two houses,” Grace said with a laugh.
“Aw, it won’t be two houses forever. Justin passed his GED and we’re looking into college courses. Scares him to death but the boy is smarter than he thinks. Danny’s in high school, Kevin’s almost done with middle school. Before I know it, I won’t be that necessary to them.”
“Oh, I bet you’ll be the dad for a long time to come. Maybe even a grandpa.”
“Hush now,” he said, grinning. “We’re in the grandparent prevention program at my house. Those boys don’t need any more complications. Now, Grace, I should take my lady some pretty flowers. She worked so hard over Christmas to make sure me and the crew had a great holiday. That woman is a dream come true. What’ve you got that’s perfect for her?”
“I just cleaned out the bin,” she said. “Would you like a bouquet or an arrangement?”
“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “What’s the difference?”
“The last flowers I sold you in the square vase—that was a bouquet. A table arrangement is like a centerpiece for her table or bedroom dresser. I have some lavender and white roses, hydrangea, lilies—the pretty green and white ones. Next week I’ll have a new crop of calla lilies.”
He contemplated for a second and she was thinking what a good catch he must be—a man with tender feelings, strong enough to take on a brood of teenage boys and sensitive enough to think of his lady with flowers. “Just make something pretty, Grace. Fifty bucks or so?”
“Wow, you do love that lady.”
“Every time I think of her I want to fill her house with flowers. Ray likes pretty things. I waited a long time to find someone like her.”
“What’s it like, asking three teenage boys if you can go out on a date?”
He laughed. “A lot of monkey business, kissing noises, that kind of thing. Especially the younger two—I can’t wait till they have girlfriends. I’m planning to be relentless and obnoxious, they’ve earned it. So, how much time do you need on the flowers?”
“Thirty minutes, tops. Want to wait?”
“I think I’ll go get lunch at the diner while you work, then come back. Can I bring you anything?”
“That’s so sweet,” she said, shaking her head. A couple of weeks ago she might’ve said, Yeah, your younger brother! But now there was Troy. “I’m good. I’ll get right on this. And don’t forget to put in your order for Valentine’s Day roses early!”
Twenty minutes later the bouquet was finished—white, lavender, dark green and a little blue delphinium. She might’ve put extra love in the bouquet just thinking about Al and Ray Anne, finding each other a bit later in life. Here she’d been thinking that at twenty-eight she was long overdue.
When Al picked up the flowers they had a brief discussion about her need for help in the shop and he said Justin might be able to run some deliveries for her if he didn’t have to pay for gas. Al promised to ask him.
When she was alone, her personal cell rang and she answered.
“Hey there, flower girl. What are you doing?” Troy asked.
“Ah, you do know how to use a phone. I’m doing flowers. Beautiful flowers. How about you? Wanna go see the waves?”
“You’re adorable, you know that? I’m going to work for Cooper today and tomorrow, but Sunday is my day. And I go back to school on Monday. The flower shop is closed on Sundays. So—what should we do?”
“This implies you want to have an adventure? Is that it?”
“Let’s take 101 south, check out the redwoods, drive into the Humboldt County mountains and maybe break bread with some illegal pot growers. We can have a picnic in the redwoods. We might have to have it in the car—it’s going to be kind of cold but sunny. Except back in the trees, it’s dark and cold.”
“How do you know it’s going to be chilly and sunny?”
“My phone says it’s going to be sunny with a high of forty-five degrees.”
“What did we do before smartphones?”
“Listened to the farm report. So, what do you say, flower girl? Date?”
In all the places she’d been, from China to Charlotte, North Carolina, she’d never been to the redwoods. “I think that could be fun. We should pack extra clothes this time in case you have to show off again.”
“Yeah, I’ll take that under advisement. So, that’s Sunday. I’ll be at Cooper’s tonight. It’s Friday night. A clear and cold Friday night so there will be people. There might be teenagers on the beach with their fires and shenanigans. If you’re not tied up with the knight or the vampire or some loser Navy SEAL you could always come out.”
“I could, but I should think about it. Ever since I’ve had a fun coach some of my boyfriends have felt neglected.”
“I’ll be here till nine or ten, depending on people. I’ll follow you home to make sure you get in safely. Because I’m such a gentleman.”
“I’m sure you would. Let me see what I have to do.”
“You do that, Gracie.”
No one had ever called her Gracie or flower girl. She loved it.
She went to Cooper’s at almost eight, climbed up on a stool, her cheeks rosy and her fingers like icicles. It was a perfect night on the beach and there were three different fires surrounded by people, mostly young people.
“Hi,” Troy said, smiling. He grabbed her hand. “Whew. Cold.”
“I walked over,” she said. “I might need a ride home.”
He smiled wider. “Gotcha covered,” he said, a twinkle in his eye.
* * *
Troy found lots of things he could do with Grace. She had never dated like this before. They drove down the coast to the redwoods, another day they went up the coast to Ecola Beach. They drove over to Eugene, and they drove up into the snowy Oregon mountains on a clear day. They went out to dinner twice and saw two movies. She went with him to a couple of high school basketball games and she closed the shop early one Saturday so they could drive to the university for a Ducks hockey game and they watched the Super Bowl together—just the two of them. They always ended the dates with more of that wonderful kissing. And with Troy always dangling the suggestion of an overnight. Grace kept pushing that idea back for now. But they made out every night. Every. Night. She really couldn’t get enough.
She found herself watching one of her favorite comfort chick flicks a lot—The Holiday. It was sweet, warm and fuzzy and she thought Troy looked very like Jude Law, except for the dimple. Grace was falling in love.
Because Grace and Troy had been seen around with Iris so often, not much was made of the fact that Iris was now missing—she was a newlywed, after all. In fact, Troy and Grace ran into Iris and Seth at a high school basketball game and they seemed completely unsurprised to
