Chapter 27 Jack #2
“Rosemary, I know. But as she loves to remind me, men are stupid. And Rosie likes to be one step out of the expected, so I assumed…” Now I feel like an idiot, informing this woman about her sister, things she absolutely already knows or maybe I’m the one that’s way off and—
“No, no. You’re right. She hates roses.” Relief washes through me at the confirmation, mixed with further confirmation that I know her.
“Carnations. She likes carnations.” I lift an eyebrow because even though I don’t know too much about flowers, I know that people often see carnations as the less-than flower, a cheap alternative to roses. Poppy shrugs.
“She likes to keep everyone on their toes, and she likes to root for the underdog.”
“I didn’t know there were flower underdogs.”
“Oh, there definitely are. Roses, lilies, peonies, those are the megastars. Carnations, not so much. And these,” she lifts up a long-stemmed flower with fluted-edged petals in shades of pink and white, twirling it, “are her favorite.” They look like something Rosie would like: full, lacy, and ruffly, pink and fun.
“Yeah, I’ll take…” I raise an eyebrow, and Poppy smiles wider.
“Two dozen. Not because I’m trying to sell them, but because it’s what will look good in the vase I know she’s going to use.” I lift my hands in acquiescence.
“I wouldn’t have argued if you said forty.” She lifts an eyebrow, and I laugh. “I’m not an idiot, trying to short-change my girl’s sister the first time I buy her flowers.” After a beat, Poppy smiles and nods appreciatively before grabbing a handful of flowers and wrapping them up as well.
“You two are good together, you know,” she says, grabbing a rubber band to tie the stems together, and my pulse jumps a bit.
“We are?”
She smiles wide, clearly entertained by me.
“Oh yeah. Rosie has high standards from all those books she reads. But there hasn’t been anyone that she’s trusted with our secrets.
” That pit in my stomach spreads, making me feel nauseous at the betrayal I’m about to enact.
“From what I know, you’re the first. She really likes you, even if she’s pretending she doesn’t. ”
“We’re just together until my grandfather moves on,” I say almost robotically.
It’s what I’m supposed to say, even if it’s not what I want to be saying.
I want to be telling Rosie’s younger sister that I’m crazy for her, that I need to find a way to make this last, to convince Rosie to give me a shot outside of this fucked up agreement we have.
“We both know that isn’t what you want,” Poppy says, and I blink at her, quickly wondering what kind of magic she holds.
Rosie’s magic works with the books she sells, and Violet’s magic transfers to the baked goods she gives out.
Poppy mentioned her magic keeps the flowers alive and makes the recipients feel a certain way, but…
“I don’t need magic to read your body language, Jack.
” There’s laughter in her voice as if she read my face before she shakes her head.
“I know just by watching the two of you that you want this to last. But Rosie is being Rosie: stubborn as can be, head in the clouds, living in her own world. Watching out for everyone but herself.”
Well, it’s good to know that people other than me see that Rosie is self-sacrificing.
“She wants everyone around her to be happy, even if it’s at the expense of herself.”
“I’ve noticed that.” Poppy gives me a small smile and nods.
“When we were kids, she would do everything for Vi and me. If she could have, she would have taken my hand-me-downs, but I was three years younger than her.” A humorless laugh leaves her lips.
“But it’s only gotten worse. Staying in Heartwood Hollow to be near us, helping with anything we’ve ever needed.
” Her eyes meet mine, and she gives me a knowing smile.
“Helping everyone fall in love and waiting for fate to make it happen for her.” My heart starts to pound.
“She never puts herself first, and one day, it’s going to make her lose something important. ”
I contemplate what to say next, how much to reveal, but clearly, I’m a desperate man, so I give her everything I can. “She thinks things between us will end when the curse—I mean, when my grandfather passes over.” Another nod from Poppy.
“Yeah, she mentioned that. Vi and I think the only reason she’s letting herself get so attached is because there’s built-in safety with you two, the whole friends with benefits thing.
” A deep sigh leaves her chest. “Despite her desire to fall in love, Rosie keeps people at arm’s distance so she doesn’t get hurt.
And I get it, really, I do: I barely even remember our parents, and she’s had so many shitty boyfriends, but part of that is because she takes safe bets with men everyone can see aren’t right for her.
But you…” I lift an eyebrow. “You were always perfect for her, Jack. I always knew it. The one person she couldn’t charm, the one who didn’t fall for her cute act.
The one who, it seems, won’t let her just do all the heavy lifting because she wants to be the one to take care of everyone.
You two are good together. Vi and I both agree. ”
I take her words to heart and spot the truths, even though she doesn’t know all the details. All the men Rosie told me about were red flags from the start, but she convinced herself it might work. Maybe that’s the true curse: not to never fall in love and stay there, but never to be able to settle.
And one thing I know is I would work myself to the bone every single day to ensure Rosie never felt like she was settling with me.
But if the curse is broken, she’s going to forget everything we had, taking our chance away in the blink of an eye.
“So what do you think I should do?” I ask as I give her my card and take the perfectly wrapped flowers from her. They feel heavier than they should, specifically those fucking moonflowers, though I know that’s just the guilt and my conscious speaking.
“Nothing,” she says with a shrug, swiping my card.
“And everything.” I raise an eyebrow at her.
“Look. Rosie is… Rosie. You can tell her all day long how you feel, what you think, blah blah blah, but the more you tell her, the more she’s going to fight it.
So do the opposite. My advice? Let things play out.
Let her think she’s getting her way, that you two are playing things easy and for the moment, then let her come to terms with the fact that you two are clearly made for each other.
She’ll get there eventually.” My chest tightens with the inability to tell Poppy everything that we’re facing, the truth of our scheming, but I settle for asking for clarification.
“So you think I should let things be but keep moving toward more with her quietly?” I ask.
Poppy smiles wide. “Exactly. See? Made for her. You get it.” I nod in return, then take my card back after she processes the payment.
“Happy for you two. Vi is as well.” I give her a tight smile, then wish her goodbye as I take the back way home, all along twisting Poppy’s words to tell myself that what I’m about to do is the right thing.