Page 55 of Cocky Choices: Zoe Cocker

“Hey beautiful.” I take her hand, bending to kiss it. Her skin smells sweet, and I linger before straightening to smile into her nervous eyes. “It’s going to work out.”

She throws herself into my arms, hugging me tightly. “Thank you for saying that! For the opportunity! For… all of it!”

We separate and I dip my chin in goodbye.

The door shuts, and off I go, smiling to myself. If I had to pick a complete stranger to marry, I think I picked the right one.

TWENTY-THREE

Zoe

Iwake up with early morning light spilling in through my window, and despite knowing I’m supposed to take the day off, my feet slam onto the floor like someone just shouted,Help! Racing around my compact home I get dressed, brush my teeth, slap on light makeup, and pour enough kibble and water for Ralphie. “You have to stay here. Can’t risk your wild distractions today!”

Out the door I run in pink jeans and a branded T-shirt that reads Florist Shop on the front and Little Five Points on the back complete with a cartoon map of the neighborhood. Aloud as I jog to work, I egg myself on, “I can do this! I know I can do this! The opportunity wouldn’t have landed in my lap if I couldn’t! Oh, excuse me!” I cry out as I jump over a dog leash held taut between a woman and her black Labrador who’s lifting his leg on a tree.

She shouts, “I wish I caught that on video!”

I shout back, “Now you’ll have a good story you can tell people in person!”

The lights are on inside as I arrive, door still locked because we’re not officially open yet. I shove my key into the deadboltand greet my roaring bell with a, “Yep yepyep! That’s how I feel!”

Amelia bounces up from behind the counter where she was turning on the music, her eyes widening in surprise from behind fashionable glasses. “Zoe! You’re here!” she exclaims, a bright smile breaking free from her surprise. “I thought you were taking a break today!”

“I know, I know,” I nervously laugh, brushing a stray lock that fell from my ponytail to behind my ear. “Change of plans!”

Amelia’s expression shifts as I pull out my crumpled notepaper from my pink jeans pocket. “What’s that?” she asks, tilting her head.

I suck in an anxious breath. “I landed an event for fifty tables. See that!” I point to where I wrote and circled the number fifty. Two words are scribbled under it:no peonies. “We need to get started on theotherorders that’ve come in right away! I hate to say this, but I might have to turn down everything else and maybe even just close up!”

Her eyes widen again, a mix of surprise and eagerness. “Fifty tables? Wow! Let’s do this!” She touches the scrawled wordpeoniesin thought. “But I don’t think we have to cancel orders. Let’s call Perry and knock everything out, together! It’ll be a lot more than we’re used to but with all three of us working on it, and tackling everything else that comes in…”

I grab her and hug her. “You’re so wonderful! Have I told you lately that you’re wonderful?”

Amelia giggles, “You tell me at least once a week,” pushing her glasses up on her nose. “And please don’t stop.”

I throw one hand in the air, “Deal,” then cover my face with it. “I’m so overwhelmed. I don’t know what to do first. I woke up and felt utterly freaked out. I know I’m the boss, but you just tackled this problem with solutions so much faster than I could.”

“We’re a team. That’s what we do. Whatisthis big event?”

“My future father-in-law’s retirement dinner.”

She blinks at me. “I’m sorry…what?!!”

I fill Amelia in on my engagement and she soaks in every brief detail I provide, with her mouth wide open. When I’m done she blankly stares at me, and I have no idea what her reaction is, so I give a curious half-shrug, trying to look casually interested. “Isn’t that…crazy?”

Amelia squeals, “So crazy! I love it!” and starts jumping up and down, the hem of her hip, 1950’s vintage blue dress bouncing. “That is insane! I love it so much! Wait, so when is the retirement dinner?”

“Saturday.”

“That’s tomorrow!”

“I know! I have no idea how my fiancé…” I laugh, “…gosh, it sounds so weird to say that. But I don’t know how he thought I could do it with so little notice or planning. He’s a very impulsive guy, I’ve been learning.”

“Didn’t he tell you when it was?”

“Yes, on the day I met him, but it didn’t really land in here.” I touch my head, think for a second and admit, “Oh. I guess it’smyfault. He probably just thought,she’s the expert. She’s got it under control.But I need to go to the Flower Mart. I need more vases! I need more ribbons!”

“One thing at a time,” Amelia nods.

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