I don’t see any merchandise.”
“I received a shipment two days ago, and I put it all in the cases like usual. I didn’t know the thermostat stopped working.” Victor rushed over to one of the cases and opened a door. “Feel.”
Gideon strolled over to him. He put his hand in the case to feel the temperature. Hot air surrounded his digits. “That’s too hot.”
“No shit.” Victor covered his mouth. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to curse in front of Queen’s boy.”
“Don’t sweat it. I’ve heard worse in the locker rooms.”
“I’m sure you have. I’m used to you being a little kid.” Victor put his hand up to his waist to illustrate Gideon’s height when he’d first started working with his mother at the store. “Anyway, I think one of the delivery drivers must have knocked the thermostat out of whack when they were putting away the merchandise. I didn’t discover it had been messed up until today. Every flower and plant in the cases has open buds or worse.” He went to a nearby trash can and picked up a long-stem rose.
It drooped down. To illustrate Victor’s point, a petal fell from the bud.
“I can’t sell any of these. Your mother has very high standards.” He slammed the stem back into the bin. “What am I going to do?”
Gideon put his hands on Victor’s shoulders. “First thing’s first. Have you called an electrician or heating and cooling tech to fix the thermostat? No use restocking it if it still doesn’t work.”
Victor shook his head. “No. Your mother keeps this place in tip-top shape. Any maintenance she’s done, she’s kept me out of the loop.” He pointed to her office. “There’s only a few things in her office that I can touch. I don’t go in the drawers.” He shuddered and shook his head.
“I’ll contact her to see who she uses.”
Victor gripped Gideon’s arm. “No, don’t. If your mother finds out that I couldn’t handle something like this, she’ll freak out. She’ll never trust me to run the store for her again.”
Gideon cocked his head. “You can’t believe that. You’ve worked for her for years. You’re like family. She would understand.”
He shook his head. “I let thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise get destroyed. I love Queen, and I know she loves me. But to let all that money go down the drain is something even I couldn’t forgive.”
Gideon found it hard to believe that his saint of a mother would be that irrational. Then again, Victor did have a flair for the dramatic.
“Okay, I’ll go in the office and see if I can find a number for someone to fix it. If I can’t, I’ll find someone to do it. Can’t be that hard.” He patted Victor’s shoulder. “Next, we’ll need more plants and flowers.”
“That’s the other thing. I called the vendor. They won’t be able to get us more flowers for two days. He said he may be able to bring something tomorrow, but it would be late.” Victor ran to the front counter and held up some papers. “We have orders that have to be fulfilled today.” His eyes widened as he stared at Gideon. “Maybe you can call them and tell them who you are—the great Gideon Wells, Super Bowl champion—and they’ll make an exception.”
Gideon counted in his head, a second time within twenty-four hours, before he addressed Queen Elizabeth’s employee. “No. I don’t work that way. You’ve been around my mother long enough to know that. We do things the right way every time.”
Victor shrugged. “Suit yourself. In the meantime, we’re out of everything, and one of Queen’s biggest clients is expecting their order tomorrow.”
“Let me see the orders. I’m sure there are plenty of greenhouses around that would be willing to help us out.”
Victor shook his head. “You’re going to have to make a miracle happen to get them to give up their stock. You know what time of year it is, right?”
Gideon slipped his hands in his pockets. A brief thought hit him to go to as many florists as he could to get what he needed. What his mother didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. He had never betrayed her trust, and he wouldn’t be starting now.
His fingers brushed over a card. He pulled it out and read it. “I think I have an idea. I’ll be right back.”
Chapter 5
Janelle decorated the front window of the store with vases filled with red roses and white baby’s breath. Nothing said stereotypical Valentine ’s Day bouquet like roses.
“Pretty.” Penny nodded as she arranged the greeting cards on the rack by the counter. “Anyone ever tell you that you should do this for a living?”
Janelle snickered. “Maybe once or twice.” She put her fists to her hips as she scanned the store. “I think we’re ready.”
“Ready for romance?” Penny sprayed the counter and wiped it down.
“Ready for more business. It’s been a bit slow. I’m hoping now that football season is over, men will be more attentive to their wives and girlfriends and get some flowers.” So that she didn’t worry her friend, Janelle smiled.
Janelle heard the front door opening before she heard the bell over the door ringing. “Welcome to—” She stopped her standard greeting when she saw her other employee, Thelma, approaching her.
“Thelma, what are you doing here today? You know it’s your day off.” Janelle moved closer to the older woman.
When she caught Thelma’s standoffish vibe from her sour expression and the way she kept her arms crossed over her chest, Janelle stopped.“What’s wrong? Your team didn’t win last night or something?” She laughed.
When Thelma kept her stoic expression, Janelle stopped laughing.
“Can we talk?” Thelma glanced over at Penny. “In private.”
“Uh, yeah. Of course.” Janelle led her to her office.
With the two of them inside and the door closed, the space seemed so cramped. Janelle didn’t keep a lot of items in her office, just a desk, her rolling swivel chair, a chair across from her, and a plant in the corner. Without a window, the office felt more like a closet sometimes.
“What did you want to tal—”
“I’m quitting, effective immediately.” Thelma leaned back in her chair as though waiting for a fight.
Janelle felt her bottom jaw unhinge and nothing coming from her mouth. After Penny, Janelle had hired Thelma based on her years of experience working at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. She had a love of horticulture like Janelle did. Besides that, the older African-American woman reminded her of what a real mother should act like.
The nurturing woman would dispense good advice to her and treat her like a daughter. On occasion, Thelma would bring in plates of freshly baked cookies.
After collecting her thoughts, Janelle managed to muster enough strength to say one word. “Why?”
Thelma
