Page 24 of Innocent Union
Here it goes. “Do you want to go flower shopping with me?”
He doesn’t answer right away. God, I think my heart is going to burst right out of me. Then, he finally says, “I’d love to. Tell me where.”
Within a few minutes, Killian arrives at the shop.
“That was fast,” I say.
“I was in the neighborhood by sure chance.” He claps his hands together. “Now, shall we find some flowers for our wedding?”
We walk over to where Lucia is bossing Crystal around. “I want to see this bouquet.” She points at a picture. “No. That one instead.”
“Lucia,” I tell her. “Crystal is not here to find flowers for you.” I give Crystal an apologetic smile, which she returns.
Lucia turns, about to make a snide comment, but when she sees Killian standing there, her eyes widen.
“Hello,” he says, waggling his fingers.
Lucia’s face goes red, and her eyes bug out. “Mia, you didn’t tell me Killian was coming.”
“I called him.” I turn to Killian. “Ready?”
He nods. “I was born ready. My mom made sure I was an expert in all thing’s flowers.”
“Really?”
Killian tosses me his signature smile and wink. “Not, not really. But I’m open to anything. So, what were you thinking?”
I point to the pink and white bouquet. He nods. “Sturdy choice.”
“Sturdy choice?” Lucia asks.
“Yeah,” Killian replies. “You can’t go wrong with pink and white at a wedding.”
“I can’t imagine you at a pink and white wedding,” Lucia says.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” he says to Lucia, but he’s looking at me.
“Like what?” I ask.
“Like, I love pink.”
Lucia gasps while I laugh. “You really love pink?” I ask. “You?”
“What does that mean? Can’t a man love pink?”
“Of course,” I say, “but I just wasn’t expecting … you. Not with all … this.” I wave my hand around the tattoos on his arms.
“Hey, a man can have tattoos and love pink. I’m complex.”
“Mia isn’t complex,” Lucia retorts.
Before I can slap my sister, Killian responds. “No. I think Mia is complex. There’s a lot I don’t know about her yet.”
I sit up straighter. “What do you want to know?”
“Mmm.” He strokes his chin, and my stomach fills with butterflies. “Like, what’s your favorite animal?”
Lucia snorts. “That’s stupid.”
