Page 44 of Sea La Vie (The Outer Banks #1)

Lainey

“ W e do have daisies, yes,” I confirm, my phone wedged between my shoulder and cheek.

I spin the bouquet of wildflowers I’m holding to give it a final once over before wrapping it in brown paper and sticking it in an empty metal bucket to match the ones already outside.

We’ve already sold through the entire set once, and I’ve been busy making new ones to replace them in between customers.

“I’ll put you down for four bunches and a bunch of pink roses too, then. See you Saturday!” I hit the end button and attempt to work the kink out of my neck from holding the phone in such an awkward position for so long.

“Busy opening day!” Dad calls from under an umbrella by the garden’s entrance.

I smile and wipe my hands along my pinstriped apron.

He’s been collecting money for the pick-your-own bouquet option of the garden.

He adjusts his visor then turns to another new face I haven’t seen before in Widow’s Wharf.

People have been coming from all over North Carolina for BumbleBee Blooms’ first day, and my heart is so happy I could burst.

I adjust my own visor, willing it to sit atop my messy bun in a semi-attractive fashion before giving up and tossing it to the work table.

I can’t help but grin looking at it though.

The B’s are all a little wobbly and the letters all run downhill, the proud result of my dad’s newest hobby, cross-stitch.

“Hey, if I have to wear it, so do you,” Tate says as he rounds the corner, carrying another bucket of freshly cut cosmos.

He sets the bucket down, then picks my visor back up and shoves it back onto my head.

It covers my eyes, and before I can fix it, he’s picked me up and slung me over his shoulder.

“Put me down,” I giggle and swing my arms wildly against his backside. I purposefully land a hit against his butt and give it a little squeeze, to which he howls in delight.

“Where are we going?” I ask, out of breath. I notice his breathing hasn’t picked up in the slightest, a testament to his rigid workout schedule.

“You’ll see,” he says, and after a few moments, he sits me down in the far corner of the garden. He hands me a shovel then a packet of seeds and nods toward an empty portion, roped off by bright pink flagging tape.

I glance at the holes then at the packet of seeds in my hand. “Dahlias?”

“I thought I’d save the best for last so you could plant them,” Tate says.

For a moment, I’m speechless. I never in my wildest dreams would’ve imagined that a passing comment made to Tate Matthews about my mother’s favorite flower would’ve landed me here. “I can’t believe you remembered.”

His grin is soft and lopsided, and I feel an electric spark all the way down to my toes. “I figured we’d keep this spot all for yourself and get a nicer fence eventually.” He rolls his lips inward and shoves his hand into his pockets. “Do you want me to give you a minute?”

I consider his question and the thoughtfulness of the situation brings stinging tears to the corners of my eyes. “I want you to stay if you want to stay.”

“I want to stay,” he murmurs with a smile and kneels down into the dirt.

I bend down beside him and dig my first hole, then sprinkle a couple seeds in, and Tate covers them up. After we’ve finished planting the entire pack, I grab his hand to stand. “I can’t believe you would do this for me.”

“Lainey, don’t you know? I would do anything for you.” His hand cradles my jaw, and he brushes the softest kiss against my lips, making me smile.

“I love it when you do that,” he murmurs between kisses.

“Do what?” Blood is rushing to my head, the effects of his kisses and body pressed so close to mine making me dizzy.

I wish he wouldn’t stop. I wish he would keep kissing me like this forever.

I never want to leave this perfect spot, the sun shining down on this beautiful flower garden of every variety, the wind rustling my hair and tickling my cheeks, and the earth damp and cold beneath my feet despite the warm August sun.

“Smile when you kiss me,” he says. “I love it.”

“I love you ,” I say, and reach up to give him one more sweet, tender kiss on the lips. “I’m so glad you came back.”

“Me too,” he says. “More than you know.” I kiss him again and he looks down into my eyes. “In the craziness of today, I forgot to tell you the big news.”

I raise an eyebrow.

“Grandpa proposed to Emma last night. Dust off those dancing shoes, Lainey Adams. We have a wedding to attend.”