Clover | ✔

Chapter 13: Yellow Daffodil

"Welcome, is there anything I can help you with?" That was enough to get Evan to pay more attention because the voice wasn't at all familiar.

He looked up and was met with the sight of a young man, his dark hair cut short and dark blue eyes staring at him calmly. What really surprised Evan, however, was that the man was wearing an apron, a dark green one like the ones Sascha and Jason wore. He was standing behind the counter, which could only mean one thing.

"Do you work here?" the question slipped from his mouth before he really had any time to think about it, and the man gave him an odd look before nodding.

"I do, I just started recently. Is there something I can help you with?" he asked again, and Evan took a moment to process the fact that the guy actually worked there before saying anything.

"Uh, is Sascha around?" he asked after a while.

"He stepped out for a moment, but he should be back any minute now," the young man told him.

"Oh, I guess I'll wait for him then," Evan said, because he sure as hell wasn't leaving until he saw the florist. Especially not now that he had acquired a new employee, and Evan was very curious about the story behind that.

'Guess this is what Jason wanted me to see,' Evan thought, and for once, he was grateful to the boy. Of all the things that Evan had expected to find, a new employee wasn't one of them.

The new employee didn't protest Evan's presence, instead just going about his business. Evan occupied himself with looking at the new decorations and trying to think of what he would say to Sascha if the florist was upset with him. It wasn't long before the bell chimed and the door opened, a cold draft sweeping through the shop and Evan turned only to be met with Sascha and Jason walking in. The florist stopped when he saw Evan, but after a moment he smiled.

"Hello, Evan," he said, taking off his coat, while Jason was already behind the counter. "You haven't been here in a while," Evan walked over to him, with his most charming smile.

"Well, work's been pretty bad lately," he said, shrugging. "I thought I would come and see how you were doing, now that I managed to get off early enough," the new worker had slipped through the back door and Jason grabbed a broom and started sweeping.

"That's very nice of you, but things are the same as always," Sascha said, turning away from Evan to grab his usual apron from on top of the counter. He slipped it on and Evan moved closer, taking the apron's strings from the florist, their hands brushing for a moment. Sascha was startled by the feeling, turning his head to look at the man behind him.

"I see you hired someone to help around," Evan commented, tying the apron carefully, making sure not to tighten it too much and smiling at the way the florist's ears had grown red. He was sure Sascha's face was just as flushed, but he was trying to hide it.

"Y-yes, I, um, I thought it would be nice to have someone else around, since things have gotten so busy, especially with the holidays coming," Sascha said, taking a step away from Evan as soon as the man let go of his apron.

"Yeah, I noticed you decorated already, it looks nice," Evan said, and was glad to see Sascha smile.

"Thank you, Jason helped out, so it was fun," and Evan wished he had been able to help out, but it was his own fault for being gone for so long. The door to the back opened and the new employee walked out, Sascha smiled at him cheerfully.

"Oh, Miles, this is Evan," he told the man, motioning him over. "He comes by a lot, so you should probably be introduced," said the florist, and then turned to Evan. "This is Miles, he just started this week," Sascha said, placing his hand on the man's arm.