Page 5 of Blooming for His Omega

He chuckled. “I’m glad you’re not sick,” he answered, and I noticed he said nothing about the pregnancy. Like others, I assumed he thought all omegas should be in some stages of childbearing. “So, what do you think?”

I reached into the cooler and pulled out my Pretty in Pink bouquet. Magenta and light-pink roses. Champagne tulips and a bit of greenery for show. The vase was crystal and had a large satin rose-pink ribbon around it because I could. “This seems to be a hit with most grandmas,” I said, handing it over.

“She will love this. Thank you. She is infatuated with her garden and all kinds of flowers.”

Quinn also picked up a bejeweled chain for glasses and a card while he was there, and I threw in a lovely bag to make it all perfect for his visit. The extra touches made the difference and brought customers back. My uncle had taught me well.

By the time Quinn and a few other customers had left, the cheesecake was practically screaming my name. I snuck into the back and grabbed it along with a fork and sat at the computer, ending the workday as I tended to lately—by keeping watch on my ex.

He said he would never let me go without a fight, and I left in a way that would make most people a bit upset. He left for work one day and, while he was gone, I turned off the internet, so he couldn’t see me on his cameras and packed everything and left, taking only the essentials.

Derek knew that my uncle’s shop was in Oliver Creek, and there was only one florist in town. Me.

I wasn’t hard to find.

I created a fake online profile to stalk him, watching his moves, making sure he wasn’t traveling or making any posts about me. Derek had never been a physically abusive man, but some of his tactics were. In the beginning, I thought the keeping tabs on my whereabouts was protective and caring. Until he began to manipulate my every move. He started to complain about my friends, saying they were bad influences on me and he didn’t want me to be in trouble. He didn’t take me out anymore, claiming I had gained weight or he didn’t feel well. Before long, I was trapped in a mating where my every move was watched. I even suspected my phone wasn’t safe to use.

As soon as I left the city, I threw it into a dumpster outside a big-box store, hoping he’d find it there.

I scanned his profile, finding that he was in clubs and living it up as a single alpha but then a day later making posts about being so lonely and not understanding what he did to lose his mate.

He knew exactly what he had done to lose me. What a crock of shit.

I was closing up for the night when I saw Zion doing the same. Our shops held almost the same hours, and he lived above his store as I did mine.

Some nights, I longed to invite him over for a movie or just to talk, but I thought he might get the wrong idea. A man as sweet and loving as Zion deserved someone to give themselves to him fully. He would make a wonderful father, and a family was not on my agenda.

I turned the sign to closed and locked the door. Oliver Creek had the lowest crime rate in the state, so even if I didn’t lock up, nothing would be touched, but why take a chance.

Now, to stop myself from flirting with the cute bear next door. That held far too much risk for us both.

Chapter Six

Zion

One customer after another came in throughout the afternoon, and it was one of my best days so far. I finally got a break shortly before closing, and I had the urge to check and see if Camila had posted anything. It might be a little early yet, and it certainly was too soon for even a great blast to affect business, but still. And would she also give Cicek some publicity?

I was probably getting overexcited. One person saying they enjoyed my food was great, but what difference would it make in the long run? Camila was very nice, but she probably had a small group of friends who would even see her post. I needed to up my social media game instead of counting on the random customers to do it for me.

I pulled up a stool behind the counter and grabbed Camila’s order form to remind myself of her last name. Sometimes being old-fashioned like this paid off. Many people did not use their full names on social media, or used a variation—even low-tech me knew that, but if I couldn’t find it, she had said she’d tag me...

“Excuse me, do you have any salami?” The customer who walked in asked the question that irritated me most. But…the fact was…

“We have a variety of meats and cheeses, including several that qualify as salami. What did you have in mind?”

And so ensued a ten-minute discussion that, as always when it began with the salami question, ended up with the sale of a quarter pound of my least expensive version and a couple of slices of cheese.

“I don’t know why you don’t sell sandwiches,” he called over his shoulder on the way out.

Why didn’t I?

I wasn’t much of a baker beyond a few dessert specialties, but Tanner and Godric made excellent rolls, and they had a sideline selling breads and some of their other products to their fellow businesspeople. Maybe they would be willing to make a special version for me? Inspired, I picked up the phone and called Tanner on his cell phone. He was not in the shop as often as before he met his mate who was allergic to, I believed, all things nuts. But they had other irons in the fire together as well.

“Zion, it’s been an age! When are you coming over to dinner? Ava misses her uncle.” I was not her uncle, but without any cubs of my own, I was grateful to spend time with the children of friends and had become a popular babysitter.

“Anytime you invite me, I’ll be available. But I called about something business related.”

“Oh yeah? Timing is perfect because I needed to ask you for contact information for one of your suppliers.”

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