I wanted more out of life, I did. Someday, I hoped for the dream—a doting husband, a couple of kids, a house in the Village, summer vacations. I wanted my student loans paid and a hefty amount of money in savings. I wanted my wishes to come true, but now? Well, now I was focused on what was in front of me—the flower shop, my father, and my dream of someday publishing my own books about floristry.

I’d squeaked out nearly twenty thousand followers on Instagram and collected a decade of notes, a list of titles and themes just waiting to be explored. And someday, I would.

But first, today. And today was for predictability.

Wild could wait.

5

Things You Can Count On

LUKE

“You’re late.”

Tess scowled at me from behind the counter, her palms flat on the surface and her apron already streaked with dirt.

“Good morning to you too,” I said cheerily as the door closed behind me.

She rolled her eyes before turning to the shelf behind her. “You already have deliveries, so don’t bother getting comfortable.”

“It’s only eight in the morning.”

“No, eight was when you were supposed to be here. It’s eight-thirty,” she said, thunking a vase on the counter.

“Three orders this early? Who says we’re not busy?”

“Don’t get excited. They’re all to Judy.”

A laugh shot out of me. “News travels fast.”

“You’re disgusting, you know that?” Thunk went another vase. She pinned me with a glare before turning for the last.

“All I did was come back to town.”

“You’d send your mother to an early grave if she knew you were running your gigolo clients through her flower shop.” Thunk.

“Please. I haven’t been a gigolo in years.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits, and I got the distinct impression she was trying to explode me with her corneas.

“I’m kidding, Tess.”

Another roll of her eyes as she slapped the ticket next to the vases. “The truck is out back. By all means, take your time coming back.”

“You wound me,” I said, smiling at her like a fiend, fueled by her scorn.

“The indestructible Luke Bennet?” She snorted. “You act as if I don’t know you.”

I stalked up to the counter, my smile tightening. “Oh, I don’t think you know me as well as you think you do.”

She took a step back as if to keep the distance between us. “Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.”

At that, my smile fell completely. “You sure are full of venom for this early in the morning.”

“Some of us are here before the sun.” She turned for the back. “It’s not early.”

“Hey,” I called after her, “I’m sorry again, Tess. For yesterday. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that whether I thought you were Ivy or not.”

She shrugged a small shoulder with a flick, the motion anything but blasé. “No, you shouldn’t have. But if you leave with those bouquets in the next five minutes, we’ll call it even.”