Chapter 25
Addison
“There’s one more thing. I actually asked someone to meet us here. I’ll be right back,” Sabrina said as I wiped away the tears that didn’t seem to want to stop today.
But who could blame me? It’d been a big day.
“Who is it?” I asked.
It could be her mother, or Naomi. It could be . . . no, I didn’t want to think about him. The last time I’d seen him I’d chosen another man.
There was no way Todd would be interested in me after that.
“Just you wait here,” Sabrina replied with a smile.
She stepped out of the shop, and I was left standing alone, my head spinning. Sabrina was back. Here, in San Francisco. And she looked happy! No longer the lost, desperate person I’d met at the airport that day, running through the departures hall, anxious to get away.
I let out a long puff of air. I needed to get ahold of myself. I’d come clean with her about crashing Velma, about losing Mrs. Thornhill’s business.
And about Todd.
I rubbed at my temples.
“Excuse me?”
I was pulled out of my reflections by a young woman, dressed in a pantsuit, looking at me expectantly as she stood by the potted plants.
I pasted on a smile, trying to concentrate on this potential customer, rather than on everything that had just happened—and who the mystery person was Sabrina had gone to get.
“Welcome to The Flower Girl. How can I help you?”
“I want to get one of these orchids for my friend at work, but I need some help deciding.”
“Sure.”
As I helped her choose between a pale pink and dramatic white and burgundy potted orchid, I noticed Sabrina walk back into the shop, trailed by someone. I looked directly at him, and my eyes met his. I almost dropped the plant, ceramic pot and all.
It was Todd.
I sucked in air as I looked at him. He was watching me closely, his expression nervous and . . . and something else I couldn’t identify.
My mind reeled. Sabrina had brought Todd here? To see me? I mean, I knew she’d told me about this new guy called Ethan, but this was her ex, the man she once wanted to marry.
Was it just me or was this getting beyond weird?
“. . . water it?”
I shook my head, turning my attention to the customer. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I wanted to know if it needs watering.”
“Oh, yes. Sorry.” I swallowed. Focus, Addi, focus! “Yes, it needs ample water, but tell your friend to let it dry out sometimes. If she puts her finger about half an inch under the soil and it’s dry, she’ll need to give it some water.”
“Sure. I’ll tell her. I’ll take that one, please.” She pointed at the pale pink orchid in my hand—the one I’d nearly dropped when my eyes clapped on the one person I was not expecting to see again.
Ever.
“Of course. Come with me to the counter and I’ll wrap it up for you.”
Much fumbling with ribbons and avoiding looking in Todd’s direction later, the woman left the shop, orchid in tow.
It was just the three of us: Sabrina, me, and Todd.
I closed my eyes for a moment before turning to face them both. “Sorry about that,” I said, my voice breathless.
“It’s totally fine, of course. She was a paying customer,” Sabrina said. She paused, looking at Todd, then back to me. “How about you two go and talk somewhere? I’ll take over here for now.”
“Are you sure?” I squeaked. “I mean, you probably need me here to help. It’s quite busy. . .” I trailed off as I looked around the now-empty shop.
She smiled at me. “I’ll be fine. It’s great to be back.”
I glanced at Sabrina as I pulled off my apron and collected my purse from under the counter. She shot me an encouraging smile.
I had yet to look Todd in the eye. What was I going to say to him? The last time we were together, at the Wainwright Hotel coffee shop, he told me he wanted to be with me. And I had responded by choosing another man.
He must hate me.
Neither of us uttering a word, Todd and I walked out of the shop, into the Ferry Building. It was a quiet time of day, with only a few people milling around, doing their shopping, and visiting the cafés and restaurants.
I stole a glance at him. His jaw was locked, and he was looking straight ahead.
“Shall we go outside?” I asked, my voice cracking. I cleared my throat.
“Sure.”
We walked through the large glass doors, onto the wharf. Memories of both Geoff and Todd flooded my mind.
Maybe this wasn’t the best place to talk, after all.
