Page 5 of Bloom and Burn
Idon’timmediatelydriveoff after I leave the flower shop. Instead, I sit inside my car with the sweet-smelling bouquet lying on the passenger’s seat.
Shit. I’m so glad I randomly decided to surprise Emily with a bouquet, because it’s been ages since I had so much fun talking to somebody. Ryan’s smiles… They were so fucking cute.
Grasping the steering wheel with both hands, I lean forward over it and watch the man scurry around the store. There is a streetlamp right in front of it, so the moment he flicks the switch off and plunges the Blooming Orchid into darkness, the orange hues wash over everything in the front. The displays and flowers are in the way though, so he is just a shadowy figure as he approaches the door. I don’t register the slight frown on his face until it’s illuminated in that sickly orange as he gets inside his old pickup.
To be fair, it doesn’t take away from his charm, but I much preferred seeing his wide grin to the tension currently marring his pretty features.
I pull on my bottom lip with my teeth. Who would’ve thought I’d encounter such an intriguing man in a flower shop of all things? His green eyes were out of this world. And those freckles? They really did me in. Couple that withthe fact that he’s shorter than me, kind of lanky but sassy as hell, and I’m a real goner.
It’s a good thing I parked three spaces away from the pickup with the shop’s logo and that I haven’t turned my headlights on yet. Should I follow him home? I glance at the rearview mirror and roll my eyes at myself. That’s too much stalker behavior even for me.
But damn, Ryan was so fucking adorable in his purple apron with the tiny orchid logo above the N. His sense of humor was so bad it proudly rivals my own. In short—he’s damn perfect. Who would’ve thought I’d run into as lovely a man as him so soon after my sister and I moved back to this small town?
The pickup’s taillights come to life. It reverses out of its parking spot and drives off, turning the corner at the end of the road. I linger for a couple more minutes, not quite ready to head back.
This sucks. I survey the brick building that I want to bulldoze. It houses the cute flower shop, while the other half is a small café with a picket fence, and the second floor is an art studio. The owners of both have agreed to sell to me and so has the person whom the adjoining land belongs to. I was meant to get the flower shop owner to agree as well—that’s why I stopped by—but Ryan’s friendly smile and flirty banter distracted me from my objective.
I catch sight of my grinning mug as I glance at the side mirror and maneuver my car onto the street, feeling like an even bigger idiot. But I can’t help it because Ryan was the opposite of the old granny I expected to meet. I knew she had a son, but not that he’d become the owner of the flower shop. Seriously, what a failure on my side, especially after the research I did on the place. Then again—Ifeel the corners of my mouth lift further—my fluke tonight gives me an excuse to stop by tomorrow. I just hope that he agrees to sell, so I can go to the mayor and start the process of getting the demolition and construction approvals that I need.
Checking the time on the dashboard as I stop at a traffic light, I shoot Emily a text, asking if she wants anything from the shop. She does, of course. Her choice of sugary goodness for our weekly movie night is cheesecake-flavored ice cream and brownies. Despite our very recent—meaning today—move to Estacada and the fact that we still have two-thirds of the house left to organize, we aren’t calling our tradition off.
Twenty-five minutes after her text and with a bag of more than she ordered in hand, I cross the threshold of our new home, rid myself of my shoes and pad down the hardwood floor into the massive lounge.
“Hey, Em,” I holler, lifting up the bag with one hand and the flower bouquet with the other. “What are we watching? And by the way, I got you these.”
She rolls her wheelchair out of the kitchen, taps her fingers against the armrest and hums in fake thoughtfulness, even though we both know she’s already picked the movie. Should I protest it’s always her deciding what to watch? Maybe, but in all honesty, she has amazing taste and a knack for finding hidden gems.
“Locked Under. And we are watching all three of them.”
Oh boy. This will be an all-nighter. But I’m here for it. Who would’ve thought that parody mafia mystery would be my thing?
“I’ll change and make the popcorn. Don’t start on the ice-cream without me.”
She snorts and dramatically flicks her ebony black hair off her shoulder. It makes me smile. “I’ll think about it.” The amusement in her light blue eyes tells me she’s lying. But it’s fine, I bought plenty for both of us.
I hand her the flowers and wait a bit so I can see her reaction to the card. With them in her arms, she looks like a real-life version of the custom-made porcelain dolls that people pay in the thousands for. But despite her otherworldly beauty, my sister is such a down-to-earth person.
“Jack Keller!” She levels those smiling blues at me and waves the card. “Are you making fun of your dear sister? I’ll have you know that only a goddess can surpass how pretty I am. Now go change and get your ass on the couch before Idragit over here myself.”
A frisson of pain spears through me, but I don’t let it show. “Yes, Ma’am!”
She grabs one of the dark green cushions and sends it flying my way. It tags my calf despite my very professional and definitely not ungraceful at all attempt to dodge it, because she’s got both a sniper’s sight and the gift of clairvoyance when it comes to predicting what I am about to do.
I backtrack to the wide staircase, shaking my head as a familiar thought crosses my mind. I’ve always wondered if Emily was a witch, even if she insists she isn’t. Still, I retain hope, because then I would likely turn out to be a cursed-with-amnesia fae prince who’s stuck in the human world without knowing he’s magical. I mean, it’s silly and delusional, sure, but it certainly beats being a human who can’t fix his sister’s legs.
Don’t go there, Jack.
I take the stairs two at a time, emerging onto the second floor with a jump that has me careening into thealcove with the armchair that will serve as Emily’s reading nook. Luckily, I manage to regain my balance before I crash into it or leave a dent in the freshly painted wall with my head. Phew, that was close. Crisis averted, I enter the master bedroom on the left.
Just like the rest of the house, this room still needs work, but there is a desk and a chair, my bed is made, and my suitcases have been lined up inside the walk-in closet. This will do until our friend Josh can send his designs so the home decorators can do their juju. Emily’s the one handling that side of things and I’m glad for it, because I have my hands full trying to get everything in order so I can finally open the facility for paralysis research I’ve been dreaming about for the past two years.
I shuck my suit and dip into the spacious bathroom for a quick shower, the flowery scent of the shower gel Emily picked for me reminding me of the cute guy at the flower shop. I’m already smiling before I even realize it, my heart rate picking up as I recount our conversation. He was so much fun, so pretty, too. And he was totally ogling me while attempting to flirt.
Pleasure races down my spine, dissipating as it reaches my stomach. Ugh, will he agree to sell to me? I hope so. The money I’m willing to pay is above market value, which has been pivotal to convincing the rest of the owners. It’s for a good cause too, one that could change not just my sister’s life but that of so many other people.
Done freshening up, I put on my hoodie with the corgi butt so I can match the goofy schnauzer wizard one Emily is wearing. When I make it to the lounge, she’s already stuffing her face with ice-cream.
“Em, you promised you’d wait for me. What is this, exactly?” I plant my hands on my hips and tilt my chin in her direction.
