Blooms was housed in a cheery glass and wood-shingled building on the outskirts of town. A riot of colorful flowers crowded the front windows, giving the place the look of an exotic forest. It even smelled beautiful.

Gloria’s espadrilles froze on the sidewalk. “I don’t think I can do this.” It was too pretty, too busy, too much. She had no experience. Two weeks ago, her goal in life had been not to take another punch. What the hell did she know about lilies and…hell. She couldn’t even name another flower off the top of her head. She was going to vomit on the sidewalk. That would be a stellar first impression.

Harper snapped her fingers in front of Gloria’s face. “Hey! You tell that voice to shut the hell up.”

“What voice?” Gloria asked, turning her back on Blooms, not able to bear the disappointment.

“The voice that is telling you you’re worthless, you’re nothing, you’ll never make anything of yourself. Blah blah blah.”

“How did you know?” Gloria asked. She’d started talking to herself a while ago for company. Pathetic. She knew it. But if she’d suddenly lost the ability to keep her thoughts to herself in the company of others, she needed more than one appointment with a therapist.

“I’ve had those voices,” Harper said simply. “Spoiler alert: they only tell lies.”

Gloria clenched her hands into fists and crossed her arms. “How do you get them to stop?”

“What would you do if someone came up to me right now and told me I had a stupid, ugly face?” Harper asked.

Gloria couldn’t imagine anyone telling Harper that…and living to tell the tale.

“You’d defend me or tell me it wasn’t true,” Harper steamrolled on. “Talk to yourself like you’re your own best friend and those other voices will leave you alone.”

Huh. Easier said than done.

“Just try it,” Harper insisted, sensing her reluctance.

“Do you really think I can do this?” Gloria asked, watching a man in jeans and flannel struggle through the door under a massive pink and ivory bouquet.

“We’re having a baby girl,” he announced to them and practically skipped to his car in the parking lot.

“Congratulations,” Gloria called after him.

Harper laid a hand on Gloria’s shoulder. “You’re asking the wrong question. Do you want this? Do you want to know who’s having a baby girl and who got in trouble for forgetting a birthday? Do you want to be part of every graduation, anniversary, and funeral in this town? Do you want to make beautiful things and help people give beautiful gifts?”

She didn’t have to think about it. “Yes.”

“Then get your tiny ass in there.” Harper steered her toward the door. “I’ll wait for you out here, and we’ll go to lunch to celebrate.”

“What if I don’t get it?”