by Nina Bocci
“Am I wrong?” she deadpanned.
“No, you’re right, but subtlety has never been your strong suit.”
Charlotte waved at the stack of yellow order slips beside her workstation and then at the calendar that hung on the wall.
“I guess the florist business is keeping you pretty busy, huh?” I asked, knowing that she wasn’t busy only with the work of running her own business but also with the details of trying to buy said business from the owner. If the calendar was any indication of how swamped she was, she needed some help—and fast. It was color-coded and positively filled with scribbles.
“As you can see, I don’t have much time for subtle these days.”
“Girl, you need help!”
“I know, I know. I’m working on it. Trying to find someone who can handle all this crazy.”
“Well, your crazy is part of why I love you.” I looked around the office she was in. “Busy tonight?”
She wiped her forehead dramatically. “So busy, but it’s good. I’m still gathering all the paperwork that I need to get the loan to buy this place outright, but the bank says that everything is looking good and I should be the proud owner of Late Bloomers by summer.”
Seeing her face light up at the mention of owning her own floral shop lit me up inside. Charlotte was so lost for so long, and she had finally found true happiness. If I didn’t love her so much, I’d be rolling in jealousy. We couldn’t be in more opposite positions.
“C, that’s amazing. I’m so proud of you. Here you are in the process of getting your own business—your dream business—and I just sold mine.” Admittedly, there was a little bit of jealousy in my heart. Which was something I wasn’t keen on considering, since this was my best friend in all the world.
Just as easily as her face lit up, all that happiness evaporated at my words. “Parks, I’m sorry, that was so insensitive of me. I—”
I cut her off with a wave of my hand. “Stop it. You have every right to be over the moon about buying Late Bloomers. And I know selling D&V was the right decision. I was beginning to feel morally bankrupt, with all the divorce and cheating cakes. I still have no idea how they’re going to franchise it, but—”
“It isn’t your problem now, sister!” she teased, and she was right. It wasn’t my problem.
“Have you been good otherwise, though? Shop’s good? Friends are good?” I asked, trying not to sound like I was fishing for information.
“The business has been a godsend in terms of dealing with this weather. I’m so busy that I don’t mind the cold, and because I can’t drive, I get to carpool into town with my honey. If I was home, I think I’d lose my mind. I’ve never seen so much snow, and there’s nowhere to put it!”
“It’s only January, honey. You’ve got at least two more months of it,” I explained, laughing when Charlotte pretended to tug at her hair in frustration. “Where’s your delightful professor? Out shoveling?”
Charlotte was dating her childhood BFF, Henry, after reconnecting when she returned to Hope Lake last year. It was incredible to see the change that being back in her hometown had brought about in her—especially because she’d fought the relocation tooth and nail.
She smiled, looking dreamily at a framed photo on the corner of her workstation. It was from the Fourth of July last year, when I’d surprised her for a quick visit. Well, sort of quick. The photo included, me, Charlotte, Henry, her friends Emma and Cooper, and their friend Nick. I bit back my grimace at the sight of Nick.
Something struck the work table near Charlotte’s hand. A couple of chunks of florist foam had fallen out of the precarious design she’d started. “Damn it, I’m so clumsy, lately. Anyway, where was I? Oh, Henry is back at school after Christmas recess, which was lovely because we both got a small break over the holidays. I wish you could have seen this place for Christmas. It looked like a Hallmark movie.”
“Too bad I missed it,” I said, twirling a pencil between my fingers.
“You should come visit Hope Lake—and soon! Like tomorrow-soon. Henry’s birthday is coming up, plus you miss me, and who knows, maybe a change of scenery will help kick you in the ass a bit.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” I said, and to my surprise, I realized I felt excited about the prospect.
“You can actually veg out for a minute. I think you deserve some free time.” Charlotte winked, knowing damn well I was free all the time now.
“Again, I say to you, subtlety is an art you have not mastered.”
Charlotte, suddenly serious, faced the phone head-on. She ET’d the phone, pushing her index finger onto the screen. I responded by placing mine against hers, causing the image to wobble a moment. “I miss your stupid face. Come visit.”
“Well, with an offer like that, how can a girl refuse?”
“I’m serious, Parker. I know you; you’re floundering.”
“What’s the phrase? My new normal? I’m trying to figure out exactly what that is. I spent years building D&V and now it’s gone. I mean, I’m glad it is, because I was a zombie all the time, but what do I do now? Who am I without it?”
She sighed, and I was pretty sure that if we were face-to-face, and not screen-to-screen, she would have pulled me into one of her crippling hugs. “Delicious & Vicious was a part of you, but it’s not all you are. Selling it was the best decision you made. You saw me last year when I was having a hard time. You didn’t let me give up, and I’m not going to let you either. Come visit. Recharge your batteries and enjoy this godforsaken snow.”
“How’s the sledding in Hope Lake?” I asked, jumping up from the chair and setting the phone on a nearby table. I stretched my arms up over my head, hoping to ease the stiffness out.
Why was I hesitating? Really, what else did I have to do? Or lose? Besides a little bit of this ennui. It was now or never. If I didn’t get ready quickly, I knew I’d back out. I grabbed a suitcase and began tossing essentials inside. What I didn’t bring I could buy there.
“The best.” Charlotte glanced at her watch. “If you catch the three o’clock bus, you’ll get here in time for dinner.”
“I hope you’re not cooking,” I joked before hitting the red button.
Continue Reading…
The Ingredients of You and Me
Nina Bocci
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
© KEITH PERKS
Nina Bocci is a USA Today bestselling novelist who loves reading and writing about swoony, relatable heroes and smart, witty heroines. If the book’s set in a small town, even better. You can always find her chatting on social media about her massive, crazy Italian family and her favorite person in the world, her son. Find her @ninabocci on Twitter and Facebook, and @ninapolitan on Instagram.
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SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Nina-Bocci
SimonandSchuster.com
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ALSO BY NINA BOCCI
On the Corner of Love and Hate (The Hopeless Romantics Series)
Roman Crazy (with Alice Clayton)
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2019 by Nina Bocci
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First Gallery Books trade paperback edition December 2019
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Cover image by Getty Images
Library of Congress Control Number: 2019950521
ISBN 978-1-9821-0204-3
ISBN 978-1-9821-0206-7 (ebook)
