Page 14 of Forever Love at Fleur's Flower Shop

‘I know hosting it is completely different, but I’d have thought something like this would have been right up your street. You love the dating apps.’

Fleur inched towards the shop window again before ducking away again when she spotted Gregory and Matty still standing in front of her shop chatting. ‘Lovedthe dating apps. Remember I’ve sworn off them now. Before, yes, I’d have loved to get involved with the speed dating night. And I wouldn’t have really minded running it but now? Nope.’

‘Now the only man on your mind is Matty?’ Bea leaned across the counter and pulled a biscuit tin towards her. Opening the lid, she offered Fleur one.

‘Thanks.’ Taking a bourbon, Fleur dunked it into her coffee. Bea could literally see right through her. ‘Yes, but not like that. It just feels weird, that’s all.’

‘Uh-huh.’ Bea nodded as she raised her eyebrows. ‘Got the opening speech sorted?’

‘Gregory thinks I do.’ Fleur shrugged as she bit down on the bourbon, the coffee-soaked biscuit melting in her mouth.

‘Well, in that case, let’s get cracking.’ Picking up a notebook and pen, Bea flicked through to find a blank page and held the pen poised above the white paper.

As she finished off the bourbon, Fleur tried to push all thoughts of Matty and his return to the back of her mind before turning to Bea. ‘Okay, I’ve got this. How about…?’

Chapter Ten

‘Shall I put these over here?’ Tracey, one of the waitresses at Ruby’s restaurant, held up a tray of champagne flutes. ‘That way, people can take a glass of bubbly as soon as they arrive?’

‘And what are we doing about the tables?’ Freddie, the chef, had ventured out of the kitchen to help set up for the speed dating evening and now stood in front of Fleur, his arms wide as he indicated towards a cluster of tables by the window.

Fleur spun on the spot. After a full day of flower arranging, taking more orders for the looming Valentine’s Day as well as making up twelve table centres of roses in differing shades of pink for the tables at tonight’s event and having a final meeting with the soon-to-be happy couple she was providing flowers for on Saturday, the last thing she needed on a Thursday evening was to be playing host to Nettleford’s first speed dating event. Her shoulders slumped as she spotted Gregory push through the restaurant door and come to stand next to her.

‘Evening, Fleur. I have these for you.’ Gregory shoved the box he was holding beneath her nose.

Taking a series of slow, deep breaths, Fleur bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from screaming, and composed herselfbefore saying, ‘I’m just in the middle of something, Gregory. I’ll be with you in a moment.’

Frowning, Gregory turned to Freddie and Tracey. ‘Tracey, great idea. I’m certain our daters will love a drink as they come in. Freddie, if you move the table at the edge a little closer to the wall and swap the sides the chairs are on, then they’ll be more space between each potential couple.’

‘Consider it done.’ Freddie nodded before turning back to the tables while Tracey began unloading the tray of champagne flutes.

Standing there, the box still beneath her nose, Fleur breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t used to this, having multiple things going on at once. In her shop, she was the only employee of her one-woman-show and she worked through things one at a time. She turned towards Gregory, for once actually grateful for his presence. ‘Thank you.’

‘No problem.’ Gregory tapped the box with his free hand. ‘I borrowed these from Meadowfield’s mayoress. You’ll find a bell you can ring to end a session, scorecards to keep tabs on any potential daters and pens.’

‘Right, thank you. Again.’ Taking the box, Fleur placed it on the counter and began riffling through it. Yep, there was everything they’d need for tonight’s nightmare event. Even pin badges each participant would need to wear.‘Isn’t your lady friend joining us?’

‘Not tonight. Unfortunately, something has come up.’ Gregory smoothed down his tie.

‘Oh.’ Fleur glanced across at him and frowned. Nobody had met this woman and the longer this so-called relationship went on, the more Fleur wondered whether Gregory was making the whole thing up.

‘Well, by the looks of things, you’re almost good to go.’ Gregory checked his watch as the door opened and closed again.

‘Hi, Fleur. I thought I’d come along and see if there was anything you needed help with?’ Sadie shrugged out of her coat. ‘I know we’ve only got a few minutes until people started arriving, but I left the sweet shop as soon as I could.’

‘No worries and thanks. Yes, that’d be great.’ Fleur looked towards the front door. Sadie was right. They had five minutes to be precise and although now the restaurant was ready, she certainly didn’t feel ready to talk in front of a crowd of strangers.

‘Bea sends her apologies. She’s got caught up with some problem with a delivery or something.’ Sadie began pulling the scorecards and pens from the box, stacking them up on the counter.

Nodding, Fleur bit down on her thumbnail. She knew Bea would be here if she could be.

‘You have your speech with you, I assume?’ Gregory straightened his tie.

‘Er, yes.’ Pulling the sheet of paper with the opening speech Bea had helped her write, she unfolded it.

‘Great. Well, I for one am excited about this.’ Gregory rubbed his hands together.

‘Right.’ Fleur looked down at the paper and squinted. She could hardly read her writing.

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