DARCY SLID A PIECE OF PAPER IN FRONT OF ME. It was the additional menu to raise money for medical research for Meniere’s disease.

Beverages

Tea with a Teapot Spin

Coffee with a Spoon Swirl

Sundae Milkshake with a Flavoured Spiral

Cakes & Other Deliciousness

Vanilla Swirl Cupcake

Blueberry Swirl Cupcake

Chocolate and Cream Spin

Dizzy Fairy Bread

Vertigo Meringue

Meniere’s Monster’s Cookie

‘Nice!’ I said. ‘I’m impressed!’

‘Thanks,’ Darcy said. He pushed a tray of foods towards me. ‘This is how they look,’ he said.

Each of the menu items were either in a spiral, decorated with a spiral, or created with a spin. ‘They’re for sale from today while we have the increasing volume of people entering the store.’

‘Gram will be over the moon!’ I said. ‘Thanks, Darcy. You always go above and beyond. I’ll be interested to see how they sell.’

‘Me too.’

I looked out to the front of the store. It was busy with people. ‘It looks like we’re about to open early today. Do you think Gram would mind?’

Darcy shook his head. ‘No. It’s what Gram would do. She’s about kindness to others.’

Any doubt that was in my mind about opening the doors before 8.30am were erased by Darcy’s comment.

I walked over to the double French doors and opened them wide, and greeted everyone with a smile as they entered Flowers for Fleur. I looked over at Charlotte. She gave me a mischievous grin as she placed a garland of flowers on her head. I smirked at her, remembering what day it was; Wednesday—wild, wicked Wednesday! I walked over to her with a spring in my work boots, lowered my head, and was rewarded with a matching garland. I looked at her and curtsied. She curtsied back and inclined her head with a giggle, before I went to the workbench. There was a mountain of orders to fulfil.

*~*~*~*~*

I leaned against the French doors when I closed them after the last customer had left. The day had been relentless. The flower business was booming, and I had sold out of flowers with the spiral petals. Charlotte had requests for garland flower classes, which was something to consider. Gram had decisions to make.

I hurried about cleaning the store and finalising paper work, so the day could start afresh tomorrow. I looked down at my work boots. I couldn’t wait to take them off.

Headlights of a car lit up the road. I grabbed my backpack and said goodbye to Darcy then disappeared out the front doors, locking them after me. Xander held the door open for me and I slid into the passenger seat with relief. I put my head against the head rest and closed my eyes.

‘Are you okay?’ Xander asked.

‘Just tired after a maniac of a day,’ I said. I opened my eyes and looked at him. His brow wrinkled. ‘What?’

‘I need you to be rested for the comp.’

‘I’ll have Saturday to rest ...’

Xander looked ahead, stretched his hand on the steering wheel and started the engine. I closed my eyes for the short drive to the hall. It was dance session number eleven. Foxtrot night, danced until perfection ...

I fell into bed exhausted.

*~*~*~*~*

Xander was sitting on the steps of Flowers for Fleur when I arrived at 7am, an hour late. He was the colour of blue, like looking up at the sky at midday while lying in a paddock of wheat. Peaceful and satisfying. I slowed my stride as I came closer to him. I didn’t have time to talk.

He held out a bio-cup to me. ‘Drink this, then eat this!’ He handed me a brown paper bag. ‘I want you well for the comp.’

What happened to good morning? I took the drink from him and took a sip. ‘Hot chocolate?’

‘Yes. I chose endurance foods for your energy.’

‘Come inside,’ I said and unlocked the doors and entered. I put my backpack in the office and walked to the sales desk to grab the list of morning jobs. ‘Talk to me while I get the store ready for opening ...’ I looked over at Darcy. ‘Morning, Darcy!’

‘Morning, Yolande—no good today?’

‘Way too busy to be good,’ I said.

Xander put his hand on my shoulder and stopped me. ‘You need to eat.’

‘I will, as I work.’

‘No. Sit down and eat, or I’ll carry you there!’

I lifted an eyebrow at Xander. He was being ridiculous. I turned to continue to Gram’s office and took two steps, when suddenly, Xander picked me up and put me over his shoulder.

He carried me to a table, pulled out a chair and sat me on it. ‘I’m not leaving until you’ve eaten the breakfast I’ve made for you.’

Darcy stopped at the table with a spoon. ‘You’re in on this too?’ I said to him.

‘Xander has a point,’ he said, and returned to the coffee machine.

‘Fine!’ I said, and opened the bag. I pulled out a container of warm porridge and a container of blueberries. I poured the blueberries over the porridge and started to eat.

‘The cherries, bananas, walnuts, bagel with peanut butter and pasta with sauce are for you to eat throughout the day. Darcy will bring you tea and chocolate milk to keep you hydrated at given times,’ Xander said. He pushed a lock of hair behind my ear, his touch sending a tingle down my spine. ‘Full dress rehearsal tonight.’

‘I remember.’ A twinge of anxiety shot through me, surprising me. ‘Can you take Gram’s bicycle out the front for me ... and ah ... thanks for the food,’ I said.

