Page 33 of Wild Flower

“Fine,” I say, stepping up and not letting Archer take the fall. “Ididwant every asshole in your restaurant to stay away from Becca.” I point to the dining room. “And maybe we took it too far. And no, she’s notourgirlfriend. I don’t even know how something like that works with the three of us. But what I do know is I spend every night serving sexy food to people who go home and fuck each other, and this amazing woman came back to see us, and I couldn’t keep my hands off her. Because you don’t saynowhen a woman like that walks back into your life. Instead, you grab life by the balls and go all in.”

I glance at Archer, not exactly sure what’s going on with him concerning cancer and remission, but one thing is true, he knows how to live like there’s no tomorrow.

“Was tonight going to be a hookup?” I continue. “Probably. Does it have the potential to be more?” I shrug. I may as well lay it on the line. “I hope so. But that’s up to her. You’re right though, Arie. We did this on your dime.Idid this on your dime. So go ahead and fire me. I deserve it. But I’m not going to apologize for taking a chance, or for making Becca feel like the most desired woman on the planet.”

Arie’s lip hitches upward like she’s going to take great pleasure in firing me after that tirade.

“At least you’re willing to take accountability,” she says darkly, but then her gaze swings toward the ocean. “Fuck!” she growls.

“Are you going to—”

“Shut up, Finn,” Arie snaps. “Quit while you’re ahead.”

“Ahead?”

“I said, shut up!” That fire ripples in her eyes. “Why’d you have to go and say something so damn romantic?”

I stare at Arie, slack-jawed. Archer almost laughs.

Romantic?

“If I was Simon,” Arie says, pointing toward the building and by association our other boss, her co-owner Simon, “you’d be fired right now.”

“Are you saying, I’mnotfired?”

“I’m putting you on probation,” Arie says, pointing a red fingernail at me. “You’rebothon probation! No more touching the clientele in the dining room, even if sheisyour girlfriend. You two want to seduce that woman, you do it back here!” She gestures to the secluded nook we’re standing in. “Preferably, you do it off the premises. Got it?”

“Are you serious?”

“You don’t want to know all the places I’ve fucked Connor in this restaurant,” Arie says hotly. “But it’s not in the dining room when we’re open. This is youronewarning.” Arie points at me before turning to Archer. “And this is yourlastone.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Archer nods in compliance.

“Good.” Arie frowns, that meddling crook between her brows creasing. “Fuck,” she hisses. “Both of you come with me.”

Arie walks us back into the dining room and up to the table that Becca (miraculously) is still sitting at. In front of her is a tall coupe with a sculpted sugar flower dissolving into the pink alcohol bath. An appropriate drink for a girl covered in botanical tattoos.

Becca’s eyes widen when we approach, picking up the drink and hiding behind its sugar leaves. It’s a smart move. Arie spends hours making those fancy flower sculptures. She won’t do anything to hurt the art.

“Damn, look at you,” Arie swears as she walks up, giving Becca the once over again. “You’re an Amazon goddess,” she compliments. “Seriously, that drink never looked as good as it does in your hand. It was made for you.” Arie points to Becca’s tattoos, then the drink. “I might have to get your number for the next time we do a promo shoot. Have you ever done any modeling?”

Becca looks away, embarrassed. “Um, no. I’m a florist.”

“Double fuck,” Arie exclaims. “I bet your designs are off the hook. You can’t be this put together”—Arie motions to her outfit again—“and not make gorgeous arrangements.”

“It’s all exotic flowers, locally grown,” Becca explains. “And my design work is … unique.”

“I’m going to bet it’s brilliant,” Arie lays it on thick, and I can’t tell if she’s being genuine or trying to keep Becca from suing.

“I own the Birds of Paradise Boutique. You can find us on Instagram.”

“I’m going to plant a seed here,” Arie continues, with me and Archer flanking her from behind. “Model. Cocktail. Flowers. I can see a partnership in our future, Becca.”

Becca flinches at her name, her eyes cutting to us. Obviously, we told our boss who she was. That makes Arie drop all the sweetness and get down to business.

“Right, so—” Arie grabs my shoulder and pulls me up to the table. “This one is rather smitten with you, Becca. And this one”—she snags Archer—“is a man-whore. Of course, he’s also hot as fuck, so I can see the appeal. Especially when you get the two for one deal. And I have a personal philosophy that hotness and hotness and hotness”—she points at each of us respectively—“should be banging each other willingly and frequently. So, here’s what’s happening …”

Arie moves me into position at Becca’s side.

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