Page 63 of Mr. Green

“It’s beautiful.”

“Come on. Let’s walk around.” He takes my hand and leads us through roses, archways, and a pond. There’s a building on the premises that looks like it’s been here since the 1700’s. The weather is perfect and the people are sweet. Families pass by saying hello while a bunch of kids run around. Older people mosey about and admire Mother Nature.

Where the hell am I?This doesn’t fit my thoughts of disbelief and sadness. It’s making me think of a future with Grant and our own little toddler moving about in the fresh air seeing birds and butterflies as they go. It’s scaring the fuck out of me.

I’m beginning to trust Grant. He’s dangling everything I’ve ever wanted in front of me. I could move forward with him, but is it that easy? Just hang on to his hand and hope he never leaves? I know he’s promised he’s not going anywhere. I know he’s said he’s not like Ryan. But how can I be sure? The biggest question going through my mind is,why would he want me?

He can have anyone. I want him to want me, but it feelslike this is a dream and any moment I’m going to wake up and realize it was all fake. Him liking my glasses, him liking my body no matter what size it is, him liking to spend time with me. It’s all a lot to handle.

Grant shows me the blue bonnets. He asks someone to take a few pictures of us together in the remarkable field of flowers. It’s an older gentleman with white hair in a button-down plaid shirt tucked into his light gray slacks. A woman with short hair walks by and he accidently backs into her. I look at his hand to see if he has a ring, but none exists. The woman keeps turning and looking at him, trying to be discreet.

The man takes our pictures. One of them we pose, and the other one Grant kisses me. It’s not just any kiss. It’s the kiss saying “I want to be with you, hold you, and love you.”

I’m probably reading too much into it. A kiss doesn’t say things like that. A mouth does.

“Thank you, sir,” I tell the man as he hands back Grant’s phone. I nod my head over to the woman waiting around pretending to be interested in the flowers. “I think you have an admirer.”

He blushes. “Oh, I don’t know.”

“You should talk to her. She’s been staring at you since you’ve been taking our picture. Might be worth a shot.” I shrug. Grant’s making me talk to strangers about their love life now. I want everyone to find someone to love since I’ve come to the land of flowers and butterflies.

“Well...it can’t hurt to say hi to a nice lady. The Lord always puts you in the right spot.” He winks.

Grant thanks the man. I let out a breath as the man goes up behind the woman and comments on the flower.

Grant takes my hand. “Look at you, Miss Matchmaker.”

I shrug and follow Grant through the motions. It’s nice to see a couple falling in love when I have someone around for once. At least I know it could be possible to find love when I’m wrinkled with gray hair if things don’t work out with Grant.

There’s some yellow roses Grant stops at. “I’m going to buy these.”

I furrow my brow. “You can buy flowers here?”

“Not the ones that are planted, but the ones over there.” He points to where a bunch of roses are sitting in pots. “You can never have too many plants, in my opinion. If you want to pick out something too, be my guest.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I like the yellow ones.” He strokes his beard as he stares down at them. “They remind me of you.”

“Aren’t roses for old people?” I whisper.

“Not these ones. These can go right in the front yard. They’ll make me think of you every day when I leave and when I come home. I always think of you when I see yellow flowers.”

“Yellow roses mean friendship.”

He caresses my cheek. “That’s only when you give them to someone. I’m not giving them to you. I’m making sure you’re with me all the time.”

I turn away from him. This guy is too much sometimes.

“Don’t do that, Lana. What’s wrong?” He grabs my wrist, making me turn back to face him. It’s not in a violent way, but a demanding way. My nipples harden in return.

“Do what?” I act like I have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Stop hiding from me. What’s going on?”

“It’s only been two weeks.”

“I’ve known you since we were kids. It’s been longer than two weeks. Yellow means sunshine. You’re my Sunshine. I’m getting some of these. Come on.”