Marco smiled down at me, my hand on Virginia Alpaca, and that smile remelted the chocolate bars I’d accidentally eaten.

“So, Evie,” he said. “I’ll get Virginia Alpaca all fixed up and she’ll feel better. Can you leave her overnight? I’ll keep an eye on her, make sure she’s eating well, and walking some. If you want to come back later tonight to check on her, that’s fine, too.”

“Thanks, Marco.”

“Sure. If you want dinner, let me know. I’ll barbeque steaks.” He smiled. He is too gorgeous.

Oh, good Lord, Martha and Mary, and Mother of Jesus. The good Lord should not make men who look like Marco. It’s almost sinful, all this rampaging lust I feel. He’s like the apple in Eve’s garden. I want to bite him. Not hard, of course. A bite-kiss sort of thing. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can. I have, uh, I can’t have steaks. But I’ll come by and check on her.”

I saw the disappointment in his eyes, like a flash, but he covered it up with another wide and friendly smile. “Sounds good. She’ll be ready tomorrow afternoon to head on home.”

“Thanks, Marco.”

“Anytime.”

* * *

I felt his eyes on me as I said goodbye to Virginia Alpaca, gave her a hug, and told her to be good.

Bye, Marco. You are the best man I have ever met.

When I climbed in my truck, my eyes caught my face in the rearview mirror. Oh, how embarrassing! I had chocolate in the corners of my mouth! I slapped my hands over my blushing face and dropped my face to my steering wheel. I accidentally hit the horn, and it blared through the property. I popped back up. More embarrassment! Marco waved at me. I waved back as if everything was perfectly fine. I turned on the truck, waved again, and pushed my foot on the accelerator, only for some reason I zipped backwards in reverse. I slammed on the brakes, put the truck in the right gear, drove forward, and pretended yet again that I hadn’t done anything ridiculous.

I waved again. Marco waved back.

Oh, woe is me, I am a lovesick fool.

* * *

I did not go back and check on Virginia Alpaca that night. I couldn’t. I didn’t have the courage, and I knew she would be fine with Marco. I was not fine, but she would be fine.

That deep well of sadness overwhelmed me again. Hello, darkness. I will fight you off as I have fought you off a thousand times before. I wiped the tears off my cheeks and ate a chocolate bonbon.

* * *

I don’t go into the greenhouse often.

Between my work at the bookstore and the work I do for my mother and aunts, helping them cut the outside flowers for their floral business, and taking care of all my animals, I don’t have a lot of time.

But they are in the greenhouse often.