Page 75 of Volatile

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Chapter Twenty

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“Everything ready forMr. S?” Cherise asked, poking her head through the door.

Ivy grabbed the final bouquet out of the case and set it in the carrying box. “Yep, this is the last dozen.”

“Good. He just pulled up.”

Ivy hauled up a box and elbowed the door open just as he and another man walked in. She grinned widely, setting down the first load before going back for another. Her day always brightened when she worked Tuesdays. The thought of all those people on the receiving end of these flowers warmed her heart. She could use much more of that lately.

As Ivy was retrieving the final box from the cooler, Cherise poked her head through again. “Can you help Mr. S at the counter? He needs to change his account on file. I’d do it, but my wedding client just arrived.”

“No problem.”

Ivy handed off the last of the flowers to the guy helping out and stepped over to the computer, wiping her hands down her apron.

“You need to change some information?”

He pulled out a credit card and handed it to her. “Yes, I recently switched banks and need my weekly orders billed to a new account number.”

She gave him a smile. “That’s easy enough.” She brought up his current data: Joshua Salinger, 770 Baytown Rd. It was strange seeing his full name since they’d been calling him Mr. S for as long as she’d worked there.

Ivy deleted his old card and entered the new one. She glanced up to see him checking out the display case behind her and sighed. If only all Joshuas were this good.

“Those yellow flowers, are they zinnias?” he asked.

“Yes, they just came in. Beautiful batch.”

“How many do you have?”

Ivy turned around and pulled open the case. “The lemon ones”—she went through the bouquets—“about two dozen. We should be getting more in later this week.”

“I’ll take them all, along with the vase. Add it on to my card, please.”

She took out the zinnias, arranging them into their new crystal home. Gorgeous. “These are my sister’s favorite.” As soon as she said it, a wave of sadness rolled over her. Lily was still barely talking to her, and it was gut-wrenching. Ivy kept expecting to pick up the phone and hear horrible news since she’d refused to come back home. She shook it off and focused back on the flowers. It wasn’t right to get all mopey around the customers, especially their best ones.

Ivy placed the vase in a basket and wrapped that up as well. “How’s this?”

“Perfect. And if you could set aside some for me every week, it’d be greatly appreciated.”

“Of course,” she said, keying in the new purchase. “Another one of your generous contributions? We can also have them delivered, free of charge.”

“No, this is for my own flower.” He smiled. “My Lily. Now that she’s sharing my home, I want her always surrounded in what she loves.”

Aww... how sweet. Ivy gave him back the card. If only—

Wait... What the fuck?

The horror splashed over her face and dripped down her throat, filling her stomach with thick sludge. She steadied herself against the counter, wondering if she’d get sick right there. Not good for business. And definitely not a good way to repay Cherise for giving her such a large bonus a couple weeks earlier.

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