Chapter 5
VIOLET
Istare at my sixteen-year-old nephew, Connor, who’s tapping his fingers on the counter of my store, The Flower Jar, his chin resting against his propped elbow while he seems to be in deep contemplation.
It’s summer, which means he should be having the time of his life.
He’s a popular kid, with good looks that keep his parents worried.
It’s no secret that every girl at his school harbors a crush on him.
Add in the fact that he plays varsity hockey and I’m confident he thinks he’s the messiah to some.
“You okay there? You seem kind of… lost.” A bewildered smile stretches on my mouth as I count the individual sunflowers for my brother’s order, thankful my apron catches the drops of water from the stems.
“Carnations look like roses, I don’t get it.”
Ah, yes, he’s been debating which flowers to buy for the last five minutes.
I playfully hit his head with a sunflower. “They are not the same, and I’ve told you that many times. You need to go for roses if you want to impress a girl,” I remind him.
The joys of your brother accidentally having a baby at young age means my nephew and I can hang out without it feeling like I’m just another parental figure.
I was eleven when he was born. We have a special bond, closer to friendship, because I’m the cool aunt.
He tells me things that he wouldn’t tell his parents, although he’s pretty damn close with them too.
“You’re right. A single rose, red, classic, and it’s more of a statement.” He stands tall, confident with his choice.
My brow raises. “Who’s the lucky lady?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “Just someone.”
“Nothing to do with your pool party later?” I ask as I walk to the bucket on the floor filled with roses. I hold one up for his approval, and he nods.
“Maybe. Haven’t decided if she’s worthy or not, I’m keeping my options open.”
I snort a laugh. We’re going through a lot of roses this summer.
The chirp of a parrot reminds me that there is a bird in a cage in this place, not by choice.
“I’m a hostage,” the bird parrots.
Connor laughs and glances at Nugget. “That animal is hysterical.”
I shudder from the realization that I’m never alone here. “He isn’t helping my phobia, but he belongs to the landlord, and the parrot isn’t going anywhere. Just a shame I can’t keep the blanket over his cage for longer periods.”
“Oh, baby,” Nugget chirps. I sigh from exasperation.
“When are you going to bring a guy to our house?” Connor asks.
Great question. There hasn’t been anyone, well, not since that night in Chicago with Declan.
Declan.
The man with a foul mouth who leaves filthy memories in my head.
He worshiped my body like it meant something but left as if I was nothing.
Shaking my head, I focus on my nephew.
“If you bring a guy over, it will divert the attention away from me. I’m going to lose my mind if my dad tries to let me throw another party. I know his plan. Try and be relaxed, get my friends on his side so they only want to hang at our house. It’s going to kill my dating life.”
Pulling some ribbon off the spool, I smirk to myself.
“I think that’s the idea. Boohoo, your parents let you throw awesome parties that I hear girls talking about when I pick up a coffee at Jolly Joe’s.
Just trust me, you want that kind of dad.
Growing up, I had rules on top of rules and couldn’t tell my parents anything. ”
Our parents divorced, with my father being the major parental figure. For the most part, I shouldn’t complain, except for the fact that I lived in the shadow of Ford’s stellar career and his young fatherhood that was a constant point of contention between him and our dad.
“What did you do about the rules?”
“Waited until college, let loose like an animal, and made questionable choices,” I state matter-of-factly before I point a finger at him. “Which you will not do.”
Wrapping the silver ribbon around the rose, I’m kind of relieved that I’m closing up early today. There was a Saturday-morning rush, a wedding delivery, and an hour of chasing a supplier for a delivery time on my fresh orchids arriving next week.
Connor indicates with his watch that he wants to epay, but I wave him off. “Family discount,” I say. He gives me his signature grin and begins to turn, but I clear my throat. “Forgetting something?”
He reaches for the sunflowers that I packed with green paper around the stems. “Keeping me out of trouble, Aunt Violet?”
“No. Your dad would kill us both if one of us forgets to bring your mom the dozen sunflowers that your dad wants hand-delivered.” I tilt my hip out.
“Did you add an extra one from me?”
“Of course.”
My nephew has moves, I’ll give him that.
Every time Ford orders Brielle flowers, Connor adds an extra flower, brings it to Brielle, and ensures she knows that the additional flower is from him.
She turns to a puddle of goo every single time, while my brother just smirks with pride.
