MY CONSTELLATION LOVER

CHAPTER 2

Annaliese's florist shop was busy today. There were several orders to fill, a wedding, convention, and an anniversary for a nice elderly couple who would just stop in to say hello to her. She was busy at her work station, a long, sleek table with several flowers, ferns, baby's breaths, ribbons and even some color swatches given to her by the customers, to match the flowers with the event. "It's going to be a long day," Gwen Rogers said, backing away to admire the bouquet she just finished for a bride. Gwen's tight, curly blonde hair was up in a clip, and a few loose curls hung down her slender neck. She was Annaliese's best friend, and Assistant of The Petal Shop, the only florist in this tiny little town that Annaliese had inherited from her Godmother, who passed two years ago. Getting the call and the reading of the will, it came to no surprise that she was the one to inherit the shop. At first, she was going to decline, not wanting to move from her beloved New York City, but, she was at a point where she did not know what she wanted to do, and when the opportunity came to take the shop over, she jumped on it.

The jingling bell rang over the front door of The Petal Shop, and a young lady came in with a baby. "I'm going to the back for a second, would you please get this customer, Gwen?" Gwen stopped fussing with the bridal bouquet and walked over to the woman. Annaliese went to the back stockroom to get a few more items for the upcoming convention, which had a deadline. They wanted only blue and purple flowers, and she knew a shipment of ribbons and vases were here, somewhere. She found the crate and carried it to the front only to nearly drop it when she saw who was waiting in doorway of the store.

Ricky Stimmons, Jr., stood smiling ear to ear when he saw Annaliese. He was about six feet tall, had on a tight black shirt with some race car picture, blue jeans, dirty biker boots, and purposely had his arms crossed over his chest, flexing them in an effort to show off. Tattoos of several designs covered both his arms, his neck, and his elbows. His short black hair reached his ears and he had his mirrored sunglasses on, chewing on a toothpick. Annaliese hated him. He would come into her store, at least once a week, to just annoy her into dating him. "So how's my darlin'?" he asked her, pushing the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other, blocking the door. Annaliese just cringed inside. She had a small handful of boyfriends, and the last relationship she had ended just terribly. She shoved the memory of that creep Dave Brookers to the side, and on reflex, looked down at her left hand where the faint indentation of the engagement ring could still be seen, if she looked long enough. Gwen cleared her throat then. "You may want to just move away from our front door, Ricky. You are blocking customers." Ricky still remained in the doorway, not glancing at Gwen. She put her hands on her hips and stared darkly at him from the work table. "So Annaliese, when are ya'll gonna go out with me? I can get us the best table at Journey's, as I know the proprietor." Annaliese put the box down at her feet. She had been invited out to dinners before, but he had to be kidding. "Journey's?" she looked at Ricky, incredulously. She walked right up to him and had to bend her head to see him. He slid his mirrored sunglasses down his nose and smiled at her, straight white teeth, perfect. "Yes, darlin'. What do ya'll say I come git ya tonight?" She made two fists with her hands, which remained at her sides. She was only five feet tall, so Ricky was an entire foot taller than she was. "How dare you ask to take me to a strip club, Ricky Stimmons!" She was mortified. He backed away, as if he got hit in the face. "Don't judge Journey's, they have great food, music, and the girls are first rate." He again flexed his arms and she saw a tattoo peeking out from under his shirt of the grim reaper. "I do not want to go out with you, and I want you to leave me alone. Go find someone else to bother. Now, leave my store," and she pointed her finger to the door. He stopped smiling and relaxed his arms, pushing his sunglasses back up his face. "I ain't gonna ever stop coming by," he told her. "Git this straight. You and me, we are gonna be together one day." He looked over at Gwen who was staring daggers at him, hands on her hips. She was taller than Annaliese by only a few inches, and very petite. He winked at her. "Ladies, have a nice day. Be seeing ya, Annaliese."