Crash [H.S.]

fifty three

Joselyn Myers

"Ready to go back to work?" Harry playfully nudged my arm across the center console as we pulled in front of the flower shop. I looked over my shoulder to the beautiful store front, the bright open sign lit up in the front window along with an array of new arrangements that Patricia must've set up this morning.

"Yes and no." I truthfully answered, a small chuckle escaping past my lips as Harry put the car in park. "Yes because I love my job, no because I miss being on vacation already." I pouted my lips together as I watched Harry shake his head in response.

"Welcome back to the real world baby." He jokingly reached over to tickle the side of my ribs, earning a swat on the arm from me. "Alright, I'm gonna go find a parking spot 'round back and I'll meet you in there okay? Don't want you to be late on your first day back now do we?" His fingers moved up to pinch my cheek, my lips unable to fight the smile that formed on them.

"Okay fine, I'm going." I chuckled in response, leaning over the center console to press a quick kiss on his lips, the faint taste of the coffee he drank earlier still lingering, only making it that much harder to pull away. "See you in a second." I sadly pulled away when I felt Harry rest his hand on my arm to not so subtly push me away and practically force me out of the car.

"You got it." As soon as I opened the door to his Range Rover, he didn't miss the opportunity to swing his hands upwards from the corners of his mouth with an over the top, full smile. "Remember to smile!" I simply shook my head, unable to stop myself from laughing at the action before stepping out of the car and shutting the door behind me.

I watched him pull away and turn into the back parking lot, now having nothing left to stall me going into the shop. Not that I didn't want to, but like I said, anyone who just returned from not having to work for two weeks and only just came back from a luxurious trip to the Caribbean yesterday...no matter how much you loved your job it would still take some convincing to return back to work.

As soon as I entered the shop, the familiar high pitched bell rang through my ears, and it only took about two seconds for Patricia to spot me from behind the checkout counter with the most beaming smile on her face. "Joselyn! Oh you're back, you're back, it's so lovely to see you again sweetie!" I happily matched her excited expression, waving at her until I met her behind the counter.

I was immediately pulled in for a hug, "Hi Patricia, it's good to see you too." I lightly chuckled, rubbing my hands up and down her back as we hugged. "How's the business been?" I slowly pulled away, keeping my right hand perched on the side of her arm as I looked down at her petite frame.

"It's been absolutely wonderful, Tony and I filled a lot of holiday orders—it's my favorite time of year to make arrangements because I just love poinsettias." She clasped her fingers together before looking off in the distance behind me, as if she dozed off momentarily in her own little world.

"Aww, that's so good to hear. Thank you again for the arrangement you sent me for Christmas, I made sure to tell my roommate to pop over to my boyfriend's house a few times while I was gone to water the plants in the sunroom he has—that's where I hung the poinsettias you sent us." Her eyes immediately lit up as I explained, her lips forming into a tight "o" shape just as I finished.

"Oh I remember about the sunroom...and that special garden he graciously lets you take care of..." She paused, a small hint of a smirk pulling up on her lips at the same time as she started wiggling her eyebrows up and down. "Such a sweet young man—and you're welcome for the flowers, I hope you both enjoyed them." Now she was flashing me a playful wink, and I immediately let out a flustered groan in response to her.