Page 36 of Forget me Knot
“Clearly.” Her laughter is like music, light and lilting. “I can’t wait to see what this ‘magic’ can do.”
“Trust me, your roses will be the envy of the county.” I wink, and for a moment, we’re just standing there, sharing a look that says more than words ever could. It’s comfortable, familiar, and a little bit thrilling all at once.
“Aren’t they already? You wound me, good sir.”
Chuckling, I reply. “Well, they’ll be even better now.”
My elbow catches the corner of the bag, and it wobbles precariously.
We both dive for it at the same time, but too many hands and all that. We knock it flying off the counter to splat on the floor with a big split, spilling soil everywhere.
“Fuck,” I mutter.
For a moment, we’re statues, eyes locked on the expanding mess. Then, the absurdity hits us, and chuckles bubble up from my chest, soon joined by Lily’s infectious giggle.
“Fuck is about right,” she gasps between laughs, reaching to snatch up the broom and dustpan that are always within reach—Lily’s preparedness never fails to impress me.
“So delicate with the flowers, so clumsy in other areas,” Lily chides with a twinkle in her green eyes, resting her hands on her hips.
“I didn’t hear you complaining about me being clumsy last night,” I murmur, shifting the atmosphere up a level.
She pauses, cheeks flushing, and glances away for a moment. “That was different,” she mumbles with a coy smile.
“Was it now?” I lean in closer, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering just a bit longer than necessary.
Her eyes flicker back to mine with a spark that sends a thrill through me. “Yes. And now we’ve got dirt to clean up.”
I laugh, the sound mingling with hers when I take the brush and dustpan from her to sweep up the mess. I steal glances at her as I do. The way she bites her lip when she’s concentrating, the way her fingers skilfully handle even the smallest of tasks—everything about her just draws me in.
As we work together, the spilt soil becomes less of a disaster.
“We do good work,” I note, standing up to survey our handiwork.
“Afterwe’ve made a mess,” she says. Her smile is as bright as the blooms that surround us, and for a moment, everything else fades away—it’s just Lily and me.
I reach down into the dustpan, gathering a pinch of soil between my fingers. With a flick of my wrist, the dirt lands with precision on the tip of her nose.
“Jack!” she squeals, her hands coming up to her face in mock horror. There’s a twinkle in her eyes, brighter than the morning dew on fresh leaves.
“What can I say? It was begging for me to do it,” I say with a shrug, but I’m already bracing for retaliation.
And it comes—a handful of soil arcs through the air toward me, most of it hitting its target with a satisfying thud against my chest. The soil trickles down my shirt, and we both freeze for a split second before erupting into another fit of laughter.
“Right, you asked for it,” I warn.
“Bring it on,” she dares, her stance challenging, one hand poised with another scoop of soil.
We dodge and weave, tossing little clumps of earth at each other, laughing too hard to aim properly.
“Watch out, Jack, I’ve got—” she starts, but her warning is cut short as she stumbles slightly, sending her intended payload off-course and hitting Sam in the face as he strolls into the shop.
“Oh, my God!” Lily squeaks, her hands hovering over her mouth. “Sam! I’m so sorry, we were…”
Sam stands there, blinking, soil clinging to his face and hair. He looks between us, the absurdity of the situation dawning on him as he wipes at his face with a bemused expression.
“Hmm,” he says dryly, shaking his head and sending more soil tumbling to the floor.
Lily bursts into another fit of giggles, and I join in. Sam rolls his eyes, but with a hint of a smile.
