Sage:Congrats! I saw the pictures online. Your flowers are incredible. I’m so proud of you. Cara and I will swing by tomorrow. She says she needs a bouquet of those marigolds.
Me:Thanks
Sage:Love you
Me:Love you too
Sage and I are closer now than we were before everything shifted. That’s a silver lining for sure.
But it’s been months since I’ve heard anything from my parents. Dad was serious about the ultimatum. After I quit, neither Mom nor Dad has reached out at all. I’ve texted a few times. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and birthdays. But they haven’t responded. So for now, I’m done trying.
Dallas is probably tired of holding me while I cry.
After responding to emails and giving Floofy the required attention, I shower, excited about whatever Dallas has planned.
“You haveto wear the blue dress. Seriously. Dallas has something special planned. You want to look perfect, and you know he likes that dress. I daresay it’s his favorite.” Daphne puts her face close to the screen. “But hurry because you don’t have much time to change.”
Her pushiness about what I should wear is getting me excited.
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“I know lots of things you don’t. But about Dallas’s plans this evening, I have no insider information. It’s just that y’all have been really and truly dating more than a year. And he loves you.”
“The deal ended in February, Daphne. That wasn’t a year ago.”
“Y’all were dating before that. And you know it.” She laughs. “You can pretend that y’all were pretending, but nothing you can say will make me believe it. I was the one you gushed to, remember?”
“I remember.” I step out of view of the video call and change into the blue dress. “Is this better?”
“Gorgeous. He’s going to love it.” She waves. “I’m hanging up now. Call me later.”
“Bye.”
Unsure of the destination, I opt for my cowboy boots instead of heels. It gives my ensemble a more casual vibe, but I’m okay with that.
“Hello! I’m here, but if you need more time, I can wait.”
I rush down the hall. “I’m ready.”
His gaze slides down, then back up. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks. You look pretty spiffy yourself.”
Dallas is in dark jeans and a long-sleeved paisley shirt. And his boots are freshly polished.
He gives Floofy a scratch. “I’ll bring her back later, bud. I need to steal her for a bit.”
During the drive, he asks me about my day, and I tell him in too much detail about the customers, their reactions, and what they bought. “I’ll have to be out there early tomorrow to make sure we aren’t sold out. I might be cutting more marigolds when the sun comes up.”
“I can help.” He pulls my hand to his lips.
I recognize the way he’s headed. I was here earlier today. “Are we headed to the yellow barn?”
“Close.” He turns down the gravel road and parks behind the garden shed.
After helping me out of the passenger seat, he reaches into his pocket, and the building lights up. He’s draped strings of lights in the rafters of the shed. And in the middle of the room is a table for two.
“This is beautiful. So romantic.” I glance around but don’t see any food.