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Avery placed her hand on my cheek. “I’m sorry, Beck. I’m so sorry he deceived you like that.”
My hand went over hers. “I am too. But I’m going to do the one thing my mother couldn’t do, because her father controlled her life.”
She searched my face. “What’s that?”
“I’m going to walk away from him and find my own happiness.”
Avery wrapped her arms around my neck and softly kissed me before she rested her forehead against mine. “I’m so glad my flights were delayed, and I had to go through Dallas to fly home.”
Placing my finger on her chin, I lifted her face until our eyes locked. “You, Avery Littlewood, are the best thing to ever happen to me. The moment I saw you walk onto that plane and smile at me, I was enchanted.”
She smiled. “And I was just hoping you were single.”
I laughed. “I cannot wait to see what life brings our way.”
Her finger tracked along my jaw as she looked into my eyes and said, “Me either.”
“And the best part of all,” I added. “We can stay at your apartment while we build a house.”
“Yes. No interruptions…and no overhearing my parents do the deed.”
We both crinkled our noses and shuddered.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
AVERY
Five months later
I stood in the workshop, in what would be the building we’d commissioned for constructing all the bouquets. It had been Beck’s idea…and he’d also insisted on being a silent partner by financing the building. It wasn’t until last month when I had overheard my father and mother talking about Beck’s contribution did I realize it had been Beck who had made the anonymous donation to help start the business. My father said we’d be crazy to turn him down as a silent partner. So, Emily and I both agreed to the build…but we intended to pay Beck back.
Smiling, I took in the rows of tables crowded with Mason jars, all filled with colorful flowers and tied with jute.
Emily walked in and set down a basket of flowers. “I can’t believe this is our last summer delivery. Did Beck tell you how many people signed up for fall jars?”
Nodding, I forced myself to keep my tears at bay. Our subscription flower service had been a huge hit over the summer, and so many people had signed up for our fall subscription that we had to close the sign-up form. And we even hired two people who helped us both make the Mason jars and deliver them.
“I never in my life thought this would turn out to be such a huge success,” I said as I picked up a couple of flowers and trimmed them before placing them into a Mason jar.
“I didn’t either.”
Glancing at her, I asked, “Does it feel like this summer just flew by?”
She giggled. “Yes!”
The workshop door opened, and Beck and my brother Bradly walked in. “It smells so good in here,” Beck said as he walked up and kissed me. “Hi,” he said, his blue eyes sparkling with what I could only guess was a memory of this morning. His dimple was on full display, and I tried to ignore the way my body came to life when he was near me. “You slipped out of bed without saying goodbye.”
Turning in his arms, I glanced over to see my brother chatting with Emily. “You, sir, fell back to sleep, and I didn’t want to wake you up.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled. “That was because you woke up so early and had your wicked way with me.”
“My wicked way?” I asked with a laugh.
He winked, and I felt my stomach do a little dip.
Looking around the room at all the jars, he said, “I still can’t believe how fast this has grown.”
“Me either. And when you suggested flowers for special occasions, it was a brilliant idea.”
When Lily and Maverick had their daughter, Maggie Ray, on her exact due date of June 21st, Beck had suggested that we deliver Lily a Mason jar in the hospital with balloons and the little outfit I’d asked Morgan to design for me. Lily had loved it so much, as did everyone else, that Beck talked us into offering special orders. They took up more time, so we limited them each month. But they’d turned out to be a massive hit.
We did the same thing when Rose and Bryson had their son, Greg Bryson. For him, Morgan had designed a little baseball uniform.
“I have a meeting with Morgan this afternoon to discuss some new designs she was thinking of for baby outfits,” I said, turning and focusing back on the flower bouquet. “I had a few ideas I sketched out for her that I thought would be cute to offer.”
“Remember what I said, don’t offer too many options; it’ll just overwhelm people.”
I smiled at him over my shoulder. “I remember.”
