CHAPTER TWENTY
The culmination of the Spring Flower Festival happened on Sunday.
Final votes had to be cast by five p.m., and to encourage the town residents to come out and vote for their favorite display, the council had made a whole day of it.
Food trucks were assembled in the town square near the green, craft tables had been set up for kids and adults alike, and the stage at the end of Main Street hosted a stream of different local musicians.
April had had the most enjoyable morning she’d had in a long time, running her make-your-own-bouquet workshops, with Emma and her mom helping.
The turnout for the last day of the festival had been great, with people coming from several towns over, and April had given away almost all of her business cards by lunchtime.
“OK, everyone smile!” Emma called, taking a quick picture of the group assembled around the table, holding up their small bouquets. “Perfect! Thank you, guys!”
“Oh, there’s Angie,” Kathy said, catching sight of someone over April’s shoulder. “Honey, do you mind if I go …”
Her mom trailed off, and April thought it felt like the strangest role reversal—her mom asking to go and hang out with friends.
“Yes, Mom, of course! Go enjoy yourself; I’ll catch you later,” April said gently, smiling to herself as her mom rushed off to join the small group of women smiling at her outside of Coffee Affair.
Emma was beaming as she showed April the picture, and a huge smile broke across April’s face as she took in the scene: all of the happy faces with her gorgeous pink storefront behind them.
The store looked so different from when she’d first arrived back in Magnolia Springs, but still so familiar.
The thing that made her smile the most, though, was seeing how different she looked.
She was wearing a pale-green gingham dress with a little white cardigan over the top, her blonde hair hanging around her rosy cheeks in loose waves, her eyes sparkling. She looked happy. Loved.
“Don’t go getting all teary-eyed again,” Emma warned jokingly as she tucked her phone away. “C’mon, let’s get the table inside. It looks like it might rain if we’re not careful.”
They picked up an end each and slowly maneuvered the table inside, careful not to knock it against any of the painted wood.
They placed it back on the thrifted rug and April brushed her hands off before picking up the remaining flowers, bits of paper, and string, and clearing them away.
As she turned back to set up the display table again, the bell jingled and Luke, Noah, and Izzy walked in, laughing.
“Hey, you guys,” Noah beamed, talking fast as he came around the table to give April a hug. “Isn’t this the best? Man, I love town events. Everyone always gets so into it, you know? There’s, like, this energy—it’s so wholesome.”
Noah seemed almost giddy with happiness, and April raised her eyebrows in question at Luke and Izzy.
“Noah’s had, like, four slushies, I think,” Izzy said, stifling a giggle. “He’s got a bit of a sugar rush.”
“Jesus, Noah, what are you—five?” said April disapprovingly. “And to think of all the shit you gave me the first time I got drunk, going around telling everyone I couldn’t hold my liquor.”
“Well, you couldn’t, Bug,” said Noah cheekily, ruffling her hair before running away to shelter behind Luke and Izzy, quailing under April’s hard stare.
“OK, you two, play nice,” said Luke, coming around the table to give April a quick kiss.
“You sound like our mom,” said Noah and the whole group burst into laughter.
Fifteen minutes later, the store was back to normal, and the group had dispersed—Emma had gone to take some more pictures, and Izzy had rushed off to deal with some festival-related emergency. Noah had slipped out a minute after her, mumbling excuses.
“Come on,” Luke said, sliding his hand into April’s and tugging her gently out the door. “Why don’t you close up early today, enjoy the rest of the afternoon without having to work?”
April hummed in agreement, flipping the sign to Closed and locking the doors behind her. The two of them headed toward the pop-up photo stand and posed through the face-holes while they had their picture taken.
“I’ve clearly missed my calling,” Luke remarked as he zoomed in on the screen and their smiling faces. “I make a very dashing sunflower.”
She laughed. “I’ve heard that some of the food trucks have put up spring-themed displays. Want to go check them out?”
“Jones, if you wanted me to buy you lunch, you could have just said.” He grinned at her and she didn’t fight her smile as they followed the path through the magnolia trees toward the trucks.
Several had lines of people waiting, but the one for interesting flavors of frozen yogurt and sorbet was the shortest, so April dragged Luke there.
They ordered a cone each and April eyed her own with cautious optimism.
It looked fantastic but she almost felt bad for destroying the work of art by licking it.
It had been perfectly swirled, a myriad of colors that each represented a different flavor, and a fruity sauce had been drizzled over the top with edible flowers sprinkled across it.
“Smile,” Luke said, and she posed with the cone before taking her first taste.
It. Was. Incredible.
She’d opted for a mango-and-passion-fruit sauce atop a lime, strawberry, and dragon fruit sorbet. The result was refreshing and tangy and sweet all at once.
