Page 23 of Love Grows

Steph was in my office again, having delivered a coffee and kisses. I grinned, then wrinkled my brow.

“Videos?”

“You’re not listening,” Steph sighed.

“Very difficult to listen when my ears are filled with the sound of blood rushing about sending messages that a beautiful woman is kissing my lips and touching my tongue with hers.” I shrugged innocently.

Steph laughed and gently swatted my shoulder. “If you don’t listen, I’ll withdraw the kissing.”

I gasped. “No! I’ll be a good girl.”

That hadn’t meant to have sounded as flirty as it did but the way it made Steph’s eyes darken was wonderful. I wondered if we’d get to a moment when I could say ‘good girl’ again and receive a similar response. The idea made the hair on my skin rise with anticipation.

“Right. The listening,” I continued, and pulled out a plastic milk crate, upturned it, then sat and gestured Steph to the office chair.

“I was saying that someone, probably Lucas, should make some fun videos about the plants here. Maybe put together some reels.”

“I’m not opposed to it as such, but it’s a fad and I don’t think it’s going to increase customers.” I shook my head then looked a little sheepish. “I don’t want to look like we’re copying Walker’s QR TikTok business model.”

Steph huffed. “Believe me. That QR thing is not a business model.” Then she studied me. “You think your customers wouldn’t increase?”

“Foot traffic might, but I’m positive that sales wouldn’t increase. I reckon most of the people carrying hashtag handbags will be tyre-kickers.”

Steph nearly fell off the chair with laughter. “Hashtag handbags!”

* * *

Having persuadedSteph that Dig It wasn’t hash-tagging anyone, I went off to set sprinklers and the mist system for the ferns. It wasn’t as if I was violently opposed to the idea of a video or two. It just seemed like a waste of time.

I shrugged as I reset the timer to daylight savings time, then paused to contemplate Steph. Steph and the kissing situation. It was all a bit fast. One minute she’s starting at Dig It—six weeks ago—then the next minute, she’s kissing me senseless. Attraction had no rules. It was chaos in your loins.

Steph said she needed to leave right on the dot at the end of her shift each day for the next two weeks. Something about tending to some business.Fair enough. It wasn’t any of my business to know what her business was.

My pausing allowed me to peer around the dwarf sickle ferns and stare at Steph. That blonde hair. That slim figure. Those expensive-looking clothes that I couldn’t dissuade her from wearing to a job which generally meant communing with potting mix. Then I locked eyes with her, catching her staring right back. Probably just as lasciviously.

Whenever we were together, we brushed arms. Hands. We’d caught each other sneaking looks, like now. I’d kissed the top of her head yesterday when I found her squatting down, surrounded by terracotta pots. It was warm and comfortable and new and I loved it.I hadn’t ever felt this seen, or had this much attraction aimed at me as I had from Steph.

Maybe this attraction train was going somewhere. Maybe the train had come to the end of its line and stopped indefinitely at the fun and yum station. Who knew? But it was delicious.

Jules thought it was hilarious.

“Told you,” she said the next day, leaning on her counter.

“No need to be rude,” I retorted, sipping on my coffee. I waved to Pip who was setting up her cards. “Apparently Steph and I are enjoying each other’s company.”

“Apparently?” Jules cocked her head

“Yes. Apparently.”

“You haven’t talked about it?”

I sipped again. “Yes. Of course we have. We’re adults, for god’s sake. Steph said that you can’t help attraction and I agreed then she kind of said that just enjoying that attraction was enough.”

“Kind of said…” Jules threw me a slow smile. “Sounds like a proper adult conversation.”

“Shut up.” I gave her a ‘no hard feelings’ eye-roll and headed back to the store.

Where I found a bloke in a tweed cap standing at the front counter.

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