Читать книгу Forget Me Not - Crystal B. Bright - Страница 12

Janelle decorated the front window of the store with vases filled with red roses and white baby’s breath. Nothing said stereotypical Valentine ’s Day bouquet like roses.

“Pretty.” Penny nodded as she arranged the greeting cards on the rack by the counter. “Anyone ever tell you that you should do this for a living?”

Janelle snickered. “Maybe once or twice.” She put her fists to her hips as she scanned the store. “I think we’re ready.”

“Ready for romance?” Penny sprayed the counter and wiped it down.

“Ready for more business. It’s been a bit slow. I’m hoping now that football season is over, men will be more attentive to their wives and girlfriends and get some flowers.” So that she didn’t worry her friend, Janelle smiled.

Janelle heard the front door opening before she heard the bell over the door ringing. “Welcome to—” She stopped her standard greeting when she saw her other employee, Thelma, approaching her.

“Thelma, what are you doing here today? You know it’s your day off.” Janelle moved closer to the older woman.

When she caught Thelma’s standoffish vibe from her sour expression and the way she kept her arms crossed over her chest, Janelle stopped.“What’s wrong? Your team didn’t win last night or something?” She laughed.

When Thelma kept her stoic expression, Janelle stopped laughing.

“Can we talk?” Thelma glanced over at Penny. “In private.”

“Uh, yeah. Of course.” Janelle led her to her office.

With the two of them inside and the door closed, the space seemed so cramped. Janelle didn’t keep a lot of items in her office, just a desk, her rolling swivel chair, a chair across from her, and a plant in the corner. Without a window, the office felt more like a closet sometimes.

“What did you want to tal—”

“I’m quitting, effective immediately.” Thelma leaned back in her chair as though waiting for a fight.

Janelle felt her bottom jaw unhinge and nothing coming from her mouth. After Penny, Janelle had hired Thelma based on her years of experience working at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. She had a love of horticulture like Janelle did. Besides that, the older African-American woman reminded her of what a real mother should act like.

The nurturing woman would dispense good advice to her and treat her like a daughter. On occasion, Thelma would bring in plates of freshly baked cookies.

After collecting her thoughts, Janelle managed to muster enough strength to say one word. “Why?”

Thelma took in a deep breath through her wide nostrils and on the exhale said, “You’re in trouble, baby. I’m going to go before I see this place get shut down.”

Janelle shook her head. “What are you talking about? You’re always paid and on time. I’ve never said—”

Thelma cut her off. “You’re a great boss. One of the best I’ve ever worked for. When I retired and decided to do some fun part-time work, I knew I would love working here, and I have. You make it a joy to come here.”

Janelle’s throat started to tighten and her eyes stung from the impending tears. She never wanted to show weakness in front of anyone, let alone her employees. They looked to her to be a strong leader. How could she portray that if she cried at the drop of a hat?

Janelle clasped her hands together and sat them on her desk to give off the air of authority. “So again, why?”

She lowered her tone to almost a whisper despite the door being closed. “I saw the disconnection notice for the light bill, and I paid it.”

Damn it. She wouldn’t crack. She wouldn’t break. Janelle ground her teeth together to harness her feelings. Bosses didn’t weep in front of their employees.

She covered her eyes and lowered her head. Damn if she didn’t feel defeated.

She didn’t expect to feel an arm wrapped around her shoulders. She turned her face away from Thelma before she pushed her chair back to create a wedge between the two of them.

Janelle cleared her throat. “I’m so sorry you felt obligated to do that. I never wanted—”

“You don’t owe me any excuses.” Thelma’s confused expression showed her bewilderment at Janelle’s distant demeanor. “You’ve created a fine business.” She retreated back to her chair. “When you get yourself turned around, and I know you will, call me if you’re in need of more help.”

Janelle nodded. “I’ll take that into consideration.” Talking like a boss would remind her of her position. She owned a business. She had employees, well, an employee under her. Without any money, she would lose it all.

“Thank you.” Thelma smiled. “You run a beautiful flower shop.”

Janelle tried smiling to show some level of control. “I wish you wouldn’t go.”

Thelma moved closer to the door. “I’ll say good-bye to Penny.” She shook her head. “She’s good people but horny as a devil.”

That assessment made Janelle laugh. “You are right about that. She’s been that way for as long as I’ve known her.” She straightened herself up and brought the serious countenance back to her face. “You leaving might make her worry. I don’t want her fearing she may lose her job.” Janelle put her fists to her hips.

“I’ll tell her that I’ve decided to retire for real this time. If she doesn’t know about the problems, she doesn’t have to know.” Thelma opened the door. “Thanks for hiring this old lady.”

