"All the money in the world and you still work here, selling flowers! I just don't understand you, Samantha! You should be out shopping and traveling the world! Instead, you insist on working like some poor person. And you are five miles away from Rodeo drive! You are lucky for that because no one would shop here."
Rebecca Hallowell turns in disgust, looking around my shop. She hates this place. How can she ever understand? Rebecca is married to a billionaire, her parents were also wealthy.
She never had to work a day in her life.
This small shop was given to me by my grandparents and it is something I will never part with. This was their favorite place on earth after my grandfather retired. I sigh happily as I look around.
The shop has a fairly large with four long aisles. Plants and flowers cover almost every inch of this place.
The ceiling is made of a bunch of skylights. With the press of one button, all the windows will open automatically.
One also has to be very careful where they step. Some days you will be standing on puddles of water. Other days its dirt. I don't mind it thought. Every ounce of this place brings me joy.
The hand painted walls were done by an Italian painter. A name I can't remember.
The entire store is covered in images of the sun and waterfalls. The beautiful gray and brown cliffs meeting the water. It kind of reminds me of Niagara Falls on a beautiful, sunny day. They do look mesmerizing. I can stare at it for hours.
Grandpa and Grandma would always bring me here when I was younger. I got to help out all of the time. It then became my favorite place.
Yes, I don't need the money, but my life is this flower shop.
The Hallowell Flower Shop.
My grandpa gifted this place to my grandma so she could have something to do, while he managed his business. He never planned on falling in love with the shop also.
Unfortunately, the woman hounding me is their only daughter, my mother.
Mom tucks her hair behind her ear as she follows me around the floor, careful not to touch or stand in anything dirty.
She is of average height, like me, and has an hourglass figure. Boy does she love her waist shaper. Mom is also a brunette, like me, and breathtakingly beautiful. Her eyes are green where I have Daddy's gray eyes.
"Mom, please stop! A lot of these people were Grandpa and Grandma's customers. I do love the finer things in life, trust me! However, this is my zen. Grandpa told me they would give me this shop before they left us, and I promised to always take care of it. You should be proud that your only child isn't an annoying, materialistic brat, who only comes to you when I need money." I turn away from her, rolling my eyes, grabbing an empty pot from the aisle.
"Fine," Mom says looking at the floor disgusted. She's wearing her favorite two thousand dollar heels and there's a small dirt pile in front of her. She steps around it, cursing underneath her breath.
"Listen, Sam! Daddy could give you a nice office job. You know he's always wanted to make you C.O.O. of the company. Instead, you want to play in the dirt." Mom shifts uncomfortably, looking around.
"You are twenty-seven years old, darling! On top of this mess, you are living in a tiny, three bedroom home and driving that god awful truck. I get anxiety thinking about it."
Mom suddenly waves her arms like a maniac when a butterfly flies by her. I laugh and nod at how dramatic she is.
Suddenly a customer, holding a bag of fertilizer, walks by mom and transfers some dirt onto her red dress. Mom's arms shoot straight up, a grimacing look spreads throughout her face. The woman stops and apologizes. She then continues to walk to the counter, all while Mom shoots darts at her with her eyes.
Mom snaps her head at me, tears in her eyes. I try to hide my smile when a piece of her brown hair falls onto her face. I honestly think she's going to scream. I'm glad she doesn't.
More customers walk in.
"Mom, that old truck you speak of was Grandpa's '93 Toyota Tacoma. You used to drive it for goodness sake! I don't care, I love it! Especially for deliveries. On top of that, you act as if it's the only transportation I have. I still have the Range Rover you bought me."
The customer that had bumped into Mom signals me that she's leaving a ten-dollar bill on the counter. I wave at her as she begins to leave.
"And you don't drive it!" Mom yells rather harshly as she pulls out her compact to check her makeup. She then closes it as she walks over to one of the refrigerators. It houses all the made arrangements.
She opens it, a disapproving look on her face.
"I can't believe my baby is a billionaire and wants to submerge herself into this. Why?!" Mom whispers, slapping her leg and shaking her head. I roll my eyes again.
She follows me behind the counter. Mom scowls when she sees how dirty it is. She then wipes the dirt off the counter, with her hand, and places her purse down. She digs into her bag and grabs the hand sanitizer.
I grab the money the customer left and throw it into the cash register.
I then turn and begin working on a bouquet of roses for a customer, who will be here any minute. It's a last minute order and I'm trying to hurry.
My mother takes the arrangement from my hand and places it on the table. She then smiles at me. I look at her puzzled. "Mom, stop-"
"Sam, I know I drive you mad." She grabs my hands and continues, "but just know that Daddy and I are extremely proud of you. You've never given us any grief and you always make the right decisions. We know Grandpa and Grandma would've been extremely pleased with everything that you are doing." She pulls me in for a hug, surprising me.
