Page 27 of A Heart in Bloom

Cammie turned to him, her surprise obvious. “My dad would love you. He’s an excellent judge of character, Judson Carter aside. Once he hears about everything you’ve done for me the past month, he’d give you a great big hug. My dad doesn’t place value on money, even though he comes from a very wealthy family of doctors. As long as you love me and can provide a good life, that’s all that matters to him. Now, my mom?” Cammie gave a small laugh. “She’d definitely fuss and put on a show, but as long as you can wear a tux and know which fork to use—or at least pretend you do—she’d come around eventually.”

She shifted to face him more fully, her voice softening. “My hesitation had nothing to do with your financial situation or blue-collar status, as Judson so rudely put it. It has to do with the fact that I’m happy. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have friends who care about me. When you hold me, I feel safe, not suffocated.”

“I’ve grown so much in the past month. The girl who almost begged to stay in her old shop? She’s gone. Now I’m the woman who basically told her mom to deal with it.” She gave him a bittersweet smile. “But I don’t want to risk losing you. So, I think it’s better if we stay friends.”

Allen traced a finger down her cheek before resting his hand at her neck, his thumb gently brushing the pulse point that made her feel oddly safe, even though she’d never thought she’d like such a touch. “And if I want to be more than your friend? If I want to show you all the love I have to give and cherish you for the rest of your life—what would you say to that?”

Cammie’s heart quickened at the thought of Allen loving her forever. His words unraveled the resolve she’d clung to the night before, the walls she’d built against him threatening to crumble entirely. She had no defenses when it came to this man. His arms called to her, offering the kind of warmth and belonging she’d never known, and all she wanted was to sink into him, to feel treasured the way she always did when he held her.

She blinked, breaking the spell that had momentarily held her captive. “Can we just get through tomorrow first? Then we can talk about this again. I’ve got so much to do, and I’m scared I’m not thinking clearly. Right now, I just need a friend to lean on—someone to keep me sane over the next twenty-four hours. Can you be that friend, Allen?”

Allen’s fingers curled gently around her nape, pulling her close. He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, a simple gesture that sent warmth radiating through her, more potent than anything Judson’s kisses had ever stirred. His voice was soft but firm as he whispered, “I can be that friend. For now.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Valentine’s Day was a whirlwind of activity. As promised, Allen met Cammie at the shop at 4 a.m., and, together, they loaded his truck and her van with the first round of orders. By 6 a.m., both vehicles were brimming with vibrant blooms and heading in opposite directions.

Tim arrived with Lauren, Kate, and Missy just as they were leaving. Cammie called out through her van window, “You’re lifesavers! Breakfast is on the guest counter. Lauren, I added your credentials to my Square account, so sales should ring up without a hitch. Call if you need anything. Missy, the list of nextorders to go out is taped to the cooler door. I got a few done last night, but… it was crazy. I…”

Lauren approached the van carefully and hugged Cammie through the window. “We’ve got this. Go! Allen might beat you back, and we’d hate to mix up deliveries. This is your big day—don’t let worry ruin it. Drive safe. The roads are icy.”

“I’ll be back in three hours if all goes well. If I go over four, send out the search and rescue team,” Cammie quipped with a grin.

“Finally, the sense of humor I knew was hidden way in there,” Lauren chuckled. Now go—we’ve got customers!”

As Cammie drove off, Lauren smiled, hurrying to greet the first car pulling up to the shop. It was going to be a good day.

Three and a half hours later, Cammie backed into her reserved parking spot, her worry spiking when she noticed Allen wasn’t back yet. Inside, as she shrugged off her coat, Tim reassured her, “He’s fine. Just hit some trouble on the unsalted back roads. That’s why he insisted on taking that route—he knew his truck’s four-wheel drive would handle it better than the van.” Allen’s foresight of the situation eased her concern.

The shop was packed with customers, so Cammie jumped in to help Lauren assist patrons with selections while Tim rang up purchases at the register.

By the time Allen arrived—over an hour later than expected—the rush had slowed, and Cammie thanked Tim for his help. He explained he was staying to assist with the balloon delivery, which made sense.

After Allen gulped a quick coffee, they got to work loading four hundred helium-filled balloons into the back of Allen’s long-bed Ford and Tim’s Suburban XL. The task quickly turned chaotic as the wind picked up, whipping snow into their faces and yanking at the balloons. They worked methodically, loading one weightat a time to avoid tangling the ribbons, but the gusts were relentless.

A few balloons slipped free despite their efforts, prompting shouts of, “Oh no, there goes another one!” and “Not again!” over the rumble of engines and the howling wind. At one point, Lauren stepped outside with a fresh batch of balloons, only for the wind to whip the ribbons around her like marionette strings. Her coat— adorned with oversized buttons—snagged the ribbons, saving the balloons but leaving her in a hopeless tangle.

After several minutes of attempting to unravel the mess, Tim finally groaned, “Hold on, I’m going to cut it.”

“Cut what?” Lauren shrieked. “You better not mean my coat or my hair, Timothy Adler, or you’ll be sleeping with one eye open! I’ll shave you bald and weaken every seam in your uniforms.”

Tim and Allen laughed, Allen shaking his head. “If you can sneak up on Tim, he’s officially adjusted to civilian life. We bunked together on a mission, and I swear that guy didn’t sleep the entire night. I even warned Eric I thought he’d crash the chopper before we made the drop zone.”

“Ha,” Tim replied with a smirk. “I’m the best pilot you’ve ever flown with. I got you guys in and out without a scratch on my bird—that’s no small feat, considering your unit always landed in the hottest spots.”

With a final tug on the tangled ribbons, six red balloons broke free, floating off into the snow-filled sky. “Zach probably overestimated anyway,” Tim added. “He’ll survive with a few less balloons. Lauren, maybe you and your button collection should head inside and hand balloons out from the doorway. It’ll be safer for Grace’s big plans.” He winked at his sister.

Lauren huffed, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. She stomped into the shop, drawing a collective breath of relief from everyone as she made it safely across the icy distance.

Loading the rest of the balloons took longer than expected, but soon enough, the two men locked their vehicles in four-wheel drive and began the climb up the mountain into Whispering Pines, where Zach’s cabin awaited their bounty.

The women worked quickly, placing the last delicate blooms into the next set of arrangements and lining them up on the cooler shelves in order of delivery. They had agreed to eat lunch before Cammie and Allen headed back out into the cold.

When Allen and Tim returned after successfully delivering the balloons, arms laden with food bags from Gathering Grounds, they headed upstairs to the loft apartment, leaving a bell on the counter with a note to ring for assistance.

Allen stepped into the workroom to let Cammie know lunch was ready and found her emerging from the walk-in cooler, a two-gallon bucket of chilled plant food in hand. Lost in thought, she didn’t notice him until she ran smack into him, sloshing half the bucket’s icy contents down his front.

He gasped in shock; she screamed in horror. As she reached out to wipe at the 35-degree water streaming down his chest, the slick bucket slipped from her grasp. It crashed to the floor, sending another icy wave cascading over his legs, soaking him from knees to toes.

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