by Joannie Kay
“Noooo. You don’t have to do that!” She quickly refused the offer.
“Please, Holly. Say you will join me? I reserved a seat right beside me, but I haven’t wanted to invite anyone until now. You are so beautiful.” If it wasn’t for the fact his voice was sincere, and the expression in his eyes seemed to verify what his words were saying, she would have thought he was spoofing her. “Please?”
“I’ll think about it this afternoon while I am making your arrangements,” she said.
“That’s better than an outright no. I promise I have good table manners, thanks to my Grandma Andrews. She raised me,” he said. “I have a million things I need to oversee, Holly. Could I have your telephone number so I can call you panicking later on?”
Holly giggled, and handed him a business card. It only had the shop’s number and the cell phone she used for business. Holly wasn’t about to give out her private numbers until she knew a person very well. Once Quince left her shop, Holly got on the telephone and called Sara. “I know it is your day off, but this really gorgeous man came into the shop and he was desperate. I promised to do thirty arrangements for table centerpieces, a larger arrangement for in front of a podium, and several other arrangements for around the room wherever they need to go.”
“He must have been drop-dead gorgeous,” Sara answered, grinning. She wasn’t used to hearing Holly getting that flustered over a guy.
“He asked me to join him at the dinner tonight,” she admitted to her older sister.
“I have the perfect dress you can wear. It’s brand new, and so are the shoes I bought to go with it. You should go, Holly.”
“I told him I would think about it. He’s gorgeous, Sara!” Holly insisted.
“You called to ask me to come in and wait on customers so you could focus on the arrangements.”
“Yes, I did.” She paused and waited on Sara to reply, but she didn’t. “Well?” she asked.
“You haven’t asked yet,” Sara said, positive she was annoying Holly, which was fun to do at times.
“Sara, please, will you come in and help me?” Holly didn’t waste time arguing with her. “Please?”
“I’m on my way, sis. And I’m bringing the dress and shoes.” By the time she arrived at the flower shop, Sara was carrying a garment bag, along with a tote bag. “I added sexy underwear, just in case you get lucky, and jewelry, and some wonderfully expensive perfume. This gorgeous guy won’t know what hit him.” She didn’t admit that every bit of the items were gifts from their older sisters who could afford such things.
“I don’t know, Sara.”
“You have to stop seeing the old you in the mirror,” Sara insisted. “Haven’t you heard Jenna and Stacy tell you how beautiful you are? You really are beautiful, and it is time you behaved like it. Make us proud, Holly. Of us unattached sisters, you are the only one with a date for Saturday night!”
Holly laughed, and then immersed herself in making arrangements to be proud of. She had extra flowers on hand because a wedding scheduled for this weekend had to be canceled at the last minute due to the fact the bride was in a car accident a couple days earlier. She was going to survive, but she would be on crutches for quite a while, and she swore she was not going to walk down the aisle on crutches. It wasn’t the first time that something like this had happened, and Holly was pleased that the flowers could be used for something charitable. As she worked, she thought of Quince Andrews, and tried to imagine what it would be like to have a man like him interested in her. She couldn’t believe he’d actually asked her to attend the function as his guest; she knew it was because he was grateful to her for agreeing to do the flower arrangements, but it would be fun to pretend for just one evening that she was like her two older sisters, and pretty enough to attract a really handsome man.
She heard the telephone, and a few seconds later Sara stuck her head through the door separating the front from the workroom and said, “It’s for you, Holly. It’s gorgeous man!”
Holly prayed that Quince didn’t hear Sara; she grabbed the telephone and said, “Hello.”
“Hi, Holly. How are you coming with the table decorations?” Even his voice was sexy!
“I’ll have them finished in plenty of time to get them there before anyone arrives, Quince.”
“Good. How are you holding up? I haven’t given you too much stress, have I?” He sounded as though he really cared.
“I’m doing fine. My sister Sara came in to cover the front for me, and the arrangements will be beautiful, I promise.”
