now people are posting online about the amazing people in their life and other people are buying them flowers. There’s even a hashtag!’
‘I think that might be the most wholesome thing the internet has ever done.’
‘I know!’
‘I’m really proud of you.’ Daisy had put so much work in over the past few months and had come up with so many new ideas to keep the shop going.
And none of them had to do with fighting a curse.
In fact, he hadn’t heard any curse gossip for a long time.
All anyone wanted to talk about was the Dream Harbor glow up now that Daisy’s flowers graced nearly every business’s door, window, or counter tops. She’d taken over the whole damn town.
‘Thanks,’ she said with a grin. ‘I’m really proud of myself.’
Elliot laughed, sharing in Daisy’s excitement and nearly forgetting how nervous he was.
‘Anyway, I’m almost done here and then we can go home.’
Home.
Daisy moved in months ago. Slowly.
First, just her toothbrush.
Then PJs and a pair of cozy socks.
The drawer he set aside for her gradually began filling up. Soon she had a favorite mug in his cabinet, an opinion on paint colors for the kitchen and a routine to walk Goldie every morning.
Elliot let her take her time.
When she rented out the apartment at the flower shop, he figured she was all-in.
But he was still nervous about what he was about to do. A year ago, he would have never considered it. He didn’t think his heart could possibly love someone again. Not the way he loved Daisy.
But hearts were funny like that.
‘Actually, I wanted to ask you something.’
‘Oh? Okay. What’s up?’
Elliot cleared his throat. ‘Do you ever miss doing flowers for weddings?’
Daisy shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t turn away the business, but I don’t know if I miss it.’
‘What if I wanted to hire you?’
She wasn’t looking at him, too busy tidying up for the day, tucking away receipts and ribbon bits and brushing stray leaves and flower petals into the trash.
‘For what?’ she asked, shutting down the register.
‘For our wedding.’
She paused. Realization dawned on Daisy’s face. ‘Wait a minute … wait … are you … is this?’ She came around the counter, yanking her apron off and tossing it to the side. ‘Are you really doing this?’
Elliot nodded. Swallowed. Nodded again.
Breathed.
‘Daisy November Scott, will you marry me?’
Daisy’s hands flew to cover her open mouth.
‘You want to marry me?’ she whispered between her fingers.
‘Of course I do.’
‘I don’t have the best track record.’
‘I don’t care about your track record.’ He pressed his forehead to hers. ‘Daisy, if you want to stay fake broken up, or say we’re roommates or best friends or enemies or whatever, I don’t care as long as we’re together. But I want you to know this is forever, for me.’
‘It’s forever for me, too.’
Elliot nearly melted with relief.
‘So do you want to stand up in front of our family and friends and tell them it’s forever?’
Daisy’s teary smile shattered him.
‘Yes.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’
‘You do?’
‘Yes!’ Daisy said with a giggle as he lifted her onto the counter. She took his face in her hands. ‘I want to marry the hell out of you, Elliot Milton Parker.’
‘That makes me absurdly happy.’
Daisy leaned forward and kissed him. ‘Did you really think I would say no?’
‘I didn’t know if you would want to do the marriage thing again, but I knew I wanted to be with you.’
‘Forever.’
‘Yeah.’ He kissed her again, whispering the words across her lips. ‘You put me back together, Daisy. Brought me back to myself.’ Her hands were in his hair now, his thumbs swiping away the tears on her cheeks.
‘Same,’ she whispered. ‘You reminded me who I was.’ Her lips coasted across his cheeks, his nose, his lips, showering him with her love.
‘I’m really glad you asked me to be your fake boyfriend a year ago.’
‘I couldn’t have picked a better one.’
Elliot grinned and the sun shone in through the stained-glass window, painting them in pink and purple and yellow.
He had not seen this coming, but he was really glad he walked into this pretty little shop all those months ago.
Maybe it was fate, or a long-gone ancestor whispering in his ear. Or maybe he just needed a house plant his mother couldn’t kill too easily. But if he was being honest, he’d fallen in love with Daisy the moment he’d seen her, before he’d ever set foot in her shop.
He was just glad he was brave enough to stop hiding. And that she was brave enough to start over. Whatever it was that brought them together, he knew this one was going to last.
Daisy had pieced his heart back together and now all it wanted was her.
‘Let’s go home.’ She hopped down from the counter and took his hand. ‘Come on, Goldie.’ The dog followed as they walked out into the warm air.
Daisy gave his hand a squeeze.
She was wearing yellow today and she looked perfect.
Like sunshine and flowers and summer days.
She looked like the future.
She looked like his.