CHAPTER 14

Wednesday morning in The Petal and Kettle, Skye was blossoming as much as the flowers that surrounded her. It had been three days since she’d seen Garret and although she missed him terribly her days were filled with quirky and sexy text messages and her evenings held the promise of his long phone calls.

Both Suki and Jess smirked whenever Skye’s phone beeped so she had turned it to silent and had begun to anticipate the short vibrate that alerted her to messages.

“Would you like some coffee with that day dream?” Jess joked as she walked by Skye as she placed an arrangement of red roses and baby’s breath on the delivery counter.

“The day dream’s quite good, but coffee can only make it better.” Skye laughed as she followed Jess into the small kitchenette.

“If I knew Garret Roth could make a girl this happy, I would’ve tried to pull him out of sulk land before I invited you to come and stay with us.” Jess teased, as her eyes told a different story. She was happy for Skye.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but that’s a super power only I have.”

Both girls laughed until a loud thud on the door quieted them. “Do we get paid to drink coffee and gossip or to sell flowers and coffee?” Suki’s voice had a stern edge to it, making Skye nervous. She turned her attention to the cup Jess passed her.

“Both! Wanna cup of coffee with a side of gossip?” Jess asked easily as she pulled another cup from the cupboard.

“I’m dying for both!”

Skye felt Suki’s hand rest on her own and lifted her eyes to meet Suki’s. “Hey, I was kidding. If I knew you were that easily rattled I would've knocked.”

Feeling the tension ease from her shoulders, she smiled at Suki. “I should’ve known better.”

“Yes you should’ve.” Suki smiled. “So what are we gossiping about? Or should I say, who?”

Jess grabbed a seat and winked at Skye. “Little Miss Lawrence bringing the dapper Garret Roth back to life.”

Skye couldn’t help but blush. Every time she saw Garret she was stunned by his physical attributes and couldn’t believe that he liked her, but as soon as they started talking that didn’t matter anymore. She was falling for his mind as much as his body. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to other women talking about how handsome he was.

“Urghh I know, makes you think we should’ve at least given it a go.” Suki sighed before smiling at Skye. “But then we wouldn’t have Skye moving to the Hamptons would we? So no, I’m happy to hand her the handsome Garret Roth with roses on top.”

“Thanks Suki.” Skye smiled.

“So come on, we want some details.” Jess urged as she blew on the steaming cup of coffee. “Ever since you came home on Sunday you’ve been wearing a goofy smile and you haven’t told us a thing.”

“Yip.” Suki agreed.

“It’s against the rules you know.” Jess continued, a woman on a mission.

“What rules?” Skye looked from Suki to Jess.

“House rules. All details of sex, fights and threesomes should be shared equally.”

Skye nearly spat her coffee over the table. She’d never be able to tell her cousins about the wanton way she reacted to Garret’s ministrations.

Suki pointed at Skye with narrowed eyes. “That means it was so good she’s embarrassed about it.”

Skye knew they wouldn’t stop until she said something so she aimed for a pleaser. “He’s different. I don’t know how to explain it but it’s like he gets me. He gets my body; he knows what I want even before I know it. Actually it’s quite amazing.”

“Urgghhh please stop!” Suki stood up. “Some of us are still single and don’t want to be revolted with rainbows and kisses.” She winked at Skye before she walked out of the kitchen. Skye immediately knew she didn’t do it because she was revolted, but because she knew Skye was too private a person to share more. “Oh Skye, when you’re done making my sister jealous I need you to deliver some flowers to a guest at that new hotel in Bridgehampton.”

“Sure.” Skye smiled as Suki left.

Jess placed her cup in the sink and turned to Skye. “You know what? I actually know what you mean. Sometimes it’s like that with Anthony. Not all the time though. But you know what I figure? If a guy can put that smile on your face for three days straight, he’s worth keeping.”

As Skye got up to leave she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Even before she withdrew it she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Butterflies started flitting around in her abdomen as she read the text.

Coming out tonight, hope you’re not busy?

I’m planning on keeping you busy...

My place 7pm?

Say yes.

G

Skye all but bounced to collect the delivery address from Suki before collecting the flowers from Jess.

“Okay, here you go. The woman sounds a bit miserable.”

“No problem.”

“All right, your smile has just grown a few inches, what’s going on?” Suki teased.

“Garret’s coming out tonight; I need to meet him at his place at seven.”

“Skipping out on work in the middle of the work week? Sounds like someone can’t stay away from you?”

“I know.” Skye mocked. “Oh Suki remember I’ve got my first appointment at the therapist in town this afternoon.”

Suki nodded and checked her watch. “Oh I almost forgot. You know what; don’t worry about coming back to the shop, head on over there after you dropped the flowers.”

“Thank Suki.”

“Goodluck!”

The hotel smelled of furniture polish, fresh paint and newly sanded wood. It spoke of luxury and money and Skye couldn’t wait to see what the rooms looked like if the foyer was anything to go by. The flower arrangement was becoming heavy in her arms. Jess had outdone herself again with a beautiful arrangement of red roses and baby’s breath. Stepping up to the reception desk she thought even the staff looked freshly pressed. She set the flowers on the counter next to her before she asked the girl behind the counter. “Delivery for room 521 please.”

