link to chapter 4! - link to chapter 1!
recap - They both thanked you before heading to the door. Wes was already out but Joe glanced over his shoulder one last time.
The record player was still turning.
She was reaching for a broom that somehow still looked cute in her shop, unaware he looked back.
For some reason, Joe had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time he’d walk through that little pink door.
Joe had walked past your shop every evening since Wes dragged him there. He didn’t even notice at first.
The second time, he caught himself glancing through the window.
By the third, he was slowing down without meaning to.
The familiar dusty pink storefront came into view down the calm street, warm light from the inside illuminating the pavement outside. There was an old couple outside the front, having a quiet conversation about peonies and how welcoming the ‘shop girl’ was.
He kept walking past, head down.
Five steps later, he stopped.
“This is ridiculous” He muttered to himself.
He wasn't going back because of her.
Joe frowned. He didn’t even have a cat. He looked back at the shop.
“I’ll think of something.” Taking a deep breath, he turned around and pushed open the little pink door.
The familiar bell chimed overhead.
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You were organizing a shelf of plant food when the bell above the door chimed.
“Welcome to Fleuriste!” You called sweetly, your back still turned.
The footsteps stopped almost immediately.
Frowning slightly, you turned around.
“Oh!” A small smile spread across your face before you could stop it. “Hi. Joe, was it? Did your friend survive his anniversary?”
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Good.” You laughed. “I would have felt terrible if the flower hadn’t worked”
Silence settled between you two.
The store was unusually quiet for two in the afternoon. Most people came in around lunchtime, leaving late afternoon for restocking shelves and sweeping up petals. This time it was some David Bowie filling the silence whilst neither of you knew what to say next.
Joe shifted his weight slightly.
“I’m here for some flowers”
You immediately brightened, brushing your hands down your floral apron before gesturing around the shop.
“Well, you're definitely in the right place. Who are you buying for and I can see if i can help”
Your eyebrows lifted ever so slightly. It wasn't the strangest request you’ve ever had. Far from it actually.
You had two cats yourself and they'd spent plenty of afternoons batting leaves you’d accidently bought home. Maybe he wanted something nice to put near a sunny windowsill. Maybe…
“Awww, that's adorable,” You cooed, your lips forming into a tiny pout.
You stared at him for a second. Breed. Brown.
“Oh” You pressed your lips together to stop yourself from smiling “...okay”
You decided to not question it.
“So what flowers were you thinking?”
“Lillies” He said with full confidence.
You sucked in a small breath through your teeth. “Lillies?” You repeated, convinced you misheard him.
It's never your place to question a customer's choice. Then again, if he did genuinely have a cat, there was no way you could let him walk out the shop with some lilies.
“Joe.” You started carefully, “Do you actually have lilies at home already?”
You let out a small sigh of relief.
“Ok, good.” A nervous laugh escaped you. “Because lilies are… probably the worst flowers you could buy if you have a cat. They're incredibly toxic. Even a little bit of pollen can make them seriously ill.”
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Joe wished, more than anything, that the floor would simply open up beneath him.
It seemed like such a good idea five minutes ago.
Walk into the florist to see the pretty florist.
Somewhere between opening the door and standing in front of her, his brain had apparently decided to take the afternoon off.
He didn't own a cat. He hadn’t owned a cat. As far as he was aware, nobody he knew owned a cat.
Yet somehow he’d managed to invent one, give it a colour instead of a breed, and nearly buy it the single worst flowers imaginable.
He cleared his throat, suddenly finding the display of succulents fascinating.
“So…” He began, rubbing the back of his neck. “Hypothetically’
She folded her arms over her floral apron, a tiny smile threatening to appear.
“Yeah… if someone planned on buying flowers for their brown cat, what would you recommend”
For a second, she simply looked at him. Then, much to his surprise, she laughed.
Just enough that the corner of her eyes crinkled.
“I think…” she smiled, walking over to another display, “your completely real cat would be much happier with something like sunflowers. Or orchids. Or honestly…”
She glanced back over her shoulder “Nothing”
Joe laughed despite himself.