“I’m sure they will. Are you going to make me a happy man and be my date for the evening?” he asked hopefully.
“Are you truly sure you want me to come as a guest?” she asked in disbelief.
“I wouldn’t have invited you if I didn’t want you to come, Holly. Please say you will.”
“Okay, I will. It sounds like fun,” she admitted.
And it was. What was especially fun was running into her sister Stacy, who was covering the charity event for the television station. Stacy was thrilled to see Holly there, and she managed to whisper that Quince was gorgeous after Holly introduced him. Quince’s boss complimented him on a job well done, and he was cordial to Holly, especially when Quince informed him that Holly made all of the floral centerpieces for the event. Holly enjoyed being with Quince, too, but when the evening came to an end, Holly was sure she would never hear from Quince again. He would see to it that she was paid for the arrangements, and that would be that, but it was a fun evening.
The last thing she expected was for Quince to call her Monday morning as soon as the flower shop opened. “I tried to call you yesterday, but your home number wasn’t on your card, and I have no idea where you live.”
“Oh, well… Did you need something?” she asked.
“I enjoyed our evening together and I wanted to make sure you did, too…?” he said.
“Yes, it was nice.”
“Will you go out with me tonight?” He stunned her by asking her out again!
“What for?” she asked.
“Because I like you and I had a lot of fun spending time with you Saturday evening. I thought you had fun, too?”
“I did,” she agreed, still surprised that he would ask her out again!
“So, what is the problem? Do you have another date?” She heard the disappointment in his voice, but could hardly believe it was because he actually wanted to spend time with her. “Holly, if there is someone else in your life then you need to speak up and tell me so. This is a time for honesty,” Quince insisted. “I care about you, and I don’t want to get hurt.”
“Okay. I honestly can’t believe that a guy like you is interested in me. I’m not used to someone wanting to be with me, other than my sisters, of course.”
“What kind of nonsense is this? Don’t you realize how beautiful and smart you are? That you have a wonderful personality? Holly, I had the best time of my life with you Saturday evening. You are the one who made me feel special. I saw the looks of envy that my male coworkers gave me. And, the single ladies were jealous of you.”
“Jealous of me? Are you trying to make me laugh?” Holly was perfectly serious. “Quince, you could have any woman you want; why would you pick me? I’m nobody special.”
“You are special to me, Holly, and I intend to prove that to you this evening. I’ll pick you up at closing.” He hung up the telephone, and Holly spent the rest of the day worrying about what he meant by proving that she was special to him. If the man thought a few words would earn him a place in her bed, then he was mistaken. Holly was waiting for marriage. She knew that Stacy and Edmund were openly living together, but anyone could see that Edmund was head over heels in love with the beautiful Stacy.
Sara came to work and Holly could tell she was upset about something. “What’s wrong with you today, sis?”
“Nothing.”
“You may as well tell me and save all the badgering I’ll do until I worm it out of you,” Ho
lly insisted. “I am extremely persistent.”
“It’s not really a huge secret. The building I live in has been sold, and the apartments are going to be sold as condos. I love my place and I don’t want to move, but there is no way on this earth I can get a loan to buy a condo. I am another two years, at least, from earning my masters, and where am I going to find another apartment I can afford? The thought of moving home with the parents makes me ill. Mom doesn’t respect anyone’s privacy, as you know, and Dad will start treating me like a teenager with all his rules. If you hear of anything, will you let me know, Holly?”
“Sure will, honey,” Holly promised sympathetically. She gave Sara a big hug, but was prevented from saying anything else as a family came in to order flowers for their father’s funeral, and the telephone rang at the same time. Sara got the phone, and Holly spent the next hour offering sympathy and helping them pick out just the right arrangements to honor their parent.
The rest of the day passed busily and it didn’t take Holly long to realize that some of her business was a direct result of her work for the charity event. Several customers who came in and called mentioned loving her work, and she was pleased as could be. She might not be as beautiful as her sisters, but she was talented when it came to working with flowers.
