Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

by Susan Mallery

  There were ankle-length and cropped pants in different colors with coordinating flirty tops, four dresses and a jean jacket that cost as much as a car payment, but made her whimper with its cuteness.

  Three of the shirts and two of the dresses required her to go braless, something Kelly would have sworn she would never do. Only the clothes were so pretty and she felt so good wearing them, she wasn’t sure she had a choice. Besides, at some point, not having breasts should work in her favor.

  She turned in front of the mirror, checking out a fitted black-and-white-plaid short-sleeved dress. It was both casual and pretty. As she looked at herself from the back, she wondered if she had any decent sandals tucked in some corner of her closet.

  “How the mighty have fallen.”

  She looked up and saw Olivia standing in the doorway to her bedroom. Her sister smiled at her.

  “I knew you’d look good. Admit it. The clothes are nice.”

  Kelly glanced at the huge pile on the bed. “You spent nearly three thousand dollars. On my credit card.”

  “They’re your clothes. Plus the last time you bought something that wasn’t a pair of cargo pants was 1969.”

  “I wasn’t alive in 1969.”

  “You get my point. You never shop. And yes, you can use the excuse that while the local Costco has some lovely options, they are limited. But hello, use the internet. You’re easy to fit and even Tulpen Crossing gets mail delivery. I like the dress a lot.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Try it with the jean jacket.”

  Kelly frowned. “I can’t. The dress is black and white. The jacket is denim.”

  “And?”

  “They don’t go together.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “You’re so provincial. Jean jackets go with everything. Hold on.”

  She walked through the bedroom to the bathroom and returned with a set of hot rollers. After setting them on the desk, she plugged them in, then picked up the jean jacket.

  “Try it on,” she said as she held it out.

  “Those curlers better not be for me.”

  “Of course they’re for you. I already did my hair this morning. I want to make a point. You know I’m going to help my friend Eliza with a makeover and she’s a lot more cooperative than you.”

  “You spent three thousand dollars.”

  “I believe we discussed that already. Put. It. On.”

  Kelly did as instructed. Olivia turned the collar up, then stared at her.

  “You need a black patent leather belt. I don’t suppose you have one, do you?” She shook her head. “Never mind.” She found a pad of paper on the desk and started writing. “Shoes. You’re going to need shoes. Lots of them. Did you try those on?”

  Those were a pair of taupe-beige suede shoes that weren’t exactly sandals and weren’t exactly booties and weren’t exactly anything Kelly had seen before. They had a peep-toe and a sling back with a three-inch heel. They covered the top of her foot, except for the tips of her toes and while they looked sexy, they were also two and a half inches more heel than she was used to.

  “I can’t do heels.”

  “You don’t do heels. There’s a difference. Try them on.” Olivia pointed to the chair. “Sit there and try them on or I’m going to start singing. Trust me, no one wants that.”

  Kelly did as she was instructed. The neutral color looked pretty on her skin and there was plenty of padding. She stood and was surprised to find that they weren’t as hard to walk in as she’d first thought.

  “They’re nice,” she admitted, crossing to the mirror.

  “They have a platform, so they only look high. You’ll need to practice getting around in them, but they’re a fairly classic style and they’ll go with everything. You and I are going to have to go to the outlet mall one afternoon and buy you a bunch of shoes. I’m not having you ruin everything I bought by wearing them with your horrible work boots or ratty athletic shoes. Now get over here and let me curl your hair.”

  Twenty minutes later Kelly’s waves were actual curls. She liked the shorter, bouncy look. She and Olivia sorted through the clothes and agreed on what was to go back. While the dresses were cute, right now Kelly only needed a couple. She was forced to admit that she loved all the cropped pants and cute tops and was delighted to realize that yes in fact she could wear the jean jacket with everything.

  She stood in front of the mirror admiring herself in tan ankle pants, her new shoes, a cute lightweight, sherbet-orange sweater and her jean jacket. She would never be like her sister, but this was really, really good.

  Her phone buzzed. Olivia reached for it and grinned. “Someone wants to buy you dinner.”

  Kelly felt her stomach quiver. “Griffith?”

  “Unless you’re two-timing your boyfriend, who else would it be? Shall I tell him you’re available?”

  Kelly grabbed the phone. Let me bring over takeout, she texted back.

  Can’t wait.

  Olivia sighed. “You’re just like the guys I date. You get what you want and then you abandon me. It’s fine. I’ll recover.”

  “Are you serious or are you messing with me?”

  “Messing with you. I’ve got some work to do tonight. Design research. Plus I heard back from Sally on her booth and I want to work up a couple of sample floor plans. You kids have fun.”

  “I might be late,” Kelly said as she started out the door. “Don’t wait up.”

  “Oh, my God. Stop!”

  Kelly froze. “What?”

