Bethany was able to ease the breath she held slowly without anyone noticing. Oh Lord, that was close.

She took one of the champagne flutes, reminding herself not to drink it all in one go. There were more people milling about and she was content standing to one side to watch the organised chaos in front of her. She made small talk with people and showed some of the prices to those who walked in curious to see what was happening. A long queue formed in front of the counter and Bethany took over so that Debbie and Adi could grab a bite to eat with the rest of the staff. Amara’s eyes were alight with the adrenalin rush of being in the middle of something exciting. Drake was outside talking on his phone. His face was at times serious, and at times annoyed. Something moved inside Bethany’s chest that felt a lot like concern and this levelled off the moment Drake’s face cleared.

She thanked the customer who bought a box of white roses but her mind was on how she was starting to become attuned once more to Drake’s moods just like before. Bethany tried to stop her full blown grin but couldn’t. This man loved her and her soul sang in the face of it. Only a few were blessed with a permanent love that defied all reason. That lasted beyond a lifetime. Bethany hoped she was one of those fortunate few. Hope…looked like the cracked earth of her heart was going to give the seed another try.

The crowd eased by seven thirty in the evening. Lissie had called asking if the food trays could be left in the shop. She’d ask someone to retrieve it the next day because they were understaffed in the restaurant. Drake had helped clear and Bethany was helpless to stop him from doing so. He was really worming himself into her heart once more.

Just as they were all taking a break, a couple with a child entered the store. The woman was stunning. She had a model’s figure with auburn hair and hazel eyes. Her smile was friendly and engaging as she went around perusing some of what was left of the flowers. The boy of about five years old held her hand while she spoke to Cinzia. But the man had zeroed in on Bethany and the lick of recognition in his eyes dragged her stomach down to the floor.

Bethany’s hands became clammy. Heat rushed to her face despite the cold swamping her.

Breathe Bethany. Just breathe.

She continued tidying up behind the counter tying up the bin bags filled with cut up stems, fallen leaves, and errant petals. She ignored the man who ratcheted her pulse for very different reasons.

He sauntered to her and looked around. “Nice place. You work here now?”

Bethany’s skin crawled at the way his gaze undressed her.

“Yeah, I do.” Her courteous smile signalled him to move along. He didn’t. Bethany clenched her jaw. She glanced at the woman talking with Cinzia. “Your wife is stunning.”

The sexual interest in his eyes dulled. He twisted half way. “How do you know she’s my wife?”

“Oh you know, because you’re wearing a wedding ring and the boy looks a lot like you.” Bethany’s hand grasped the pruning shears underneath the counter. She placed it on the surface with a thud.

The man arched a brow, amused.

“Does she know you frequented my former place of work?”

The stranger’s lips tightened.

“None of my business but,” Bethany shrugged. “How could you do that to her?”

He lost his cocky attitude. He shuffled in place and let out a nervous laugh.

“Are you going to make a scene?”

“Me? Make a scene? That’s bad for business. Besides, I never tell.” Bethany snorted, becoming the hustler she had once been. “Not my place.”

He lingered as though unsure whether she was telling the truth or not.

With just a few words, the man who had come in was not the man who was leaving. He nodded to Bethany. This time he looked like he couldn’t get away fast enough. He ushered his family out of the store without a backward glance.

“Cara, we need to close shop. I can only take much tensioné.” Cinzia blew out a breath. She motioned for Drake to come in before she closed the door and twisted the sign from ‘Open’ to ‘Close’.

“Who was that guy?”

There was an underlying band of steel in Drake’s curious voice. Bethany returned the shears under the counter. She wiped the counter down “No one. Why?”

Drake darted a glance at her before trailing his finger over the counter, a crease on his forehead.

“He seemed to know you.”

Breathe, Bethany.

“Just wanted to find out what kind of flowers he could give his wife.”

“Anniversary?”

“A spur of the moment gesture,” she said. She took the brush leaning against the wall and began sweeping.

“And?”

“What’s with the third degree, Drake?” Bethany huffed a laugh, gripping the brush tightly until her skin stretched taut over her knuckles. “Just because something happened between us I can no longer talk to men?”

Drake blinked, taken aback. His face flushed and his possessive attitude that had been pulsing against Bethany’s skin disappeared.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, I was out of line.”

Bethany paused from sweeping.

“Look, it’s been a long day.” She swiped the back of her hand against her forehead. She reached out to cup his cheek, her mouth curving into a wan smile. “I’m tired and I need to unwind before tomorrow.”

“It has.” Drake agreed. “I’ll come by later.”

“No…I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said, adding, “Amara is staying home with me. I’m spending the day with her tomorrow.”

“Hi Drake,” Amara greeted emerging from the workroom. “I didn’t know you’d still be here.”

A grin kicked the side of Drake’s mouth.

