Meg said.
“S’fine,” Kate lied.
When the wound was clean, Meg carefully applied a thick plaster over the top, pressing down gently.
Kate tried to steady her airflow as she breathed in Meg’s musky perfume, studied the top of her head, then smiled into her eyes as Meg looked up into hers. Yep, she had it bad.
When Kate was all cleaned up, Meg rose to her feet and threw the debris in the bin.
“What were you doing round here, anyway? You don’t work nearby, do you?”
Kate shook her head and flexed her injured hand. “No — I’m just going to see my mum, so thought I’d stop by to say hi and get some flowers for her.” Kate smiled. “So then I thought, why not throw some amateur dramatics in for good measure?”
Just at that moment, a woman stepped out from the back of the shop, and that woman could only be Meg’s mum. Slim, tall and with what Kate presumed was dyed golden blonde hair, she oozed sophistication and glamour. She was looking down, pulling her pink shirt out of the sleeves of her navy blazer as she spoke. She also had long, slender hands, just like her daughter.
“Did you say you were doing anything tonight? If you’re not, come round to mine — better than hiding in your room like I know you will.” Meg’s mum looked up and was startled by Kate’s presence. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realise we had a customer.” She squinted at Kate. “Are you injured?”
Kate held up her hand. “Just fell over outside.” She wiggled her fingers. “My hand hurts, but my pride is more bruised.”
“This is Kate — we did the flowers for her uncle’s funeral earlier in the week,” Meg said. “She was just coming in to get some flowers for her mum, before she collapsed dramatically in front of the shop.” A smile was playing on Meg’s lips. “This is my mum, by the way,” she told Kate.
Kate got up and shook Olivia’s hand. Kate’s knee hurt too, as did her hip. She glanced down, but her jeans were still in tact.
“Nice to meet you,” Kate said.
“You too,” Olivia replied, giving Kate the once over. “Does your mum have any favourite flowers?” Olivia’s eyes were the colour of Meg’s.
Kate cleared her throat and sat back down. “She likes sunflowers. And lilies.”
“Loads more to choose from — have a look around, see what you fancy.” Meg’s mum doubled back round the counter and gave Meg a kiss on the cheek.
“Lovely to meet you briefly, Kate, and I’m sure Meg can handle things from here.” Olivia raised an eyebrow at her daughter. “And remember what I said about later — I’m in if you’re free. Or else we’ll go for a roast on Sunday. Invite Jamie, too. Okay?”
Meg nodded. “Okay.”
Olivia smiled, her work here done, turned on her heel and left the shop, the door rattling in its frame.
Meg turned her gaze back to Kate. “And that’s my mum.” Meg rubbed her cheek nervously. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Kate shook her head. “I’m fine, honestly.” But Kate was far from fine, not after what Meg’s mum had just said. More specifically, one word she’d just said. Jamie . Was he the deal-breaker? Was he Meg’s boyfriend? She hoped beyond hope he wasn’t. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever wished anything quite so much.
Kate searched her brain for something to say other than “Who’s Jamie?” It took her a moment.
“Your mum seems great — and very stylish, too.” Kate got up and walked towards the counter, trying to ignore her heartbeat racing in her chest. Being this close to Meg did strange things to her.
“Yeah, she’s pretty cool most of the time,” Meg said. “Anyway, enough of my mum — let’s focus on yours. Sunflowers, right?” Meg walked over to a chrome vase of sunflowers on the right of the shop.
Kate followed her. “She likes them and they’re a classic, aren’t they?” Kate had forgotten what piercing turquoise eyes Meg had as they stood next to each other. Kate flicked her gaze away from Meg
“S’fine,” Kate lied.
When the wound was clean, Meg carefully applied a thick plaster over the top, pressing down gently.
Kate tried to steady her airflow as she breathed in Meg’s musky perfume, studied the top of her head, then smiled into her eyes as Meg looked up into hers. Yep, she had it bad.
When Kate was all cleaned up, Meg rose to her feet and threw the debris in the bin.
“What were you doing round here, anyway? You don’t work nearby, do you?”
Kate shook her head and flexed her injured hand. “No — I’m just going to see my mum, so thought I’d stop by to say hi and get some flowers for her.” Kate smiled. “So then I thought, why not throw some amateur dramatics in for good measure?”
Just at that moment, a woman stepped out from the back of the shop, and that woman could only be Meg’s mum. Slim, tall and with what Kate presumed was dyed golden blonde hair, she oozed sophistication and glamour. She was looking down, pulling her pink shirt out of the sleeves of her navy blazer as she spoke. She also had long, slender hands, just like her daughter.
“Did you say you were doing anything tonight? If you’re not, come round to mine — better than hiding in your room like I know you will.” Meg’s mum looked up and was startled by Kate’s presence. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realise we had a customer.” She squinted at Kate. “Are you injured?”
Kate held up her hand. “Just fell over outside.” She wiggled her fingers. “My hand hurts, but my pride is more bruised.”
“This is Kate — we did the flowers for her uncle’s funeral earlier in the week,” Meg said. “She was just coming in to get some flowers for her mum, before she collapsed dramatically in front of the shop.” A smile was playing on Meg’s lips. “This is my mum, by the way,” she told Kate.
Kate got up and shook Olivia’s hand. Kate’s knee hurt too, as did her hip. She glanced down, but her jeans were still in tact.
“Nice to meet you,” Kate said.
“You too,” Olivia replied, giving Kate the once over. “Does your mum have any favourite flowers?” Olivia’s eyes were the colour of Meg’s.
Kate cleared her throat and sat back down. “She likes sunflowers. And lilies.”
“Loads more to choose from — have a look around, see what you fancy.” Meg’s mum doubled back round the counter and gave Meg a kiss on the cheek.
“Lovely to meet you briefly, Kate, and I’m sure Meg can handle things from here.” Olivia raised an eyebrow at her daughter. “And remember what I said about later — I’m in if you’re free. Or else we’ll go for a roast on Sunday. Invite Jamie, too. Okay?”
Meg nodded. “Okay.”
Olivia smiled, her work here done, turned on her heel and left the shop, the door rattling in its frame.
Meg turned her gaze back to Kate. “And that’s my mum.” Meg rubbed her cheek nervously. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Kate shook her head. “I’m fine, honestly.” But Kate was far from fine, not after what Meg’s mum had just said. More specifically, one word she’d just said. Jamie . Was he the deal-breaker? Was he Meg’s boyfriend? She hoped beyond hope he wasn’t. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever wished anything quite so much.
Kate searched her brain for something to say other than “Who’s Jamie?” It took her a moment.
“Your mum seems great — and very stylish, too.” Kate got up and walked towards the counter, trying to ignore her heartbeat racing in her chest. Being this close to Meg did strange things to her.
“Yeah, she’s pretty cool most of the time,” Meg said. “Anyway, enough of my mum — let’s focus on yours. Sunflowers, right?” Meg walked over to a chrome vase of sunflowers on the right of the shop.
Kate followed her. “She likes them and they’re a classic, aren’t they?” Kate had forgotten what piercing turquoise eyes Meg had as they stood next to each other. Kate flicked her gaze away from Meg
Similar Books
