The Bridal Bouquet

by Tara Randel

  “I love him.”

  “Sure, but does he love you more than getting high?”

  Tears welled in her eyes. “I hate the thought of him out there, in trouble, with no one beside him.”

  “It’s his choice, Christine.”

  “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t help your sister, even if she was making choices you didn’t agree with.”

  “Actually, I’ve never tried to help Kady. She always did her own thing and I never got involved.”

  Christine’s eyes went stormy. “My family isn’t that cold.”

  Point taken. And it wasn’t that he was cold; he’d just always been into other things. Now that he looked at it from her point of view, he understood how bad it sounded.

  “Listen,” he said, shifting the focus away from him. He had enough garbage to sort through, but he wasn’t going to solve all their problems tonight. “We should tell the police.”

  “Will, it’s a lot to ask, but can you hold off? Until I find Bryce. Find out if he was behind this? Or knows who is?”

  He really had no proof to tie Christine’s brother to the trashed shop. What could it hurt to keep Bryce’s name under wraps for a while.

  “On one condition.”

  “Anything.”

  “You let me help you find him. Hear his story. Then we’ll decide.”

  Christine threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Surprised, he held her tight.

  “Thank you,” she said. There was hope in her voice.

  “Don’t thank me until we’ve discovered what’s going on.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  DESPITE THE HOURS of shut-eye, Kady couldn’t shake the morning fog. The day dawned dreary, overcast with a good chance of showers. Winter weather in Florida. Great. Just what she needed—rain to match her gloomy mood.

  She dressed in a white sweater, gray slacks and black ballet flats. Honestly, she couldn’t work up much energy for anything more fashionable. Running a brush through her hair, she decided to keep it down. This was as presentable as she was going to get.

  Try as she might, a good sleep had eluded her. She couldn’t get the disturbing images of her shop out of her head. Nor could she forget how wonderful it had been to have Dylan by her side, to feel his reassuring arms around her while she was at her weakest. Fairy-tale dreams, for sure. How Dylan played into her reality from here was anyone’s guess.

  With an unsteady hand, she unlocked the rear door to the shop. A neat and tidy work space should greet her, but what if something else had happened? What if the people who’d destroyed her shop had come back?

  Heart pounding, she stepped inside and flipped on the light. Only quiet greeted her. Everything was in its place. Thankful, she closed the door behind her and dropped her tote on the worktable. Okay, so she might have a touch of delayed shock going on. Honestly, who would expect less? Still, she wished she wasn’t alone.

  Gathering the materials she needed to get started, she jumped at every little sound. Even a pin dropping seemed magnified after the events of last night. Before long, the silence grated on her nerves. She turned on the radio, selecting a country station. A raucous song boomed from the speakers. Exactly what she needed—a little attitude to start her day.

  Tapping her foot, she got into the rhythm of placing awesome flower combinations together. She snipped stems and fluffed baby’s breath. Angled the lovely blooms for maximum “wow” factor. Completed three orders in no time.

  At a lull in the music, Kady tripped when her cell phone blared. Fishing through her purse, she fumbled before finding the device.

  “This is Kady.”

  “Darling, please tell me you’re all right?”

  Kady smiled, immediately appreciating the voice on the other end. Aunt Cynthia had a way of knowing just the right moment when Kady needed her.

  “Depends on what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t get smart with me. I spoke to Will a short time ago.”

  “I’m fine, Auntie C. The police were here, wrote up a report and promised to find out who broke in.” She switched off the radio. “Apparently The Lavish Lily wasn’t the only target.”

  “What on earth is going on? Cypress Pointe is always so safe.”

  “It still is. Hopefully the police will catch the guilty creeps soon.”

  Her aunt paused before asking, “Have your parents been informed?”

  Ah, the elephant in the room. Kady may wish otherwise, but the awkward conversation with her folks was inevitable. “I haven’t spoken to them yet, but I assume Will made an early morning call.”

  “If he hasn’t, you should be the one to tell them. It will show them you’re serious about running the shop. Taking matters into your own hands.”

  “Instead of Will tattling?”

  “Exactly.”

  She hated the idea of ruining their vacation, but her aunt had a point.

  “I’ll do it after I hang up.”

  “Good.”

  Enough of this depressing conversation, Kady thought. Time to change the subject. “Have you sold any new pieces?”

  “A friend held a private party last week and I sold five. It’s back to the drawing board to come up with new designs.”

  “That’s great. Happy to hear you have repeat business because if my folks are really upset and I don’t win the bouquet competition, I may have to come work for you.”

  “Please. You are more than capable and you know it. I don’t want to hear any more negativity.”

  Aunt Cynthia believed in her. For that reason alone, Kady would prove to everyone she had the drive to make The Lavish Lily more successful than ever. Before long, her family wouldn’t be able to deny she’d been on the right track all along.

  “Kady, don’t fret. You certainly didn’t cause the break-in and I have faith you’ll win the competition this year.”

  “Thanks. But Jasmine is back in full force.”

