Page 28 of Finding Her Strength

“Yeah, what’s your favorite flower?”

“Well… I love tulips and white orchids.”

“Okay, can I have an arrangement with those two, please?”

I press my fingers between my eyebrows, studying Levi. “Are you sure?”

“Yep.” He smiles at me as if he’s in on a joke I don’t understand. I sigh, shrugging my shoulders before I turn to the coolers behind me. Grabbing out the flowers I need, I put together a beautiful arrangement—one I would love to receive from Levi, then wrap it with a pretty, white ribbon and bring it over to the register.

“Can I have a card, please?”

“Um, sure,” I say, handing over a white and silver card to match the flowers.

Levi quickly writes something down, tucking it away before I can see what it says. He hands his credit card over to pay, then picks up the flowers when he’s done.

“When are you done working?”

“Not for another hour.”

“Okay. See you later.” He grins, then walks out of the shop, leaving me standing there in utter confusion.

What the hell just happened?

It takes me a bit to focus back on the centerpieces, but I manage to finish them, leaving myself time to work on somelingering paperwork I haven’t gotten to. I was glad no one else came in, so I had plenty of time to do both.

A knock at my front door pulls me out of the dull task of balancing my inventory list. I stand from my tiny desk and walk out to the front. We’ve been closed for the last half hour, so I’m not sure why someone would be trying to get in.

When I come around the corner, I find Levi standing on the other side of the door with the flower arrangement I made him earlier in hand. I unlock the door, inviting him inside with a frown.

“Everything okay with the flowers?”

“I hope so.” He hands them to me, and I automatically start examining them to see if something weird is going on. Levi’s laugh has me looking up at him.

“Here, open it,” he prompts, holding out the card.

I take it, pulling the card out of the envelope.

Hope, will you go on a date with me?

I blink at the card, momentarily stunned. “You want to go out with me?”

“Why do you think I asked about your favorite flowers?”

I look down at the arrangement. “These are for me?”

“This is not going how I planned.” He huffs out a laugh. “Hope, I want to take you out on a date.”

“Okay.” The word slips out before I can think about the consequences. Between his bumbling idea of giving me flowers that I made myself, and him looking so cute while trying to help me figure out what’s happening, there is no way I can say no.

“I want to spend more time with you—okay?”

“Yeah.” I shrug, smiling at his confusion. “I’d like to spend more time with you, too.”

“What are you doing tomorrow night?”

“Going on a date, apparently.” I grin at my own words. I don’t know how he does it, but every time I’m with Levi, I become the person I’ve always wanted to be. The girl who says what she’s thinking, who can crack a joke with the best of them. When I was young, there wasn’t much that held me back, but the more life pushed me down, the more I retreated into myself. With Levi, I feel like I’m finally able to be that carefree girl again.

“Okay, then. I’ll pick you up at seven?” I don’t think the smile on Levi’s face could get any brighter.

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