by Noelle Adams
This was good. Better than good. And it didn’t even feel dangerous.
She wasn’t scared of it like she’d been before.
ON MONDAY MORNING, Madeline woke up in her own bed since the girls had still been at the house. She preferred to spend the night with Ken, but she was happy about how the weekend had gone. After dinner on Friday, she’d hung out with Ken and the girls for a few hours on Saturday afternoon. She hadn’t seen them yesterday, but that was okay.
She still felt really close to Ken. Like they’d moved forward over the weekend. In a way she really wanted.
Matthew had come to town yesterday to finalize plans with Jacob on the renovations of a couple of the downtown buildings, so she’d had dinner with her brother last night and told him about her and Ken.
She wasn’t sure how she’d expected him to react, but he hadn’t been upset or protective or obnoxious or anything. He’d listened with his typical sobriety. Asked how long they’d been together and whether it was serious. And then nodded and said, “Ken’s a good guy. You could do a lot worse.”
And that was it.
Matthew had spent the night on her couch, so she was quiet when she got up and went into the kitchen to make some coffee. By the time the pot had brewed, her brother was awake and sitting groggily at her kitchen island, waiting for the coffee before he did anything as energetic as have a conversation.
They drank their coffee in silence for a while, both of them distracted by their phones. Ken had texted about a half hour ago, asking how her night had gone and saying the girls and Marlowe had missed her. When she asked him how he knew she’d been missed, he’d explained that the girls had asked if she was coming over yesterday evening, and the dog had spent an hour in the evening, lying at the front door with his nose to the crack, hoping to catch a scent of her approaching.
The visual made her giggle. She loved that sweet, gangly dog.
“What time are you heading back?” she asked her brother when she’d concluded the text conversation with Ken because he was getting his daughters ready for school.
“Pretty soon. I’ve got a meeting at ten I need to be back for.”
Richmond was less than an hour away, so he should have plenty of time. “It was good to have you here,” she said. “You should come more often.”
“I know. But my life is there.”
“Well, some of your life is here.”
He gave her a half smile. “Yeah. I know that too.”
She was about to change the subject when her phone buzzed with a text. Glancing down, she said, “Skye’s here. She wants to borrow one of my purses.”
Matthew arched his eyebrows.
“She doesn’t know you’re here,” Madeline said, jumping to her friend’s defense. “I didn’t tell her you decided to spend the night.”
Skye had had a crush on Matthew for most of the time she’d known him. It had been obvious to everyone, including Matthew. And no matter how much Madeline insisted that Skye was over it, he wasn’t entirely convinced.
Shaking her head at her brother’s stubborn disbelief, Madeline went to let Skye in.
Skye breezed in, talking a mile a minute about her most recent annoyance with her parents. She still lived at home, and she was the youngest of a very large family. Her parents and siblings insisted on treating her like she wasn’t quite grown-up. Madeline could completely understand how annoying this was for a twenty-six-year-old woman.
Skye’s long rambling spiel came to an abrupt stop when she saw Matthew sitting at the island.
Her big blue eyes got very round. “Oh.”
“Matthew spent the night.”
“Oh.” For just a moment Skye looked like a spooked animal.
“Hi, Skye,” Matthew said with a casual smile.
“Oh.”
Madeline tried not to laugh. It was occasionally embarrassing—Skye’s long-standing crush on her brother. Surely one day she’d get over it for good. “Let me grab that purse for you,” she said, trying to cut the tension.
“Oh,” Skye said again.
Matthew didn’t say anything. Just fiddled with his phone, the barest hint of a smile on his mouth. For a man as serious and thoughtful as he normally was, he certainly was amused by Skye.
Madeline returned with the purse. Skye mumbled a thanks and got out of there fast.
KEN WENT INTO ANNA’S that morning for breakfast, just like he always did.
Maybe Madeline would stop by. He really wanted to see her. He hoped it wasn’t too ridiculous to miss her so much after only one day of not seeing her, but he did.
The past three weeks had been some of the best of his life, and it had only gotten better when Madeline decided she was ready to spend some time with his daughters.
When he saw Jacob and Ria sharing a booth upon entering, he went over to say hello. Jacob moved over to sit beside Ria and gestured him into the other side. So Ken joined them, glad for the company and the distraction so he wouldn’t sit the whole time and hope to see Madeline.
“How’re things going?” Jacob asked, buttering a toasted English muffin as Brenda brought Ken over a cup of coffee.
“Good. Good. Real good.”
Ria laughed softly. “So things are good?” she teased.
Ken huffed with amusement. “Kinda obvious, am I?”
“Just a little. Madeline said she might stop by this morning to say hi.” Ria glanced back toward the entrance. “I think she might have missed you yesterday.”
With a swell of deep pleasure, Ken managed to say in a mostly relaxed tone, “Did she?”
Both Jacob and Ria laughed at that.
Before he could change the subject, Ken was distracted when the door to the diner opened. It felt like he might have lit up (just a little) when Madeline came walking in, looking gorgeous and soft and curvy in a sweater and pair of jeans.
