Page 59 of Blood and Buttercups

I follow him out of the aisle. “I think you’re confusing my profession with one that makes good money.”

He chuckles. “Not today, then?”

“No. But while we’re here, let’s check out their plants.”

He turns his honey eyes on me. “Didn’t you just say you’re broke?”

“There’s always room in the budget for flowers.”

“You can buy pansies, but you can’t buy a security system for safety?”

“A six-pack of pansies is a couple of bucks. A six-pack of security cameras is a couple hundred. This isn’t girl math. Flowers are way cheaper than cameras.”

“But do flowers keep you safe?”

“No, but I don’t need a security system—I have you.” I pause near the entrance. “Now grab a cart, security puppy. I want to buy some marigolds.”

My brother’struck is parked on the left side of the house when we get back, in its usual spot in the gravel. Noah said we couldn’t leave the house unattended with a broken door, so I texted Max and asked him to watch the place while we were gone.

Obviously, my brother had questions. I told him I’d answer them later.

I’m afraid later is now.

“How am I going to explain the busted window to Max?” I ask.

“Since you’re not married, your brother counts as immediate family,” Noah answers. “You can tell him.”

“Sure, Icantell him. But he’s going to freak out.”

“He’s going to freak out anyway. You asked him to watch over your house because I broke into it thinking your stalker got in.”

“Andwhydid you think that?”

“We’ve been over this. You stopped texting, and then you didn’t answer your door.”

“I stopped texting because I didn’t want to take the blood.”

“Such a toddler,” he mutters.

I shouldn’t laugh, but I can’t help it.

“Okay.” I park the truck and turn off the engine. Then I take a deep breath and turn toward Noah, raising my clenched fist in the air. “Fighting.”

“What are you doing?”

“It’s a K-Drama thing. To pump yourself up? Like a battle cry?”

“A what?”

“You’re a lost cause.” I get out of my car. “You want to get the flowers out of the back?”

“You mean the flowers that cost as much as a security system?”

I bring my finger to my lips. “Shhh. The hired help doesn’t get opinions.”

He scoffs. “And to think, I could have been babysitting forty-three-year-old vacuum salesman Colin McGary.”

“Sounds like you really missed out.”

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