❛ THE LOVE CLUB ❜ - 𝖼𝗆𝖻

030; those tulips are dying

"I'm very open to seeing where things could go with him," she admitted with a small shrug, "which I didn't think I'd be for because I don't want to get into that casual dating stuff."

"I don't know." Rosemary continued, "he's my best friend, it's weird to even think that I kissed him."

"Okay well... who initiated the kiss?"

"...Both of us I guess." She frowned, "maybe him, I'm not really sure."

"Did it seem like he didn't want it?" Harry said, handing her the flowers for the display as she shook her head.

"But he wouldn't just kiss me for no reason." Rosemary argued as she turned to Harry, "he knows how I am about this kind of stuff... and he's a good guy I don't think he'd just kiss me because there's an open window for it."

"I don't think he'd do that either. He's a very genuine guy." Harry nodded, following his boss back behind the counter as she sighed and shrugged.

"I just need to make a phone call in my office, if you need me come knock on the door." She gave him a smile as Harry nodded at her, watching her walk into her office and close the door just as the bell to the store rang.

And as the boy turned to face the front of the store and be prepared to greet the next customer, he looked up to meet a guy stood with a bunch of tulips in his hand.

"Is Rosemary here?" James spoke up, scratching the back of his neck while Harry slowly frowned.

"James, right?" Harry asked.

"Yeah.. our date night didn't end so well the other night. I wanted to talk to her about it." James shrugged, "I even got her tulips."

"...Those tulips are dying." Harry replied as he put his hands behind his back, "and she's not here right now.."

"She's always here, she owns this store." He questioned the boy as Harry shook his head.

"Just me today." Harry smiled at him, "and I don't know how well she'll take any conversation if you hand her dying flowers."

"...You're right." James nodded, "that Matthew guy hasn't been in has he?"

"Matthew?" Harry asked him.

"The regular that spoke to me when-"

"Oh! Matthew!" Harry nodded and laughed, "no I haven't seen him recently."

"Weird how he's in a lot of photos at her place."

"Close family friends." He shrugged, "I'll let her know you stopped by."

"...Did she say anything about the date night?"

"...No." He mumbled.

"Oh." James paused as Harry glanced behind his shoulder for a few seconds before turning back to him confused.

"Obviously it wasn't that good of a date if she didn't say anything about it." Harry said through a laugh while James stared at him for a few seconds.

"...Look I just need her to know I was in the wrong headspace that night, I had a bad day at work and I left early because I wasn't feeling great." James explained, "so when you see her, just let her know I came in to apologise."

"Okay." Harry nodded, giving him a wave goodbye as he left the store with the dying flowers still in his hand.

And as he watched James walk past the shop window, he rolled his eyes and shook his head before the office door was opened and his head was turned to Rosemary.

"James said sorry."

"Hm?" She frowned, "when?"

"Just now."

"He came in?"

"Yep."

"Why didn't you come get me?"

"You wanted to see him?" Harry asked with a confused look, "you just told me you like Corbyn."

"I didn't say I like Corbyn." Rosemary replied, "and I only wanted to see him to see how he'd twist the date night."

"Oh. He said he was in the wrong headspace and left early because he had a bad day at work and wasn't feeling great." Harry explained with a smile as Rosemary raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, placing her phone on the counter.

"He wasn't feeling great." She repeated, "he felt good enough to hook up so I don't know where that came from."

"...you hooked up?"

"Unfortunately."

"On a first date? I didn't think you'd be the type."

"It was a bad move on my part, I know." She nodded, "and it wasn't that good either so, there was a bit of regret afterwards."

"What did Corbyn say about... where is he? He hasn't been in today to deliver your lunch and usually he does that on a Monday." Harry said as Rosemary let out a sigh.

"He's in New York for the week." She frowned, "doing interviews and such."

"Why didn't you go with him?"

"I have a store, Harry." She smiled, "I'm flying to New York on Thursday to see him, I'll see him in three days time."

"You're going just for the day?" He asked.

"No. Staying there for three nights then we are flying to Virginia to be there for my little sisters birthday." Rosemary explained, "so you are in charge of store for a little while if that's okay."

"That's okay with me." Harry nodded and smiled at her, "as long as I get to be updated on the situation between you and your fake boyfriend."

"I'll keep you updated but I doubt there will be much to add to it." She frowned, straightening the stack of cards on the counter as Harry looked at her confused, "I don't know how he feels, and I can't be a distraction to him with the whole band going on."

"But you already fake date him."

"I don't even think he's into me like that." She shrugged, "he's hard to read, all I've done is kiss him and I already feel confused enough."

"I don't have any advice for you." He frowned, "Evelyn is good at advice though, she can help more with boy problems."

"I'll see how the New York trip goes and if I need advice I'll ask Evelyn when I get back." Rosemary told the boy as he nodded in agreement.

"I can't believe you kissed him." Harry smiled.

"Please don't tell anyone." She glanced to him, "I'll tell the others if things progress but for now, please be quiet about it."

"I'll keep quiet about it, I'm just happy it happened." Harry clapped his hands together, "because now I have something to root for and encourage, it's going to be fun."

"It won't be fun."

"And I'll see all the awkward tension and hear all about embarrassing stories between you two, this is going to be fun." Harry nodded, hearing his boss laugh and shake her head.

"I doubt anything will even happen between us."

A/N

🤭🤭🤭 gn lovers 🫶🏼