LOVE IN BLOOM (Preview 3 Chapters)

Chapter 2

"So I was thinking," Gabby said a few days later. "How about we go out for dinner?"

I waited for it...

"You know, let you and Cameron get to know each other better," there is was the dreaded boyfriend bonding.

She had already book a table at a Teppanyaki restaurant she knew I wanted to try out. When we turned up my heart sank. Toby was there too.

"Are you trying to set me up?" I snapped as we approached them.

"Don't be stupid. You wanted to check the names of the flowers you have on that thing of yours. Cameron brought Toby along so you could do that and the guy has to eat. He wanted to try here too," she shrugged. She always shrugged when telling the truth.

"Hello ladies," Cameron smiled before giving my sisters cheek a kiss and making a move towards me before remembering I don't like it. Toby laughed to himself as his brother remembered half way there and I hid behind Gabby. "Sorry I forgot," he said offering a hand instead. I looked at it as my sister swatted it away.

"She is painfully shy, no kissing, hugging, hand shaking... basically any human contact, yep lets just go with human contact," my sister said making me roll my eyes. It was true but she didn't have to say it out loud.

"Ok, I get it no touching. Niamh, you remember Toby? He would shake your hand but he doesn't want you to do a runner again," he teased earning him a shove from my sister.

"Come on I am hungry," she said hauling me to the table. "Toby you can sit with Niamh and help her with the flower names."

I waited for Toby to roll his eyes at being told to sit next to the weirdo and name flowers like he was still at work but he didn't he took a seat and look at me with expectant eyes as I sat beside him.

"It's house plants actually... ohhh," I jumped as the waiter tried to lay a napkin on my lap.

"House plants?" Toby asked, his hand steadying mine for a moment as it uncharacteristically clung to his leg as I jumped with fright. "Do you have pictures?" he asked as he let go.

"Erm, yes," I pulled out my phone. Thank god I hadn't bolted from the restaurant. I was momentarily proud of myself and Toby's reassuring smile helped my heart settle back down to a reasonable pace.

The next hour was spent talking plants, which room they should go in, how much light, water, care etc they needed, and of course we ate our food and drank rice wine. At the end of the meal it was agreed they would come back for coffee and Toby could tell me exactly where each plant should go. My sister found him a bore, I found him fascinating.

"I'm making the coffee!" she yelled as we arrived back. I rushed upstairs to find my slippers as my feet were killing me. I changed into my fluffy PJ's and carried my album downstairs.

"GEEK!" my sister yelled, pointing as she spotted the album and laughed at my change of clothes.

"Shove off!" I replied as I set it down in front of Toby who I'd told about it earlier. He had expressed an interest in seeing it so I was being polite. Plus I was slightly drunk and feeling brave!

"Great," he said keen to look at it. I stuck my tongue out at Gabby and watched him flick through the album.

I heard the TV turn on as my sister began watching a film with Cameron and snuggled on the sofa. In the kitchen Toby smiled at my album with photos of the cottage from before I brought it, press cuttings, old advertisements from estate agents, which I had kept as my dream. The one I had detailing the price I paid was pride of place and he agreed it was a bargain given the potential. The garden had not been well maintained in recent years and some of the pictures earned a frown from him. Then it came to my new garden, I had photographed the house when I arrived, the new lick of paint inside, and the change in the garden was immense thanks to him. I blushed at my note of his name and garden centre with a love heart next to it.

"I meant that as in I love what you did to the garden," I said quickly. "You know, making my dream come true."

"You've drawn a smiley face in the 'O' of Toby."

"Ohhh," I slowly began to die of embarrassment, I hadn't even noticed.

"It is better than a frown."

"I just... well I..."

"I love it, thank you," when he noted the time on his watch and said he had to go, as he had work tomorrow, I was a little sad.

"Can I come and see you tomorrow to get the house plants?" I asked quickly.

"Yes sure. Do you know where you want them?" he looked around the kitchen as we had totally forgotten to check earlier, which was the point of his coming around for coffee.

"If you can spare a few more minutes I can show you," I suggested desperate to get the place perfect.

"OCD!" my sister called in laughing.

"Original, cute and dreamy," I called back.

"That you are," Toby added making me blush.

We walked around the house and put a yellow post it note with a name on in each place so I wouldn't forget. He promised to have them ready for me tomorrow. He would pick the best of the bunch and I could have a discount.

I was so excited I flung my arms around his neckand hugged him. He gave me a light hug back and set off home. My sister and hisbrother were crashed out on the sofa. I went to bed and was woken up in themiddle of the night by their piss poor attempt at quiet nookie. I rammed mypillow over my ears and prayed for premature ejaculation!