  Olivia walked to the desk and opened drawers until she found a pair of scissors. “You still have tags. You might grow the most beautiful tulips on the West Coast, but you are ill-equipped to deal with normal life.”

  She snipped and tugged, then said, “Now you can run off to have sex with your hot boyfriend.”

  Kelly flushed. “We’re having dinner.”

  “I really don’t want details.”

  Kelly thought about explaining that she and Griffith hadn’t done more than kiss, only she knew Olivia wouldn’t believe her. Plus, Griffith was waiting.

  Impulsively, she hugged her sister. “Thank you for all this.”

  “You’re welcome. Tomorrow we’ll pick a couple of online shopping sites and sign you up for delivery service.”

  “I’d like that a lot.”

  Olivia smiled at her. “Me, too.”

  18

  Kelly went by the Chinese place because there weren’t a lot of take-out choices in Tulpen Crossing. She ordered small amounts of several entrees, along with fried rice and egg rolls, then drove over to Griffith’s place.

  As she got closer, she felt more and more nervous. Were the clothes too much? The hair? She didn’t want him to think she was trying too hard, only even as she thought that statement, she realized the ridiculousness of it. They were supposed to be a couple. Having him think she liked him was hardly bad.

  She parked and walked to the porch. The front door opened as she approached and then Griffith was moving toward her. He took the large bag of food from her, leaned in and kissed her.

  She felt the impact of his mouth on hers all the way down to her toes. The kiss was light, but he lingered and she started to get a little breathless.

  “Hi,” he said as he drew back. “You look beautiful. Thank you for coming over.”

  “Thanks for asking me.”

  They went inside. He’d set two places at the table in the dining room and had a bottle of white wine chilling in an ice bucket. Music played from hidden speakers.

  “Ryan’s out,” he said as he set the food on the table. “We’re currently not speaking so I don’t expect him home for a few days.”

  “What are you fighting about? Or would you rather not say?”

 
“The usual. He rarely shows up to work on time, doesn’t put in his hours, but is shocked when I dock his pay. His attitude is rubbing off on the team. I told him he’s got to get his act together and he told me that I’m an asshole. Brother stuff.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me, too, but it is what it is. I hope he figures it out.” He poured her a glass of wine. “And now we’re going to talk about something more pleasant. How are you?”

  “Good. Busy. We just planted a hundred thousand bulbs for the late summer wedding season.”

  They sat across from each other and began passing cartons back and forth.

  “Your hundred thousand tulips put my production schedule to shame. Wedding flowers based on the Pantone colors of the year?” he asked, his voice teasing.

  “You remembered.”

  “I remember nearly everything about you.”

  She ducked her head. “Yes, well, I based my planting on my orders. A lot of pinks and peaches, some reds. Late summer weddings tend to have more color in them. I have no idea why. Christmas is a lot of red and white, of course, and don’t get me started on Valentine’s Day.”

  He picked up his wineglass. “That’s February fourteenth, so you’d have to ship what, by the seventh?”

  “Depending on how far the flowers are going, no later than the eleventh.”

  “So you’re planting mid-January and getting the bulbs in to root in late December.”

  “Someone’s been doing online research,” she said as she picked up an egg roll.

  “A little. You spent a whole Saturday learning about what I do. I wanted to return the favor.”

  Which was very fair and so like Griffith. “You should come by when we’re harvesting,” she told him. “It’s pretty insane, but also interesting. At least I think so. Shipping out a hundred thousand blooms in two days might not be everyone’s idea of fun.”

  “I’ll be there,” he told her. “Have you been to Holland?”

  She laughed. “No, and I want to go, of course. Can you imagine seeing how they grow tulips there? I’ve seen a bunch of YouTube videos. Some of the mechanization is incredible.”

  “You’d have farm equipment envy.”

  “On a huge scale.”

  “We should look at taking a trip.”

  The casual statement nearly made her choke. Her mind went blank before being filled with a thousand questions. They’d barely kissed—how on earth could they travel together? When would they go, and she’d never really been away with a man. She and Sven had spent a weekend together in Portland once, but that was it.

  “Why would you want to go to Holland?” she asked, because it seemed the safest and most reasonable of questions.

  “To look at architecture. They’re doing interesting work with micro housing in Europe.”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh, that sounds interesting and if things work out I’d like to go with you, or oh, what on earth are you talking about, Griffith? Everything about you annoys me?”

  Some of her tension eased. “That’s a broad range.”

  “I believe in options.”

  “I think it’s an intriguing idea.”

  “Good.” He studied her. “I want to clarify the ground rules. About us and how things are going to go.”

  The man was nothing if not thorough, she thought humorously. “We’ve been over them already and this is the strangest relationship I’ve ever been in.”

  “Strange good or strange bad?”

  She laughed. “Strange good.”

  “That’s what I like to hear.” He cleared his throat. “We’re getting to know each other with the idea of a long-term connection that will not end in marriage or even love. Just like and mutual respect.”