Smiling, she came over to join them, scooting into the booth beside Ken.
It took all the control he possessed not to wrap an arm around her. But he’d promised he would take it slow, and he wasn’t going to betray that promise. Just because he was ready for everything with her didn’t mean she was ready too.
He was happier than he’d ever believed he could be, and they were clearly moving forward in the right direction. He didn’t need to have everything right away.
When she edged closer to him, Ken frowned down at her. Murmured, “Uh, baby, if you sit that close to me, then people are going to talk.”
She laughed, her eyes warm and soft. “I think they’re already talking.”
“Sure. Probably. But if you sit that close to me, they’ll know for sure. Are you sure you want that to happen?” There was the slightest edge of hope in his voice, no matter how he tried to contain it.
Four other tables were currently occupied in Anna’s, including the group of old guys who always gathered in the corner every morning and who had nothing to do with their days except chat. More than enough people were presently witnesses for gossip to spread throughout the whole town before the day was over.
As he looked down at Madeline’s face, it felt like something important was about to occur. Ken held his breath as he waited.
Then Madeline whispered, “So let them know.” Then she pulled his head down and kissed him hard. Right there in the booth at Anna’s. In front of the whole town.
Ken was so overwhelmed that he had trouble responding, although he did manage to slide an arm around her so she couldn’t get away. “Are you sure about this, baby?” he murmured against her mouth.
“Yes. I’m sure. I want everyone to know that you’re mine.”
When the kiss broke, everyone in the restaurant was staring. Brenda was standing behind the counter with a coffeepot, her mouth hanging open.
Ken laughed and couldn’t seem to stop. “Well, they all know now.”
IT WAS THE BEST BREAKFAST he could remember, and he was still grinning like a fool as he and Madeline left Anna’s, her hand clasped in his.
They both needed to go to work, and it didn’t seem quite fair since it felt like after such a blissful climax, they deserved to spend the day together. But Madeline had a shift at the library, and Ken had a morning meeting with his deputies. So they came to a stop at the corner of Main and Monroe.
“So you’re really okay with this?” he asked, checking once more just to be sure.
She was flushed and smiling. “I’m more than okay. I feel great about it. I know I was scared before, but I think hanging out with Heather and Jessie this weekend made me feel like moving forward isn’t going to be that scary. I’m not scared anymore. I’m really not.”
He leaned down to kiss her lightly. He wanted to do more, but they were in public, and there had to be limits. “Good.”
“Thank you for being so patient.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I haven’t done anything that any decent person wouldn’t have done.”
“Maybe. But I think you’re better than decent. I think you’re probably the best man I know.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. And I think...” She trailed off, her eyes suddenly dropping.
Ken’s breath hitched, and he raised her chin with his hand. “You think what?”
“I think I might... is it too soon to say... I...”
“You...” Ken was holding his breath again. He wouldn’t have believed this day could offer him anymore, but maybe it could.
“I might love you,” she burst out, her cheeks deeply pink. She’d dropped her eyes again.
He made a choking sound and pulled her into a hug. And it didn’t matter that they were on a downtown corner and their moment was probably being witnessed by half of Azalea. “It’s not too soon. It’s not anything close to too soon. Because, baby, I love you too.”
Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER, IT was spring, and the flowers were blooming in Ken’s neighborhood as Madeline drove over to his house on a Saturday night.
She was basically living with him now, although she hadn’t officially moved in. Her stuff was all still in her apartment, and she’d gone there during the day to get work done. Her work now was writing the poems and messages for Second Chance Flower Shop and doing her own writing. She’d quit her job at the library a couple of months ago, finally convinced that she no longer needed the safety net.
The change had freed up a lot of time and given her the energy to start working more purposefully on her own book. Unlike Josh, who’d always belittled or ignored her desire to write a book, Ken did nothing but encourage her. He hadn’t said a word of complaint when she’d told him she wanted to spend most of the day writing. Instead, he’d told her it was a good idea since she’d had a lot of inspiration lately. The only thing he’d added was to ask if she’d be done by the evening so they could have dinner together.
She’d run out of steam in the middle of the afternoon, so she’d rested a few hours at her place and then taken a shower and dressed up pretty for Ken since he’d said he was going to make dinner for them tonight.
She was smiling as she drove over. She loved the flowers in the spring. She’d loved the chapter of her book she’d almost finished today. And she loved Ken, and he was waiting for her right now.
Marlowe had been waiting too. He let out happy yips as she unlocked the door, and then he burst into a series of gleeful leaps and twirls as she stepped into the house. She leaned down to hug the dog and let him give her a few sloppy kisses before she straightened up, laughing and scratching behind his ears.
Ken came into the hall to greet her.
“Wow,” she said, her eyes widening at the sight of him in nice black trousers and a gray dress shirt. “You’re looking particularly scrumptious tonight.”
“Yeah?” His eyes were warm and fond as he pulled her into a hug and then a kiss.
