Page 66 of Monster Among the Roses (Fairy Tale Quartet 1)

My praise made her blush. I turned another corner at a light and halfway down the block, we came to the address she’d given me, but even before I pulled to the curb, my eyes flared with shock at the flower shop where I’d found her fake midnight supreme rose seeds.

“Hey,” I said, my surprise evident. “I’ve been here before. It’s where I bought the—”

“I know.” She grew serious as she gazed out the truck window at the building. “The name and address of the place was stamped on the back of the package of rose seeds you gave me.”

“Oh.” I frowned, only more confused. “So…why are we here then?” I would’ve thought she’d want nothing to do with a business that offered such a hustle.

“I was a bit upset at the woman who owned the place for scamming you the way she did,” Isobel explained with a shrug. “So I bought her out of business.”

I stared at her, blinking before I shook my head and laughed, unable to take her words literally. “You did what?”

She shrugged. “The woman didn’t deserve to own a flower shop if she treated her customers the way she treated you, so I bought her out. And now…” She tipped her head to the shop and met my gaze. “I own a flower shop.”

“I…” I laughed again, not sure what to think of this before bursting out, “Are you actually serious?”

“As a heart attack,” she said. “So…are you willing to help me with this project, or not?”

I shook my head, dazed. “Help you with what? Holy shit, I can’t believe you just up and bought a business out from under someone. Do you even know how to run your own shop?”

“No.” She started to grin. “Of course not. I’ve been a shut-in at my home since I was seventeen. But my dad and brother can give me pointers, plus…” I swear, her lashes fluttered as she looked entreatingly at me. “You helped your mom run her bakery, right?”

“Only for a few months,” I argued. “And it ended up going out of business. I don’t think that makes me such a good referral.”

“Nonsense,” she argued. “You’ll do fine. You can be the face of the company and deal with customers. I’ll work in the back, arranging flowers and…you know, do whatnot.”

Whatnot.

It was enough to make me laugh again. Not because it was funny. It was just…stunning, a scratch-my-head-in-wonder-and-laugh kind of shock.

“You’re really serious about this,” I repeated, not asking this time, but stating.

She nodded. “What? Don’t you think it’ll work?”

“I don’t…” Shrugging, I gave her my honest answer. “I actually have no idea. I mean, of course, I’d be willing to help you, no matter how risky it was. But what about your dad? I’m kind of indebted to him and signed a contract saying I’d work for him for the rest of my life.”

“But your agreement was for you to spend time with me, which you’d be doing.”

“I…” I wrinkled my brow before slowly saying, “Yeah. I suppose that would be one way to put it. But—”

“Then we’ll talk to Dad and see what he says.”

I laughed again. “What about you, though? You never leave the house, yet now, suddenly, you want to open a flower shop where you’ll be exposed to customers all day? Do you really think you could handle that?”

She lifted her chin primly. “I believe I already told you, dealing with the customers would be your job, not mine.”

“But you must know sometimes you wouldn’t be able to help it. If I got busy, or sick, or had a question only you could answer… There would be some exposure.”

She seemed to deliberate that before giving a slow nod. “I suppose I could

handle some exposure. It’s time.”

“It’s a big step,” I told her. “Like jumping straight off into the deep end, instead of slowly wading in until you’re comfortable. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

She nodded. “I’m sure.” Then she blushed. “You make me feel ready for anything.”

I blew out a breath, honored by such a statement, but also intimidated. What if something went wrong? Would she then blame me? Besides…

“I’m still baffled here,” I admitted. “What even prompted you to do this?”

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