  “She has to lose sometime.”

  “You’d think.”

  “Speaking of Jasmine, I understand her son has made quite an impression.”

  At least they’d talked about other important topics before her aunt pulled out the you-should-be-dating card.

  “Yes. Dylan was walking me back to the shop, so I wasn’t alone when I discovered the break-in.”

  “Is he as handsome as I hear?”

  “Yes, and who told you?”

  “My friend Maria. She works at the Grand Cypress.”

  Of course she did. “I was grateful to have someone here. I was shocked. Dylan called the police and calmed me down.”

  “I like him already.”

  “He’s a very decent guy who has a job in another city. I’m not getting involved.”

  Liar, liar, pants on fire.

  “Whatever you say, Kady. Though, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to settle down.”

  No, it wouldn’t, but first she had to find a man she genuinely clicked with. Like Dylan. They’d known each other only a short time, but the comfort level between them was off the charts. Or was that the attraction level? Both, if she was honest. Either way, she wasn’t rushing.

  “You know my relationships never work out.”

  “I keep saying you haven’t found the right man. He’s out there, darling.”

  The memory of Dylan’s dark good looks and dreamy eyes swam before her. He was handsome, but he was also more than that. He’d stuck with her last night. Made sure she was safe. Helped her clean up. No other guy had gone out of his way for her. Ever.

  “Keep me abreast of what happens,” Aunt Cynthia commanded. “And call your parents.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  After hanging up, Kady tapped in her mother’s cell numb
er. While it rang, she separated daisies and lilies for the last two arrangements.

  “Kady? Is everything all right?”

  She rolled her eyes at her mother’s greeting. What? No “Hi, honey. How are you? Good to hear your voice.” Had the news reached the ship already?

  “Hi, Mom. Yes, I’m fine, but the shop was broken into last night.”

  Silence filled the void between them.

  “Did you say ‘broken into’?”

  “Yes. There was little damage and nothing much was taken.”

  “What is Will doing about it?”

  She tried not to let the fact that her mother immediately defaulted to her brother bother her. Nonetheless, it rankled. She should be used to it. Until it dawned on her that Will, the child who always got to them first, hadn’t called.

  Why hadn’t he called their parents?

  “Will and I both spoke with the police. There’s little we can do until they find whoever broke in, but The Lavish Lily wasn’t the only business affected.”

  She heard a shuffling on the other end, then her father’s voice. “Let me speak to Will.”

  Kady frowned. “He’s not here.”

  “Where is he?”

  Home sleeping, if he was smart. “I’d guess at his place.”

  “Why isn’t he there handling the situation?”

  “Because I handled it last night. We cleaned up the shop together. Everything is fine.”

  “You and your brother worked together?”

  “Yes, Dad. I hated to even tell you guys about the break-in, but I thought you’d want to know.”

  “That’s very...responsible of you.”

  Imagine that.

  “Here’s your mother. She can tell you about our vacation so far.”

  While she waited for the phone to change hands, Kady arranged the daisies and added a healthy amount of greenery. Four done, one more arrangement to go.

  Her mother started by describing the food. Kady oohed and aahed in the appropriate places over her vacation tales while she whipped up the final floral creation. By the time her mother wore herself out with her stories, Kady had completed her task.

  “Kady, you are okay after last night?”

  Touched by her mother’s rare concern, she blinked away the surprising moisture welling in her eyes. “I’m good, Mom.”

  “Okay, then. Stay safe and let Will take care of things. He’s good in a crisis.”

  With those words, her tears dried up. She wanted to shout, “Yeah, if he’s so dependable, where is he?” Instead, she said, “Have fun. See you when you get back.”

  What did she expect? Her parents to change their thinking instantaneously? They didn’t see Kady as the reliable one, which only firmed her resolve to prove them wrong. As long as there were no more disasters, she might get them on her side before long.

  Shaking off her brief pity party, she placed the completed orders, along with their tickets, in the cooler. Her steps echoed loudly. Even though she normally spent hours alone in the shop, she couldn’t shake her uneasiness today. Anxious to leave, she cleaned up the last of her tools, placing everything in its proper spot. She kept looking over her shoulder, hating to admit it, but after last night? Being here by herself and not freaking out would take time.

  After locking up, she shouldered her tote and hurried to Main Street. A light drizzle coated the concrete, making it slippery as she went. When one foot slid out from under her, she quickly corrected herself. Slowing down, she watched her step. Not a great start to the day.

  “Calm down,” she told herself. Once she got to the hotel she’d be surrounded by noise, laughing people, and her worries would dissipate. Attending workshops and focusing on flowers would ease her mind, she hoped.

  Head down, she decided to cross Main, even though she hadn’t reached the crosswalk. Light morning traffic crawled along, so she didn’t pay much attention. How many times had she journeyed down this same street? Crossed wherever she wanted?