I smile. "Thanks, Mom," I say hugging her tightly. She is a pain at times but her hugs are magical.
She pulls away and we smile at each other. Mom then lets me go so I can finish the bouquet.
"So where is my future son-in-law?" She turns and looks on as a customer walks into the shop.
"He will be along any minute. Max's boss is retiring so he gave him the position of president. He is now managing one of the biggest paper distributors in the country. His last day is today and Max ordered some flowers."
I am extremely proud of Max. He worked so hard for so many years and finally got the recognition he deserved. The owner of the company wanted to give the position to his son.
However, he saw how dedicated Max was to the company so he gave the position to Max instead.
Sadly, I have a feeling it has to do with the disappearance of the boss's son.
Apparently, he will disappear for months at a time, only resurfacing when the cash runs out.
Nevertheless, I am so happy for Max!
Maxwell Crawford and I had just recently gotten engaged. We dated for about two years and he popped the question last week in front of my parents.
They've always loved him!
Max is big into charities and helping the needy anyway he can. I've known him for so many years before we started dating.
Dad loves that Max never asks for a single penny from any of us. His job helps him set up charities and my family always contributes. I think Mom has a crush on him by the way she always stares, but it's probably just me.
Who wouldn't gawk at a man that is six feet four, built, blonde hair, with blue eyes?
"Can I say something?" Mom asks as a finger goes up. I throw my head back and sigh. I'm sure her question is going to annoy me.
"Isn't it weird to give a man flowers? I've never heard your father say he wanted flowers from here. Unless he was ordering for me, of course." She purses her lips and shrugs.
"Oh, mom!" I shake my head. She really needs someone else to bother during lunch. "The flowers are for the boss's wife. Max bought himcigars. They are moving to Cuba. I believe that's where his wife was born."
"Oh." Mom shrugs her shoulders and pulls out her cell phone.
She's addicted to that damn thing!
"So are we still going shopping tomorrow? It's Sunday so I want to hit the stores early."
I smile at her. Mom's other addiction is shopping. "Don't you have everything that has ever been sold?"
Mom has not one, not two, but three closets.
"Smartass, just like your father!" She grins as she crosses her arms and takes a step towards me. "Maybe that's why I've been so clingy to you lately. He has been gone a week and I have no one else to annoy." She looks down at her red dress and smoothes it out.
Dad's in Shanghai for business. Mom wanted to go with him but he told her no. He needed the time away from her. She was the source of his migraines. Of course, he didn't tell her that! He told me. I tie the bouquet with a lavender ribbon.
"I'm sure that's it, Mom! And I did promise you I'd go shopping, so I will definitely meet you at our usual spot." I marvel at the complete rose bouquet.
"No, dear! Meet me at home. The driver can take us."
I breathe out heavily. "Mom, I don't want to be chauffeured-"
"Not another word!" She cuts me off. "You promised me a fun day. Being chauffeured with my baby next to me is fun." She grabs her purse, hugs me and begins to walk away. I sigh heavily.
"Be there no later than 9 am! Love you, darling!" She yells, never turning around.
An hour later, Max stops by.
"How is the most beautiful girl in the world today?"
I am helping a customer when I turn and see Max standing a couple of feet from me.
I smile. "Tired and in need of a foot massage." I roll my ankles and massage my neck.
Saying goodbye to the customer, I make my way towards Max. He hugs me, lifting me a couple of inches from the ground. I giggle.
"Miss me?" He asks as he gently kisses my cheek.
"A little," I reply back coyly. His smile disappears as he puts me down.
"You sure know how to break a man's heart, soon-to-be Mrs. Crawford," he says as he moves a strand of hair behind my ear. "I miss those beautiful eyes of yours when I'm not looking into them."
I look up at him surprised but then chuckle as I look down at my hands nervously.
He certainly knows how to make me blush.
"We saw each at breakfast early this morning. I'd have to be away from you for more than two hours to miss you."
Walking away from him, I grab a big bag of fertilizer from the floor. I head for the back of the store.
Max walks in front of me and grabs the bag from my hands. He continues the walk to the back and I follow. He then places it on top of the other bags of fertilizer.
"Fair enough, Sam! So how would you react if we hadn't seen each other since last night?" He asks dusting his hands off.
"Um..."
I thought this conversation was over.
He rolls his eyes and smiles at me, showing his entire set of perfect, white teeth. One of the many things I love about him.
"Humor me," Max whispers seductively, leaning towards me.
As I look around the store, I notice only one customer. A woman looking around while talking on her cell phone.
I shake my head and look at Max, giving in to his ridiculous question.
