Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Violet let out a low whistle when they walked into the flower warehouse.
It was a massive, temperature-controlled room lined with tables, crates, and shelves filled with flowers.
There were at least half a dozen women sorting the flowers or arranging them into beautiful displays.
Two young men lifted large boxes onto shelves at the back of the room, while a security guard kept an eye on everything.
On the left side of the warehouse were two huge walk-in fridges with solid doors.
Beside them were large, glass fronted fridges filled with arranged displays and bouquets.
The far end of the space had been divided in half.
One half was fitted with two open roller-doors leading out to the dock.
The other half housed a private room, with another guard on the door.
This guard didn't wear the hotel security uniform.
Instead, he was dressed in a suit that'd been tailored to hide a shoulder holster. He was one of Damien's pet soldiers.
Interesting…
"Oh my goodness," Rosey Lee said as she stared around in wonder.
"This puts our tiny shop to shame. I can't believe the variety of flowers you have in here.
I always prided myself that our shop had an extensive range of blooms, some that weren't easy to find, but this is staggering.
You must ship them in from all over the world. "
"We do." Tina exuded pride as she walked down one of the narrow aisles between tables laden with flowers.
"The resort caters mainly to international clients, and they all want blooms that mean something personal for their big day.
We get a lot of requests for flowers that are difficult to source, but we do our best because we want each wedding day to be perfect. "
Jasmine hurried straight for the glass front fridges. She gasped, putting her hands to her cheeks like the poster boy of Home Alone. "Are those Juliet roses?"
Tina smiled as she strode over to join Jasmine. "Those are for the Mayhew wedding on Sunday afternoon. Aren't they beautiful?"
"Oh, I desperately want to touch them, but I wouldn't dare. The arrangement you've put together is stunning. So beautiful." Jasmine was practically weeping at the sight.
Violet went over to join her sister, after gesturing to Katrina to wander and find the plants intended for the estate.
"They look like normal roses to me," she said as she considered the bouquet. "Pretty though," she added for the sake of the florist who'd made the arrangement.
"Don't you know anything?" Jasmine said with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "These are the rarest roses on the planet." She lowered her voice. "And out of season, like now, they can cost as much as five hundred dollars a stem," she whispered with awe.
"Huh." Violet studied the roses while keeping a subtle eye on Katrina, who casually made her way through the tables. "I guess the Mayhews have a bigger budget than we do."
Jasmine gasped again. "Dendrobium orchids? Beyonce had those at her wedding."
Violet feigned interest while she watched Katrina meander toward the carts at the back of the warehouse.
She smiled at one of the young men lifting boxes, and they exchanged a few words, before she carried on wandering.
Looking like nothing more than a curious guest, enjoying the flowers.
At last, she hesitated over a cart laden with green houseplants and a few orchids.
She caught Violet's eye and gave a tiny nod.
She'd found the plants for Damien's estate.
The suited guard, standing at the entrance of the locked room, began to show some interest in Katrina. Violet couldn't have that. She raised her voice.
"I don't care what flowers Beyonce had at her wedding. I thought we were here so you could look at mine." She deliberately made her way toward the locked room, ensuring the guard's attention was firmly back on her. "Are they up here, Tina?"
Tina gave the guard a nervous glance. "No, Ms. Lee they're in the walk in. Follow me and I'll show them to you."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Katrina quickly swap one of the digital plant monitors for a modified one she'd removed from her bag. Violet let out a breath. One down, four to go.
Tina was opening one of the massive fridges and gesturing for her mother and sister to go inside. As soon as they were in there, Katrina would be on her own. Violet couldn't allow that. She had to stall. Her eyes fell on some sunflowers, sitting at a table near the secured room.
"Sunflowers," she called loudly. "I forgot about sunflowers." She rushed toward them, again drawing the attention of the guard. "Mum, Jasmine, do you think I should add sunflowers to my list? They're so happy. Don't you think they're happy flowers?"
She pulled up an image of Grace Kelly from High Society, a movie about a wedding where the bride faked being over-the-top to distract a reporter. It seemed fitting. With everything she had, she channeled Grace Kelly's character and pointed to the sunflowers.
"Sunflowers are the happiest of flowers," she declared.
