Page 33 of Fragile Touch (Fragile 1)
His face lit up. “To have more than one person involved? Not my thing.”
“Sure.” Lillian rolled her eyes sarcastically.
“Actually, I came over to invite you. Since it’s a smaller group, I wondered if you’d be interested.”
“Aw, so sweet.” She pursed her lips. “It’s okay, I have work to do. Parties aren’t really my thing.”
“That’s cool but this isn’t a party, remember?”
“Close enough.”
“Should I keep pressing you or have you made up your mind?” He stood up and picked up a flower, examining it.
“I think you already know the answer.” She returned the smirk he gave her.
“Lil,” he started in a different tone. “you always have work to do. Every time I ask you to come have fun, you’re working.”
“I have to give my cats the best life possible, you know. Speaking of whom...” Setting her scissors down, she leapt onto the porch and opened the door to let the cats out. They ran off into the bushes, jumping onto the ground noiselessly.
“It made me really happy when you came over the other night.” Cayden poked his lower lip out. “You should take a break from work again.”
Ugh, not the pouty face! “I’m glad it made you happy, but I have a client in the morning who’s always going ninety to nothing. After two hours with her I’m exhausted.”
“Are you passively telling me to keep the music down?” He seemed to think it was funny.
“I didn’t think of it that way, but it would be awesome if you could.” Giving him a smile with all her teeth, she cut off a length of string and began to tie the flowers together by the stems.
Cayden fixated on what she was doing. “I thought you didn’t know anything about flowers.”
“I know about flowers and how to dry them, but I don’t know the names and what makes them grow best like you do.” Almost a little shy, she added, “I would really like to learn more about it, though.”
She could see his thoughts on his face: Finally, something I can make conversation with her about! “Well,” he said, picking up his cup, “I can teach you anytime. You have my number. All you have to do is call.”
“Are you flirting with me?” She was surprised at the sultriness of her voice.
“You tell me.”
That’s what he texted me before I went over to his place, she realized, and her face got warm. They looked at each other knowingly, but neither of them brought up what happened the other night.
“I’d better go back,” Cayden finally broke the silence. “Have to make the house look presentable before my guests arrive.” He gave a little bow and began walking away.
“Have fun,” she called.
“If you change your mind, come over.”
Lillian turned back to her flower table. She knew he meant it when he invited her, but she didn’t want to admit that joining the “intimate gathering” sounded like fun. It was something very different from her usual nightly routine, and would shake things up. Give her a new frame of mind. Loosen her up.
It might be good for me to go. She almost persuaded herself to walk over later in the evening, but at that moment her stomach tightened jus
t enough for her to feel.
So much for that.
All the flowers were ready for drying, so she carried them inside and hung them inside the hall closet. A few other bundles hung there, not dry enough yet to frame. The smell gave her some sense of solace.
It might not be tonight, she thought, but someday I’ll go to one of his parties.
No matter how she tried, she couldn’t deny that the idea of going excited her. Before she and Cayden met, she had zero interest in any sort of party. There were too many bad memories associated with them.
