Page 27 of Chasing Love: The Owens
“Then stop hugging me like you’re surprised to see me show up for work every day.”
She glances up from her flowers, her brows raised.
“Oh, stop it. I’m sorry for letting us lose touch,” I say.
“For not returning my calls?”
“Yes.”
“Or my texts?”
“Yes.” My tone lightens along with hers.
“And not letting me be your maid of honor at your wedding?”
I pull some kraft paper from the roll and help her put together some bouquets. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t have a maid of honor.”
“Oh?” Her interest is piqued. I haven’t really told her anything about my past with Sean.
“We went to the courthouse and then on a honeymoon where we had a ceremony with just the two of us at sunset.”
“That’s romantic.” She smiles at me.
“It was a lie.”
Silence settles over the shop, and I assume Bennett hasn’t arrived yet. Or maybe he’s tucked away in his office, keeping his distance.
“I’m really sorry.”
I glance at her and nod. “Me too.”
The bell rings, saving us from digging deeper into my past. I’m thankful not to have to get into it with her. My past with a man I loved, but apparently never really knew. I’m not even sure if Sean loved me or just played the part. His betrayal makes me question everything I thought I knew. I can still see him dancing with Leia around the kitchen that morning, laughing and carefree mere hours before he was arrested. Was that real?
“Oh, this is so cute.” An older woman, probably in her sixties, heads to the stem bar and breathes in the scent of the flowers.
A man follows her, presumably her husband.
Poppy stops what she’s doing, smiling warmly. “Welcome to The Perfect Petal. Is there anything I can help you with?”
The man has thinning gray hair, is well-dressed, and clearly is out of place in Willowbrook. His slacks, loafers, and country club polo scream money. And not the ranch kind, but the kind earned in boardrooms.
“I’m looking for Bennett Owens. He gave me this address, but clearly this isn’t…” He looks around again. “… his office.”
“I’m going to make a bouquet,” the woman says.
“Rosie, we don’t have time for that.”
“Sure, we do. It’ll only take a moment.”
He sighs and looks at us. “Everything only takes a moment.”
Poppy and I chuckle, but he doesn’t crack a smile, waiting for us to direct him to Bennett.
“He’s not here yet. He seems to be running late, which is odd for him. I’ll give him a quick call.” Poppy digs her phone out of her apron.
“I guess you have longer than a moment, Rosie. He’s not even on time.”
“Oh, Earl, relax.” I like Rosie’s style. “We have nowhere to be. You said you took the day off, right?”
