Page 50 of Love in Bloom

“I’ll take that under advisement, Counselor.” Wren pushed off his lap and dropped a quick kiss on his surprised mouth. “If I stay much longer, I’m going to turn into a human popsicle. I’d better go. Good night, Miller.”

He reached for her hand. This was a bad idea. They’d both been through the emotional wringer tonight. A smart man would let Wren go, but right now he desperately needed connection. He didn’t want to be smart, even if he could be. Wren had obliterated his normal intelligence the minute she’d walked into the ballroom that evening.

“Stay. I’m not ready to say good night,” Miller pleaded.

Wren looked down at him. Her forehead scrunched in concentration. “I don’t know, Miller. My insides are cold, I’m tired, and I’m all talked out.”

“I know a good way to warm your insides and my mouth will be too busy to talk.”

“You forget I’m tired, too.”

“Lady’s choice, but either way, I want to hold you in my arms until I’m asleep and wake up with you in the morning.”

Wren sighed loudly and acted put out.

“Someday I’m going to win an argument with you.”

“But not today, right?” he asked hopefully.

“Less talk, more action, Counselor.” She tugged him to his feet and led him through the open garage and into the house.

May

“Thisone-offisbecominga habit I could easily get used to,” Wren joked as she secured the towel around her. She looked in the mirror and watched Miller step out of the shower. Slicked back, his dark hair only enhanced the blue of his eyes. He grabbed a towel and ran it down his defined arms and chest. Wren watched the towel move down his abdomen. Miller looked up and met her smile in the mirror.

“Keep looking at me like that and we’ll be late,” he warned. Wren rushed out of the bathroom and went to dress. Miller’s laughter followed her out. She didn’t want to be late. They were meeting Emily and Jackson to look at tuxedo options for the wedding. She’d rather spend the afternoon painting the underglaze on the mugs that had come out of the bisque firing yesterday, but she knew Emily needed her help. She and Rica had steered her away from the orange bridesmaid dresses, so she knew she could influence Emily, if need be. So far, Jackson had proved useless. His pat answer was “whatever makes Emily happy.”

“I’ll meet you there,” Wren yelled up the stairs. Miller stuck his head over the banister.

“I’m almost ready. Wait for me.”

“We’ve discussed this,” she said, crossing her arms and giving him a hard look. They’d been through this before, many times. While Wren was engaged in and committed to their short-term relationship, she wanted to keep it private. Miller hated hiding their relationship, and he’d joked more than once that he was her dirty little secret, but Wren suspected it was to cover up his pain. Another reason for her to feel guilty about their relationship. When Miller pushed her for a reason on the secrecy, she’d said she didn’t want to jeopardize his position at the firm.

But that wasn’t the only real reason. Wren knew when the relationship ended she’d be broken. It would be much easier to lick her wounds in private than face public humiliation. Everyone would know she was the rejected one because no woman in her right mind would reject Miller Lynch.

“I’m not suggesting we ride together. I’ll just follow you and then be like, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ when I meet you on the sidewalk.”

“OK, Counselor, you’ve got five minutes and then I’m outta here.” Her heart would be so much safer if she could say no to him.

True to his word, fifteen minutes later he’d casually greeted her on the sidewalk. But while Miller respected her privacy boundary, he always pushed its limits. When everyone else was occupied elsewhere in the tailor’s shop, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips as she was futzing with his tie. Wren stepped out of his reach. “Emily, if you don’t need me anymore, I should go. I’m in the middle of a project and need to get back to it.” Emily told her to go and Wren hoped Miller wouldn’t be too upset that she was leaving. She couldn’t risk any more stolen kisses. Trouble could have all the kisses he wanted when they were out of sight.

They usually spent their time at Miller’s house since it was fairly secluded, but he stayed at Wren’s over Mother’s Day weekend. He’d argued it only made sense since he would be helping with deliveries again. But Wren made him come and go through the public doors. She didn’t let him use the private interior door that led to her apartment above the shop. He’d had to use the stairs from the alley.

Miller was an enormous help on her second busiest day of the year. He blended seamlessly with her other staff and made sure everyone was well-caffeinated and fed. He made deliveries, and he also helped with the customers in the front of the store. He wasn’t able to take orders or run the cash register, but he helped make suggestions and kept people entertained while they waited.

A few lucky, and well-behaved kids even left the store with a balloon animal. Miller must have brought his own balloons for these tricks, because Wren knew her standard latex balloons wouldn’t have worked for the giraffes or swords he’d made, let alone the crowns and flowers he’d presented to the little girls.

“Thank you,” Wren said as she closed out the register. Miller was behind her, leaning against the counter.

“I don’t know which hurts more, my feet or my head,” he groaned as he stretched his arms overhead.

“Your head only hurts because of the helium. It was sweet of you to make balloons for the kids, but you didn’t need to amuse them with your crazy voice after inhaling helium.”

“Sad thing is, even knowing the outcome, I’d do it again.”Me too, thought Wren. She hadn’t been this happy in a long time. Even though she knew this was short term and it would break her heart when they separated, she’d still do it again. Her only regret was not going all-in from the beginning. She’d held Miller at arm’s length because she didn’t want to be hurt again. But protecting her heart from pain also meant protecting it from the joy of being with him. And the joy was worth it. Having Miller now was worth more than the pain would be later.

“We make a pretty good team, Mr. Lynch.”

“That we do, Ms. Busch.” He stood up and walked to the back door. “I’ll meet you upstairs at your front door. I believe it’s time for you to pay up.”

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