Luke had gone for a magnolia-blossom sorbet that was a pretty pink color which matched the trees perfectly. Seeing as it was also dairy-free, she had a quick taste. While it was nice, hers was better.
They walked as they ate, taking in the displays while the band played an old Sixpence None the Richer song.
Some people lingered, hovering around the voting station, and April had a quick peek at the boxes, interested to see who was coming out ahead so far.
She paused when she glimpsed a familiar head behind the sign.
“Is that Noah?” No sooner had she said the words than the small crowd moved, jostling her to the side until she could see directly behind the sign to where her brother did in fact stand—with Izzy. “Oh my God.”
“What?” Luke followed her eyeline and chuckled as they watched Noah lean in and kiss Izzy full on the mouth. “Wait, April, I don’t think we should interrupt—”
“Are you kidding?” she hissed. “We owe him at least one interruption.”
Luke sighed, relenting, and she grinned. They snuck closer to where her brother was hidden and, when they were close enough, she cleared her throat and fought to control her laugh when Noah and Izzy sprung apart.
Izzy’s eyes flew wide as they met April’s. “April! I, uh, was just—”
“Kissing my brother?” April supplied. “I can see that. I thought I told you guys to keep it discreet.”
Noah maneuvered himself to stand in front of Izzy and April nearly lost it. Did they really think she was going to be mad?
“Look, Bug. I know this might be hard, but—”
April burst out laughing. “Damn, Iz. He really was about to launch into a whole speech. You have him wrapped around your little finger.” When they still looked unsure, April rolled her eyes. “Relax. I was just messing with you for that time you interrupted me and Luke.”
“Well, to be fair, at least we hid behind a sign,” Noah defended and April raised a brow. “And we weren’t about five seconds away from screwing.”
Not bothering to argue over the semantics, April pointed a threatening finger at her brother. “If you hurt her, I’ll kill you.” She paused, looking between the two of them before smiling. “But otherwise, I’m happy for you both.”
“Are we having a little party back here? Why didn’t anyone invite me?” Emma said, peering around the sign and crossing her arms over her chest.
April laughed. “Definitely not, Em. You know it’s not a party unless you’re there.”
They’d ended up at The Garden Table after the voting closed at five. Penny had saved their group a table and then she and Ethan had opted to join them to celebrate the success of the festival, and the early success of April Blooms.
Izzy had heard from the mayor’s office that sales were up across the board for the local businesses. “And we had almost a hundred small business plans submitted for the winner to choose from!”
All in all, it had been an incredible turnout. “Did you ever hear back about the buildings being authenticated?”
Izzy nodded, chewing frantically past the large piece of chicken she’d just put in her mouth.
“Yes, the team came out early this week and we got the preliminary findings back on Friday. It won’t be official until we get the paperwork through, which is why I was going to wait to tell you, but … the buildings are protected!”
They all cheered and Ethan nearly spat out his drink when Noah clapped him on the back.
Kathy stood, holding her glass. “I just want to say how proud I am of you, April, and you, Noah, for the work you’ve done on the store.
It looks fabulous, and the way you’ve rallied our little community has really been something to see.
Your dad would be so proud of you both, and I hope you’re proud of yourselves too.
” She smiled, eyes a little watery as she raised the glass higher and took a sip. “To April and Noah.”
“To April and Noah,” the table echoed and April smiled, squeezing her mom’s hand when she sat back down next to her.
“Thank you all,” April added. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Chatter resumed as they finished their food, sipping their wine, until Izzy’s phone vibrated and she let out a whoop.
“Coffee Affair won best display! I was talking to the owners earlier, and they said that they were so excited they’d already reviewed the proposals and picked their favorite, just in case they won.
It looks like you’re going to have new neighbors,” Izzy said, grinning at April and Penny.
“The business proposal was sent in by a young couple who want to renovate the old bookstore!”
“That’s incredible.” Ethan smiled. “Tash will love that.”
“You see what you’ve started?” April’s mom said, leaning in and nudging her gently with a proud gleam in her eye.
“Well, technically Penny opened her place first,” April pointed out, but didn’t argue when Luke kissed her cheek and murmured a soft “Well done” in her ear.
“What a year,” Noah said, huffing out a big breath and making them all laugh. “Renovations, engagements, new relationships … What’s next?”
“An apartment,” April said and then shrugged. “But I’m not in a rush.”
“Milan,” Emma crooned and Izzy and April whooped along with her.
“Life,” Kathy said softly and April gave her a side-hug.
“Dessert,” Penny chirped and they laughed again as the table was cleared and dessert menus were brought out.
And yet, April couldn’t help thinking that she wasn’t quite ready for the meal to end.
“I have some ideas for dessert,” Luke whispered, voice pitched low enough that only she could hear, and she smirked.
Then again …