"If we were away from one another, for more than twelve hours, I would immediately smile like I'm doing now." I grin and point at my mouth.
Max shrugs his shoulders. A look of disappointment spreads throughout his face as he crosses his arms over his chest.
"Okay. What else?"
Clearly, this conversation means a lot to him, but I know he's joking. He's always joking around.
I look again at the customer. She's walking out of the shop when a family of four walks in. A family I know.
It's Mr. Peterson and his three lovely daughters. "Good afternoon, Sam! We're just looking around!" He yells, waving at me.
"Sure thing, Mr. Peterson! Let me know if I can help you with anything!" I smile at the family when Max clears his throat.
"Fine!" I say exasperatedly as I motion for him to follow me towards the register.
Once there, I then stop, turn, and wrap my arms around his waist. "I'd be so happy you are here that I'd get on my toes and kiss you." I gently kiss him on the cheek.
I look at Max, who is now frowning.
"Really? Is that-"
Before he can finish his sentence, I kiss him on the lips.
I always love kissing him. Especially since his breath always smells of chocolate.
I am about to pull away when Max places his hands on either side of my head and deepens the kiss. A yearning below my stomach begins to grow. My hands start to climb up his shirt and then around his neck.
We are both so into our kiss, that we don't notice one of the Peterson girls at the counter. She clears her throat nervously.
Panicking, I push Max off.
"I'm so sorry!" I tell her wiping my mouth.
I look at Max who was grinning at the young customer. I believe her name is Claudia.
She just turned thirteen.
I remember because her dad ordered an arrangement of roses for her last week.
She looks down, smiling, turning a shade of pink. "It's okay," she says looking up and scratching her brow. "Umm, there are some plants outside that we want to purchase."
Claudia then looks at Max and he winks at her. Her eyes grow big and she now turns a shade of red. She immediately turns and walks off, covering her smile.
I look at Max, mortified. "Oh my god! You are nothing but trouble!"
I walk around the counter shaking my head and laughing. Max bends over the counter, staring at me. A look of hunger in his eyes.
Later that evening, I am going through some paperwork at my dinner table. Mom always stresses how important it is to leave a will. Anything can happen, at any moment, and I have to make sure everything is in order.
Max walks in, handing me a glass of red wine.
"Do you have to do that now?"
He brushes my hair from my shoulder and sits next to me. A look of worry on his face. "You work too hard. You never look up and smell the roses."
"I actually do."
Sighing, I sign the last paper. I bring my knee to my chin and look at the papers before me. "That's why I work at a flower shop. And I literally stop every day to smell all the flowers."
I lean towards Max and kiss him.
I love that he loves me so much. It's so evident. So I decided to give him an early birthday present.
"Well, I want to give you something, even though your birthday isn't for another month," I say grabbing my cup and taking a sip.
Max sits up curiously, closing his eyes and putting his hands out in front of him. I take that opportunity to gather all the papers and put them in one neat pile, placing them in front of him.
I laugh when I see he hasn't moved. "No, silly!" I push him. He smiles and opens one eye. "It's nothing like that. It's why I'm making a will," I say pointing to the papers in front of him.
Max furrows his brows in confusion. He looks at the paperwork and then at me.
"If anything should happen to me, I want you to keep everything. My store, my house, even my money. I know you would do amazing things with it." I felt my eyes slowly pooling with tears. I clear my throat to push the emotions down. "If anyone deserves it, it's you."
Max looks from me to the paper. He's still clearly confused. "I thought we agreed I would have to sign a prenup, and I am totally fine with it. However, this?! Are you sure? We aren't even married yet and you're giving me all this, in case the worst happens?" He picks up the paperwork and skims through it. "I don't think I'm comfortable with this."
The fact that he's acting this way makes me believe I was 100% correct in my decision.
With that being said, I'm a little hurt by his reaction. "Why not? I love how much you love everyone and everything, even me. And as shitty as it is, you are a beacon of light in this gloomy world. I want to help you no matter what. Alive or dead!"
Max mulls over my words for a second and then puts his head down. "Wow!" He looks up at me with eyes glazed over. "I plan on growing old with you and those beautiful eyes of yours! So don't make plans to skip out on forever early. Okay?!" He put the papers down. I smile at him.
Words really can't express how good he is to me, my family, to everyone he comes in contact with. I just want to make sure he's taken care of, in the event I don't wake up the next day.
My money just sits in the bank, doing absolutely nothing. I am entirely fine living off what I get from the flower shop.
Being rich always made me uncomfortable.
Max will do wonders with it. Like saving the world!
I stand and sit on his lap. I wrap my arm around his neck. "So, is that a yes?"
Max smiles and hugs me. "You will never have to buy me a single birthday gift, ever again!"
I laugh as I kiss him.