Page 12 of Whispers on the Mountain

So I scroll past those and tap on the conversation with Brian.

"Sounds great, doll, I'll pick you up at seven. Can't wait!"

His enthusiasm makes me smile. I tap the heart reaction on his last text with a smile.

"He's picking me up at seven," I tell Callie. She been ready to leave for the last five minutes, but she's been waiting on an update about whether or not Brian and I are on for tonight.

"Good. You deserve a man who actually wants to be with you, sweetheart." She waddles back to me to give me a hug. "Lock this place up early so you have time to get dressed up. I want to hear all about it next week."

I watch my eight-months-pregnant boss make her way out the door, returning her wave as she drives past the flower shop windows on her way out of the parking lot.

Callie is much more enthusiastic about my date with Brian than I am, but she's right; there's no point in sitting around moping over Augustus.

He's been very clear from the beginning that he's not interested in going any farther than we've already been...and that maybe he even regrets that.

So I texted Brian when I got back to my cottage last night.

He's one of the locals here in Slow River. We met at O'Hare's last summer when I first moved down to Slow River for my apprenticeship with Callie. He seems like a nice enough guy, he's okay to look at, he's way closer to my own age, and, most importantly-- he's been trying to get me to go out with him for months.

Who knows? Maybe tonight will be the start of something good. If things with Brian look promising, I might even extend the lease on my apartment and stay on with Callie instead of moving back to Moonshine Ridge at the end of the month.

My phone chimes with another text from Augustus. Just seeing his name pop up on my screen has my fingers itching to cancel plans with Brian. Then I see the words, "Please understand that..." and my brain fills in the rest of that without opening the message.

I'm sure it finishes with something awful like, "please understand that..." what? Maybe that "...I'm not interested in seeing you again?" Or maybe he wants to reiterate his opinion about my age or my inexperience or tell me again about how he's "not the right man" for me.

While I'm preparing to close up the shop, my phone starts ringing. When I see Augustus' name on the screen, I cancel the call without answering.

The shop's landline rings while I'm sweeping and I don't even check the caller ID before answering.

"Slow River Florist, how can I help you?"

"Oh, thank God. Fiore, why aren't you answering your phone? Are you okay?"

Shit. I should have texted him back.

Augustus's rich voice pours into my ear over the line.

"Why are you calling my work?"

"You aren't reading your messages; you aren't answering your calls. You left my house in tears last night and your brother said you went back to work early. I've been worried about you."

"How the fuck would you know I was crying last night, August?"

On the other end of the line is a weary sigh.

"I have security cameras on the porch, fiore, I saw you...I've been trying to get in touch with you so we could talk."

"You saw me sitting on your porch last night. You knew I was waiting for you. Did you get my messages? Were you ignoring me so you didn't have to see me?"

I'm pissed. There's no reason for him to be blowing me up just to confirm what I already knew; he was avoiding me on purpose.

"Fiore, when will you be done at the flower shop tonight? I think we should talk about things between us."

"We don't need to talk, Augustus. You've been perfectly clear about how you feel about me. I understand that you aren't interested in seeing me again. Don't worry, I won't come back up or bug you again. I have to go. I have a date."

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Augustus

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