“Maybe buy your cat a toy instead”
“That does sound slightly safer”
The shop fell quiet again, yet this time the silence wasn't awkward. If anything it was comfortable.
Joe couldn’t remember the last time he stood in complete silence with someone and hadn’t had the need to fill it. Neither of them seemed particularly bothered. She wandered a few steps away, absentmindedly returning bunches of flowers back into their buckets, gently brushing loose petals away from the counter as if she'd done it hundreds of times before.
He watched her without really meaning to.
The way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind hair ear every few minutes.
The way she straightened ribbons that sat perfectly flat.
The way she quietly hummed along to Davide Bowie playing through the old record player in the corner, unaware she was doing it.
There was something strangely calming about watching someone who genuinely loved what they did.
The sharp chime of the bell above the door cut through the silence.
An older couple wandered inside, arms linked together as they slowly made their way around the shop. Their eyes travelled over the shelves before settling on a large ceramic planter balanced on the highest shelf along the back wall.
“Oh!” The woman smiled, pointing towards it, “Excuse me, would it be possible to have a look at that one?”
She followed the woman's finger before letting out the smallest sigh to herself.
“Of course.” She smiled warmly. “Just give me one second”
Joe frowned as she disappeared behind the counter.
A minute later she returned holding a little wooden step stool that looked older than the shop itself. One of its legs wobbled slightly as she unfolded it behind the shelves.
“...Your djoking joking.”
She glanced over, confused.
“You're actually going to climb that?”
She looked down at the stepstool as if she had never questioned it.
“It looks like it has survived two world wars.”
“It has character” She defended
“It has a death wish.” Joe shot back.
For the first time since Joe had entered the store, she laughed properly. A soft, genuine laugh that filled the room for a second before she shook her head and placed her foot on the bottom step of the ladder.
Before she could climb any higher, Joe was beside her in a second. His hands shot out wearily. He did not trust the 1960’s ladder with precious cargo and he wasn't talking about the ceramic planter.
She looked up at him, one hand still resting on the side of the ladder.
“Im just trying to be a gentleman”
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The couple thanked Joe for his help and were soon on their way with their nice new ceramic planted in hand.
She took the planter's empty space on the shelf as an excuse to busy herself, straightening a row of ceramic pots that hadn’t needed fixing in the first place.
“I appreciate that.” She said after a moment, keep her eyes on the shelf. “Not many customers volunteer to carry heavy things”
Joe slipped his hands into the back pockets of his jacket.
“I wasn’t really a customer”
She glanced over her shoulder, “No?”
“I never actually bought anything”
The corners of her mouth lifted but she shot him a ‘seriously?’ look
Another comfortable silence settled between them. She nudged one of the pots perfectly into line before letting out a soft sigh.
“Honestly…” she murmured, almost to herself, ‘... you picked a good day to come”
Joe raised his eyebrows. “And why's that”
“It was quiet.” She shrugged. “If you come on a Tuesday, I wouldn't have time to stand here talking”
He followed her gaze to a room in the back that looked ready to be filled with more soil, plants and pots.
“It’s always enormous” A small laugh escaped her. “Boxes everywhere. Half the shop disappears for a few hours”
She immediately seemed to realise she said more than necessary.
“I don’t know why I told you that”
It was an easy thing for Joe to catch on to. Her shyness. But the way she managed to push it down when talking to customers… or even him. But climbed its way back up when she got too comfortable.
She laughed quietly, “Complete chaos”
He nodded thoughtfully, his eyes lingering on her for a second longer than they probably should have.
Her head shot up, eyes wide and confused.
“I’ll come Tuesday. I wouldn't hurt for some help. Would it?”
A faint warmth crept into her cheeks as she quickly reached for a bunch of eucalyptus that didn’t need rearranging (again).
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Can we see the excitment level building up...
Also let me know if they should go on a date next chapter (after tuesday) and if you want the chapters longer or shorter!
I'l post chapter 4 before this british heat actually kills me :(