Page 17 of Forever Love at Fleur's Flower Shop

Because of her.

‘Course not. I only came here so I could get a chance to speak to you.’

‘You did? How did you know I was going to be here?’ She frowned.

‘Gregory mentioned you had kindly stepped in to help after Ruby was called away.’ Matty smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

‘I didn’t volunteer.’ Pulling away from his gaze, she picked up her scorecard, turning the corners down.

‘I wondered that.’ Matty chuckled again, a sound she’d once been so familiar with. ‘I see nothing’s changed since I left.’

She shook her head. He was right. In a way. Gregory hadn’t changed at all. Nor had the stupid politics of the town she so rallied against.

‘You have though.’ Matty’s voice was quiet as he waited for her to look up at him.

‘I have?’ She frowned. What did he mean? Was he referring to her walking out on him? Was he hinting at what a horrible person she’d become? He wasn’t wrong. She was awful. What she’d done to him on what was supposed to have been the best day of their lives had been unthinkable.

‘Yes. You followed your dreams. I saw your flower shop. I’m proud of you.’

‘Proud of me?’ Bringing her thumb to her mouth, she bit down on her nail. How could he be proud of her? She’d been horrible to him. She’d ruined his life. Unless she hadn’t. Huh, it had probably been the best thing she’d done for him. She bit down again, this time, her mouth filling with the metallic taste of blood. Is that what he meant? He was thankful she’d left him at the altar because she’d have only ruined his life?

‘For opening the shop.’ Matty leaned forward, gently pulling her thumb from her mouth. ‘I see you’ve not changed that habit.’

‘Umm...’ She looked down at her thumb, a trickle of blood escaping from the torn cuticle.

‘Here, let me.’ Pulling a tissue from the pocket of the suit jacket hanging from the back of his chair, he reached over again and wrapped it carefully around her thumb.

‘Thanks.’ She automatically covered his hand with hers before realising what she was doing and pulling her hands away quickly. ‘Sorry, I...’

‘We need to talk.’ Matty’s words were clear, his tone firm.

‘No, I... there’s nothing to talk about.’ Fleur shook her head. She couldn’t talk to him. Not properly about their past, about what had happened, about what she’d put him through. This was painful enough. She couldn’t imagine being forced to have a deep conversation with him. ‘We don’t.’

‘I disagree.’ Matty looked at her.

Fleur pulled on the collar of her top. ‘Look, I’m sorry, okay. But the past is in the past. I shouldn’t...’

‘Time to change.’ Gregory rang the bell as people began standing up from their tables, some with clear expressions of relief, whilst others clung to their scorecards and grinned.

‘I understand, but with me living here now, we really need to...’ Matty threw Gregory an exasperated look as he rang the bell again, his eyes fixed on their table. ‘Meet me tomorrow at lunchtime.’

‘I can’t. I’ve got work to do.’

‘In the evening then. Seven outside your flower shop.’ Matty stood up, scraping his chair back to signal the end of the conversation.

‘No, Matty. I can’t.’ She couldn’t. She couldn’t meet him. What would she say? Surely, they didn’t need to clear the air? It had been ten years. Life had happened between then and now. They were both completely different people to who they had been back then, with different experiences, values.... ‘No.’

‘Time to change.’ Gregory waltzed over to their table and leaned over it, ringing the bell in their faces.

‘Okay, Gregory. We get it, okay.’ Fleur shook her head, frustration bubbling inside her.

‘But you’re holding everyone up. Matty, please move along.’ Gregory shook his head and tutted.

‘Tomorrow, seven.’ Matty tapped the table before walking away and slipping into the chair opposite his next date.

With her elbows on the table, Fleur covered her face with her hands. No, no, no. She couldn’t meet him. She didn’t want to.

‘Good evening. My name is Terence. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’

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