When Xander re-entered the store, I held the empty porridge bowl up to show him, then poked my tongue out at him. I went to the workbench, grabbed my apron and tied it on while I went to the cold room to collect flowers for Gram’s bicycle. When I came out Xander was leaning on the workbench. ‘Anything I can do to help?’

‘Here’s my list.’ I held it in front of him.

His eyes widened. ‘Now that’s a list ... I can take flowers out the front for you.’

‘That’d be great, considering I’m late today and you made me sit and eat breakfast.’ I looked up from the flowers I was arranging and frowned at him.

‘Is there a problem?’

‘Are you okay with taking the flowers outside?’

‘Yes, why?’

‘It’s kind of a girly thing for a guy to do ...’

‘Yolande ... I’m a ballet dancer ... I’m beyond worrying about what people think of me.’

‘Are you?’

‘Am I what?’

‘Do you prefer men?’

He rolled his eyes at me. ‘Yolande ... I’m—’

Arms wrapped around me from behind. It was Charlotte, her sherberty perfume floating around me.

‘Xander, this is Charlotte, my partner in crime, as fake a florist as they come, like me.’ I smiled at Charlotte and she beamed back at me with the warmest light in her eyes.

‘Actually, Landi’s fakeness is far superior to mine. She may even hold a bit of floral knowledge in that crazy head of hers.’ Charlotte grinned and held out her hand to Xander to shake. I watched as Xander placed his hand in hers, Charlotte almost incinerating on the spot.

Charlotte looked back to me, her cheeks flushed. ‘Catch you later, Andi, we better get organised before Gramps comes in and berates us.’ She looked back at Xander and inclined her head. ‘Nice to meet you, dearest Xander!’

Charlotte turned and walked to the sales desk, leaving a trail of virtual glitter flowing behind her.

I gazed up at Xander and shook my head at him.

‘You have just witnessed someone going gooey on me.’

‘I’d hate to imagine how many girls fall at your feet. Do they know they’re wasting their time?’

‘They all fall at my feet except for one—you.’

‘Is that a problem for your ego?’

‘No. It’s refreshing, and I like that you’re not like the others.’

‘Compliment or insult?’

‘Compliment ... now, which flowers am I taking outside?’

I picked up the bouquet of pink pastel flowers I had just made for Gram’s bicycle basket. ‘These ones. You know where they go. I’ll do the others. See you tonight—and ah ... thanks for the food.’

He took the blooms from me and his fingers brushed over mine. My pulse skipped a beat and I took a moment to collect myself.

He stilled and frowned, while looking deeply into my eyes. I didn’t want to go all gooey on him, but I feared it was too late.

‘Looking forward to it, and don’t forget to eat,’ he said, then left.

I blew air between my pursed lips. He was just my dance partner, right? I picked up a spray of miniature lilac roses and put them into my hair. Then took a spray of miniature pink roses over to Charlotte.

‘He’s been in the store before, right? I remember you watching him walk out the doors,’ Charlotte said while I decorated her hair with roses.

‘Yes. He’s my dancing partner.’

‘No way! You get to touch him?’

‘Yes.’

‘He looks a bit like Prince Siegfried from Swan Lake.’

‘That’s because he is Prince Siegfried from Swan Lake!’

‘No. Way! I can’t believe it ... so you’re dancing with a prince?’

‘Something like that ...’

‘Has he kissed you?’

‘No ... it’s professional. We have a competition on Saturday and then we say goodbye.’

‘How do you feel about that?’

‘Good,’ I said. But I knew it wasn’t going to be good. I liked him more than I cared to admit.

‘What type of dancing are you doing?’

‘Ballroom—a waltz and a foxtrot. But I did ballet until I was eighteen.’

‘Did you get to kiss the ballet boys?’

I grinned at her. ‘I’ve kissed a good share of danseurs in my time.’ I giggled. ‘Mia and—’ I took a breath. Saying Mia’s name out loud still hurt, ‘—Mia and I ... use to kiss the guys we thought might be gay, to see if we could convince them to go straight.’

Charlotte burst out laughing. ‘What’s it like kissing a gay guy?’

‘Hmm ... it was so long ago I can’t remember...’

‘Yes, you do. You never forget!’

‘I don’t kiss and tell.’ I wrinkled my nose at Charlotte. She was my favourite fake florist and flower power sister.

‘Is Xander gay?’

I pressed my lips together and wobbled my head. ‘I’m not sure. I’ve asked him, but we’re always interrupted when he’s about to answer my question.’

‘I hope he’s not,’ Charlotte said, her eyes shining.

‘It doesn’t matter if he is. He’s a beautiful dancer, and that’s all that matters.’ I looked down at my work boots, not believing a word I had just said. ‘We’d better get back to work or the shop won’t open on time and Gram will be furious! We don’t want Gramps turning into a fire breathing dragon.’

Charlotte lowered her head. ‘I think she’s already furious that she can’t be here in the store ...’

‘I know ... but we have a plan to raise money for research now.’

Charlotte wiped away a tear. ‘Let’s do this and make your gram well again!’

‘Absolutely!’

