Page 11 of A Night With You

I'm already halfway around the counter, headed for the cold room where they keep the pre-made bouquets, expecting that Dale will wave me through.

"Bennet, wait."

I turn back, and his wife is standing there with a gorgeous bouquet in her hands. Peonies in pastel colors burst from the top. It's better than anything I could have picked out in the back, and it's clearly been made just for Aubrey.

"I just made this one," she says and before I can say anything the bell chimes again, taking my attention back to the front door.

A woman steps into the flower shop, pushing a lock of hair out of her face. She looks vaguely familiar, a bit older, but I'm not sure why I recognize her. Half of this town is like that. I can't place her so I look back at the flowers. Dale's wife has them all ready for me, tied with a ribbon.

“I think I’ll go ahead and take those off your hands,” I tell her.

I take a few steps forward and get my wallet out of my pocket, then hand over my card. Dale plucks it out of my hand and runs it, his wife still grinning about the flowers, and I can't wait to see Aubrey's face when I give them to her--even if my dad is a busybody, along with everybody else in this town.

I guess sometimes it pays off, though I'll never admit that to my dad.

Dale hands me my card back, and then his wife gives me the bouquet. It has a decent weight in my arm. The scent of peonies is perfect. Near the door, the woman has stopped doing whatever it was she was doing with her purse, and our eyes meet again when she's about halfway through the flower shop.

She stops dead, her eyes going wide, surprise transforming her face. "Bennet? Is that you?"

It takes me a moment to realize I do know her. “Mrs. Baker,” I lament as it hits me. She’s a teacher from my high school, looking just a bit older with slight wrinkles around her eyes.

“How are you doing?” she questions with a wide smile but before I can answer she says, “I heard you were back in town.”

My eyebrow shoots up, likely to my forehead, “You did, did you?” I’ve only been back a week and I’m barely moved in. “I’m still waiting on a few boxes but mostly back.”

“I heard you came back to town for a reason,” she peers down at the flowers in my hands and makes a little face like she’s in on the secret. “I’m so happy you’re doing well,” she tells me and then brightens, “you two have fun.”

Words escape me as I turn and watch Mrs. Baker, in all her glory, smug as can be, gather up a bunch of carnations and shoo me on.

I swear, this town’s memory is as long as the summer days.

AUBREY

My street has never been more captivating than when I'm waiting for Bennet to park in front of my house. Although for a Saturday, it’s uneventful apart from Miss Shaw gardening at the far end of the street.

I watch through the front window like the outdoors is a movie, watching the late-afternoon light come down on the street. It makes everything gold. The leaves rustling in the trees. A flag on the house across the street waving in the sun. Everything seems more beautiful, in deeper colors, and it's all because I can't wait for this date to start.

I shake out the nerves and check my reflection in the front room mirror when the minutes tick by.

Finally, a truck comes down the street and slows in front of my house. It's Steve's truck, which means Steve must have been really desperate...or else he really wanted Bennet to be able to take me out.

Maybe it was both. It probably doesn't matter, in the end. From what I’ve gathered, between last night chatter and this morning messages from town gossip, Bennet sold a startup company for a decent penny and flew home for a family event but decided to stay.

Whether or not that’s true though is something I aim to ask tonight. A quick kiss in the back of the bar was one thing, a date another.

I open it to reveal Bennet, who's dressed up from his bartending clothes. He wears slacks and a white button-down with the sleeves pulled up to his elbow, and I can't take it. He did that on purpose… showing off his forearms. How am I supposed to look at him all evening when he's this hot? It's hardly fair.

Bennet bites his lip, looking at me like he's thinking the same thing.

"Hi," I say.

In response he pulls a bouquet out from behind his back. Peonies. “Oh my gosh,” I let out with genuine surprise. The bouquet paper crinkles as I happily accept the flowers. I inhale deeply, loving the fragrance.

“I love them,” I tell him and then catch myself. My heart races. I try to keep it casual as I invite him in so I can at least put the flowers in water. “They’re beautiful, thank you,” I tell him and keep it lighter. Lauren gave me one rule and it was not to use the “L” word. I’ve already blown it.

“I’m glad you like them,” he says as I look up from the mason jar and find him staring down at me in my kitchen. My mind races and I can just imagine all the dirty things we could do on this very clean countertop.

As if reading my mind, he shakes his head, a grin lighting up his face. "Ready to go?"