  Three steps into the street, a blaring car horn jerked Kady from her mental fog. She stopped. Turned. Set eyes on a sedan barreling directly at her. With a yelp, she took off running, only to slip on the slick road. Her balance thrown off, Kady tottered. Her tote slipped from her arm to land on the asphalt. Lunging for the sidewalk, she smacked into the curb, falling on her knees and palms just as the vehicle passed, the wind from its acceleration whipping over her.

  Heart pounding, she plopped down on the sidewalk. The seat of her slacks grew uncomfortably damp and her palms stung from scraping the road to break her fall. She watched the car’s route, incensed when the driver didn’t slow down or even circle around to see if she was okay.

  “Nice driving,” she yelled, not that the driver would hear. The car took a turn and disappeared.

  As she started to rise, powerful hands helped her up. She straightened, the object of Dylan’s worried gaze.

  “We have to stop meeting like this,” he said, giving her the once-over.

  She yanked herself from his hold. “This is embarrassing.”

  “What? Your swan dive to safety?”

  “Yeah. That,” she said, righting her overcoat. She brushed her pants, noticing a small tear in one knee. “What are you doing here?”

  “Going back to the hotel from Cuppa Joe.” Dylan jogged into the street, retrieved the tote and rejoined her. “What happened?”

  “I wasn’t paying attention. The driver warned me with his horn, the street was wet and...” She took a bracing breath. “Disaster averted.”

  “Barely.”

  Her eyes went wide. “That close?”

  He nodded.

  She pushed her hair from her eyes. “What a day this is starting out to be. I was hoping my luck had changed.”

  Dylan inspected one of her wrists, turning her hand to see the injury. “Looks nasty.”

  “I’ll survive.”

  She had to admit, her palms looked bad. They were red and scratched badly. Once the adrenaline wore off, she suspected the pain would intensify.

  “You need to clean those scrapes.” He took hold of her other wrist. “Sooner rather than later.”

  “I will.” She looked down at her ruined pants. “I need to go home and change anyway.”

  “Let me take you. We’re closer to my car now than yours. Plus, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, you’re shaky. Please. Let me drive.”

  She fumed for a good minute before relenting. “Fine.”

  Glancing over her shoulder, she glimpsed Christine headed toward them.

  “Kady,” she called out, her voice breathy.

  “Here comes the cavalry,” Kady muttered.

  “You sure don’t like anyone’s help, do you?”

  Did she? It wasn’t anything she’d ever dwelled upon before. She’d always depended on herself.

  “Kady, are you okay? I saw what happened.”

  “Yes. My mind was elsewhere and I crossed the road without looking.”

  Christine put a hand on her arm, asking, “Are you hurt? I saw you fall.”

  “I’m fine. My pride hurts more than my hands.”

  As Christine quizzed her, a small crowd formed. Local businesspeople Kady had known forever were checking on her welfare. After reassuring her friends multiple times, she caught a glimpse of Dylan on his phone. Whom was he talking to so intensely? Too strung out to speculate, she kept her weak smile in place. It was only 10:00 a.m. and she wanted nothing more than to return to her apartment and tend to her injuries.

  Dylan broke through the crowd. “Kady needs some space.”

  “I’m fine,” she repeated, grateful for Dylan’s presence.

  “Let’s get you somewhere quiet.”

  He led her to his black SUV, his ga
it slightly steadier than on the first night Kady met him. She wondered if his thigh still bothered him. Without any fuss, he helped her climb inside the roomy cab before getting behind the wheel. Once settled, she gave him directions to her apartment building.

  “You know, for a guy who is only visiting my town, you sure get around.”

  “Like I said, I went to Cuppa Joe.”

  “You don’t like hotel coffee?”

  “It’s fine. Honestly, I didn’t feel like mingling. I sat at the coffee shop and read the paper, uninterrupted.”

  “Sounds nice.”

  “I was going to return to the hotel when I saw you.” He shot her an amused glance. “And before you suggest it, no, my mother did not send someone to run you down.”

  She went to cover her face with her hands, wincing when her stinging palms made themselves known.

  “It never even crossed my mind.”

  He grinned. “I appreciate that.”

  She puffed out a breath. “You haven’t seen me at my best. I promise, I don’t usually attract so much drama.”

  “Usually?”

  She chuckled. “There was a time, but not anymore.”

  “Care to share?”

  “I was...less than reliable when I was younger. Never put the shop first, so my parents were wary of giving me responsibilities. I was always looking for... I’m not sure really. New adventures, I guess. Because of that I messed up from time to time and my parents haven’t forgotten.” Her smile wobbled. “Let’s just say it took me a while to decide what I wanted to do with my life.”

  “Not so unusual.”

  “Turn here.”

  When she told him the building number, he found a parking space and turned off the engine.

  “Want me to wait?”

  Kady debated and decided Dylan had already seen her at her absolute worst. Besides, she didn’t want to be alone. “C’mon.”

  He followed her to the ground-floor apartment, taking the keys to unlock the door when her fingers were clumsy.

  “These scrapes better heal quickly. I can’t afford butterfingers if I’m going to make arrangements for customers.”

  “And your competition bouquet,” he pointed out.