My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose

Epilogue

The chimes at the door rang, and Lauren didn't look up from her book. There had been so many customers, she couldn't greet all of them. Business had really been booming. Who knew so many people were allergic to flowers?

"Um, excuse me?" a voice said. Lauren's head snapped up.

"Camz? What are you doing here?"

"Well, I wanted to buy some flowers. That is what you do here, right..." Camila squinted at Lauren's name tag, "...Lauren?"

Lauren played along. "Of course! I'm here to answer any questions you may have."

"Well, I was wondering what flowers I should get if I were to be going on a date tonight?"

"Depends. This date, what is it?"

"I was thinking a picnic under the stars," Camila said, leaning on the countertop.

"Well, whoever they are they're very lucky. And super attractive I bet."

"Meh, they're alright," Camila said, barely concealing her laughter.

"Okay, offended!"

"Shut up you know I'm kidding! Anyway, aside from the date thing, I have something great to tell you!" Camila bounced up and down.

"What is it?"

"I came out to my dad!"

"Holy shit!" Lauren grinned, moving from behind the counter to envelope her girlfriend in a big hug. "How did it go?"

"Really awesome! I was like 'hey, Dad, I'm dating a florist!' and he was like, 'a florist? Are you sure he's not gay?' so then I was like, 'actually, yeah, she is gay!' and his face was priceless and long story short you're invited to my dad's house for dinner on Sunday."

"Wow. I'm really glad it went well, Camzi. And I'll be sure to wear my Sunday best!"

"Don't worry about it, Lolo, he's going to love you even if you turn up in sweatpants!"

"Is that an invitation for me to turn up in sweatpants?"

"Okay so maybe wear something more presentable! But seriously, don't dress up or anything. You look great in whatever you wear."

"I look forward to it."

I don't know what LaF was talking about, Lauren thought as she watered the cactus. The amount of small cuts on her hand from the prickles made it obvious that this was about the least relaxing thing ever.

Still, LaF had said it could be therapeutic, plus there was no one in the shop but her. They had gone out to buy some more flower pots, and the shop was empty for the first time today.

Sighing, she set down the watering can.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she said, sitting down cross legged on the floor. "Okay, hi, Kevin."

She felt ridiculous talking to the inanimate cactus. Still, she'd been feeling ridiculous a lot recently. Dating Camila Cabello tended to have that affect on a person.

"So... uh... there's this girl, Camz. Actually you probably remember her, she was here when you got delivered- wait what am I talking about you're a plant of course you don't remember her... anyway, um, so I know I promised myself that I'd never let anyone else get close to me since Luce and trust me okay I tried but damn does this girl never give up. And she heard about everything that happened and she hugged me okay? She fucking hugged me. After everything that I did she didn't condemn me or run for the hills she just..."

Lauren took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"Do you know how rare that is? To find someone who knows you're not perfect and still cares about you? With everyone else I've been lying about something, or pretending to be something but not with her. With her I'm myself and she still..." she shook her head, laughing slightly, "she still sticks around. I can't believe how lucky I am. And we've been dating and I'm being invited to her dad's house for dinner and this is the first time I'll ever meet the parents of someone I'm dating and have them know we're dating. And I'd be lying if I said it didn't scare the shit out of me. But if her dad's anything like her, I know it'll be okay because she's the most forgiving and accepting person I know. And I'm so glad I finally did something right. I fell in love with Camila Cabello."

"Lolo?"

Sighing, she banged her head against Kevin's pot. "Can we please pretend you didn't just hear me say that?"

"You're in love with me?"

Lauren stood up and turned to face Camila, whose eyes were wide and whose mouth was hanging slightly open.

"Uh, duh. It's been like two and a half years, I figured you knew."

"Well, yeah but... you've never said it before."

"Oh, I have," Lauren said, "it's just that usually when I'm talking to inanimate objects, you're not around to hear me."

Camila smiled unbelievably wide, and said, "I love you too."

And Lauren felt like her heart was soaring. 

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A/N: hey everyone I'm impatient and sick af so I decided to convert the rest of the book over the span of 24 hours haha

But I loved reading this story before.I converted it, and I hope you enjoyed it as well. :) It's been an adventure.

Stay tuned for another conversion coming up as well :)

Stay safe, and stay lit ;)
Love you all 💜

- Sel