Truman showed Ash one of Horse with his head thrown back against an autumn sunset. He was standing in front of a brightly painted Marigny house.

“Wow,” Ash said. “He’s huge. And so sweet-looking.”

“Yeah, that’s my guy. Horse.” When Ash kept peering at the picture, Truman scrolled to the one Greta had sent. “Greta sent this. She thinks Horse is in love.”

“With…this small horse?”

“Maybe.”

Ash smiled. “Trust Greta to find a miniature horse right away. You want a drink or something? I’ve got tea and seltzer.”

“Sure, I’ll take a seltzer. Thanks. Er, is Greta…a horse girl or something?”

Ash looked rather blank at that. “Nah, she just…has a tendency to find the most interesting things wherever she goes.”

Then he disappeared into the back of the shop, leaving Truman to wander around. The same bouquets that had been in the refrigerated case before were still there. At least Truman thought they were the same. The buckets of flowers weren’t full, but Ash had a number of different kinds. And Truman hadn’t seen any customers either time he’d been here. It couldn’t be an easy business in the winter on an island.

“Do you do most of your business through online orders or what?” he asked as Ash handed him a seltzer. “Thanks.”

“No, not yet. It’s, uh, it’s on my to-do list,” Ash said.

Truman perked up. “Ooh, are you into lists? What do you use? I was just trying a new app the other day, but it wasn’t intuitive at all.”

Ash cocked his head in that particular way he had that seemed to say Huh? and Why? simultaneously. “A to-do list is useful,” he said slowly. He sounded uncertain.

“Oh, ha, never mind.” Truman bit his lip. “I’m a list fiend.”

“A fiend, huh?” Ash was watching him intently.

“Yeah, well. So do customers just pop in, then?”

Ash ran a hand through his hair. The hat had made half of it fall out of his ponytail, and it hung in soft curves around his face. “Business is pretty slow in the winter. I’ve been meaning to set up an online order thingy, but…I haven’t.”

“I could help, if you want,” Truman offered. “That is, I work from home, so I’m flexible, and it’s Saturday, so I’m not working at all today. I’m good at…the internet,” he finished pathetically.

Ash was rubbing the scarred wooden counter, his capable fingers tracing designs Truman couldn’t recognize.

“That’s a really nice offer,” Ash said slowly.

Truman could see the yearning in his face, but he hesitated.

“Um. I don’t have a computer for the shop, and mine is pretty old. But I can get it. I live in the apartment upstairs.”