“There’s a seat over there,” I said, pointing to a bench about ten yards away. My tummy was doing flips as I tried to control the mounting fear inside.
“I think I’ll stand,” he replied.
“Okaaaay.” I stole another glance at him. He looked almost angry.
Did he want to stand so it would be easier to throw me into the harbor?
We walked over to the edge of the wharf and Todd turned to face me as he leaned against the railing.
The Bay Bridge loomed large next to us, stretching over to the other side of the harbor.
I pressed my lips together, trying to find the right words.
Todd beat me to it. “Did you really want to go back to New Zealand with Geoff?”
For the first time since I’d seen him walk into The Flower Girl, I looked up into his eyes. I caught my breath as I saw his pain. “Todd, I . . .” Those pesky tears returned, choking my words.
At this rate, I’d have no eye makeup left today.
“I’m sorry.” I hung my head and wiped the tears away with my fingertips.
Todd took my hands in his. “Hey, don’t cry. It’s okay.” His voice was soft, kind.
I hadn’t expected that.
I shook my head. “It’s not. That day . . . Todd, I chose someone else over you.”
“Do you love him? Because if you do, I will leave you alone.” He placed his hand over his heart. “I promise.”
I knitted my brows together. Did I love Geoff? Did I want to be with him again?
I shook my head.
“Now that Sabrina has given us her blessing and . . .”
“And?” His eyes were full of hope.
I bit my lip. I had chosen Geoff, but my heart hadn’t been in it. Geoff was uncomplicated; he was safe.
But as I stood here, my hands entwined with Todd’s, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt who I wanted to be with.
I took a deep breath. “Can you forgive me?”
His face creased into a smile. “As long as you tell me you’ve changed your mind about leaving. I kinda like you, Kiwi.”
I smiled back at him, my heart contracting. “I kinda like you, too.”
“So . . . you choose me?”
I nodded as fresh tears welled in my eyes. But this time, they were tears of sheer happiness.
Todd let go of my hands and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me right off the ground and spinning me around. I let out a giggle, enjoying the feeling—like I was on one of those rides in Orlando.
He placed me back down, not letting me go for a second.
As I looked back into his eyes, the atmosphere around us changed. I pushed myself up on tippy-toes and reached my hand around the nape of his neck, breathing in his scent, feeling his body against mine. A second later, our lips locked and my whole body turned to mush.
And oh, my! What a kiss! All the pent-up worry, all the heartache, everything dissipated. Todd wanted me, and I wanted him. Sabrina had given us her blessing, and it felt good. So, so good.
We came up for air, grinning so much I thought my face might crack. I let out a puff of air, my head light.
I’d never been kissed like that before.
“Thank you,” Todd muttered into my hair, his breath making my neck tingle.
“For what?”
“For choosing me.”
I pulled back so I could look him in the eyes. “It’s been you since the moment I met you in that hedge. You have to know that.”
His grin was broad, his eyes soft. “I do now.”
We hugged again, reveling in one another. This had worked out perfectly for me—in a way I hadn’t even dared to hope.
“I guess I’ll have to tell Geoff.” I scrunched my eyes shut. “I’m going to break his heart all over again.”
“Yeah, but he’ll get over it,” Todd said with a shrug.
“I don’t know. I’m a pretty awesome person, you know,” I teased.
“Yup, you are.” He pulled me in for another one of those incredible kisses, and I melted right into it.
“I’ll tell him today. Like ripping off a Band-Aid, right?”
“Exactly. And who knows? Maybe he’ll meet someone on the trip back to New Zealand?”
I smiled. “Maybe.”
I thought of how Sabrina had met Ethan on the plane to Orlando—and of how Todd and I had met in that hedge on my first day in San Francisco.
Sabrina had said it was fate we’d met that day in Dallas. Looking into Todd’s eyes as we stood, holding one another in the midday sun, the sea sparkling, the ferries coming and going around us, I had a feeling she was absolutely right.
* * *
We said a reluctant goodbye, agreeing to meet after work, and I returned to The Flower Girl. Sabrina had donned a green-and-white striped Flower Girl apron over her floral dress and was busy serving a customer. I stood and watched her from the doorway. She looked like she had never been away.
