Page 17 of Rose's One Night to Forever
“What, sweetie?” Rose wanted to go upstairs and punch her pillow a few million times to get her temper under control. But her family was everything to her. Just like Fern had offered a badly needed hug and would tease and taunt in the days to come if Rose didn’t get over her anger, Rose sensed her little sister needed something as well.
Fern pulled a face then brushed at her curly hair. “Think I can convince Tansy to let me go on the trail ride? I know she paid for the date with Cody, but I have been wanting to go forever, and it’s never worked out.”
“I don’t see why not,” Rose said easily. “It’s not really a date for them, just a fun outing. I can mention it if you want.”
Her sister’s eyes lit up. “That would be sick.”
Rose fought a laugh. “That it would.”
The moment of family time cooled Rose’s temper enough that her pillow survived. Still, she ignored the text Chance sent asking her to get in contact. She wasn’t ready to talk about her reaction yet.
Through a combination of luck and sneaking off to her room early, she avoided discussing her date in detail with Tansy.
Yeah, she totally wimped out and hid.
Monday was their first day off for their modified weekend, though, so when Tansy finally crawled out of bed, Rose was waiting in their cozy living room. With muffins from the shop and a thermos of coffee, she was set up for a power chat about where they went now with their future.
Tansy woke up fast, eyes brightening as Rose briefly described her date before dropping the final revelation that the man—the sexy, interesting, made-her-insides-quiver man—had bought the shop next door out from under them.
“I’m not really mad at him,” Rose admitted. “I’m just mad. We had all these plans for Buns and Roses to expand, and now they’re off the books, and we have to start again. It’s frustrating and annoying and frustrating—”
“And annoying,” Tansy offered helpfully.
“You are the best sister in the world,” Rose said suddenly. Tansy blinked in surprise, but Rose meant every word. “You’re also a brat and simply enjoy taunting me, but I know it’s because you love me. Your distractions always help me get back in balance.”
“I know, sweetie.” Tansy curled her fingers around Rose’s arm and squeezed tight. She leaned back, her expression going thoughtful. “I know you’re disappointed—”
“Frustrated. Annoyed.”
Tansy snickered. “I am as well. But I have to say this—not getting the lease for next door might be for the best.”
Shock struck hard. “What?”
Her sister made a face. “We’ve talked a lot over the years about expanding. We made those business plans, and you put tons of time and thought into them. I appreciate every bit of that, but lately I’ve been tangled in other directions. Like feeling how good it is to have two full days off a week after so many months of working nearly twenty-four seven.”
“We have it in the plans to hire more staff,” Rose reminded her.
Tansy dipped her chin slowly. “The plans are solid, sis. What’s changed is the way I feel inside. Don’t get me wrong, I love what we’ve accomplished with Buns and Roses, but I also wonder if there are lessons to learn from what our family has shown us. Our friends. That a slower pace of life doesn’t mean we’re lazy but that we’re appreciating the life we get to live.”
The idea shifted like pouring sand over rocks, creeping into crevasses and filling empty holes.
Tansy leaned forward. “Now, tell me more about what happened earlier in your date. Details, sis. Because until you got mad at the end, you were glowing. I’ve never heard you talk about a guy like this before.”
“I like him,” Rose admitted quietly after sharing a little more. “There’s something about Chance that draws me. I don’t know what it is.”
Her sister leaned back in her chair and lifted her coffee. “To figuring it out.”
Tansy’s words about their business ideas stuck with Rose through the rest of the day and into the next. Put their plans on hold? Of course. That was the only immediate solution since the store next door wasn’t available anymore. A move to a new location for more room wasn’t a logical next step. Not after what Tansy had shared.
It was just past four o’clock on Wednesday when Tansy stuck her head into the huge cooler occupying most of the back of the flower shop. “I’ve locked the main doors for both shops, and once Fern and I finish loading the dishwashers, I’m headed upstairs for an early night.”
Rose hurried back into the shop proper before the cooler heated up. “Are you reverting to a seven p.m. bedtime like when we were little?”
“As if the cakes for the wedding at Red Boot ranch tomorrow weren’t enough, for some reason I agreed to also make individual cupcakes.” Tansy yawned so wide, it made Rose yawn a second later, which made Tansy snicker. “I plan to start at four a.m. to get them ready in time. If I don’t want to mix up my ingredients, I’m having something to eat and then crashing. How’s your part going?”
The baking and flowers were a last-minute order they’d taken on to help a bride and groom whose wedding planner from hell had taken the money but not actually booked a single thing.
Rose eyed the buckets of flowers waiting for her to turn them into arrangements. “The shipment arrived late, so I’ll be burning the midnight oil to get it done.”