When Quince entered the shop right before closing time, Holly was actually surprised to see him. The man was so handsome it took her breath away. What did he see in her? She hoped he wasn’t trying to pay her back for helping him on Saturday by giving her some attention? Still, his eyes lit up when he looked at her, and that smile was genuine.
“Are you almost ready to leave, Holly? I thought we could drop your car off at your place and then I could drive us somewhere for dinner…?”
“I don’t live too far from here,” she admitted. Quince followed her, and waited patiently for her to park her van. It was the same van she used to make deliveries; the sides were colorfully painted with the name of her shop and the telephone number, but what really made it stand out and catch everyone’s attention was the floral arrangements painted on each side. Each one was very beautiful, and she’d paid an outrageous sum for the artwork. But, it was good for business.
“I hope you don’t mind Italian?” Quince asked as he patiently waited for her to fasten her seatbelt. “I’m super hungry+ tonight; there was no time for lunch today.”
“I am hungry, too, and Italian is fine.” She would order a huge salad, and only eat a small portion of pasta. Holly wasn’t about to gain back the eighty pounds she’d lost. “I had a busy day, too,” she admitted. “Several customers were a direct result of the floral arrangements I did for your charity event.”
“That’s great!” he said with a smile, genuinely pleased. They talked of other things, their conversation easy and unforced. Holly learned more about his family, and Quince asked about her siblings and parents. When they were finished eating, he drove back to her place. “I hope you’re planning to invite me inside for a cup of coffee, Holly. We have a serious matter to discuss.”
Holly looked at him in dismay. His tone of voice was very firm, and her insides quivered in response. “I have coffee,” she answered, and melted when he smiled at her. Holly thought that one of her sisters would have known exactly what to say that wouldn’t have sounded so dumb! Quince didn’t act as though he found her stupid, and Holly found herself laughing as he related a story concerning his boss trying to use the new coffee maker they’d installed in the break room. He took her keys from her hand and swiftly unlocked the door to her condo.
“This is a lovely place, Holly. I would know it was your home in a heartbeat.”
“Really?”
“Of course. It is beautiful, just like you.”
“Quince, you don’t need to flatter me,” she said a bit more sharply than she intended. “Beautiful describes Stacy and Jenna, but not me!” She hurried to the kitchen so that he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. But, before she could take the expensive coffee from the freezer where she kept it so it wouldn’t go stale before she used it all, Quince took her by the arm and turned her to face him. His face was set in angry lines and Holly swallowed hard.
“I never ever want to hear you say something like that about yourself again, young lady. You are beautiful, and I think you are more beautiful than Stacy.”
“She’s thin, and…”
“And she looks like a toothpick. You are a woman with curves where I like them. Do I need to spank you to prove that?” he demanded, and Holly felt her tummy do a flip-flop.
“You wouldn’t!” she whispered, wondering if he would. In the next second Quince bent her over the granite counter top and gave her bottom ten hard spanks! Her bottom was stinging when he pulled her up to look into her eyes.
“Do you still think I wouldn’t?” he asked. “You are beautiful, and I want to hear you say so, pretty lady.”
“You make me feel beautiful,” she whispered, sliding her arms around his neck and standing on tiptoe to kiss him. Maybe it was possible that she could be like her two older sisters and find love!
Chapter Four: Sara
Sara was depressed, and there was no point in denying it. Holly paid her a more than fair wage for the hours she put in at the shop, but with school and rent and all the other bills she had, there was no way she could afford to stay in the apartment she’d called home for the last three years. The apartment was hers before that jerk of a boyfriend betrayed her with another woman, and she kicked him out into the street in spite of the fact he thought he had as much right to her place as she did. She’d gone to court to defend her apartment, and she won. Now, her beloved building was sold to some man who probably had millions, and he was ruining her life!
