The Flower Shop: Episode 2

I got the idea for The Flower Shop the other day and decided to write another short for my Free Reads page. Each Monday I’ll drop a new episode. At the moment I have no idea where this story is going, so come along for the ride!

When Peter Ross returns to upstate New York, his plan is to sell his grandfather’s hardware store and return to life in the city. But a chance meeting with his old girlfriend Rhonda Jefferson makes him second guess his decision, and wonder about what could have been. 

Genre: Contemporary Interracial

Trope: Second chance

Heat level: Sensual

Peter wiped his mouth and dropped the napkin on the table. Patting his stomach, he said, “That was delicious.”

Miss Jean, owner of the bed-and-breakfast, smiled with satisfaction as she poured coffee in the cups of the two other guests at the table—a couple passing through for a few days on their way to Canada.

“There’s more if you like,” Miss Jean said.

An older woman with a head full of white hair, she moved slower than she used to but still had quite a bit of energy. She needed that energy to keep running the bed-and-breakfast she’d owned ever since Peter was a kid. Her daughter and son-in-law worked with her and were expected to take over when she retired, but she didn’t appear to be retiring soon.

Peter patted his stomach again, full of bacon, pancakes, and eggs. “I’m good. Need to get moving if I want to meet the contractors on time.”

His grandfather’s hardware store contained a large inventory of supplies and merchandise, which he would include in the sale of the property, but the building itself needed work. He and the real estate agent did a walk-through the day before yesterday and discovered spots that needed repairs since the place had been left unattended for almost two years while Peter’s father decided what he wanted to do. To facilitate a faster sale, the agent suggested fixing the problem areas before he put the place on the market. 

Peter believed selling was the right decision, but part of him remained nostalgic about the business. Long before he was old enough to work at the store, he used to accompany his grandfather and play behind the counter, sometimes driving the elder Ross nuts with his mischievous activities. When he was old enough, he worked at the store after school and on weekends. Nothing like the work he did in banking nowadays. Nonetheless, they were good times.

His mouth twisted into a rueful smile as he pushed back from the table. “I’ll see you later, Miss Jean.” He nodded at the couple and moved toward the door.

He couldn’t pass out the dining room without seeing the flowers he had purchased at Dee’s Flower Shop days before. Miss Jean displayed them on the sideboard in a white vase, resulting in a constant reminder of the woman he had bought them from.

Rhonda hadn’t left Fountain Springs. What a shock. He had assumed she’d moved by now. He moved away and after a couple of years stopped inquiring about her. Knowing she was within reach but unreachable had been unbearable. Better that he salvage his sanity instead of crawling back to a woman who made it clear she no longer wanted him.  

He jogged down the steps from the front porch and paused in the walkway bisecting the front lawn. Across the street and down a ways, the van for Dee’s Flower Shop was parked in front of the dentist’s office, a large building housing a husband-and-wife dental team and their staff.

His chest tightened. He should get in his car, parked at the corner, but he hadn’t seen Rhonda since that first day when he arrived in town. The tightness in his chest blossomed into pain at the thought of simply going about his business and not taking advantage of the chance to see her.

Without another thought, he crossed the street and went to stand beside the van, out of sight of anyone exiting the dentist’s office.

He glanced at his watch. He couldn’t wait long or he’d be late for the contractors, but—

The sound of laughter filled his ears.

Her laughter.

Then her voice. “I tell you what, send your husband to the shop, and I’ll make sure you get the arrangement you really want,” she said to someone inside the office.

A response came back, but he couldn’t understand what they said. Rhonda laughed again, and the pain in his chest twisted deeper, burrowing under his skin. Damn, how he’d missed her laugh. 

Some of his fondest memories were of spending time with Rhonda as they did nothing but laugh and enjoy each other’s company. They had the same twisted sense of humor and could watch the same movies over and over. He had lost track of how many times they’d watched  40-Year-Old Virgin. Countless times—enough to recite the dialogue while giggling uncontrollably. Then he remembered her crying laughing when they saw The Hangover, the last movie they’d watched together before they split. Seemed like ages ago.

Rhonda came around the van to the driver’s side, and his whole body tensed. She pulled up short when she saw him. She wasn’t wearing the florist apron today. That allowed him to clearly see the khaki pants that fit over her womanly curves, and a red shirt with Dee’s Flower Shop across her full breasts, the color flattering against her russet-brown skin. 

Her dark hair was parted in the middle and swept her shoulders, framing a face blessed with lovely lips and soul-searing dark brown eyes. He fought the urge to close the distance between them, thrust his fingers into her soft hair, and fasten his mouth to hers—kissing away the uneasiness that remained, while savoring the touch of her sweet lips. 

“I saw your van from across the street and thought I’d come over and say hi. You’re out early.” The awkwardness from the other day remained, but Peter was determined to power through this time.

Rhonda nodded, holding her clipboard against her chest. “I like to get the deliveries done first thing, whenever I can.”

She swallowed, and he guessed she didn’t want to see him. Maybe she had hoped they wouldn’t run into each other again. Too bad.

“Makes sense.” Peter hooked a thumb in the belt loop of his jeans. “Are you… are you doing anything later? Tonight, I mean.” 

Her eyes widened. “I—”

“Don’t lie, Rhonda.” 

She froze, clearly surprised he’d called her out. Then her shoulders slumped, and she glanced around as if expecting someone to rescue her, but the only movement in the area were a couple of cars driving by each other in opposite directions. 

She returned her gaze to him. “I think it’s best we steer clear of each other. You’re only here for a short time.” She pulled out her keys.

“Don’t you think you owe me?”

She frowned. “Owe you? I don’t owe you anything.” 

She opened the door, and Peter stepped closer. No way was he letting her get away.

“Look, this is awkward for me too. When we broke up, I said some things I shouldn’t have.” 

“You sure did.” She laughed bitterly. 

She didn’t face him, shoulders tight, her obvious discomfort forcing him to remain much farther away than he’d like, to avoid her rushing away. 

“We need to talk. About what happened.”

“Or.” She faced him, her soft mouth settled into a flat, mutinous line. “We could leave the past in the past. You’ll be gone soon, right? How long do you plan to stay here?”

“I’ll be in town for a week or so to straighten out the situation with the store.”

“Then you’ll be gone.” Her voice quivered on the last word, and he heard the pain that for years had rested inside him whenever he thought about her and what he’d lost. “No need to dredge up bad feelings.”

Peter wanted to yell and shake her, but he forced himself to remain calm. Only by remaining calm could he appeal to her sense of kindness and maybe—just maybe—she’d give him a moment of her time. 

“We were in love once. You can’t spare a little time for the man you used to love?”

Her nostrils flared, and she dropped her gaze, tightening her hug on the clipboard. 

Peter stood still. He held his breath. 

And he awaited her answer. 

_________

Continue to Episode 3!