She looked like she belonged.
A pang of sadness hit me. Now that I had Todd, I knew beyond a whisper of a doubt I wanted to stay in San Francisco.
If Sabrina was back for good, what did that mean for me?
She finished serving the customers, and I walked into the shop.
“How did it go?” she asked.
I couldn’t stop a big grin spreading across my face if I’d been offered a million bucks. “We want to be together.”
She returned my smile. “I’m so happy you two worked it out. Todd’s a really good guy, and he deserves to be happy.”
I nodded. “I know. The best. Sabrina? You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“I think I do,” she replied.
I wondered if she was thinking about Ethan.
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
“Not really. I could tell he’d fallen for you the moment he told me about you. I wanted you to know I was okay with you two being together. I guess I was trying to give you a helping hand.”
“You’re my fairy godmother!”
She laughed. “The fairy godmother who played matchmaker for her ex-fiancé and her guardian angel.”
“We’re a Hallmark movie!” I replied with a laugh.
She let out a puff of air. “On another note, you know how you mentioned what happened with Mrs. Thornhill?” I nodded. “Well, you were not the only one to have difficulties with customers. I should tell you that Mrs. Watson pretty much despised me and threatened to take her business to a new shop called Fuchsia Flowers and Gifts.”
“Oh, no!”
Knowing Mrs. Watson as I did, I could well imagine.
“Long story short, the owner of that shop is Ethan’s sister-in-law, and I think I managed to talk some sense into both her and Mrs. Watson. You shouldn’t have a problem when you return.” She paused, watching me closely. “That is . . . if you’re returning to Orlando?”
I pressed my lips together. “The only reason I moved to Orlando was to be with a guy who broke up with me after just six months. I stayed, just going through the motions, watching everyone around me find their happiness. I attended so many weddings I began to hate everything about them!”
Sabrina chuckled. “I can relate.”
“When I met you in Dallas and you suggested the switch, it gave me the reason I was looking for not to go back. And now that Todd and I . . . well, I think he’s worth sticking around for.” I shot her a shy smile.
Her eyebrows shot up. “You’re going to stay in San Francisco?”
I nodded. “I love it here; it feels like the right balance for me.”
“What about Blooms on Valencia?”
I frowned. “That’s the one factor that makes this decision so hard. Blooms is the only thing connecting me to Orlando now. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about selling it.”
Sabrina’s expression changed. “I’ve got an idea. You could stay in San Francisco and get someone to manage it for you! Isabella is amazing, as you know. I have full confidence in her being able to manage the place for you.”
I smiled, my mind racing like a lioness chasing her prey. “You know what? That’s a pretty darn good idea. I could totally do that. Then, all I have to do is work out what to do in San Francisco.”
Sabrina grinned at me. “I have an idea about that, too.”
I laughed. “Another one?”
She put her hand in the air. “Hear me out. What if there was a way for you to keep Blooms and for me to have some help running The Flower Girl?”
I knitted my brows together. “What are you saying?”
“I’m asking if you would consider going into business with me? Isabella could run Blooms, and we could run The Flower Girl, together. We could both take turns, traveling to Orlando to check in.”
I tapped my chin. “I guess you will need more help with the work Lucy is giving The Flower Girl now.”
“Exactly.”
“And we’d have to work out all the logistics and legal stuff.”
She shrugged. “Easy.”
A surge of excitement hit me in the belly.
“So, what do you say to my latest crazy idea? Partners?” She held out her hand.
Partners in The Flower Girl and Blooms? Would today’s craziness never end?
I stared at her hand, excitement rising inside. “You and your ideas, Sabrina Monroe!” I shook my head, letting out a laugh. I took her hand in mine. “Partners.”
I grinned at her, this stranger I’d met at an airport after she’d run away from her wedding—to the man I had fallen for.
Now, no longer a stranger, we were going to be partners, working together, doing what we both loved.
I never knew running away from the lives we had been living would have meant we were both running to the lives we were meant to have.