CHAPTER NINETEEN
“This one’s nice,” Luke said as they paced around the large living space in the third apartment they’d viewed that day.
Now that her mom was feeling more comfortable alone in the house again, April was ready to reclaim her own space. Though she wasn’t in a rush. She wanted to find the perfect place, close to the store and her family … and Luke.
“Eh,” April said, shrugging. “It’s nice. Sure. I just don’t know if it’s very me.”
“You can always paint it green,” Luke teased and she giggled. “But if you’re not sure, that’s fine. We can keep looking. Plus, you know Sadie and I are happy to have you whenever you want a break from being at your mom’s.”
Luke had made a few small hints and offers lately, which she appreciated and which made her feel very loved—in fact, it was more than a little tempting.
But she didn’t want to jump into anything too soon.
She wanted some time to just have her own space before she moved in with anyone else again.
Maybe if she’d moved a little slower with Tyler, she wouldn’t have found herself in too deep, too fast. Not that Luke and her ex had any similarities.
“Well, I think you’ve seen everything in town now. So you’ll have to wait and see what comes on the market, unless you want to expand your search to the new town?”
She shrugged. “I’m not in a rush, but I’ll think about it.”
He nodded, accepting the decision easily.
They thanked the realtor and headed back out to Luke’s car, which was parked a little way down the street.
The hem of her oversized white shirt, which she’d paired with some faded jeans and a pair of loafers, fluttered gently in the breeze as they walked.
Her blonde hair, left loose that day, blew around her face, and when they reached the car Luke stopped, tucking the stray strands behind her ears.
“What have you got planned for the rest of the day? Is your mom working in the store all day?”
April smiled. “Yeah.” After Tyler’s visit on Tuesday night, her mom had declared that April needed a little break, so she’d taken over the shop for the day. She’d tried to protest, but her mom had been firm. “Is it bad that I kind of want to check in and see how she’s doing?”
“Yes,” Luke said and then laughed. “But we can, if you want. Plus, I guess this means we could check out the flower displays, too.”
“Oooh, yes, let’s do that!” April squealed. She’d been so wrapped up in apartment hunting that she’d forgotten today was the first day of the Spring Flower Festival, but now she was filled with excitement to see what everyone had done with the flowers she’d provided.
“OK, come on, then,” said Luke, unlocking the car and opening the door for her.
“Such a gentleman,” she teased as she climbed in.
Fifteen minutes later, they were parked up, walking toward Main Street, and April felt like she could float away with excitement.
The magnolia trees all over town were in full bloom now, as though they’d known to wait until the festival before putting out their best flowers.
The smell of the blossoms was carried along by the breeze and April smiled to herself as they walked hand in hand toward the center of town.
There was a buzz in the air, a joy that didn’t usually roll around until the later months with the Christmas market. April soon saw glimpses of several stores’ spring-themed displays, the decorations only adding to the air of change that made things feel electric.
Coffee Affair had created an arch that outlined their doorway in bright sunflowers, as well as adding a little coffee cart outside of the shop that was proving to be popular, if the line was anything to go by.
The cart had been painted pastel green and a large board to the right gave town residents the chance to have their photo taken outside of the coffee shop while putting their faces in the holes cut in the various flowers painted on it.
April made a note to herself to come back and pose with Emma and Izzy later.
She thought she’d make a fabulous daffodil.
“Wait here,” Luke said, before darting off to join the line.
As she waited, April heard music playing faintly. Looking to the north end of Main Street, she saw a small stage had been set up, and a local artist was strumming a guitar soothingly. April felt a wave of calm wash over her with each note, and she smiled in the gorgeous spring sunshine.
“April!” a voice called from the other side of the street, and she squinted to see who it was. Penny was stood outside The Garden Table waving vigorously, and April smiled as she walked over.
“Penny, it’s so good to see you! Sorry for rushing out of the restaurant the other night without saying hi,” April said humbly, hugging Penny as she spoke.
“Oh, don’t be silly. Luke texted to explain what had happened.
