Page 87 of He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

I nod. ‘I doubt you remember this, but today is the anniversary of my dad’s death.’

‘Today?’ she asks, her hand moving to her chest. ‘Dax. I’m sorry. I didn’t remember, or I’d have said something earlier.’

‘How would you remember that?’ I grab her hand again. ‘The last few years, I’ve thought of him a lot. I’ve been trying to do things to honor him however I can. He was really into helping people. Be it with flowers or whatever he had in his pockets. Did you know he delivered free arrangements for every funeral in town? I didn’t know until a few years ago when an old client of his told me.’

‘Robert was a good guy, Dax. You remind me of him.’

‘Yeah?’

She nods and I like the sound of that. Especially coming from someone who knew him. I want to be like him.

‘This afternoon, we’re teaming up with Earth Angel Homeless Mission and handing out flowers and cash to people in need.’

Her jaw drops open. ‘Dax Hartley. You makemewant to be a better person.’

I pull open the door of the shop. ‘I’m notallgood, Hols. If you could read my mind lately, you’d know that.’

She laughs shyly, her cheeks turning rosy. ‘You arranged all this?’

‘Yeah.’

I withdrew two thousand dollars from my account that I probably shouldn’t have to do this. Not to impress her; I had no idea I’d have told her I loved her when I planned this. It just felt like something I needed to do for my dad.

We chose red chrysanthemums as they symbolize hope and love, the two things I hope to bring to these people today, and two words that completely sum up my father.

The folks from the charity, Bret and Carroll, help put together a hundred flower stems the florist, Rita, has donated to the cause because my story touched her heart. I guess I have a story after all.

Cards in envelopes are attached to each flower stem, and inside is a note that reads:Never Stop Looking Forward – Courtesy of the late Robert Hartley. Along with a twenty-dollar bill and info for local shelters and homeless support. It takes the five of us an hour to put everything together.

‘You two ready to make some days?’ Bret asks.

I’m excited about this. Hollyn holds my hand tightly on the ride there, glancing over at me periodically as though somehow, I’ve suddenly turned into someone I wasn’t before. She finally sees me as more than River’s friend. It’s all over her face, and I can’t get enough of it.

‘We’ll stay together,’ Bret says as he pulls into the chosen neighborhood. ‘Don’t be afraid to chat with these people. Most of them are just down on their luck. Most days, they givemehope.’

‘Stay close,’ I say to Hols, handing her a bundle of flowers. ‘I’ll be right behind you.’

The road is full of tents and makeshift homeless camps. A fire burns down the way, and a child filling a Tonka truck full of rocks sits near a grouping of old lawn chairs. People are hesitant, but they slowly emerge when they hear Bret’s voice. He’s obviously well known down here.

My eyes keep being drawn back to Hollyn even while I talk to folks. She’s so gorgeous, and the sincerity in her tone, while she talks to some of the women in this camp, reminds me what a fantastic person she really is. She doesn’t even realize it.

A woman approaches her, her eyes fixed on the flowers in Hollyn’s hand.

‘Hi!’ Hols says. ‘We’re honoring my friend’s father today. Would you like one?’ She extends a flower to the woman as a child joins her. Hollyn grins at the little girl, kneeling to her level, balancing on her heels. ‘I’m Hollyn,’ she says. ‘What’s your name?’

‘Sadie,’ the little girl says.

‘You’re so pretty, Sadie, just like these flowers. You’ll give the envelopes to your mommy?’ Hollyn asks, pulling two flowers from the bundle and handing them to the little girl.

Once Sadie’s run off after her mother, Hollyn turns to me, her hand over her heart. ‘This is gonna make me cry more than doing deliveries with you. I see why you wanted to do this.’

My heart practically bursts in my chest. What I feel for Hollyn is getting overwhelming to the point I don’t know how slow I can go. Even as a dorky cowardly teenager, what I felt for her didn’t consume me like it is right now. Maybe I just got terrible news being tossed into the bottom two of the show, but I don’t care because something I’ve wanted for way longer is standing in front of me, looking at me the way I’ve always imagined.

22

HOLLYN

Friday Night…

---