“I wanted to ask you and mum out tomorrow.”

Amara stopped in her tracks, a knowing light switching on in her blue eyes. Then she narrowed them as though shrewdly assessing the situation.

“Uhmm…no.”

Bethany felt her brows rise until she thought it reached her hairline. Drake looked at her. All she could do was return his bewildered expression. She didn’t know whether to laugh or chide her daughter. But after the encounter a moment ago, it was the best thing to have happened. She could hug Amara right now.

“Mum’s taking me shopping and it’s an all-girl thing,” Amara replied.

Drake rubbed the back of his neck letting out a chuckle.

“Okay, I know when I’m beaten.” His mouth quirked. “How about I meet you after?”

“It’s a mother and daughter day.”

Drake raised his hands, his grin widening. “Point taken.”

Amara winked, nudged her head to one side. “Knew you’d see it my way.”

“Good for you, Amara.” Cinzia shook her head while putting the used flutes into its polyurethane crate, the glasses clinking when hitting a solid surface.

Drake threw his head back and laughed. Bethany watched in amazement as Amara flounced back to the workroom also giggling.

“Amara, you’d be formidable in negotiating deals.” Drake called to her.

“Meh…not sure about that.” She spun around as she retreated. “I’m just jealous of my time with Mum. Besides, negotiating deals? That’s too much for my teenage head.”

“Oh my God…” Bethany breathed unable to pinpoint the exact emotion inside her. Pride, love, embarrassment vied for equal attention.

“Don’t say anything.” Drake waved his hand. “She’s right.”

Amusement ebbed from his face but there were remnants of his smile.

“You’ve got one hell of a daughter, Bee.”

Her own mouth curved. “Yes, I do.”

Drake’s phone rang. He didn’t answer. “Tell me when I can see you and I’ll be there.”

Her heart made a knock about beat. Her shoulders made a helpless gesture.

“With this shop now opened, I can’t really say.”

“Then I’ll drop by. Whether Amara is there or not.”

He leaned over, curled his hand around her neck and brought her mouth in for a thorough kiss. An unbidden moan came out of her as electricity fired up everything inside her and prepared her sex. When the kiss ended, she didn’t know who she was.

His phone buzzed once more and a displeased sound came from the back of his throat.

Drake rested his forehead on hers.

“I love you Bee. I’m so glad the launch was a success. I’ll make up for the lost time. I promise.”

With one last peck on her forehead, Drake walked to the door. Even after the bell tinkled, Bethany could still feel the imprint of his lips on hers, his tongue. She was still surrounded by his scent of musk and cologne. Her heart and soul kept dancing to some happy song Bethany had no title for.

“Are you okay, Bettina?” Cinzia squeezed her arm.

She turned to her gaze to her friend.

“A while ago, I thought I’d have a shot at my happy ever after then Sam Miller and his family come in.”

“Cara, he was not one of your clients.”

“But he knows what I’ve done.” Bethany looked at the workroom where Amara was busy texting. She set the broom by the wall. “Who else will recognise me? When Drake and I go out who will be a bastard and out me to the man I love?”

“Then you have to let Drake know, and the sooner the better.” Cinzia picked up more of the champagne flutes and carefully slotting them into the case. “And remember, when you started you were booking the appointments. You weren’t the one going to hotel rooms all over Manchester.”

“It’s never going to work.” She picked on some imaginary pine needle on the counter pureeing it with her nail until it became sap. “We’re just too different now. There’s no way our lives can comfortably join together.”

“Bettina, how can you say that when you’ve not even given your relationship with Drake a chance?” Cinzia’s lips pursed as she frowned. “Sometimes I think you’re putting obstacle after obstacle in your search to be happy.”

Bethany bristled. “Not true.”

“Really?” Cinzia arched her brow.

Bethany shook her head. What Cinzia said stung. Was she really sabotaging her own happiness? She had been living in fear for so long she had no point of reference for what was considered normal.

Cinzia blew out a breath.

“I’m sorry, cara. But you have to listen. Relationships don’t fuse perfectly. I don’t think they are meant to, not in the beginning. That’s why you work on it.” Cinzia admonished gently. “If we were all the same, we’d be boring.”

Bethany bent to scoop the trash into the bin bag that Cinzia now held.

“I’m just…scared.”

Her friend shook her head. “Cara, that happened years ago. The moment we could get out we did. And that man—” she paused looking up as she expelled her breath. “It will be more destructive for him than it will be for you. Besides, he’s the one with the rich wife so I doubt he’d be leaving her any time soon.”

“An impasse, or mutually assured destruction.”

Cinzia rolled her eyes. “He has moved on with his life. So must you.”

Bethany straightened, a marginal smile on her mouth.

“You’re right. I have to move on. I cannot stop the way I feel about Drake. But once I tell him what happened, I doubt there’d be any chance of a future with him.”