Charades

Chapter 13

     I was working at the flower shop. The flower shop was a tiny little shop, where there was nothing but a counter I stood behind and shelves of flowers. My job was to receive coins the shoppers would bring us in exchange for flowers and I'd been working for a few days now. I loved my job and I was grateful Aaron hired me.

     I heard the ringing of bells as someone entered the shop. My head shot up and I was surprised to see a young man there. His eyes lingered on me and he smiled, and I smiled back, surprised by how handsome he was. With his light brown hair and brown eyes, he was stunning and I watched as he went to a bouquet of sunflowers. He scanned them and after a moment, he grabbed them and went over to me.

     "Hello there," he said. "What's a pretty lady like you doing behind a counter? Where is your husband?"

     "I don't have a husband," I said. "And I enjoy making my own money."

     The man's eyebrows shot up and he grinned sloppily. His white shirt had a few buttons undone and his black pants fitted right. There was a sparkle in his eyes that drew me towards him.

     "How much are these flowers?" he asked.

     "Ten coins," I said.

     The man yanked out some coins from his pocket and handed them to me. I counted them and frowned when I noticed he gave me ten extra coins.

     "You've given me too much," I said, frowning as I handed him the ten extra coins.

     "No, I've given you the perfect amount. He winked. "Just a tip for you, my dear." 

     My eyes widened as I hesitated. It felt wrong to take the extra coins, but with him smiling, his eyes sparked with emotions, I gulped.

     "Oh, thank you," I said.

     I then jumped when I heard the ringing of the bells. My eyes darted to the door and I froze when I saw Ronan there. He was in his work clothes - a loose beige shirt and dark brown slacks and his eyes locked on mine. Stunned, I gaped at him, unable to believe he was here.

     "Well, I should be off to give my mother these flowers," the man said. "I'm Valentino, by the way. And if you're ever looking for a husband, don't hesitate to reach out to me."

     My cheeks heated up and Valentino winked at me. He was still grinning and he nodded before he turned around and walked off. I stared after him, feeling lost and when the door clicked shut, my eyes went back to Ronan who was now staring at some roses. His eyebrows were furrowed and his face was expressionless, and my heart raced at the sight of him.

     And after a moment, Ronan grabbed a bouquet of red roses. He held them tightly in his hands and he made his way towards me. His eyes were locked on mine and I stood there, staring at him.

     "How much are these?" Ronan asked.

     "Fifteen coins," I said.

     Ronan pulled out coins from his pocket and he handed them to me. I counted them and put them away, and my eyes lingered on Ronan who stood there in front of me. He was expressionless, but his eyes were swarmed with emotions.

     "Who are these flowers for?" I asked. "They're lovely."

     "For you," Ronan said.

     My eyes flew wide as Ronan handed the flowers to me. He held them and I grew surprised by the way his hands shook. His eyes were on mine however, and I flushed.

     "Thank you," I said, amazed. My heart soared with joy at the thought of Ronan buying me flowers. "These are beautifully."

     I took the flowers from Ronan and I was blushing. My heart was racing and Ronan's expression softened. No longer did he seem tense.