Twelve

TWELVE

Dahlia

A few days after dinner

" W hen did over-the-top gender reveal parties become a thing?" I held up the end of a blue daisy garland. "Like, I get the sentiment, but do people really need to spend thousands of dollars on this?"

"Shhh! Shut your mouth!" The Events R' Us manager waved her hands from the bottom of my ladder. "You're here to decorate, not get customers to change their mind about giving me their money."

I laughed. "Fine. Can you throw me that box of twist-ties?"

She obliged. "I'm getting pizza and donuts for everyone on the set-up crew. You have any preferences?"

"Pepperoni, please."

"Cool." She picked up her phone. "Be right back."

I looped more blooms onto the garland before realizing the twist-tie box was empty.

Sighing, I climbed down the ladder and headed outside to my car.

For some strange reason, a woman in a tight pink dress was leaning on the passenger side.

"Um, excuse me?" I cleared my throat. "May I help you with something?"

"Depends." She spun around, and I stepped back.

"Hello, Dahlia Foster." Everette's fiancée glared at me. "How are you on this lovely day in Eads River?"

I said nothing.

I wasn't sure how the hell she tracked me down today.

"Okay, then." She shrugged. "I wouldn't want to talk to me if I were you either, so I'll make this quick."

"I came here to tell you to back the fuck off my fiancé." She flexed the giant diamond on her left hand. "I know he's settling into life back here in his hometown, but this isn't your chance to live out some Hallmark movie romance. He's mine, and he's taken. You had your chance, and you fumbled the bag."

"So, you didn't track me down to talk about your wedding's flowers?" I wasn't interested in a pissing match. "Our sales team doesn't start their shift for another half hour, but I can see if someone is available early."

"You dated Everett— my Everett, when you two were in high school," she continued. "High. School. You were together for a long time, and from what I've heard, it was a very sweet relationship."

"Hello, Dahlia ?" She raised her eyebrow. "I'm talking to you. Are you going to answer?"

"You're stating facts," I said. "I haven't heard a question yet."

"Okay, fine." She narrowed her eyes. "You dated him in high school and the college in the next county over, right?

"I did."

"Well, you aren't in high school or college anymore, and neither is he," she said. "This is the real world with consequences and repercussions. People can get hurt when someone tries to take what doesn't belong to them."

"People get hurt in a lot of ways when it comes to relationships…"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You tell me."

Silence.

"Dahlia, the only reason I hired your little garden to do the arrangements for my wedding?—"

"Thirty-two acres is far from little."

"Stop interrupting me." She hissed. "The only reason you're handling the florals for my wedding is because I believe in shopping local. Because I'm taking sympathy on you."

"You haven't fired me because you can't fire me." I'd had enough. "We have an exclusive twenty-five-year contract with your wedding planner because we're the best of the best and everyone knows that. But if you'd like me to call her, I'd be more than happy to break this deal one time and let another floral company handle your wedding."

She said nothing.

"By the way, you won't get a refund for the thousand lilies we've already begun to source and grow, and you'll have to pick another arrangement style. My mother copyrighted the one you raved about so much…"

She pursed her lips and flexed her obnoxious ring one last time.

Then she walked away.