Page 33 of Fragile Sanctuary

Thea was quiet for a moment before finally shaking her head. “It’s okay. I’ll just wait until they’re actually on sale.”

I almost let my curse slip free instead of just letting it loose in my head. “Really?—”

She cut me off with another shake. “It’s really kind of you, but I don’t want you to break the rules for me.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from arguing with her. Beautiful flowers were such a simple pleasure. The kind of thing everyone deserved. And it bothered me that Thea wouldn’t have them. I studied her for a moment. “Are you full time at the bakery?”

Confusion swept across her face. “No, still part time, but I get decent hours, and Sutton’s hoping to expand soon.”

I didn’t know much about the new bakery owner other than she had a huge smile for everyone and the most adorable son I’d ever seen. But from all the changes I’d seen her implement, it was clear she had a sharp business mind and good instincts.

My fingers tapped against the side of my thigh. “Would you ever want to work part time here, too? I know it doesn’t give you the kind of benefits you would get from being full time somewhere, but we always bring on a few extra hands for the summer. And you’d get the employee discount on everything we have here.”

Thea’s lips parted on a silent inhale. “You guys are really hiring?”

“Check the local paper. I think Duncan’s ad runs on Wednesday. But I can give you an application now.”

She rolled to the balls of her feet, almost bouncing. It was the most excitement I’d seen from Thea since I’d met her nearly two years ago. “Do you know what the pay is?”

I nodded with a smile. “Starts at twenty an hour plus overtime. And the discount is forty percent.”

This time, Thea’s jaw went slack. “Forty percent offeverything?”

I grinned. “Pretty sweet, huh? Duncan likes his staff to be knowledgeable about what they’re selling. The discount is his way of encouraging that.”

Thea’s eyes went a little glassy. “I’d work for free for that discount.”

I chuckled. “Well, you don’t have to. Come on. I’ll get you the application.”

She followed me into the greenhouse and toward the counter. As we got closer, my steps faltered. Something about the counter was different.

“You didn’t,” I muttered.

“What’s wrong?” Thea asked, concerned.

I instantly hurried around the counter to find my egg sandwich wrapper on the ground and a pup licking his lips. “Dog!”

He instantly laid his head down between his paws.

“Don’t look all ashamed and make me feel bad for you. You ate my breakfast.”

A soft giggle sounded behind me as Thea surveyed the scene. “Maybe you should name him Biscuit. He’s obviously got a taste for them.”

Dog’s head lifted at that, ears twitching.

I couldn’t help my laugh. “I think he likes it. You want to be called Biscuit?”

He barked in answer.

“Either that or he wants another one,” Thea said.

I shook my head. “He’s probably going to be sick as it is.”

She winced. “Not a fun cleanup.”

“No kidding.” I pulled open the filing cabinet drawer and found the folder for our applications. Grabbing one and a pen, I handed them to Thea. It was only a single sheet with some basic information and a section for experience and why you wanted to work at Bloom, but Thea scrutinized it as if it were the SATs.

She swallowed hard as she rolled the pen between her fingers. “Do you think…I mean, would it be possible for Duncan to pay me in cash?”

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