Everyone, thought Elly, with a generous dose of sympathy. She smoothed out her papers as the waiter walked over. “Hello, Miss Plumb. My name is Hurley. What can I get for you today?”
Lola bit her lip. “Could you do a garden vegetable soufflé, braised artichokes, and an eggplant parmesan?”
The waiter bowed. He bowed! “And you … Miss?”
“Jordan,” Elly replied.
“And what can I get for you?”
Elly looked around. “I think I might need a menu.”
“Oh, no menu for you. We will make you whatever your heart desires.”
Elly’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
He grinned. He had a cute face. “Seriously.”
Elly thought for a moment. What she was really craving was a sandwich and a kiss from Keith, but unfortunately, those weren’t offered here. “Okay, Hurley, how about a petite sirloin with sautéed mushrooms, braised artichokes, and … Georgia pecan pie?”
He gave her a dazzling grin. “Of course, ma’am.”
Elly looked at Lola, disoriented and amazed. Lola looked bored, twisting her signature red hair into a braid. The waiter drifted silently back into the darkness of the kitchen. They were alone. Elly cleared her voice, ready to do what she did best. “So, what are you thinking for your bridal bouquet? After all, that’s the foundation of your flowers.”
Lola fidgeted. “What does Gemma want me to have?”
“It doesn’t matter to me what Gemma wants.” This was not entirely true.
Lola looked back at Elly and then gave a giggle. They were conspirators. “Really?”
“Really.”
Lola sat back. “Well, you know my colors are navy-blue pinstripes with a bright pink, right?”
“I do.”
Lola bit her fingernail. They were chewed to nubs. “Well, I love wildflowers. I like those white and pink carnations a lot.”
Oh dear, thought Elly. “Okay. Any other flowers?”
“I like lily of the valley.”
Now we’re talking, thought Elly. “I think the combination of the peonies and the lily of the valley would be stunning. Stunning and simple and elegant.”
“I like those because they bloomed in my yard growing up. Dahlias, too. And delphinium. Then, I thought we could spray or dye them hot pink and navy. Like, every other one?”
Elly stared back at Lola. Oh no. She tried to compose her face into a mask of approval. “We could do that. Or, we could just use maybe bright combo of the flowers with a navy wrap….”
Lola shook her head. “No, I like the dyed hot pink and navy flowers. And I was thinking that we could put like, rhinestones in each one? Plus, if we do the centerpieces made of navy flowers with diamonds, I think that would be really pretty. What do you think?”
How could she not have seen it?, Elly wondered as she looked at Lola anew. Behind all her makeup, designer clothes, and professional team of yes-people, Lola was still a small-town girl, dazzled by bright things and small dogs and silk glitter flowers. In short, she had questionable taste. No wonder Gemma was trying to take over the design. When someone dressed you every day, how did you know what your real style was? How did you develop your own preference for anything, let alone flowers? Lola Plumb appeared to be a designer-clothing model, but inside she preferred to wear Kmart. Of course.
Elly sat back in her chair. She had to approach this gently. This wasn’t the first time she had been asked to do something that appalled her design sense. “Navy-blue roses aren’t a natural color in the flower world. We would, indeed, have to dye or spray them, and that can look,” she paused, raising her eyebrow gently, “cheap.”
Lola ran her fingers over the water glass. “But you can do it, right?”
Elly gave a slow nod. “I can, but it’s not something we do on a regular basis.”
Lola looked offended. “Well, I am not a regular client.”
Elly immediately sensed that she had stepped over some invisible celebrity line. “You are right. We can do whatever your heart desires.” Even if your heart’s desire is unnatural.
“Good. For the bridesmaids, I was thinking, like, pink carnations, delphinium, and then maybe some of those swirly glitter sticks?”
Elly inwardly cringed.
“I just love the way that looks. And you can match the guy’s bouts for that. Joe loves amaryllis, can you do that for a bout?”
“Amaryllis is a very big flower—that could make for a really, really large boutonniere.”
“Oh, Joe doesn’t care about that. I would love one of those in navy blue. They are wearing khaki linen suits, so it will stand out.” Yes it will, thought Elly. Like a sore thumb. “For the ceremony, I love those big white calla lilies. I think the ceremony should be all whites and pinks, with the reception all navy.”