Candice chuckles to herself and shakes her head. “You’re such a dork. But seriously, what’s this mood about? Is it because Spencer was hanging out with Lacey last night?”
My head whips around to her. “What? What are you talking about?”
Her brows dip down in confusion as she watches me for a silence beat. “Yeah, I saw them at dinner last night. I didn’t think much of it because you guys are all friends, but it was kind of strange that it was just the two of them. Looked like more of a date if you asked me, but I know how much he’s into you so it’s probably nothing.”
My head drops straight back down to the table and I instantly wonder how bad it would be for business if I just closed up for the next year or so and drowned my sorrows in bed. I could come back from it…I think.
I don’t know why it should bother me so much. We ended it as I was clearly a pretty shit girlfriend. Spencer deserves someone who will love him in that same intense way that he loves and it’s not fair for me to hold onto him knowing I’ll never love him like that, but still…if that was a date with Lacey last night then that kind of sucks. I mean, we’ve only been apart a few days.
My face squishes into the table and I glare at the wall. “He broke up with me.”
The tulip drops from her hand and she turns and looks at me in shock. “What?” she shrieks. “Just…what? Are you shitting me?”
“Nope.”
“He broke up with you?”
“Yup.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t the other way around?”
“Seriously?”
Candice’s eyes narrow on me and I groan as I can practically see the light bulb flashing above her head. A sly grin slowly creeps across her face. “It’s because of Rivers, isn’t it? Because he’s back. You know, I heard he’s done some growing over the past four years.”
She’s damn right, he has. He looks mighty fine with those strong arms and intense eyes, but I’m not about to dive into that sinkhole. “It’s not because of Rivers.”
“You know, in high school, you were a much better liar.”
Why do people keep saying that?
I roll my eyes. I could probably do without this conversation. I’m just about to tell her where to go when a mountain of a man walks across the front window of my store and stops at the door. “Showtime,” Candice says, collecting the tulip from the ground.
I zip my lips and peel my head off the table while pretending to have a shred of professionalism about myself. I slap on a smile and act as though I’m happy to be here as the giant pushes his way through the door.
The bell above the door jingles and both Candice and I give him a welcoming smile. Candice takes the reins and makes her way across the store. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
The big man cringes and looks at the array of flowers, chocolates, gift baskets, and balloons surrounding him. “I, uh…I’ll let you know.”
Not being one to hover, Candice gives the guy some room to browse and comes to join me behind the workbench. Knowing I’m in a bit of a mood, she takes over the rose arrangement for tonight’s delivery while I head over to the counter and start tidying things up.
The big man towers over everything in the store and even has to duck his head to avoid crashing into my ceiling fan. I can’t help but check him out because well, I’m a woman and he’s a fine piece of man meat. He has muscles upon muscles, a sharp jawline covered in stubble that has me wanting to run my fingers over it, and not to mention tattoos covering both of his strong arms.
I glance across at Candice who’s practically drooling but she knows better than to say anything. The guys who come in here are generally already taken and are only here to find something nice for their girl, or girls as it seems a lot of guys in Haven Falls seems to have.
I swear, Valentine’s day is the holiday for finding out the dirt in this town. Every fucker comes in here and puts in an order, but it’s the guys who put in two orders, claiming one is for their mom, are the guys you need to watch out for. I mean, what guy is sending his mother a dozen roses on Valentine’s day? Clearly, there are a few side chicks running around Haven Falls.
I look back at the beast of a man and can’t help but notice how lost he looks. It makes me smile every time this happens. Guys never know what they’re after when they come in here. Most just come straight up to the counter and start explaining their situation, but the fact that this guy is giving it a good try and having a look tells me he’s actually interested in what he’s looking for.