Page 71 of Flowers in Your Hair

My phone buzzes yet again, but instead it’s my Dad’s name on the screen.

Dad

Hey, kiddo. Checking in. Still on for dinner tomorrow?

Me

Yep! You guys still planning on coming?

Wouldn’t miss it for the world.

I put my phone into my bag, and get my notebook with the questions I plan to ask out.

“Ready for interviews?” I ask Marley.

“You know it,” she says with a proud smile.

29

ANDREW

I’ve got about a week of work left on my project for Josie. I have a few more drawers and little details to add, but otherwise, it’s almost ready. I have it all planned out. She has that wedding scheduled next Saturday, and while she’s there, I’ve enlisted Beau and Jason to help me load it and get it set up in her garage.

There’s a knock on the shop door, and Gramps strides in. Travis darts over to him, wiggling his body in excitement. “Hey, Gramps,” I call, writing down a measurement before I forget it.

“How’s the work bench?” he asks, slowly walking in. He’s moving a little slow this week, and I wonder if he’s feeling alright.

“Coming along nicely.” I gesture to it, my heartbeat picking up as he looks it over. Over the years, I’ve received endless amounts of constructive criticism from him over the years, but I’ve never been so anxious before, never been so hopeful that he will be proud of my work.

He smooths his hand over the sanded top, then the curved edges. “Gorgeous,” he mutters. “I think you’re better at this than I ever was.”

I shrug off his praise. “No way. I learned everything from you, and I will never live up to your work.”

Gramps chuckles. “We could go back and forth on this for hours.”

“True.” I laugh. Gramps heads over to the couch in the back, sitting down with a huff. Travis curls up at his feet. “You alright, Gramps?” Anxiety nips at the back of my brain.

“Oh sure, just tired. You know how it is. Getting old is for the birds.” Gramps waves me off, adjusting on the couch.

“Alright. Well you know if anything changes, we can help, right?”

“You shut your trap,” he teases. “I’m old but I ain’t that old. I’m just fine. Having an off day.”

“Whatever you say, Gramps.” I sit down next to him.

“Where’s Cindy?” he asks.

“Out with Marley. They are interviewing a few candidates for a part-time assistant for Josie. Mainly weddings over the summer, and events.”

“Well that’s awesome. Good for Cindy.”

“I can’t believe you still call her Cindy,” I say.

“She’s your Cinderella, of course I call her Cindy,” his voice is filled with mirth. “You’re going to marry her, aren’t you?” This is one quality I love about Gramps. If he has a question, he’s going to come right out and ask it.

“She is my Cinderella,” I concur, nodding. I haven’t even told her I loved her, but something within me knows that Josie is the woman I’m going to marry.

“How did interviews go?” I ask. Josie is curled up in my arms on the couch in her living room. Travis is laying on his belly, his paws out in front of him as he tries to get Velma to play with him. She’s staring at him like he’s an alien. It’s pretty fucking funny.

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