CHAPTER SIX

“HI.”

Gabe stopped in his tracks, holding up the garden rake like a weapon but almost immediately lowered it. He’d recognized Angi’s voice in that one syllable. Somehow, he still felt shocked to see her standing outside the greenhouse.

“This is a gorgeous landscape,” Angi said, waving a hand in the general vicinity of the property. He noticed she didn’t make eye contact, despite seeking him out. He also took note of the hint of color that crept up her cheeks and didn’t think the blush had anything to do with the brisk breeze that whipped through the backyard.

It had been colder than average in Magnolia recently, which only seemed to attract more visitors to downtown. The flower shop had seen a steady stream of foot traffic, although most people came and went quickly. He’d done his best to spruce up the place and had adorned the outside of the shop with just about every one of the decorations Gran had packed away.

No one could say he wasn’t festive, although he also didn’t seem to be fooling anyone into thinking he had any real Christmas cheer. He remembered the lessons Gran had taught him about arranging flowers, but that skill didn’t translate into any sort of other artistic flair for him.

“It’s seen better days,” he answered, looking out to the lawn before returning his gaze to Angi. “If I’m still here next summer, I’m going to clean out the beds and plant a cutting garden plus some vegetables. Tomatoes, cucumber, pumpkins. The whole bit.”

Heat burned along his neck as Angi stared at him like he’d just sprouted a second head. Why couldn’t he shut up?

She wore slim jeans and a canvas jacket with a colorful patterned scarf double-wrapped around her neck. He would have liked to grab the end that whipped in the breeze and tug her closer but resisted the urge. She wasn’t his to pull into him by any stretch of the imagination.

“Where else would you be?” she asked as if he’d lived in Magnolia all his life.

He shrugged. “Maybe Gran will get better and won’t need me anymore.”

“Do you believe that?”

“No, but it’s what I want. The truth is I have an appointment set up next week to meet with her attorney. We need to think about what happens next.”

“You’re running the shop,” Angi said, inclining her head.

“In order to help my grandmother,” he clarified. “Not because it’s what I plan to do with the rest of my life.”

“When we were kids, you seemed so happy putting together the bouquets,” she said quietly. “You’d bring me the bruised flowers, but they were arranged so beautifully I didn’t even notice the flaws.”

“I’m not as good at disguising flaws anymore.” He sighed. “The shop isn’t making money. It hasn’t in several years.” He gestured toward the greenhouse. “I’m doing my best to cultivate a variety of plants to sell as well as the bouquets, and I have ideas for how to incorporate a community garden into the business plan, but who knows if I’ll get that chance.”