  She wanted to ask if he really thought he could control his feelings that much. To her, emotions could be so volatile. However, Griffith might feel safe in his statement because he knew there was no way he would fall in love with her, which was wildly depressing and not a place she wanted to go.

  Not getting married seemed okay. She wasn’t sure she ever wanted to risk that. Her parents’ marriage had been a disaster from the beginning. Helen’s marriage had ended painfully. She didn’t mind giving up marriage. She was less sure about children. She’d always sort of thought she would have kids, although the idea had been vague at best. Sort of an unformed “one day” scenario.

  But love... She had to admit the love thing had her stymied. She didn’t want the scary passion her mother had experienced. The swing of emotions that left destruction in its wake. But love was different. She believed in love. The good kind. Friendship and a parent’s love for a child. She knew her dad had always loved her and she loved him. She loved Helen and...

  She frowned. Was that it? Her dad and her best friend? Shouldn’t she love more people? And what about her sister? Did she love Olivia? The more she got to know her, the more she respected and liked her. Was there a family thing, where she had to love her sister? If so, that was different than choosing to care.

  “Kelly? You still with me?”

  “Sorry. I was thinking.”

  “I can tell. Want to tell me what about?”

  She looked at him. Griffith was nice-looking and funny and she enjoyed being around him. She wasn’t super excited about the sex but that was more her than him and maybe it would be better than her past experiences. As for the rest of it...

  “I’m fine with the no marriage clause,” she told him. “With getting to know you and having this potentially be a long-term thing. I think you’re fooling yourself if you think you can control falling in love. I believe it just happens, which can be both good and bad.”

  “I don’t want to fall in love with anyone.”

  Which was a less harsh way of saying he didn’t want to fall in love with her. Words that could have hurt, only she respected the honesty of them. While she liked the theory of love, she’d yet to let herself experience it. Something else she could blame on her mother.

  “I’m a good boyfriend,” he added. “I’ll be attentive and faithful.”

  “Me, too. Not the boyfriend part.”

  “Good, because while I respect the other team, I don’t want to play for them.”

  She smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  He picked up his fork. “If this was high school, I’d give you my letterman’s jacket or something.”

  “Didn’t they used to have pins a million years ago? Didn’t you pin a girl?”

  “It sounds painful for the girl.”

  She laughed. “You know what I mean.”

  “I’ll get you a pin.”

  “I’m all aquiver.”

  “Then my work here is done.”

  They finished dinner and moved to the family room. Kelly liked how Griffith listened when she talked and that they were both interested in each other’s work.

  “When does your dad play again?” he asked.

  “Because you want to hear another awful band?”

  “Sure. They’re fun. And sometimes they’re not terrible.”

  “You could write advertising copy,” she teased, and made air quotes. “Download this band’s song. Sometimes they’re not terrible.”

  “I’m supporting the arts.”

  They sat on the sofa, not all that far apart. They’d brought the wine in with them although she had her doubts about them finishing the bottle. Not at the rate they were going, which was also fine.

  He reached out and tugged on a strand of her hair. “I like the curls.”

  “That was my sister’s doing.”

  “How’s it going with her?”

  “Really good. I’m glad she and I have worked through our issues. Now there aren’t any more secrets. It’s better that way.”<
br />
  “Not a fan of hiding the truth?”

  “It makes things too complicated. You have to remember what you can and can’t say. It’s hard to keep straight.”

  She started to say more but before she could speak, he shifted closer and kissed her.

  The move was just unexpected enough to steal her breath away. Or maybe it was the kiss itself. Or the man.

  He leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers. The touch was gentle, almost teasing. He kissed her again, his mouth more firm this time. His lips were warm, not yielding, but not taking, either. He held back just enough that she found herself easing toward him, increasing the pressure and moving back and forth.

  One of his hands settled on her waist. Her sweater rode up a little and his fingers rested on her bare back. The contact was nice. A little arousing, a little unexpected. This was the good part. The before. If only it could go on forever.

  He felt good... No, they felt good together. There was a rightness in the kiss. She liked how he went slow and how his hands made her tingle just a little. Her breathing quickened as anticipation swept through her. The sensation was thick, as if it would take a while to warm up, but it was there and it felt nice.

  Unexpectedly, Griffith drew back. “I should let you get home.”

  The words made no sense. Weren’t they going to do this for a while? She liked doing this. It was the best part. Later, they would move on to sex and while that would be fine, it wasn’t the same.

  “You meant what you said about taking it slow,” she murmured.

  “I did. Is that annoying?”

  “Just a little.” She spoke without thinking, then held in a groan. She didn’t want him to believe she was hoping they would go further than they had. “What I meant was—”

  He kissed her again. Lightly. Teasingly. “I know what you meant.”

  She doubted that but didn’t bother trying to explain.

  He stood and pulled her to her feet. “This was nice. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”