Sara wiped her leaking eyes and then blew her nose. What she needed to do was go and see this mini god and give him a piece of her mind! He shouldn’t be allowed to disrupt people’s lives without so much thought as what to eat for lunch that day! Maybe the others who lived here were able to afford to keep their homes, or perhaps they were like Mrs. Mendez, who looked forward to moving in with her daughter and son-in-law and her grandkids. Jim and Susie were pregnant and needed a larger place, so they weren’t heartbroken, either. But, a few others were as distraught as she was, and Sara felt it was time that someone confront the new owner and let him know how he was ruining their lives for a few dollars.
Sara didn’t bother changing clothes. She was wearing her favorite worn jeans and a tee shirt from the university she attended. Flip-flops were on her feet, and her hair was braided into two plaits. She didn’t bother with makeup, either. After all, she wasn’t out to impress the jackass!
Sara got into her beat up car, put said jackass’ address into the GPS that her dear sisters gave her last Christmas because Sara was hopeless when it came to directions. She got so turned around without even trying, especially at night, and the others worried about her driving into a bad area of town and something terrible happening to her. Sara used that GPS religiously. The farther she drove, the angrier she got… and when she discovered that he lived in a gated community, it made her even angrier. The guard’s little office space was probably as big as her apartment!
“Is Mr. Williamson expecting you, Miss?” the guard asked.
“No.” She told the truth. If he knew she was coming he would probably dodge her.
“Wait here just a moment, please.” The middle-aged man went back inside his office, picked up a telephone, and Sara was positive she would be told to get lost when the guard returned. But, to her surprise, he returned and smiled. “Mr. Williamson is home, Miss. You just stay on this street for three blocks, turn left on Williamson Drive, and his home is on the right side of the block.” He smile again and Sara wanted to smack him for what he was thinking!
She found his home easily, which was a shock. But then, it wasn’t all that hard. His house was huge and took up the right side of the street. Sara realized that his garage was huge and probably parked at least five cars
! She stomped up the sidewalk and then leaned on the doorbell.
When Vincent heard the doorbell ring and ring and keep on ringing he quickly realized that the ‘pretty lady’ that Jacob said was at the gate asking for him was not here for a pleasant interlude. By the time he reached the front door he was irritated. He opened the door, ready to send the rude female on her way, but before he could say one word, her hand shot out and slapped him with considerable force! It took a lot to make Vincent truly angry, but it had been a trying day, and the fact that this slip of a girl thought she could behave like a termagant and slap him hard enough to send him backwards a few steps before he caught his balance was the final straw as far as he was concerned.
Sara gasped in shock as the man reached out and snagged her wrist and pulled her inside. “You let me go, damn you!”
“You started this, lady, but I guarantee I am going to finish it.” He sat down on his sofa, and then jerked her over his lap. “I’m going to enjoy this,” he told the kicking redhead, and he brought the palm of his hand down on her rounded bottom, and continued to spank her with every intention of making her regret her behavior.
“Owwwww! Stop! Stop! You have no right to do this, you rich jackass! You don’t care what you do to people, do you? Ouch! OUCH! Stop it! Stop!” Sara kicked and tried to squirm free but Vincent Williamson was strong, and he continued to paddle her poor butt with a hand that felt like a board. Her worn jeans were no protection whatsoever!
“I am not the one whose manners are so poor as to slap a man without so much as introducing yourself and stating your problem before attacking!” His face still burned and he wanted her butt to burn just as badly.
“Stop, please!” Sara knew she was close to crying and that would be the final humiliation as far as she was concerned. “Please, this is wrong! I only hit you once!”
“Punitive damages,” was his prompt response as his hand moved lower and started whacking her sit spots and upper thighs.
The man knew how to give a spanking, Sara realized. She finally gave up the struggle; she was going to lose anyway. He was too strong, and she was at the end of her emotional rope. Sara started crying, and once she started, she was soon sobbing and bawling like a baby! How embarrassing, but she couldn’t stop!
