Page 15 of Forever Love at Fleur's Flower Shop

‘Okay, let’s open the doors and let the matching begin!’ Gregory hurried across to the restaurant door and pulled it open before Fleur had the chance to disagree. ‘Welcome, welcome. Don’t be shy now. Come on through.’

Fleur inched closer towards the counter as the restaurant filled with people eager to find the love of their lives. Or at the least to have a good time. Although the event had been advertised towards those in their thirties and forties, she was certain the group of giggling women bee-lining for the Prosecco couldn’t have been older than twenty-five, twenty-seven at the most, and she knew for definite that the man running his thumbacross the rim of his glass was at least sixty. Still, it didn’t matter. If the event was full, Gregory would be happy.

‘Now?’ Gregory sidled up to Fleur and tapped her on the elbow, drawing her forward.

She nodded.

Clapping his hands, Gregory quickly drew the attention from the twenty or so participants and a quiet lull descended in the restaurant. ‘I’d just like to introduce Nettleford’s very own creator of romance, Fleur, from our very own Flower Shop.’

Stepping forward, Fleur cleared her throat. She hadn’t spoken in public since reading a book round-robin style at secondary school. ‘Hello, everyone. Thanks for coming and supporting our first speed dating event in Nettleford. Who knows, maybe this will be the night you meet your soul mate. Now, we should have twenty-four singles here, so hopefully there will be a good chance you’ll find your perfect match.’

‘Woohoo!’ One of the women from the group cheered.

‘Yep.’ Fleur smiled. She’d obviously had a few to drink before coming to the restaurant. ‘You’ll have precisely seven minutes to speak to each potential match and get to know them as much as you can before I ring the bell, signalling you to move on to the next person. Ladies, you’ll remain seated at the tables, whilst gentlemen, you’ll just work your way around to the next numbered table on your scorecard.’

‘That’s right. Here are the scorecards.’ Gregory held one up, showing it around the group.

‘Thanks, Gregory.’ Fleur paused as the door opened again and turned to see who had come in. Her heart dropped as she realised it was the one person she’d hoped to avoid tonight, Matty. With her eyes fixed on him, she watched as he slipped out of the navy suit jacket he was wearing before hanging it over his arm and leaning against the doorframe. He had a job here then. Helen had been right, he was staying. But why was he here? Washe single, searching for a date in Nettleford? She’d been certain he’d be married by now. She swallowed.

‘Fleur?’ Leaning towards her, Gregory muttered.

‘Er, right, sorry. Now where was I?’ Tearing her eyes from Matty, she tried to focus on the sheet of paper in her hands, blinking as the words jumbled together. Giving up, she cleared her throat again. She’d just have to wing it and hope she included everything she needed to say. ‘Yep, and that’s about it. Oh, erm, you’ll need to mark off on your scorecards if you want to see any of your potential matches again and then we’ll put you in contact with each other. So... yes... enjoy.’

A round of applause rang through the restaurant as Gregory held his hands up, palms forward. ‘Quiet please. May I just add that, ladies, before you take your seats, can you take a scorecard, pen and a pin badge from the counter. Once you have them you can make your way towards the tables? And, gentlemen, let’s give the ladies a few minutes before heading to your first tables. And...’

The woman who had moments ago cheered, clasped her hand over her mouth before shouting a muffled apology and running out into the street, her friend close behind.

‘Oh.’ Gregory floundered, unsure what to do before turning back to his audience and holding his index finger up. ‘One moment, please.’

Fleur watched Gregory follow the women outside as a hubbub of chatter erupted in the restaurant. She looked across to Sadie, who had positioned herself behind the counter ready to hand out scorecards and shrugged at her.

‘I think she’s had a bit too much to drink. I saw them coming out of the pub when I was walking over here.’ Sadie grimaced. ‘Not that I can blame them. I think I’d need at least a hundred glasses of wine before I subjected myself to something like this.’

Fleur nodded as she kept her eyes focused on Sadie. She wasn’t going to look in Matty’s direction. She just wasn’t going to. It was fine that he was here. Just fine that he wanted to find someone to date in Nettleford. Why shouldn’t he? He’d just moved here. And at least it answered one question. She’d been wrong about him being married.

‘Excuse me, excuse me.’ Gregory forced his way back through the throng of eager daters until he was once again standing beside Fleur. Leaning in, he whispered conspiratorially. ‘We’re down one of our ladies. She’s been taken ill and has gone home.’

‘Oh, right. No problem. One man can just sit out each time.’ Fleur turned back to the group of people ready to tell them to come and get their scorecards.

‘Oh no, we can’t have that. People have come here to find a potential match. They won’t do that if they’re sitting alone at a table.’ Gregory shook his head so violently Fleur was worried he might just lose the remaining hair on his head.

‘Well, I didn’t mean one man all the time. I meant they take it in turns so...’

‘I know what you meant, but no, that just won’t do. The evening will end in carnage.’

‘Carnage?’ Fleur raised her eyebrows. Now the obviously drunk woman had left, everyone else looked placid enough. She couldn’t imagine anyone being particularly bothered about spending seven whole minutes sitting alone.

‘Sadie, you’ll join in, won’t you? You’ll save the evening?’ Gregory looked pointedly at Sadie, whose face fell.

‘No, I can’t.’ Holding her hands up, palms forward, Sadie backed away. ‘I... umm... I really can’t’.

‘Okay, then you, Fleur, you’ll have to do it.’ Taking the sheet of paper her speech was written on from her hands, he gently shoved her forward into the throng of people.

‘No, no...’ Fleur attempted to be heard just as Gregory raised his voice and addressed the daters again.

‘Thank you, everyone, for your patience. Let the dating begin!’ He clapped his hands as he ushered the women forward to collect their scorecards.

Waiting until the other women had collected their cards and settled in their seats, Fleur approached Gregory again. ‘I don’t want to do this.’

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