I returned to the workbench and checked my list of jobs. A pot of tea and a teacup appeared in my vision. I looked up at Darcy. ‘Thanks.’

‘Are you going out with him?’

‘With who?’ I asked.

‘You know ... Xander.’

‘No, why do you think that?’

‘He opens doors for you, he brings you breakfast, and this morning he helped you with flowers. No guy would help you with flowers unless they were trying to impress you.’

‘He’s being nice to me because I’m his dance partner. That’s all.’

‘You think?’

‘I know!’

‘And I know, because I’m a guy!’

‘Well, you’re wrong. He’s just a gentleman who will do anything for anybody—’ I stopped talking, lifted my chin and narrowed my eyes at Darcy, ‘Much like you.’

Darcy lowered his head and smirked. He looked up at me again. ‘I’d better get back to my barista self.’ He tapped the work bench twice, turned and left.

I shook my head while I watched him walk away. He was the most backward guy at coming forward. Maybe he needed a dose of liquid courage.

*~*~*~*~*

I wiped the crumbs from my lips before I sat the in car. I had saved the best food till last - the bagel with peanut butter. I had eaten everything in Xander’s paper bag today. Just for him. And I had created a paper plane out of the paper bag. Just for him.

Xander sat in the driver’s seat and turned on the engine, then looked at me. ‘Did you eat everything?’

I tilted my head to the side and threw the paper bag plane at him.

It hit him on the arm and fell into his lap. He picked it up and turned it this way and that. ‘You know you could improve the aerodynamics with this ...’

‘Is that a challenge, Mr Parker?’

‘Perhaps it is,’ he said. ‘But for now, we have some dancing to do.’ He pulled out onto the road and drove to my parents’ house, where I gathered my two dancing gowns and shoes.

We arrived at the hall and Xander unlocked the door and pushed it open.

‘Ladies first,’ he said with a slight dip of his head.

I stepped inside the hall and stopped as I caught my breath. There were fairy lights everywhere. It was beyond beautiful. It was magical. It was like a fairy tale ... except fairy tales weren’t real. But here I was with Prince Siegfried ...

I swallowed the lump in my throat to stop myself from crying, and turned back to Xander. ‘Did you—’

‘Yes.’ He gazed deeply into my eyes. Warmth flooded my body and I closed my eyes.

I shook my head. ‘You didn’t need to do this—’

‘I wanted to make our dress rehearsal special,’ he said, and frowned at me.

Had I hurt his feelings telling him he didn’t need to decorate the hall?

‘It’s ... it’s amazing and wonderful and ... magnificent, like you.’

‘And like you,’ he said, his voice gentle.

‘Thanks, Alexander Parker. You’re a girl’s dreams come true!’

Xander smiled at me, took my hand and walked to the church pew with me.

I put my backpack on the seat as I always did.

I turned toward Xander when he started to speak. ‘At the dance venue the first thing we will do is change into our competition clothes, warm up and stretch, like tonight. Tomorrow night is our final practice. It will be short, so we can rest.’

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Now stand outside the front door while I get changed into my waltz gown.’

‘Yolande, I’m used to being in dressing rooms with ballerinas, remember?’

‘Please ...’ I said in a quiet voice. I didn’t want him to see my chest scar again.

‘For you, I’ll go to the other end of the hall and turn my back, if you like.’

‘You won’t peek at me?’

‘Not until you tell me I can turn around.’

‘Okay. But if I see you peeking when you’re not supposed to, you’re out that door!’

Xander smiled. He grabbed his costume and walked away from me. When I was comfortable with his distance and the sight of his back, I found the opposite corner of the hall and changed into my gown. I looked down at my chest. The scar was well covered. Good.

I walked towards Xander. ‘You can turn around now,’ I said.

He turned and faced me. He looked damn good in his suit. He lowered his chin and swallowed as he looked at me. A shot of anxiety flared through me. Perhaps I had chosen the wrong gown to dance in.

‘Can you zip me up, please,’ I said and turned around for him.

I felt the light touch of his finger against my spine as he fastened my gown. My body tingled from his touch. It travelled through me, warming me.

‘Thanks,’ I said, and walked away to put on my dance shoes.

When I stood, fully dressed to dance, I looked over at Xander. He was in the middle of the hall with his hands in his pockets, waiting for me, looking every bit a high-profile fashion model would. No wonder women were spellbound around him. Even I had to fight his magical potion of allure.

As I came closer, I gazed into his blue eyes. He made a deep connection to my eyes and held them, even as I stood in front of him.

‘I want to say you look beautiful, but you don’t like the word beautiful, and pretty isn’t suffice—’

I put my finger over his lips. He didn’t need to say anymore. I didn’t need to hear words of flattery. ‘Will you dance with me?’ I said.

‘I’d love to,’ he whispered, and then the music began ... Once Upon a Dream.

Romantic dance session number twelve had started. First, the waltz until three times without error, then a change of ball gown to dance our foxtrot, three times without error.

It couldn’t be any more beautiful than dancing under the fairy lights that adorned the hall.

Did he truly know what a gift he was?