Page 25 of Something Stronger
Louisiana
After dropping Amy off at my parents’ house, I made my way to Life in Bloom. Carrie had asked me to work extra this week. I’d spent a couple of days painting the wall we rented, but all I have to show for it is a big white rectangle. Carrie says she has faith that it will look great when I’m finished, but I don’t think I’ll ever finish if she keeps asking for me to take a break to help her with other projects. This week it’s a wedding.
“Sorry, I got caught up with something after dance class.” I waved as I burst through the door. Carrie was moving about the small space, talking to herself in the process.
“Well, you’re here now.” She smiled as she pulled a large bucket filled with white roses out of one of the coolers. “Laurie is supposed to be here any minute to man the front so we can work on this in the back.” She lifted the bucket and disappeared through a set of swinging doors.
“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to help you with this. I do advertising. You’re the designer,” I called as I reached for a green apron and tied it around my waist.
“All those years we helped Mom with decorating… I’m sure you picked up a thing or two. Besides, I know you can learn this stuff.” She waved me off as she stuck her head out.
“Sorry I’m late,” Laurie called as she too breezed through the door. “Traffic is terrible in town right now.”
“Seems to be a pattern today.” Carrie sighed. “Come on back now that she’s here.” She grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the double doors. Once we were on the other side, she paused and crossed her arms over her chest. “I heard you have an admirer.”
“What? From whom?” I was confused.
“My niece says there’s a new girl in dance class and her daddy is handsome.” She tapped her foot. “So, what’s his name?”
“There’s nothing going on. We’ve had friendly conversation, that’s all.” I gave her a look, hoping she’s drop it.
“By that look, I’d say it’s something.” She grinned as she placed several vases on the table in front of us.
“What look?” I was confused. Issac was just being nice, right?
“That look. The one that says there’s a new boy in school and I think he’s cute. So, do you?”
“Do I what?” I helped lift the buckets of flowers onto the table.
“Think he’s cute?” she stressed as she began pulling flowers out and placing them strategically in the vases.
I paused for a minute. This was Carrie. We never really talked about boys growing up, so talking about men now just seemed a little weird. “He’s good looking,” I mused as I lifted a rose and slowly leaned in to sniff it.
“How good looking?” Her lips twisted as a sly grin spread across her face.
“I don’t know.” I began to get flustered. “He’s got dark hair and these light blue eyes. He can rock a pair of jeans. He’s good looking.” I shrugged.
“When you look at him, do you want to jump his bones?” She giggled.
“Carolina!” I hissed.
“What? It’s an honest question. If you don’t get all hot and bothered when you look at him, then you’re wasting your time, and you’ve wasted enough time in your lifetime.” She placed a peony in the bouquet and stepped back to admire her work. “Perfect. Now just fifteen more.” She blew out a deep breath.“Here. Copy this.” She turned the vase to face me and then waved at me to get started.
“I haven’t dated anyone since I was sixteen. Charlie is the only man I’ve been with. I don’t even know how to flirt,” I grumbled, dejectedly. I placed flowers in the vase and when I looked up to get Carrie’s approval, she was tapping away on her phone.
“You’re not that clueless, you already had a date!” She squealed as she showed me her phone. She was texting Amy, and of course Amy was turning our little ice cream outing today into a date.
“I have not had a date. He asked us out to the ice cream shop, and we went.” I rolled my eyes.
“He paid!” Carrie’s eyes went wide. “That’s a date, silly.” She shook her head at me. “Amy says that his daughter told her that he thought you were pretty.” She pressed her lips together and looked at me as if she were saying I told you so.
“Great, I’m being set up by two almost eleven-year-olds. That has success written all over it,” I lamented.
“Hey, look at The Parent Trap, that worked out,” she teased.
“That was a movie,” I reminded her.
“True, but really. You deserve a good guy and you’re never going to find one if you don’t put yourself out there.” She came around the table and put her arm around my shoulders. “Promise me if this guy does want to take you out, you’ll say yes.” She hugged me to her.