Her mother shot Tina an apologetic smile before rushing toward Violet. "What are you talking about?" she hissed. "You've never liked sunflowers."
"I like the seeds," Violet said. "They're tasty."
Katrina had swapped out two more plant monitors. Violet's palms were beginning to sweat watching her. She was taking too long, and the guards were becoming suspicious about why she was showing an inordinate amount of interest in some ferns, when the room was filled with color.
The resort guard stirred in his post beside the roller door, his eyes on Katrina.
She smiled at him and asked a question. He frowned but replied.
Violet willed Katrina to pull the plug and get out of there before the guard asked to look in her handbag, where he'd find five plant monitors—two of which were fitted with bugs.
"White orchids!" Violet declared, spinning away from Katrina and making everyone turn to follow her. "Oh wait, what about those tulips. Oh no! I didn't think this through properly. I forgot about half of these flowers." She covered her face with her hands and wailed, "I've got my flowers wrong."
Through her fingers, she could see that both guards were watching her now. Katrina hurriedly swapped out the last two monitors while Violet humiliated herself by staging a fake breakdown.
"I've ruined my wedding," she howled. "I got the flowers wrong."
She was going to kill someone for making her do this.
She was no Grace Kelly. She was a cheap Chinese knock off with a broad Scottish accent.
Her mother and sister stared at her like she'd grown a second head.
And who could blame them? She'd never had a meltdown in her life, and she sure as hell wouldn't have one over flowers.
Who cared what blooms were at her wedding? She wasn't getting married anyway.
"Oh no." Her mother rushed to her side and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Tina. I think everything has caught up with Violet."
"I picked the wrong flowers," Violet wailed because she didn't know what else to wail.
She kept her hands over her face in the hopes it would hide the fact she wasn't crying. Through her fingers, she saw the resort guard turn his attention back to Katrina, who smiled politely and pointed to Violet. It was clear she was telling him her friend was upset, and she had to get back to her.
The guard wasn't having it. He motioned to Katrina's bag. A look of panic flashed across Katrina's face as her eyes searched for Violet.
"Mum," Violet howled. "I can't look at the flowers. I'm too worried they're wrong. Could you and Jasmine check on them for me? You're the experts and I trust you. I'm going to make Katrina take me for a calming cup of tea." Right after she vomited over this acting mess.
"Of course," her mother patted her shoulder. "We'll make sure it's perfect. Won't we?"
Her sister patted her other shoulder. "Don't worry, sis, we've got this."
Katrina was shaking her head, refusing to open her bag for the guard. Time had run out.
"Thank you," Violet said, sniffing loudly and keeping her head down so no one would see there weren't any tear tracks on her cheeks.
She turned quickly and started jogging around the tables toward Katrina.
"Kat! We have to go. I can't take anymore.
I've picked the wrong flowers, and the wedding is doomed.
Doomed I tell you! Doomed! I need tea. We have to get tea. "
Yep, acting was not her strong suit. And neither was writing dialogue, because the stuff coming out of her mouth wouldn't even make it into a daytime soap.
"I need tea," she hollered.
"I think she might actually need a Valium," she heard her sister say behind her.
"Violet," Katrina called as she rushed toward her. "It's okay. Don't worry. Your mum will sort the flowers."
"I've brought bad luck down on our heads." Violet closed the distance between them. She threw herself at Katrina, adding a couple of fake sobs for good measure.
"There, there," Katrina said, awkwardly patting her back. "I'm sure it'll be okay."
Violet let out a loud moan as she slid her hand into Katrina's bag and pulled out the five soil monitors. She thrust them into her pocket.
"Max won't want to marry me," she said. "I’ve ruined everything."
"Maybe we should call a doctor," she heard her mother say. "I've never seen her like this before."
"It's okay, Mrs. Lee," Katrina called. "I'll get her settled. Come on, Vi, let's go get a nice warm drink." She put an arm around Violet's shoulders and turned her toward the door.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am," the resort guard said, "but I have to check your bag first."
"Can't you see my friend is distressed?" Katrina said. "I need to get her out of here and calm her down."
He stood in their way, blocking their path. "I have to insist," he said firmly.