“Yes. I’m glad I put on something decent.”
“You look beautiful.” It was very clear from his expression that he meant it.
He took her hand and pulled her into the dining room, which was lit with candles and beautifully set with purple gerbera daisies in a vase in the middle of the table. “Ken! It’s gorgeous. You really went all out.” Her heart was starting to race. It felt like something really good—important—might be happening.
“I did,” he admitted. “Is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay.” She wrapped an arm around him, snuggling against his side as she asked, “What’s going on?”
He opened his mouth and then closed it again.
She pulled away to look up at him. “Ken?”
His mouth twisted almost sheepishly.
She sucked in a breath. “Are you nervous about something?”
“Course not.” He was lying, and he clearly knew she could see it.
Her heart was beating at a gallop now, and her cheeks had flushed with excitement. “You don’t have to be nervous, Ken. Not with me. Not about anything. I know I was scared at first, but I’m not scared anymore. Not about anything. I promise I’m not.”
That was evidently what he’d needed to hear. His face relaxed. “Oh baby, I love you so much.”
“I love you too. You know I do. And I know you’ve been so careful all this time about never calling me your girlfriend, and I really appreciate it. But that’s what I’ve been. Both of us know that’s what I’ve been.”
He nodded and stuck his hand into his pocket. “I know. But I was thinking...” He took a step back as he retrieved his hand. “I was thinking maybe we could skip over the girlfriend stage and move right to something else.”
Her mouth fell open, although she’d known something like this was about to happen. “Move to what?” she whispered.
Ken gave her another sheepish smile and lowered himself to one knee. He extended a diamond ring in one hand. “Madeline, I love you. I love everything about you. And I want to spend the rest of my life loving you the way you deserve. So would you please be my wife?”
She fell into helpless giggles. Had to raise her hands to her mouth to hide it.
Ken started to frown.
“Yes!” she burst out. “Of course I’ll marry you, Ken. I love you more than anything. There’s no one else in the world I’d ever want to marry.” She reached down to pull him back up to his feet.
He grinned as he straightened up. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I want you to be my husband so much!”
Ken slipped the ring on her finger, and they both beamed down at it. Then he kissed her and pulled her into a tight hug.
Marlowe had been watching these strange proceedings with interest, and now he ran in clumsy circles around them. He might have no idea what was happening, but his people were obviously full of joy, which meant that he was full of joy too.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The Second Chance Flower Shop series continues with the third book, The Reunion. You can find an excerpt from it on the following pages. If you haven’t yet read it, the first book in the series is The Return (about Ria and Jacob).
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Excerpt from The Reunion
“I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE you yelled at Matthew,” Madeline said three weeks later as she sorted through dresses on a rack at a small regional department store in a town not far from Azalea.
Skye had been looking at dresses on another rack, but at this she whirled around. “I did not yell at him!”
Madeline laughed. Her gray eyes were just like Matthew’s, and right now they were warm and teasing. “I know. I know. You just spoke to him sternly.”
“It wasn’t sternly.” Skye’s cheeks were growing hot for no good reason. “It wasn’t anything really.”
“W
ell, whatever it was, it had a big effect on Matthew. It’s still nagging at him weeks afterward.”
“He really talks about it?” Skye had gone with Madeline and Ria to look for new dresses to wear to a reunion party at their old high school the following weekend, but she’d completely forgotten about shopping for the moment.
The amusement faded from Madeline’s face. “No. Of course not. You know Matthew. He wouldn’t open up about what he’s feeling to save his life. But every time the conversation even hints in your direction, he’ll ask about you. He thinks he’s being subtle, but he’s not.”
“He asks about me?” Skye’s heart was starting to hammer.
“Yep. Just casually, but something’s definitely prompting it. He never used to do it. I’m sure it’s because he’s upset about you telling him off.”
“I didn’t tell him off.” Skye felt a little like huffing, but she was also strangely gratified. She wasn’t used to having the things she said make a big impression on other people. She was more used to being metaphorically patted on the head. “I don’t think I was really mean about it. So you think he’s upset about it?”
Madeline shrugged. “Who knows with Matthew? I’m sure you weren’t mean. But I think whatever you said to him must have struck a chord.”
“Do you think I should apologize?” Skye was serious. She didn’t think she’d said anything wrong, but she also didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Particularly Matthew’s. She’d always sensed a secret fragility hiding underneath his strong, sober, unflappable demeanor.
For no particular reason, she remembered one day back in high school. She was walking into school when she saw Matthew arriving with a cast on his wrist. Being her (and with fewer boundaries since she’d been very young), she’d gone over immediately to ask him what happened.
He’d said he broke it falling off his bike on the previous evening. She’d asked a bunch more questions and slowly discovered that he’d gone home with his injured risk and told his mother he’d hurt himself. She’d been busy baking for a community event and told him to check with his father. His father had been busy working in his home office and told him to get his mom to take care of it. Madeline hadn’t been able to drive and hadn’t been home that evening anyway.
