I followed Luke out into the shop, the two of us giddy and smiling.

She stuck out her hand, smiling broadly back at us. “Good to see you, Luke.”

“Natalie. Thanks for coming. This is Tess Monroe, our head of design and production and the mastermind behind the window installations.”

I almost laughed—my title sounded so official. “It’s nice to meet you, Natalie,” I said, offering my hand, which she took and pumped.

“You too. The space is gorgeous. You say it’s been in the family since 1849?”

Luke nodded proudly. “A long line of women have passed Longbourne down to their daughters.”

“Until now,” she said on a chuckle. “Now it would seem the majority shareholders are male.”

“The bane of my poor mother’s life, I assure you,” he teased. “If only she could have bred a pack of girls instead. We’d be easier to marry off, I’m sure.”

Another laugh. God, he was charming. A snap of his fingers, a flash of that smile, and the world was at Luke Bennet’s feet.

“I’m sure you have no issues getting dates, Mr. Bennet.” There was a tone to her voice that made my eyes narrow.

“But few would have the constitution to deal with us long-term. Only the strongest and most willful of women could tame the Bennet brothers.” He slipped an arm around my waist, still smiling that million-dollar smile. “Trust me when I say we’re all counting the minutes until Tess figures out she’s too good for me.”

I blushed like a teenager, chuckling up at him. But I wound my arm around his waist and leaned in. He gave my hip a squeeze.

Natalie smiled amiably, a little embarrassed and with the understanding that her place had just been noted. “Well, with talent like she has for flowers, I can see why. Tess, can you tell me about the installation, your process, that sort of thing? And then can I get the tour?”

“Of course,” I said, sliding away from Luke to head toward the windows.

I walked her through the concept, how we had come up with it, the work Luke and I had done together. I showed her through the shop, answering the multitude of questions she had. And back into the workspace we went, where she met Ivy and doted on the arrangement I’d been working on, poppies and pods and chrysanthemums in shades of orange. I’d ditched the orchid once I had a little distance and with the visual of Luke making out with a dreamsicle ice cream cone on my mind.

Natalie asked all the right questions. She was knowledgeable and inquisitive, and I found I liked her very much. Luke followed us silently, letting me take the lead like he always did.

When she asked to see the greenhouse, Luke ushered her away, winking at me over his shoulder on the way out. And Ivy and I waved, shooting him a thumbs-up.

This is it, I thought, adding flowers to the vase in front of me without seeing anything.