Page 25 of The Cowboy's Country Charm

“Yup.”

“And you delivered those flowers?”

“Yup.”

Lexi sat back, a gloating smile on her face. “So are you interested in her?”

Interferencewas his sister’s middle name, but the last thing he wanted was her help.

“She’s too much into her work. Both women are.”

“Well, that’s good for us. She’s pretty.”

“Not too hard to look at.” He couldn’t lie about that.

Lexi gave him the side-eye. “Send me that picture of the room. If the committee sees this, it may keep a lid on some of the anxiety that will surely bubble up when they get news of Marcia Graham’s hospitalization.” Lexi looked him over. “You always encouraged me in my career. Don’t tell me you’ve gone all Cro-Magnon on me and are against career women?”

“She made it very clear that she doesn’t have time for dating. At least with me.” Saying it made it sting all over again.

Lexi raised her eyebrows. “I see. Well, I’m sorry about that. And the other woman? Ariel, I think her name is? She’s cute. Not interested in her?”

He shrugged. No comparison in his book, nice as Ariel was.

She patted his hand. “You’ll find someone. Just keep looking, and when you least expect it…” She waved her hand. “Look what happened to me.”

“I’m not looking for a serious relationship, anyway.”

“Everyone says that, until they find the one.”

Chapter 8

A bell tinkled Kristy’s arrival into the small shop with flowers everywhere, and she breathed in the floral fragrance. It was a bombardment of scents, a kaleidoscope of colors. How wonderful it would be to be greeted by all this beauty every day.

Within a heartbeat, a blond-haired woman emerged through the curtains behind the register. She was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans and green apron.

“How can I help you?” Her eyes twinkled with friendliness.

“June, as in Flowers by June?” She looked like her website photo.

“I am.” She cocked her head sideways. “How can I help?”

“I’m Kristy Winslow of An Affair to Remember.” She extended her hand over the counter, and June shook it.

“I’m so happy to meet you.” June’s smile broadened. “And thank you for that lovely email about the flowers for the Wilson-Chapman wedding. I’m so glad you were pleased.”

“I loved those long-stem vases. It meant that when people were seated, they could still see each other. And the colors were just perfect for that royal feel we were going for.”

“So do you have another wedding we can help with?”

“Not a wedding. A bigger project. We are talking twenty tables that will need centerpieces, as well as flowers in the lobby, entrance, and dais. And all needed by August fifteen.”

June took a deep breath. “We can do that.”

“It is just you here though?” The place was small, and Kristy needed some assurance June could handle the order. A modest wedding was one thing, a banquet hall quite another.

“I have an assistant who comes in at two o’clock and another employee who is not involved in design but can certainly help put together one. And I have sizable refrigeration space in the back, so the arrangements won’t have to be made all on the same day. I assure you I can do this. We supplied the flowers for last year’s Boots and Bells event.”

“So you know the event I am asking about.” Knowing June had some experience with the event took a lot of tension off Kristy’s shoulders.

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