Page 123 of Candy Hearts, Vol. 2

CHAPTER 7

NOLAN

I wake from a deep and dreamless sleep feeling more refreshed and calm than I have for weeks.

It doesn’t last long.

My mind instantly turns back to last night. I did have a good time, much more so than I thought I would. Uli is great company, super sweet and also cute, kinda in a hot way.

I feel guilty that I was an arsehole for much of the evening, but he had a wonderfully calming effect and I managed to relax and not be grumpy for all of it. Which surprises me, because I usually find that eternally happy people grate on my nerves. But Uli didn’t, he had a gentleness to him that was like a soothing balm to my soul, and although last night should have been the second worst day of my life—last year’s Valentine’s Day taking the number one spot—it wasn’t, and that was down to Uli.

The thought unsettles me as I rise, have coffee, and shower. I have another day of photography planned. I change the memory card in my camera, having filled up the previous one the day before, before packing my rucksack. I didn’t get a chance last night to go through the photos I took yesterday so I’ll do that later, but for now I want to get back out into the woods. It’s a crisp and chilly morning, with an early frost that’s now thawing under the bright but weak February sun. Hopefully the fresh air will clear my head, as all I can think of is a pair of beautiful green eyes and the way the tension in my core eased when his hand was on my arm.

As I walk steadily, the evergreens give way to deciduous trees, and I see the beauty in their stark nakedness. Spring is about to unfurl itself and deliver its glory to us, but I like the time before when there’s potential.

The distraction of taking photographs only partly works, as being in nature I’m surrounded by reminders of Uli. Every time I see a plant I can’t identify, I wonder if he could help me out. Every fern is imagined as part of a display. It’s getting a little wearing. It’s almost an infatuation and I can’t have that.

I manage until early afternoon, when I can’t take it any longer and call Mac.

“You okay?” he asks after I say hello.

“I think I might have gone on a date last night?”

He pauses for the briefest of seconds.

“Might have?” he asks in confused tones. “How can you not know?”

I explain the evening to him.

“Well, it can be anything you want it to be.” Is his not-very-helpful advice.

“That’s the problem. I don’t know what I want it to be.”

“Ah,” he offers, his level of help going seriously downhill.

I sigh. “He’s cute, in a sexy way. So sweet and funny and smart.”

“Uh-huh, sounds like you want it to have been a date then.”

“But I’m not ready for dating, or seeing anyone.” My voice gets gruff. “I might never be ready?—”

“Wait, were you grumpy with him?” he asks, cutting me off.

“Um, yes.” Now I’ve answered, I hear how it must sound through the phone.

“And this was the guy who thrust flowers in your face yesterday morning?”

“Yes.”

“Were you grumpy with him then?”

“I might have shut the door in his face.”

“Nolan—”

“Twice,” I finish, and hear his exasperated sigh.

“So you’re telling me the guy who you shut the door on... twice... came back and asked you out?”

“Yes,” I say, almost yelling at my best friend.

“No, that wasn’t a date. That was a fucking miracle! Who is this guy?”

The more I think about yesterday the more I’m starting to think he’s someone special and that’s my problem.

“So what happened?” Mac asks when I don’t answer.

“Nothing. We went for dinner and then he went home.”

“Did you kiss him?”

“No!” I don’t know why I yell this but Mac sees straight through me.

“Ha, you wanted to though didn’t you?”

“Maybe,” I mumble. Of course I wanted to kiss him and the idea scares me. I wanted to get lost in those eyes, feel his beard against my face, on my skin. I stop that thought before it goes any further.

“Did he want to kiss you?”

I think back to the way he’d stopped at the end of the path, his expression soft, watching me. “I think so.”

“Well, did you get his number?” Mac fires another question.

“No,” I reply, and I hear his exasperated sigh.

“So what do you want to do?” he asks.

“I don’t know, that’s why I called you. What do I do?”

“Well, I think you should give it a chance, and as you didn’t get his number, hope he turns up again.”

I end the call shortly after, thinking that talking to Mac hasn’t helped. But I still can’t stop thinking about Uli and the way he made me feel, just being near his gentle goodness. I’m supposed to be smart, or so my university degree informs me, but it took a long time for my synapses to fire up. I pull out my phone and open a browser. There can’t be many florists in the area, and within a minute I have a small number of listings, only one that has potential. I can’t help smiling when I see the name—Uli’s Garden. It suits him perfectly. I hit the call button before I can change my mind.

“Uli’s Garden.” The voice sounds unfamiliar, and I almost think I’ve got it wrong before I remembered that Uli mentioned an assistant.

“Can I speak with Uli please?”

“Sure.” I hear voices in the background—a whispered “ Who is it?” followed by an “ I don’t know .”

“This is Uli.” I almost sigh with relief.

“It’s Nolan.”

“Oh!” I hear the surprise in his voice. Yes, I’m surprised too. “How are you?” His voice sounds tentative and it makes my chest ache so I come straight out with it.

“If you have a day off tomorrow... I don’t know if florists have Sundays off... but I wondered if you wanted to come out with me for the day. Walking and then dinner?” I stop because I’m babbling and I’ve asked. Now it’s up to him.

He hesitates slightly and I grit my teeth. I can’t blame him, I’ve not been the best company.

“Yes, I’d like that,” he answers and I blow out a breath.

We make arrangements and ring off. I decide to stop taking any more photographs today and head back to the cottage early. I spend the evening working through the photos I’ve taken already, eat some food I bought from the shop, and take a relaxing bath. I fall into another deep sleep, looking forward to tomorrow in a way I hadn’t thought possible only a week ago.