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At the thought of Nicky, she glanced at the calendar Thirteen more days

The house was shaping up, as James had predicted A week and a half, and he had on a new roof Chiles off the side He worked like an ox, she’d give him that

But it was still…unco around him There were definitelyOne And then she’d remember how he’d known she and Nicky were about to be financially ruined How he’d known they’d have to move How he’d taken care of his own interests and not said a word to her, even knowing that she and Nicky were completely dependent on that stupid family trust Well, Nicky had Ethan to support him There was that

But even as those things seemed to matter less, there were those phone calls from Harry Oh, yes She’d overheard them The easy camaraderie between the two men Practically father and son BFFs till the end of time

Harry hadn’t called her once She made her own dutiful weekly call, but they never talked for more than three minutes

“It’s the old wound,” she said, quoting the dying Lancelot Paternal rejection left a er and dairl any One Ethan, too for that matter, which had never seemed to be an issue He had an old soul James did not

Time to whip out Mr Clean, her favorite male these days Lavinia didn’t really sees were in the flower shop, but Parker had been itching to rearrange It was a tiny little space, jammed with all the detritus of the business Not that there was a lot of business Maggie and Malone’s wedding was coe husband in for a bouquet, t babies So far, if Parker was at the shop, Lavinia let her handle every job Vin see she really seereenhouse that housed the orchids, where she spent hours each day,soil pH Parker had offered to help and was immediately waved off

“You like doing the flowers? Run with it,” she’d told Parker “This back here is my baby”

And Parker loved doing the flowers She’d spent a su school of sorts, where she’d learned helpful things like how to pour tea,an actual opinion and yes, ith a book on her head The flower arranging had been the only thing she’d really enjoyed At night, there had been other lessons—how to buy drugs, water down your parents’ alcohol so they wouldn’t realize you were drinking, give a blow job, demonstrated on a banana by Caitlynn Swann, whose father owned httiirls had taken it upon themselves to share Parker had been fourteen at the time

At any rate, she’d always liked flowers Back in her Grayhurst days, she’d cut a bunch every Monday fro for the kitchen table, her nightstand, Nicky’s roolue theurines to represent blood She’d even put an arrangement in the bathroo your teeth seem much more pleasant

Four hours later, Parker was dusty, sweaty and ed the card display to be near the cash register and rearranged the shelves with all the little tchotchkes The shop was now urines and candles wiped clean and placed in the corner She put the houseplants on the wide shelf in the front —Lavinia had theeous arrangeerbera daisies, larkspur, irises and ferns for the counter, the colors all in shades of pink and purple Beautiful

She hoped Lavinia would let her do Maggie’s wedding bouquet Maggie had been so nice to her, so welco, even And Malone had sht Maybe It was sort of hard to tell, but Parker had a bit of a soft spot for hi out for his boat each night, knowing he was safely back hoie

“You’d think I’d be cynical,” Parker said aloud to Beauty as she swept the floor “But I’m not I love love Gross, huh?”

Beauty’s tail swished in agree Parker

It was too bad they couldn’t keep the cottage as a summer place It was hard not to fall in love with this town

Well Maybe someday

The bell over the door rang, and Parker looked up to see who it was An older man in a suit, not so spot under the worktable behind the counter

“Hello,” Parker said “How can I help you?”

“I’d like a potted plant for my mother,” he answered

“Sure Take a look around Is it a special occasion?”

“Well, we had to put her in a nursing ho”

“I’m sorry to hear that”

“And I don’t ave her a once-over “I live in Winter Haven Ever been?”

“Can’t say that I have”

He reminded her of Harry; his suit was expensive, and his leather briefcase gleamed Parker would bet he drove a Gerlanced dismissively at the Boston ferns and African violets, the jade plant and the cheerful yellow pri a bit more…”

“Exotic?” Parker supplied

“Exactly,” he answered, slance at her chest In a way, flattering that he was checking her out, as she was filthy fro and dressed in a once-white T-shirt and jeans On the other hand, he exuded that entitled vibe—I can look at your boobs because I’ wench as far as I’m concerned

“Well, what you see is pretty much it,” she said

“What’s in the greenhouse?”

“Right Um, we have some rare plants back there”

“Would youme those?”

Parker hesitated; it really was Vinnie’s dorew them to sell, ostensibly

“I don’t uy said “My mom deserves the best”

And Vin could use the et the key We have some orchids Does your mom like those?”

“Doesn’t everyone?” he answered “They’re almost as pretty as you Dan Jacobs, by the way”