How To Build A Flower Shop

Chapter SEVENTEEN

Roberto opens his mouth to answer but he shuts his mouth. Does it a second time. He runs a hand through his hair, then quickly shoves his hand back inside his pocket for no one to see his nails.

'Let's just say my dad isn't the greatest of all dads.' His lips twitch into half a frown, and Bobbi takes notice of a cut at the crease of his skin. It's a small but noticed wound from the fight he got into earlier.

She bites onto her lower lip and thinks about what he said. Remembers back when Carlos came to Gracious Gardens. He and Roberto were in an argument, with Roberto leaving for his father to apologise for his words and actions. Bobbi wonders if they're still hung up on that argument. Or maybe Roberto is the type to hold a grudge. Either way, his father is a touchy subject for him, so it's quiet for the rest of their journey.

***
They walk inside the local pharmacy to the Nail Care aisle and look for nail polish remover. Well, Bobbi does. Roberto gives up after a short while, using 'I don't know what it looks like' as an excuse.

Bobbi gawks at him, dumbfounded, drawing out the shape of a bottle with her fingers and says, 'It's a bottle. Printed on it says "Nail Polish Remover". It can't get any easier than that.' Shakes her head at him in disbelief, continues her search for the bottle, whilst Roberto wanders off and does his own thing.

She crouches down to scan the bottom shelf and finally finds the bottle that will wash away her proof of his secret feminine side. She wouldn't actually show anyone, but she would have loved to make him think she'd blackmail him. Thought it would make a good wallpaper on her phone.

'Gold, come on!' Roberto calls out to her, groaning.

She stands with the bottle in hand, looking around for him with knitted brows. His call out was random and she wasn't taking long. Roberto is on the other end of the pharmacy at another aisle. Luckily, it's a small pharmacy so she isn't too embarrassed when one or two people look at her with confused expressions.

As she gets to him, she says, 'Stop calling me Gold. And I got the remover but you'll need some cotton wool, too, to dip it in and wipe off, so we need to find that. Have patience, boy.' Looks around her, wondering if the cotton wools are at the baby section.

'Just hurry up,' he whispers his words quickly. Looks around himself frantically.

She looks back at him, wondering what's up, and her eyes fall on the basket in his hand. In it there's a mini toothbrush, mini bottle of mouthwash, floss, and a regular sized toothbrush.

'What's with all the dental stuff?' Furrows her brows as she sets the nail polish remover inside the basket.

'I like to take care of my teeth.' He shrugs off and looks away, distracted as someone walks by the window.

'A mini toothbrush?' She picks it up and shows it off, her head tilts to one side.

'I use that and the mini mouthwash in school after lunch.' When Bobbi quirks an eyebrow, he elaborates. 'I like to take care of my teeth, okay? I have a thing about teeth.'

'Oh, can I see?' She runs her tongue along her teeth, mouth closed, wondering if he used to wear braces, maybe. He smiles a toothy smile, and she's impressed with the shade of white. 'My attention to my well-being needs to be more like yours. You're vegan, hence the clear skin and healthy eating in general, and you have a good set of teeth.' Suddenly self-conscious of her own teeth, she asks, 'How do mine look?' She tilts her chin up, clamps her teeth together and shows him.

He turns his head away from her. 'No, I don't like the sight of other-' Gives in, facing her again. 'Okay, let me see.' He leans forward, and at that moment a female worker is beside them, asking if they need help, catching them like that.