It’s ten times more extreme now that she’s pregnant again; I heard there were tears last time.
“You’re the best. See you at the party.”
I offer a short little wave. “Yep.”
Watching him leave, I sigh as I lean against my counter and scan my shop.
A wave of satisfaction hits me, because The Flower Jar is mine.
Well, for the most part. I had to lease the building, but I designed the interior space, manage the administration, and other than a few part-timers helping me out, I’m here pretty much six days a week.
I can check off the box marked “small business owner,” and I’m having a blast doing it.
But career is only one aspect of life.
Looking through my window, with gold stenciled letters on the glass, I see that Main Street is busier than normal, probably because it’s tourist season.
Illinois summer puts everyone in a good mood—until winter hits us.
We sometimes improve in mood around February, with Valentine’s day, before spring rolls in, which keeps us on our toes with unpredictable weather.
Fortunately, flowers are the key to brightening anyone’s day, and they are available in my store all year round.
It’s just… flowers are also the language of romance. I’m somehow part of everyone else’s moments, yet I don’t experience my own.
Maybe I’m a little envious when I watch Ford with his family. Who wouldn’t be a little jealous?
Shaking away the thought that creeps into my mind more often than it should, I sigh and grab a broom to sweep the floor and prepare to close up.
A few minutes later, I step outside and grab a few buckets filled with flowers on display. The fresh air and sun are a welcome change. Sometimes I wonder if the sun and flowers are competing to turn someone’s day around, it feels like today the sun wins.
Because the thing with flowers is that while you can buy yourself flowers, it doesn’t have the same effect as if someone else would. And right now, there is nobody in my life, not even close, only a memory of a night that lingers in my thoughts.
Heading back inside, I recount the list of things I need to do to close, and it’s a welcome distraction.
It’s twenty minutes later when I turn off the tablet for orders and payments then head back to the closet where I lock things away.
The sound of the bell over my front door rings to inform me that someone is here.
“Sorry, the options may be limited since I’m closing up,” I call out, not looking up, as I’m too occupied with noticing how dirty my apron is today.
Untying the belt, I walk back onto the shop floor.
“It’s okay, there is only one item I’m looking for.”
That voice causes me to instantly freeze, except for my eyes that snap up to confirm that it’s him, and I’m faced with a smirk as he leans against the counter, with sunglasses in his hand and wearing jeans and a light blue short-sleeved button-down shirt that accentuates his piercing eyes.
“Declan.”
“Violet.”
Hesitating, I take one step into the middle of my shop, doing my best to interpret his suave smirk and not combust at the same time.
He left a damn note on the pillow, with paper he’d folded into a bird, after a night of endless fun. I can’t really be mad because that was what I signed up for, but still, it stung a little.
“Tie her up.”
Declan instantly searches for the source of the words and finds Nugget perched in his cage. My face turns red from the choice of words this bird spits out at random moments.
“Someone is direct. I like it.” Declan’s cheeks heighten as he grins to himself.
I shake my head and smile tightly in embarrassment. “He is the culprit of my daily misery.”
Declan’s head tilts in different angles to study the bird. “I thought you have a bird phobia, so why am I staring at a parrot in a cage?”
“Nugget is part of the deal with my landlady. I get a decrease in rent if I keep the bird, since my landlady moved downstate to a condo that doesn’t allow pets. His limited vocabulary that is barely appropriate is just a bonus.” I’m sarcastic and huff out a breath.
“You’re handsome.” Nugget pecks his beak as he walks along his pole.
“Couldn’t agree more,” Declan responds.
Looking away, I hide my soft smile as I touch a lisianthus amongst a bunch of flowers. I do my best to occupy myself and erase the memory of Declan’s mouth covering mine to block my moans while by back was on his couch. “I wasn’t expecting you here. Is there something I can help you with?”
I can feel his gaze on me. “Thought I would stop by. I saw Ford, and he invited me to a BBQ. I would like to bring Brielle some flowers.”
I swallow because now I know that I will have to be near him at my brother’s house. I knew this day would come eventually.
“Well, uhm, okay, what do you have in mind?” I walk around the counter, avoiding glancing in his direction.
“What about sunflowers?”
I chortle a laugh. “Trust me, Brielle has enough of them. The men in her life enjoy buying her sunflowers.” I peer up to find his eyes set on me and a subtle wry smile on his lips.