Page 29 of A Heart in Bloom

Enjoy my night?Cammie smirked, glancing at her watch—9:30. She expected to spend her night cleaning the workroom and mopping the floors, hoping to rest and recuperate tomorrow. Flipping on the overhead lights, she stopped in her tracks. Everything was already spotless—the workroom tidy, the floors swept and mopped to a gleaming finish. Even the gift shop floors had been cleaned, the watermarks from snow-covered shoes erased. With her evening unexpectedly free, she trudged upstairs, her mind wandering back to the cryptic note.

As she reached the top of the stairs, soft music drifted through the air, and a subtle glow reflected off the walls. A trail of wilted petals began at the top step, winding toward the fireplace Allen had insisted she needed. Seeing it aglow on this cold, snowy night, she had to admit—he’d been right. It was perfect.

A large, fluffy blanket was spread in front of the fire, and a low table she didn’t recognize sat in the center, laden with covered dishes.

Allen emerged from the guest bathroom in fresh clothes—none of the gym bag leftovers from earlier—and smelled like the rugged outdoorsman he was. He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then guided her to sit.

“Do you want to freshen up before our first official date, or are you comfortable as you are?” he asked, waiting for her answer before lifting the lid on her plate.

“I’m fine like this, if you are,” she said, hoping her tired smile came across as flirtatious. “If I go near my bedroom, I may not come back out, and I don’t want to miss this.”

Allen chuckled at her attempt to be coy and lifted the lid. Cammie gasped. “Oh, Allen, this is perfect,” she said, letting out an enormous sigh as she picked up her fork. The first bite of macaroni and cheese, rich with diced ham and broccoli, brought a delighted hum to her lips. “This is absolutely delightful. I can’t believe you remembered.” She looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. Once again, the thought flickered… he’s too much. No man can be this perfect.

“I have to be honest,” Allen admitted with a sheepish grin. “Gwen may have planted the idea. By the time I realized what she was suggesting, it was too late to make anything myself, so I called in reinforcements. She made your meal, so you can thank her. She said it’s made with five gourmet cheeses but isn’t sure if they’re the right ones. She wants to compare notes—apparently, she’s thinking of adding it to her menu.”

He lifted the lid from his plate to reveal BBQ ribs. “And Mr. Davis made mine,” he said with a grin. “Mrs. Davis thought ribs sounded perfect for her Valentine’s dinner, so he got roped into helping me—not that he minded. I almost feel bad, though. He had the whole café to cook for all day, and this addition to his menu was pretty last minute.”

Cammie smiled; she loved the dynamic between the older couple. They were a perfect example of how daily teamwork could create something amazing, all while finding time to make each other feel special. Becky was lucky to have such beautiful role models.

They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Cammie broke it with a soft laugh. “Allen, I’ve been sitting here stewing over how perfect you are and how it’s got to be too good to be true. I need you to tell me one of your flaws—just one—so I can see a little dent in your shiny armor.”

He smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Trust me, I’m far from perfect. Just get me in a room with my siblings, andthey’ll give you a full list of my imperfections. But I think, now that I know you better, you’ll find my lack of organization pretty annoying.”

Her brows shot up in disbelief. “What? You’re messy? But you’re ex-military! Don’t they train you to be hyper-organized and ready for anything at any time?”

“That’s true,” Allen said with a shrug. “On a mission or out in the woods, where my supplies mean the difference between life and death, I’m as neat as those organizing shows on the DIY channel. But I think part of my brain short-circuited when I got home—I kind of rebelled against the system. My sock and underwear drawer or food storage cabinets? Total chaos. And if you’d paid attention while I was working upstairs, you’d have seen me constantly putting tools down and forgetting where, even with a tool belt strapped to my waist. It drives Zach crazy. Honestly, I think that’s why he nudged me toward architecture school. He knew working on a crew wasn’t a sustainable career for me.”

Cammie smiled, shaking her head. “Well, thanks for helping keep the workroom downstairs organized. You’re right—that kind of chaos would drive me nuts.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “But that still seems pretty mild. Is there anything women have complained about in the past?” she asked, finishing the last bite of her meal.

“My ex-fiancé said I didn’t communicate well, but no one else ever has. It started because my words were constantly twisted or used against me. Sharing how I felt usually led to arguments or months of silent treatment, so I stopped trying. I bottled everything up, and after my injury, it got worse. I couldn’t bring myself to talk about what I was going through—not even with my family.”

He paused, his expression thoughtful. “Being here, close to my teammates, has helped. They know me better than anyone—theywere there, living it too, with scars of their own. Then there’s Eric. Sarge doesn’t let anyone stew in their emotions. He makes us talk. Sometimes it takes hours of hiking his trails in silence, but eventually, we open up. He gives us time, but we know we can’t avoid it forever, so we usually give in pretty quickly.”

“It’s wonderful that Eric has taken such a keen interest in his men even after leaving the army. He comes off pretty scary, but he seems like a teddy bear at heart.”

“He can be,” Allen agreed, “but don’t let his soft side fool you. If there’s ever danger or a threat to his family, that big teddy bear turns dark and dangerous—only his team has seen that side of him. As long as we’re on his side, we’re grateful for it, but I watched him go after a traitor once... Trust me, you never want to be in an interrogation with him.”

Allen’s gaze softened as he looked at her. “Eric looks after his own—we all do. You’re part of the Hickory Falls family now, and no one—especially not Eric or Zach—would let harm come to you. If Judson had shown up and you resisted or called for help, they would’ve known in minutes and mobilized a team to find you. If you ever get into trouble, get to the street and make some noise. The rescue team won’t be far behind.”

“But how?” Cammie asked, her earlier suspicions about the town and its secrets resurfacing.

Allen gave a small, knowing smile. “Let’s just say some people here aren’t who they seem—in a good way. They have their reasons for keeping low profiles, and we all respect that. It’s also about safety. One of our own set up a surveillance system that tracks everyone who crosses into town, no matter which border. It keeps us all protected.”

“What happens in your shop is your business, as long as it doesn’t put anyone at risk. What happens outside these walls? That’s their domain.”

“You’re safe here, Cammie. You’ve got an Army Ranger squad at your back if you ever need it. And if you don’t? Well… we’ll just be the best friends you’ve ever had.”

Cammie stayed quiet, letting Allen’s words settle over her. The idea of being monitored might have unnerved her once, but now, it didn’t. She thought of the people she’d met—their kindness, their protectiveness. Whatever secrets they held, she trusted that the Lord had brought her here for a reason.

As she considered the town’s hidden layers, a part of her wondered if she might uncover more over time. But did she need to? Hickory Falls had already become her sanctuary. She had a place here... among people who had welcomed her with open arms and generous hearts. That was enough.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Allen uncovered the last dish on the table.

“What is this, a pie tasting?” Cammie asked, blinking at the smorgasbord of desserts laid out before her.

“You mentioned on one of our non-dates that you didn’t know your favorite dessert,” Allen said with a grin. “So, I thought I’d help you figure it out. This is a slice of everything Mrs. Davis makes. Yes, she cut into several frozen pies to make it happen—I owe her a big favor for that. And Gwen pitched in with her dessert offerings. You’ve got the best of Massachusetts right here. If it’s not here, I’ll gladly take you on a tour of the entireUnited States until we find it because everyone should know their favorite dessert.”

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