Ignitable

Ignitable - Chapter Twelve

Sophia...

The days are happily rolling by. One date after another, Cade and I are nicely settling in with being together. The floating in my heart, that blissfully continues. I'm so joyously happy, I feel like I could actually reach up and touch the floating clouds above me. I am enjoying our blossoming relationship. I'm enjoying being one half of us. One pleasant day at a time, I am learning more about Cade, and one day at a time, he's learning more about me. Things are going great. But as enjoyable as it is with us just dating at the moment, I am soooooo ready to take our relationship to the next level. I don't think I have ever been so sexually frustrated, but sexually frustrated I am. So when I woke up this morning, I made a naughty decision. Cade is having to work late this evening, so I intend on just dropping in on him. My frustration is making me feel daring, bold and audaciously amorous. Cade will make love to me tonight, if it's the absolute last thing I do!
But I don't have time to get wrapped up in how many saucy ways my gorgeous man will take me on his big and sturdy office desk. Oh no, I have flowers to be prepped, plants to be watered, orders to make up, balloons to inflate, and a new delivery driver to find—so any saucy thoughts shall very much have to wait.

Hannah, my current delivery driver, is unfortunately going on maternity leave. Her first baby is due in four weeks time, and quite honestly, she already looks like she's about to pop out her little munchkin at any given moment. So mum has eagerly stepped in until I find the lovely Hannah's replacement.

"Shall I give you a hand making up a couple of orders?" Mum happily asks, absolutely loving being back in the shop again.

"Yes please." I too, enjoy her being back in the shop with me. We've always been a good team, but I understand why mum feels like she needs to slow down a bit. At the attractive age of fifty seven, mum is wanting to wind down her working life. After a cancer scare eighteen months ago, I think she realised that there's still so much that she wants to do. Thankfully, the lump she had found in the side of her neck, was nothing more than an enlarged lymph node due to a virus, but it was enough to make mum reevaluate a lot of things.

As we both start getting stuck in with the freshest of focal flowers, accent and foliage that are all lined up in their buckets of water, just waiting to be turned into bouquets of flowery masterpieces, I can't help but smile. And it's that smile that doesn't go unnoticed by my mum. "Do you think it's serious between you and Cade, Sophia?"

With an armful of dahlias, I keep my smile upon my lips. "It's early days, but I'd like to think that we are." I had sat both my mum and dad down last night, telling them where and with whom I have been spending most of my recent evenings. As expected, they were a little stunned to discover I was seeing Cade. I have no doubt that they have heard all about him over the years as well, but for now, they are happy to take him just as they find him. "He makes me happy, that's all you need to know." My assurance to mum comes with yet another warm little smile.

"In that case, your father and I would like both you and Cade to come for dinner this Saturday evening." Carefully, mum places a bunch of dark purple hydrangeas down onto the counter. "That way, I can see for myself what the women at the book club I go to have been gossiping on about all this time, and your poor father won't flare up his hiatus hernia anymore than he already has." She's half-joking/half-serious.

Trying to suppress my piqued curiosity, I busily but casually ask. "The women at your book club talk about Cade?" I can't help but feel bothered by this. It just bothers me that people who don't even know him, think it's okay to gossip about him.

Without actually looking at me, mum is keen to answer. "It's been mentioned a few times about how up themselves both Cade and his mother are. Too much money and not enough heart, that kind of thing." Studying the bouquet artistry in front of her, mum's eyes soon lift to mine. "Cade and his mother have a ruthless reputation for being hard-hearted and detached people. Which is why both me and your father worry for you, Sophia. But you're a grown woman, who must make your own choices. We haven't seen you look this happy, in a long long time. Cade Lapley, no doubt, has something to do with that, which is why we want to meet him. We will gladly welcome him into our home, because he is putting a smile on our daughters face and bringing joy to her heart." She blinks with such maternal affection, then smiles back at me with the very same maternal affection.