“Thanks for working for me. You made this a better place.” Janelle took a couple of deep breaths.

“No.” Thelma pointed to Janelle. “You make this place. It has Janelle Gold all over it. Now go make your mark. I’ll be rooting for you.”

Janelle fought the urge to put her arm around the shorter woman and, instead, patted her shoulder and walked her out to the main store.

“Penny, you be good to Janelle.” Thelma walked toward Penny with her arms outstretched. “I’ve decided to retire for good this time.”

“What? You’re leaving?” Penny hugged Thelma. “Who’s going to bring in hot cookies?”

“Maybe you can learn to bake.” Janelle tried hiding the frustration in her voice, but she knew it crept out anyway.

Penny shivered as though Janelle had suggested she bake with severed kitten heads.

“Don’t be a stranger.” Janelle waved to Thelma as she walked out of the store.

She wanted to break down and cry, but business owners didn’t do that.

Janelle turned her back on the front door and faced Penny. “It’s a big loss for the store, but we’ll manage.”

Penny nodded. “Yeah. I’ll miss her though.”

Janelle would also. Not only would she miss the woman, with her leaving it became clear she had a failing business. She couldn’t take another loss.

“Oh, wow.” Penny’s eyes became wide as she stared at Janelle, or rather something behind her.

“What?”

The door opened again before Janelle heard the bell over it ringing.

“Welcome to—” She stopped her introduction again as soon as she came face to chest to a wall of a man.

Janelle had to take a step back to see his face. When she did, she wanted to take another big step back away from him.

Gideon Wells. As she lived and breathed. She’d imagined him showing up to her store one day to whisk her off her feet, tell her that he had been the one to kiss her that night at the dance so many years ago, and that he’d thought about her every day. She had to get her head out of the clouds.

The tall man had a hard expression on his face until he stared at Janelle. Then it softened. His blue eyes drew her in like the stare that had mystified her so many years ago when she’d dared to look her mystery kisser directly in his eyes before she’d run home. Pretty soon, he started to smile a bit. What power this man had. As soon as she caught his pleasant look, Janelle’s heart stuttered.

Maybe he had remembered her. Then reality hit her. What the hell had happened to her no-man rule? How had seeing this god caused her to imagine romantic possibilities? She needed to ground herself, root herself in reality.

Janelle tugged at her sweater. No way could he find her attractive. She dropped her gaze for a millisecond to take inventory of her outfit.

She had on her standard uniform of droopy sweater, well-worn jeans, broken-in sneakers, and a turtleneck. Gideon, on the other hand, looked like sex on a stick in his T-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a leather jacket.

He had his hair pulled back into a ponytail like Janelle had seen in pictures online. His stare bored a hole through her soul. If he asked her to drop her panties, she might do it, a strange reaction considering she had only heard of him yesterday.

“Um, hi.” Janelle’s voice broke when she finally addressed him. She had her hands to her hips at first, but thought the stance looked too aggressive and so lowered them to her side. Damn, now she looked like a stiff-armed mannequin. “How can I help you?”

“Yeah, you need a bouquet for a young lady?” Penny came around the counter and stood next to Janelle. “Or maybe you need something for your brother Gunnar?”

Janelle whipped her head around to Penny. Under her breath, she whispered, “How do you know that?”

“Google,” Penny replied through her smile to Gideon. “We heard about the shooting yesterday. How awful.” She poked Janelle on her side to get her to speak.

“Uh, yeah. Horrible. Hope they catch who did it.” Janelle nodded. “Good that you rushed back home. That was very, very—um—sweet.”

Penny groaned and lowered her head.

“Thanks.” Gideon’s deep voice rumbled over Janelle.

Her stomach twitched as soon as she heard him. Yep, definitely a panty-dropper type of voice.

“I’m looking for Janelle Gold.” He pointed to Penny. “Is that you?”

Penny started to nod when Janelle pushed her friend away. “I’m Janelle. I own Flowers Galore. Penny Lister is one of my employees.” For now, she could say that with some authority.

Penny held her hand up to Gideon. “Hi.”

Despite Penny positioning her hand in a way that begged for Gideon to kiss the back of it, he, instead, held it like a gentleman and shook it. She slipped out of his grip and stared at her hand like an oddity.

Penny leaned over to Janelle and whispered, “I’m never washing this hand again.”

“Good to know.” Janelle patted her friend’s back and nudged her back to the counter. Then she turned back to Gideon. “You’re looking for me?”

“Yes, my mother said that if I got in a bind at her store to come see you.” He moved in closer to Janelle.

