Page 52 of Wallflower in Bloom

“I thought you might want this.” Two small cookies were tucked in beside the cup. “It’s Sleepytime. Tea, I mean,” he said with a shy smile.

When was the last time somebody had waited on her in the middle of the night? When Lily and Rose were here, she’d check to make sure they ate. Made sure they had everything they needed. It was an odd sensation to have someone to wait on her for once, to feel like she deserved it.

“You didn’t have to do that.” She wiped her eyes and pretended she hadn’t cried for the last two hours.

“I mean, I can chuck it out the window,” he offered with a warm smile that crinkled his eyes.

She let out a watery chuckle and reached for the saucer. “Don’t you dare. That’s my favorite teacup.”

“I noticed. May I sit?”

Could Jack Grant sit on the edge of her bed? He’d already looked through all the drawers in her bedroom; this couldn’t be much weirder.

She nodded, and the bed sank under his weight next to her.

“We don’t have to keep doing this, Violet. I don’t want to keep torturing you.”

“No.” She shook her head. She didn’t want to break their agreement. She still needed to grow. Get used to people staring at her so she could help Bloom. “I’m sorry for messing up the publicity stunt.”

“I told you, that’s the last warning you’ll get about the S word.” A severe, concerned look clouded his face.

He grabbed her hand. His thumb stroked hers, each stroke reminding her of the needy, wolfish kiss they’d shared earlier.

How it was all fake, but she wanted it anyway.

“But I am so ssss—” She paused, the word almost spilling out like a habit. “—sssausages.” She managed to switch it at the last moment.

“You’re sausages?” He laughed.

“Yes. Very sausages.” A curl of a smile tugged at her lip. “I ruined the whole thing. And I want to fake date you,” she let that slip, and he sent her a heated look, his eyes dipping to her lips for a split second. “But every time I try to fall asleep, I picture messing everything up all over again.”

She sniffed as she sipped her tea, the smell of chamomile instantly soothing her.

“Then I need your Hoover manual.”

“My what?” She tilted her head in confusion.

He arched a noble eyebrow. “Your Hoover manual, air fryer manual, any manual will do.” He pulled out his phone and tapped away. “Aha, perfect. The Dust Queen 3000 user manual.” He waved his phone triumphantly. “Now, lie back; get comfortable.”

“What are you doing?” she said, with her teacup halted mid-air. Had he lost his mind?

He leaned back on his hand, phone held aloft. “I caused your misery; it’s only right I un-cause it and help you get to sleep. All right. Prepare to be dazzled.”

He cleared his throat and started to read. “Any person who purchases the Dust Queen 3000 comes into the lethal liability of the Big Ol’ Sucker Corporation.”

Violet burst into laughter. “It does not say that.”

“It does, too.” He flipped his phone quickly to her and back around with an impish grin. “Now, do be quiet. I require silence for the most serious of bedtime stories. The liability is assumed by the operator of the Dust Queen 3000.” Jack’s voice and lovely accent calmed her nerves, and she set the teacup down, feeling better.

“This is the weirdest ASMR I’ve ever listened to,” she murmured, snuggling into her pillow.

“Quiet down in front.” He leaned on his elbow, making himself comfortable along the edge of her bed.

He went on to detail the function and purpose of all 17 attachments of the Dust Queen 3000 until Violet felt the heavy drowsiness of her body slip into darkness, lulled by the gentle sway of sweeper tubes.

JACK

Jack awoke in the gray early light before dawn, snuggled up next to Violet under a quilt. She slept soundly, her nose an inch from his. Her hair fanned out wildly on her pillow like he’d pictured. Her mouth was plush and perfect, pursed as she dreamed.

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