Page 75 of Wallflower in Bloom

She flitted the paper up into her face. “Stop being so flirty,” she whispered behind the paper.

“We’re allowed, darling.” He kissed her soundly, and her eyes shone with happiness.

“All right, well. Venus flytraps are tricky.” Violet straightened herself up and got down to business. “Since it’s summer, the plant isn’t dormant where that might be normal. So make sure it’s in indirect sunlight and has humid air around it. And it also needs moist but not soggy soil. See what I mean? Such a diva.” Violet turned to him with an honest expression.

“Should I buy you a Venus flytrap for our three-month anniversary?” Jack said, putting his arm around her. That would match the timeline they’d told the rest of the world.

“Though I love a challenge, they’re super hard to take care of, and I don’t have time for that kind of commitment.”

He put his hand to his heart. “Oof, I’m not worth the commitment.”

“Well, you’re always worth it,” she said, poking him in the chest. “But”—she turned back to the camera—“I wouldn’t recommend people get one unless they’re experienced plant parents. These are the divas of the plant world, hard to keep alive, hard to grow, and, you know, prone to eating things. Thanks for watching today’s Plant Parent Corner—”

“Wait, we have one more reader question about you guys,” Lily said, reading from her phone. “About how you met,” she said, smirking.

Violet’s eyes went panicky.

“Let me tell it.” Jack put his arm around Violet’s waist. “My friend lives in Fairwick Falls, and in coming back to visit him, I met my Violet. It’s a small town, and her beauty sticks out like a rose in a sidewalk crack.”

She blushed and shook her head but said nothing.

“Once I worked up the courage to talk to her, I had the good sense to offer to buy her any plant she wanted if she’d go out with me.”

Violet shrugged. “Plants are the way to my heart.”

“Your muffins are the way to mine.” They shared a heated look as he thought of what they’d done the night before. What they’d do tonight if he were lucky.

Lily cleared her voice to bring them back.

“Right. And once we were together, I fell in love with her laugh, smile, and how she cares for everybody more than they deserve. Definitely more than I deserve. She’s thoughtful and kind and gorgeous.” His hand had come to her chin and threaded through the side of her hair. He remembered himself; the camera was still on. “And I couldn’t be happier. Your turn,” he said, jostling her.

She huffed out a laugh. “What he said.”

Her eyes hadn’t left him, and he knew he wasn’t acting; he wondered if she had magically become a great actor, too, or if their fake dating was starting to slide into something more natural and permanent.

“Wrap it up, Romeo,” Lily called.

Shit. Right.

“That’s all from your local plant dummy—"

“Don’t you mean plant daddy?” Violet said with a teasing smirk.

He pointed at Violet. “And local plant mom.” They threw a wave at the camera.

Chapter

Sixteen

VIOLET

“And cut!” Lily yelled. “Nice job.”

Violet let out a big breath, feeling like three gigantic weights were taken off her shoulders.

She’d dreaded the second Plant Mom video because it might not live up to the first one.

But with Jack’s help, she’d gotten lost in trying to help someone care for the demanding little Venus flytrap. Jack had been right there, being her safety net, ensuring she wouldn’t falter too much.

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