Page 7 of One Night Valentine

“No, bub, I’m not dating anyone. There was someone I liked, but well, it didn’t work out.”

“Is that why… I mean, I know something’s been bothering you lately.” I stop and blow out a breath. Fuck, I wish I was better at this. I wish our mom was still here. “Do I need to kick some kid’s ass?”

Lexi blurts out a laugh. “Really? No, I’m fine. Broken hearts happen. It’s fine. I’m fine, and I’ll get over it.”

I get out of the SUV and walk around to let her out. She stands up, and I continue our conversation. “What can I do?”

She avoids my gaze. “Nothing. I’m fine, I promise.”

“You know you can talk to me.”

She finally looks at me, and the sadness in her eyes is clear now. She shrugs her shoulders. “I know I can talk to you, but I need to deal with this on my own.”

I hate that answer. I want to be the one she talks to and take all her burdens away. I run my hand through the scruff on my chin. “Okay, but if you need anything…”

She puts her arms around my waist and hugs me. “I know, Cruz. If I need anything, you will be the first person I call. I promise.”

I take a deep breath and hug her against me. “I love you, sis.”

She nods her head. “I know you do. I love you too.”

She releases me and pokes a finger in my chest. “You’re still not off the hook. You have to apologize to Tara.”

I look at the flower shop and then at the windows upstairs, and the lights are low. “I will. I’ll stop by here in the next day or two and apologize.”

She looks at me doubtfully, but I’m quick to assure her. “I promise. I’ll make this right.”

She hugs me again and then walks over to the door next to the florist shop. “I’ll see you later, brother. Good luck on Wednesday.”

Instantly, the thought of my retirement announcement comes to mind, and I hate to think about it, but I force a smile to my face, nod, and wave bye to her.

I wait until she’s behind the door and then get back into my SUV to drive to my huge, empty house… alone.

5

TARA

I usually love this time of year.

The shop is busy, and I hear all the different love stories. People come in that have just started dating, and they’re hopeful that it will turn into something more. Some have been married a year and some have been married ten, twenty, thirty, heck, fifty years. No matter the reason they come in, I love seeing the emotions on their faces as they pick out what they want.

It’s only five days until Valentine’s, and this week is going to be crazy. Instead of being focused and ready, I’m all over the place and dreading the most profitable day of the year. It’s not helping matters that for the last half-hour I’ve had to deal with my sister.

“Tara, you’re not even listening to me.”

I barely resist rolling my eyes. “Brynn, I’m listening to you, but I’m busy. I have a thousand things to do before Friday?—”

She nods, crosses her arms over her chest, and blocks me from getting past her. “I know you do. My flowers are not done yet, the boutonniere, my bouquet, the bridesmaids’ flowers.” She stomps her foot. “Tara! We have to get this done!”

I grip the edge of the counter and take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Okay, I spent months designing the imagesuntil we got them exactly how you wanted them. I made test flowers…” I laugh, remembering it because it’s just another thing my sister bullied me into. She doesn’t care that this whole thing is painful and awkward for me. “You approved everything. All the flowers you wanted for the rehearsal dinner and decorations for the wedding day are done. The wedding day flowers are being delivered fresh to the event on Friday morning—per your request. I don’t know what you’re getting on to me about.”

“You’re going to sabotage this wedding!”

I push past her, and I’m a few feet away when I spot Cruz in the corner of the shop. How did he get in here without me seeing him? He’s looking at me with pity, and I look away, not wanting to see the look in his eyes.

When Lexi came in last night to pick up her keys, she didn’t say anything about her brother, and so I had no idea I would see him today. Oh God, he’s probably here to order flowers for one of the many women I see chasing him.

“Tara! Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you. I’m asking you, are you going to sabotage this wedding? I know you still have a thing for Grant, and he’s off-limits. He’s mine.”

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