She stood her ground. No way would she run away from someone within her own establishment. Plus, once she smelled his musky scent, she wanted to take it in more. Gideon smelled like what a man should smell like. Earthy yet fragrant, like a cherry blossom tree. His aroma mixed well with the flowers in her establishment. Although she didn’t want to admit it, he fit.

“Oh, yeah? Who’s your mother?” Janelle couldn’t imagine who would refer Gideon Wells to see her.

“Elizabeth Sommerville. Queen Elizabeth. You know her?”

Janelle’s jaw dropped again. After all the conversations she had shared with Elizabeth, how could she not know that Elizabeth had adopted Gideon and Gunnar Wells? The different races and last names shouldn’t have had anything to do with her not knowing. She would have thought she would have heard something about it considering what he did. Then again, Janelle had shut down all conversations about sports with Penny during the game last night. Before then, she hadn’t been open to hearing about athletes and sports.

Elizabeth talked about her family, but never mentioned her sons’ names or professions. That shouldn’t have surprised Janelle. Elizabeth, despite the moniker from the neighborhood residents, had always been down to earth. She talked about the success of her children in their chosen professions like any mom would. So what she had a champion MMA fighter son and now a Super Bowl-winner son? Now that Janelle thought about it, Elizabeth did mention a third son. She wondered what he did for a living.

“I didn’t know you’re Elizabeth’s son.” She put out her hand. “Hi.”

Gideon held Janelle’s hand. Before that touch, Janelle had always wondered why flowers and plants craved the sun. As she held Gideon’s hand, she understood the power of radiant heat. His large hand enveloped hers. She could imagine what it would feel like to be held by him, to have him stroke her bare skin with his fingertips, or how he would touch her as they had wild, animalistic sex.

At the last thought, she pulled her hand away from his and crossed her arms over her chest when she felt her nipples hardening.

“Nice to meet you.” Gideon cleared his throat. “As you may have heard, my mother is going through a health issue right now, so I’m trying to help out at one of her stores. I’m over at the Pick ’N Clip, but there’s an issue with some supplies, and I’m hoping you can help me. Our last shipment got destroyed. I was hoping to buy some of your stock.” He smiled.

As Penny screamed, “Yes,” Janelle said, “No.”

Gideon split his attention between Penny and Janelle but settled on Janelle. He stared at her like he wanted to challenge her. She imagined that behind a menacing face guard on a football helmet, he probably intimidated lots of men. She wouldn’t crumble. She hoped her quick response would get him to leave.

Janelle cleared her throat as she glared at her employee. Penny and her big mouth. Then she glared at the man who’d come to her at the worst time in her life. “I’m sorry, Mr. Wells.”

“Gideon.”

Janelle shifted in her spot. An itchy tickle crept over her shoulders and down her stomach like a weed taking over an abandoned piece of property. “We can’t spare any today.”

“Janelle, yes, we can. We got that shipment—”

“Sorry we can’t help you. Tell your mother hi from me. I hope she gets better.” Janelle turned around and walked to the other end of the counter away from Gideon. When she pivoted so that she could see the front door, she expected to see Gideon leaving her store. She noticed he hadn’t moved.

“I’m a customer like any other. If I offered to buy every flower in your place for someone special, you would sell to me? As soon as we receive our shipment, I would replace your stock.” His tone remained even and smooth.

Janelle had stood toe-to-toe against bankers who had refused to loan her money for her store and hadn’t backed down from that challenge. Gideon’s determination rivaled hers. She couldn’t take giving something up, not today, not now. His offer felt like he wanted to buy her out of the business.

“But you don’t know when that’ll be, right?” Janelle braced her hands on the counter.

“One, maybe, two days tops.” He strolled closer to her.

Penny gasped. Janelle gripped the counter to keep herself steady.

“We have a large order for some hotels down on the strip. They want an assortment of flowers. How about I buy some carnations, daisies, and calla lilies and leave you your roses? I know how important those are right now. Hopefully, that’ll hold our store and not put you all in a bind.” Gideon lowered his voice.

Cool under pressure. Janelle understood now how Gideon had made quarterback on his team.

Penny clapped her hands. “That’s sounds more than fair. I’ll go get—”

Janelle held up her hand to halt her overeager friend. “Please understand, Mr. Wells. I can’t sell off the bulk of my stock to you. I also have a business to run. If you buy it all, I’ll have to shut down.” She would leave out the fact that the money she would get from him would be enough to pay off her bills.

She should yield. The angel on her shoulder whispered in her ear that Elizabeth would sell him the flowers. Her head refused to back down. She looked around her modest place and imagined it with empty shelves and cases. The image proved too much for her to bear, even if the situation would be temporary.

“Why not give the order to me so that we can fulfill it? I’ll be glad to take that business.” This time she smiled.