“Those are beautiful.” The girl smiled at the flowers before turning to Skye. “Fifth floor, exit left from the elevator almost at the end of the hall.”

“Thank you.” Collecting the flowers, Skye headed to the elevator. The last time she had been in an elevator had been in Manhattan, everyone had been talking at once and Skye had felt anxious the whole ride. Today it was different; even though there were people in the elevator and they were all talking, Skye didn’t feel bothered at all. Instead she couldn’t help but catch snippets of their conversations as the elevator travelled up.

She briskly walked towards room 521 and knocked twice before stepping back and waiting for the door to be opened.

Quite a while later the door slowly opened. A tall blonde wearing nothing but a lace negligee looked at Skye as if she was something the tide washed up. Her blonde hair shone gold from the late afternoon sun shining in from the windows. She glanced at the flowers before giving Skye a once over.

Skye had never felt more criticized than when those pale blue eyes moved over her and settled on her face with a distinct disapproval.

“I’ve waited for you the whole afternoon; you took so long I fell asleep. Obviously service isn’t something you pride yourself on.”

Skye glanced at the order form in her hand noticed the order had been phoned in barely an hour before. Skye calculated her driving time, parking time and came to the conclusion that Jess barely had twenty minutes to do the flowers. The fact that they had been done in only twenty minutes impressed Skye even more. She wanted to point the fact out but remembered what Suki had told her; in retail the customer is always right.

Grinding her teeth she smiled at the woman. “I’m sorry. Would you please sign here?”

“Gmphh! Sure.” Flipping her golden hair over her shoulder she took the slip and signed it before she held out her hands for the flowers.

Bending was obviously beneath her Skye thought as she neatly picked the flowers up and passed them to her.

Ice blue eyes assessed the flowers from all sides before turning to Skye. “I guess you couldn’t expect much better out here,” she said before slamming the door in Skye’s face.

Skye wanted to knock again and to tell the woman that she had lived in Manhattan and even there you wouldn’t get much better, but started counting to ten as she walked to the elevators.

By the time she arrived at her new therapist she had sufficiently calmed down only to feel the nerves start to build again over seeing a new therapist. Skye had counted to ten a few times as she focused on the waiting room. The walls were painted a pale yellow with gold frames boasting paintings of local artists. The chair was surprisingly comfortable, as most waiting room chairs weren't. A middle aged woman named Bonny was the receptionist and had given Skye a warm welcome and offered her a cold drink before asking her to have a seat. Overall, Skye had to admit the practice so far was much less intimidating than the one she had frequented in Manhattan. The fact that the therapist was on schedule surprised Skye even more.

Skye was welcomed into the office by a tall lady in her early fifties. Her hair was cut short, shorter even than Garret’s but it suited her perfectly. Her makeup was completely natural but for the fire hydrant red lipstick. She wore comfortable blue grey slacks with a soft grey knit top over which a variety of beads were draped.

“Welcome Skye, can I call you that?” Her voice was as muted as her clothes, her eyes as bright as her lips.

“Thank you. Yes, please.” Skye said following her in.

The office was as muted as the reception area; knowing where she was expected to sit, Skye moved to a white chair opposite the one that had a notepad and pen on it.

“I’m Doctor Steele. Thank you for coming to see me.” She paged through the forms Skye had completed in the waiting room before turning to Skye again. “I see in your file you have recently moved to the Hamptons?”

“That’s right, yes.” Skye said. For some reason a therapist’s voice alone had a way of calming you.

“I can request your files from your previous therapist if you don’t want to tell me everything again, sometimes patients prefer that.”

Skye smiled wryly. “I don’t mind telling you, besides I’m afraid your opinion of me is tainted by those files. I’ve made quite some progress since I moved here a month ago.”

Dr. Steele sat back with her notepad and pen as Skye told her all about it. It felt good to tell Dr. Steele how bad things had been and how much progress she had made since leaving her medication, and Manhattan. Dr. Steele gave the expected nods and prods as Skye told her story until Skye reached the part about Garret.

“I’m glad you’ve met someone who doesn’t judge you by past Skye, but I do hope you don’t pin all your recovery solely on him.” Concern shone from her eyes.

Skye smiled before answering. “I’m not. I thought about it and actually meeting Garret placed more pressure on me that I had planned on dealing with in the first few months of moving here. But somehow if I do get tense, he manages to calm me.”

“That’s really good to hear. I just have one question for you? If things don’t work out with Garret are you going to move back to the city?”

“No.” Skye answered definitively. “My decision about moving here had less to do with Garret than The Petal and Kettle. I found a job that suits me with people that understand me. I have to admit if it wasn’t for Suki and Jess I don’t think any of this progress would’ve been made at all.”

“Well then you’ll have to tell them I thank them for taking such good care of my patient. You are my patient now, aren’t you? I’ll be seeing you again?”

“Yes, I’d like that.” Skye answered as she stood to leave. Now she had everything in the Hamptons she wanted except one thing. A place of her own.