Page 32 of Fragile Sanctuary

You’re all assholes. I almost puked on the receptionist when she gave it to me.

Kye

Nothing like a little puke to charm the ladies. Didn’t you see the card?

Cope

You little shit. Payback is coming.

A second later, a photo appeared in the text chain. The stationery had the fruit embossed on the top.For our Little Peach. Don’t bruise too easy in tonight’s game.

I choked on my laugh as I set the phone back down. There was nothing like a little sibling shit-talking to make sure your ego stayed in check. And with all the attention Cope got, that wasn’t a bad thing.

I shook my head and arched my back, feeling a twinge in the muscles there. I might’ve overdone it just a bit. But it was nothing two ibuprofen and a long, hot bath wouldn’t cure.

A flicker of movement caught my attention as a familiar figure moved quietly through the rows of plants and toward the counter. Everything about the woman screamedDon’t look at me! Her clothes were all in neutrals—jeans and a beige T-shirt. Her hair, while thick and shiny, was usually pulled back into a braid to hide its luster. She moved quickly but silently as if practiced in making no sound at all.

I sent her a wide grin. “Morning, Thea.”

Her answering smile was more hesitant, a bit unsteady. Or maybe she was just rusty. “Morning.”

“What are you after today?” I asked.

She worried the corner of her lip and glanced over her shoulder. “I wondered if you had any peonies that might be hitting the sale aisle soon.”

An ache took root somewhere deep. Thea was a plant lover like me, but Bloom’s offerings were on the pricier side. Because we stocked quality. Duncan’s markup was fair. Just enough to guarantee a healthy bottom line but not enough to price gouge customers. But if you were watching your wallet, making constant purchases from our store would be hard.

I didn’t know much about Thea. She kept any chatting purely surface-level and centered on the plants. I sensed that I’d only send her running if I pushed too hard. But I knew she worked at our local bakery, The Mix Up, she lived somewhere outside of town, and she loved all plants, from the ones you ate to those that simply brightened your day.

Drumming my fingers on the counter, I nodded. “I think we’ve got a few that are about to tip over into sale territory. Let’s go take a look.”

It was a lie. Peonies were one of the few things that never landed in our sale rows unless they were on death’s door, but I’d just cover the difference. I slid off my stool, giving Dog a quick pat on the head. “Be good.”

His tongue lolled to one side.

Thea peered over the counter, and her face lit up. “New one?”

I nodded. “Still working on a name.”

Longing swept into her expression. “The right one will find him.”

“That’s what I keep saying, but my gran is giving me crap for not having something to call him.”

A soft smile tipped her lips. “As long as he’s loved, that’s what matters.”

“So true.” I glanced over at Thea. “What are you working on?” It was the one thing I could ask that wouldn’t get Thea’s back up.

Her smile widened. “The beds under my bedroom window. Thought it might be nice to look out and see a sea of peonies.”

“Sounds like heaven to me. Any colors in particular?”

“I’ll settle for whatever you have, but I was thinking that peachy pink if it’s available.”

“Let’s see.” I scanned the rows of blossoms until I settled on a section of that color just shy of full bloom. “Perfect! Duncan will be moving these over today or tomorrow. I can give you the sale discount now.”

Thea’s teeth tugged on the corner of her lip as she studied the flowers. “Are you sure? They still look pretty prime to me.”

“Not compared to the others,” I said, gesturing to the rest of the row. Most of them only had a flower or two blooming; the rest were still buds.

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