Page 24 of Wintertime Love (Holiday 2)

Stacy sets up the flowers at each booth and the place smells amazing and it even looks brighter. There’s one on the counter and I keep playing with its petals. As people start coming in, I’m distracted by the orders for coffee and drinks, and just like that, an hour passes with me on my feet.

Then Aiden arrives again, with another bouquet of purple hyacinths, looking sheepish as he says, “Ah, here, Clara.”

The coffee shop is now bustling with activity as a lot of curious eyes lock on the flowers and me…speculation begins to arise.

I feel flustered and I take out the note that reads ‘You have the prettiest smile I have ever seen, Darlin’. Forgive me?’

My face turns red at the sappy line and I quickly hide the note in my back pocket, trying not to smile now and failing utterly.

Stacy comes over, grinning. “Should I…?”

I hand over the flowers to her. “Yes, please.”

I glower at some of the regulars who are watching me and they immediately look away, snickering. Of course, they know what the flowers are for. The incident from last night has spread like wildfire and at times like these, I really wish I could tell everyone to mind their own business.

So far, two bouquets and no Finn.

I wonder where he’s holed up and my eyes drift towards the closed bar across the road which is visible from the glass window. I know he’s signed the contract because Martha was in here this morning to pick up her order for her garden committee and she had spilled the beans.

I feel like I should be angrier than I currently am. Hadn’t I been determined to hate the new owner, no matter what? And yet, here I am, trying not grin at the idea of him trying to get me to forgive him for his transgression.

A mournful looking wolf with his tail between his legs.

I start to get suspicious when after an hour, another bouquet arrives, Aiden’s face is bright red now as he thrusts the flowers at me and practically runs away.

I gape at the purple colored flowers and look at the inscription on the card with it and I groan, understanding why Aiden looked so embarrassed.

‘One more kiss, Darlin’. I promise I’ll make it worth your while. I miss the taste of your lips.’

I just know my face is beetroot red as I crush the note and stuff it into my pocket with the rest.

Stacy appears out of nowhere and takes the bouquet without asking. By this time, the whole coffee shop is filled with the scent of these flowers and more people are coming in than usual because word has spread of the foreigner trying to win ‘my heart’ and nobody wants to miss the show.

“Just forgive him, Clara,” one of the women sitting at the counter, sighs dreamily. “The man is sex on a stick. And this is just adorable.”

I grumble under my breath.

By the time half an hour is left till closing, the coffee shop is filled with so many bouquets that I’ve lost count. The time between each one has been steadily decreasing. The customers have been increasing however, and the same people who’d been so angry yesterday, are now trying to convince me to let go and make up with the ‘poor fellow’.

I am at my wits end. The whole place is smelling like an over perfumed garden and I am ready to knock some hea

ds together. Two heads, to be more precise.

“No,” I snarl when Aiden comes in with another one of the damned things, laughing his head off, “Don’t bring that thing inside my shop.”

“But I have to,” he insists, grinning like a fool, and approaching me. “I was paid extra to make sure it gets delivered in your hands.”

I start walking backwards, staring at the flowers like they’re a poisonous snake. “I don’t want it. Jerry!”

Jerry is watching the whole thing, looking pleased. “The Irishman sure knows how to make a statement. I’m charging him an increasing fifty percent per each bouquet.”

The people around me are enjoying the whole thing and I swear I’m going to kill Finn when I see him. My whole plan to get back at him has been wasted since he never came by for coffee like he had hinted he might but instead he’s made sure that I can’t get him out of my head. How can I with these damned flowers surrounding me?

“Stacy!” I snap. Two can play at this game. “Throw out all the flowers.”

People stare at me and some of them snicker as I continue in an authoritative tone, “And air out the place. Open all the windows.”

And so begins the war.

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