And then Ethan was telling me that Noah said at practice that your ex actually showed up, but that you sorted him out.
” Penny was talking a mile a minute, as usual, but punched April’s arm supportively as she spoke.
“Good job, April. Takes a lot to stand up to a guy like that. Douchebag.”
“Did somebody call?” Luke appeared at April’s shoulder, grinning, a black coffee in one hand and a strawberry matcha in the other. “Thought you might like a little treat, babe,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to April’s forehead as he handed over the cup.
“You guys are too sweet, honestly,” Penny said, beaming.
“I think my high-school self would throw up if she could see us now,” April laughed, then something over Penny’s shoulder caught her eye. “Oh my God, Pen, that display is gorgeous! I can’t believe you’ve done that with my flowers!”
“She was up until about two a.m. watching YouTube tutorials,” said an amused voice as Ethan strolled up the street toward them. “But good to know her waking me up to show me her work was worth it.”
“I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for you, Pen,” said April kindly.
After a few more minutes’ chatting, April and Luke said their goodbyes and carried on up the street, enjoying the ambiance and looking at the other entries.
There were lots of other beautiful displays, flowers used to decorate store signs and doorways, or to create spectacular window displays that turned Main Street into a riot of color.
The local bakery had done something very experimental with a loaf of bread that had flowers pushed into it, and April couldn’t help but giggle at it.
“You may think it’s trash, Jones, but I think it’s art,” said Luke seriously, before also beginning to laugh.
April was delighted to see how fully the community had gotten behind the festival—everywhere she turned, people were out chatting in the street or else walking out of stores with bags in hand.
She couldn’t help but think that in some small part, she was responsible for all of this.
Luke seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as he drew to a stop and pulled April around to face him.
“I just wanted to say, April, I am so beyond impressed with what you’ve managed to achieve since you moved back.
” His smile was almost shy as he went on.
“Starting your business, coming up with the idea for the festival and supplying all the flowers, beating me and saving Main Street … You’re just seriously impressive, Jones. ”
“Beating you was the easy bit, Pointer. It’s like second nature at this point.” He rolled his eyes, but she smiled sweetly as she said, “Thanks, you big softie. Don’t think I could’ve done it without you.”
“I bet you could. And what did I say about not spreading the fact that I’m a softie around? I have my reputation as a bad boy to worry about, Jones!”
She laughed properly at this, the joyful sound ringing out as they walked a little farther until they reached April Blooms. The pink window frames gleamed in the late-morning sunshine, the window displays of various bouquets the most vibrant of any on the street.
“It’s sort of weird being on the outside of the store. Like I’m pretending to be a customer,” she mused as she pushed the door open, enjoying the soft tinkling of the bell.
“Hi, welcome to—Oh, hey, honey, I didn’t expect to see you here today! And Luke, how are you doing, sweetie?” Kathy beamed at the two of them as they came into the store, and April gave her mom a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, Kathy. I’m good, thanks. We thought we’d swing by town on our way back from apartment hunting to see all the competition entries.” Luke smiled as he took a sip of his coffee.
“I don’t think we’re going to hang around for too long, Mom. I just wanted to make sure everything was going OK. I know you think I need to rest but, honestly, I’m happy to take over for this afternoon if you want to head home.”
“Absolutely not, young lady. Luke Pointer, I expected better of you than letting my daughter come and check up on me.”
“Sorry, Kathy, you know what she’s like. Total control freak,” said Luke with a wicked grin.
“Don’t I just,” Kathy murmured, her blue eyes studying April’s face with such a knowing look that April almost felt like she was being X-rayed.
“Hey, less of the slander, please! And if I am a total control freak, it’s only because I learned how to be from my mom.” April stepped back just in time to miss Kathy’s hand as it swatted at her.
“Well, I can hardly deny that I’m a bit of a control freak, too, but I’m only that way because Martin was incapable of getting anything done without me watching over him. Absolute nightmare, your dad—couldn’t finish one task without starting five others.”