I will never forget that conversation and what her favorite flower is. That’s why I end up at the local flower shop. I’m greeted by an older man who looks way too gruff to be working here.
“How can I help you?” he asks.
“Can I get some tulips? Any color you have, or a mix of all of them.”
He nods, and grabs a collection of multicolor flowers, purple, yellow, pink, and red. It’s perfect. I pay and then head over to Lily’s. I wanted to give her space after yesterday, but I need to check on her. I hope these will at least bring a smile to her face. I don’t know if she’s going to be upset about breaking up with Aaron. I hope not, but I’m prepared to meet her where she’s at and I’ll help her get through anything.
When I get to her house, she’s at her car. I start to panic that she’s going to leave, she’s going to follow that asshole back to California and leave me once again. This time I know if she leaves it would be for good.
Grabbing the flowers, I jump out of my truck. Her eyes shoot up to mine, then down to my hand.
“Where’d you get those?” She looks back up to me. Her eyes aren’t red and she doesn’t look upset at all. My shoulders drop in relief seeing her look just as happy as she always does.
“The flower shop?”
“The one with the daddy?”
I sputter. “The what?”
“The daddy flower shop owner. Flower daddy, if you will.”
“I don’t…I didn’t pay attention to if he was.”
“Was what?” She smirks.
“Was a flower…what you said.” I wave my hand around.
Lily smiles manically. The look brings me back to when we were younger. The troublemaker that she is. That we both were. The girl I’ve missed having in my life so badly. “What did I say?”
“Don’t do this.”
“Say it.”
“A flower…daddy,” I mumble reluctantly.
Lily throws her head back with her loud boisterous laughter, and I can’t help but join in. I want to grab her, yank her into me, and kiss the shit out of her while I feel her laughter against my mouth. I want to get totally lost in her again. I want to have her back for good.
“Are they for me?” she finally asks when her laughter diesdown.
“No, actually they’re for your mom. I figured your dad should get some competition.”
She rolls her eyes, and scoffs. “You’re ridiculous.”
I step closer and hold them out toward her. “Of course they’re for you.”
Lily looks at the flowers, and I catch her breath hitch. “They’re tulips.”
“Your favorite.”
She swallows roughly. “How do you remember that?”
“I remember everything about you,” I tell her honestly.
Her jaw drops, but she doesn’t say anything. Her eyes search mine, and I let her see the truth in them. Then she drops her gaze away, and my shoulders slump.
“Yeah, well I’m sure you remember everything about lots of women.” She tries to sound like she’s joking, but I can feel the deflection that it is.
“Nope, just one.” I take a step back from her, even though it physically pains me to do when all I want is to pull her closer to me. I shove my hands in my pockets to stop myself from giving into the urge. “Where are you going?”