Anthony looked over her shoulder and whistled. “I have to admit, girl, you’re making that look pretty good.”
Elly leaned back. “My guess is that all the other florists are going to go for big, tall, and explosive. But this wedding ‘theme’ doesn’t’ really call for that. It calls for a sleek feel to go with the pinstripes.”
Anthony twiddled his thumbs. “This will be big. We’ll need help. Are you going to, er, call her?”
Elly bit her lip. “I don’t know who you are talking about.”
“Glitter thongs. European half shirts. Teal eye makeup. Excellent design instinct.”
Elly sighed as she colored in fuchsia-striped dahlias. “Yes, yes. I’ll call her. But I’m not going to grovel. She’s the one who stomped out of here with a stick up her….” She turned to Anthony. “Forget it. Would we be in season for gay paree peonies?”
He retreated behind the desk. “Researching now.”
Elly stretched her elbows out on the cool table and looked at her sketches. “These look great, but they are almost too girly. Maybe some white or silver organic greenery would draw out the pink.” She illustrated it out before her and sat back with a smile. “Yes. Perfect. Anthony, I have a good feeling about this.”
He looked up from the computer. “Those froufrou peonies are going to about two hundred dollars a bunch.”
“They have no budget.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Holy crap, in that case, then yes. We can get those, lots of them.” Elly set down the silver pencil and stared out her store window. “Maybe …,” Elly paused, running her fingertips over her full lips.
“Maybe what?”
“Maybe if we book the BlissBride wedding, we could perhaps think about opening another store.”
Anthony gave a wide grin. “Seriously?”
“It’s just a thought, nothing more. Please don’t say anything to anyone. I need time to think about it, maybe talk it over with a financial expert.” Herself.
“I won’t, I promise. But, in my opinion, it’s worth considering. You are at the top of your game right now. It’s a great time to expand your business.”
Elly nodded. “Let’s get through the interview first. I need to call Wildflower Linens and see if I can get a pinstripe tablecloth—maybe with raised crystal beading….”
Anthony held up his finger as he picked up the shrill phone on the desk. “Posies, this is Anthony speaking….” He put his palm over the mouthpiece. “It’s your hot sandwich man. Hey, ask him if I can run over and grab a cold cut special.”
Elly winked at Anthony and grabbed the phone. “Hey!”
“Hey, beautiful! How’s it going over there? Did Backpack Boy ever show up?”
Elly looked out the front window. “Nope, no sign of him. Now that it’s daylight and I’m in the store, I’m feeling a little bit like an idiot.” She wound the cord around her wrist, actually feeling more like a sixteen-year-old than anything, swooning at the sweet voice on the other end. “Do you have plans tonight?”
“Only you. What should we do?”
“Well, I would love to finally see your place,” said Elly. “I want to see if you really are a secret hoarder like I suspect. Is it baseball cards? Creepy old dolls?”
Keith laughed and then fell oddly silent. “Not tonight. I told you, I need fair warning to clean for you. I want you to still find me attractive after you see my place.”
Elly smiled. “I’m sure that nothing could ever make you unattractive to me.”
“What if I gained seven hundred pounds?” asked Keith.
“Even then.” Elly laughed. “That reminds me, Anthony wants to know if he can pop over and steal a cold cut.”
“Yup. I’ll start it now. Should I meet you at your place at seven?”
“Sounds great,” said Elly. She paused, carefully weighing the next sentence on her tongue. “Keith, I’d really like to see your place.”
“I know,” said Keith firmly. “You will, I promise. And I swear that I’m not homeless.”
“Okay. I miss you,” whispered Elly.
“I miss you more,” said Keith.
Elly reached out for the yellow wall behind the desk. “You know, I’m only a few walls away.” There was a loud retching sound from the design area as Anthony made a puking motion with a shower of peach sweet peas. “Okay, we’re gross. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
Elly hung up the phone and did a little dance. A date tonight, with Keith. In the short time they’d been dating, he had taken her to the St. Louis Zoo, on a riverboat tour, and to the famous Blueberry Hill. He always took her on creative, fabulous dates, and there was always a hot session of kissing to look forward to. Grinning from ear to ear and her heart tilting in her chest, Elly walked to the cooler.
“I guess we better design today, huh?” Anthony looked up at her from behind a bucket of periwinkle scabiosa.