A Bouquet of Love (18 page)

“Not bad, not bad,” Mama said and then gave me a little wink. “I think this one's a keeper, Cassia.”

Yes, he was a keeper, all right. I thought back to our conversation on the trolley. Strange sensations drizzled over me as I reflected on what we'd both said. Something was blooming, for sure. No denying the obvious anymore.

A quick glance at the clock reminded me that I needed to get back to the flower shop. Babbas didn't even seem to mind. He was so thrilled with Alex's help that he had nothing but flattering words to say. Go figure. Either the man had forgotten what the Splendora ladies had told him, or God had truly worked a miracle of biblical proportions. I'd take it, either way.

After saying goodbye to the family, Alex took my hand and we headed to the corner to wait on the trolley. Once on board he led the way, not to a seat, but to the platform in the back. We stood in silence waiting for the trolley to start moving. Alex slipped his arm around my waist and drew me close. I turned to face him, my heart once again doing that crazy
clang
,
clang
,
clang
thing.

Alex brushed his index finger along my cheek to push a loose hair out of my face, and I found myself leaning into his palm. He left his hand resting against my skin and drew me even closer. My eyes fluttered closed and I leaned into him.

What happened next would've made an excellent scene in a Judy Garland movie, though Alex made a hunkier hero than any Hollywood hottie. He tilted my face upward and I opened my eyes, heart nearly dancing.

Gazing up at him, I noticed the joy in those gorgeous eyes of his. They gave me the courage to do what I'd been dying to do for hours. With no one around to tell me otherwise, I flung both arms around the boy's neck and gave him a kiss
that nearly sent both of us tumbling off the trolley platform and onto the street below.

Bliss! Joy!

The sound of Gina's voice rang out, and I realized she was watching us from the sidewalk. “They're kissing!” she hollered out with such enthusiasm that the patrons at both Parma John's and Super-Gyros looked our way.

I felt my face grow hot and wanted to hide. Judging from the way Alex tipped me backwards and planted a big one on me, he had a completely different plan for dealing with the onlookers.

By the time I stood upright, a crowd had gathered around the back of the trolley from both sides of the street. Babbas and Mama. Bella and Aunt Rosa. They all watched us as the clanging of the trolley bells rang out.

“Something you two want to tell us?” Mama asked after a moment.

Alex nodded. “Yes. Yes, actually, there is.”

I looked at him, wondering what he would come up with. The trolley started moving and he held me close to keep me from falling. He made a broad, sweeping gesture and hollered, “Rigas Roses are in bloom, people!”

I knew what he was implying. Reflecting back on our earlier conversation, I had to conclude his little statement meant more than the obvious. Not that I had time to think about it. The trolley zipped along, my family and friends growing farther and farther away.

I giggled before I could control myself. Alex put his arms around my waist. Then, face-to-face, with half the population of Galveston looking on as we buzzed down the Strand, he gave me another kiss worthy of a moment on the big screen.

You might be Greek if you think that everyone who is in the selling business is a crook and everything is always overpriced.

B
abbas's behavior over the next several hours was strange, to say the least. We could hardly get the man to say a word, good or bad. I had a feeling something big was brewing in that mind of his, and I half expected him to blow at any moment. I got my answer on Tuesday morning, when he placed a written manifesto on the door leading from our apartment down to the shop. I paused to read it and got a sick feeling in my stomach.

“What is it?” Eva whispered as she took a step closer to try to read it.

“Apparently it's an ultimatum for all Pappas family members.
We're not allowed to talk to, socialize with, or share a meal with anyone who is connected to the Rossi family.”

“Puh-leeze.” Eva ran her finger along the words of the manifesto and then slapped herself on the head. “Well, that takes the cake.” She began to rant about how she would go back to California before she would ever submit to anything that ridiculous, but I found myself distracted, thinking about cake. If we couldn't get Babbas calmed down, I'd never get to taste Scarlet's Italian cream cake.

Darian looked wounded as he read our father's stern words, but the person who seemed to take this manifesto the hardest was Mama. She took one look at the piece of paper and erupted in tears, then headed downstairs to bake. I had a feeling some pretty awesome baklava would come out of her angst.

The timing of the manifesto was particularly awkward for me, what with the fact that I needed to be at Club Wed for my photo shoot in a few hours. If Babbas found out, there would be a huge price to pay. Still, someone in the family needed to stand up to him.

Listening to Judy croon “Forget your troubles, c'mon get happy” all the way from the Strand to Broadway soothed my troubled nerves. That, coupled with the breeze in my face, turned my attitude around. What was the worst that could happen if Babbas found out I'd gone to Club Wed to meet with Bella? He'd fire me? Cut back my pay? Ask me to move out of the apartment? Fine. I'd figure out a plan. I'd been socking away money from the florist shop, after all. What would be so bad about getting my own place? The more I thought about it, the more hopeful I felt.

By the time I pulled my bike into the driveway at Club
Wed, I'd almost forgotten about my woes. I slowed to a halt and stared at the Rossis' huge Victorian home next door to Club Wed. Beautiful. Who lived in a place like that?

After climbing off the bike, I parked it at the front steps and pulled off my helmet. No doubt my hair looked frightful. Who showed up for a meeting with the island's most important wedding planner looking like the bride of Frankenstein?

Bella didn't seem to notice or care. She greeted me with her little girl on one hip and a cell phone pressed to her ear. After she gestured for me to follow her into Club Wed, I tagged along on her heels, trying to focus on the decor, not her conversation with her mother.

As we walked through the foyer, the strangest sound greeted us. A loud “rat-a-tat-tat” rang out and I stopped in my tracks. The little girl started to cry as the noise continued. Bella pulled the phone away from her ear and shouted, “Enough, Guido!”

I realized the noise was coming from a colorful parrot perched on an indoor tree to my left. The rowdy creature let out a shriek and then hollered, “Go to the mattresses!” The child's wails became ear-piercing at this point.

Bella ended her call, turned my way, and said, “Welcome to my world.”

Wow. And I'd looked down at her from my window, thinking she had such an easy, ideal life. Maybe we all had our problems.

“Before we go into my office, I want you to see our vendors' area—Vendors Square.” Bella took me into a small room to the left of the foyer, where I saw some terrific displays for Hannah's photography studio, Scarlet's bakery, and Gabi's dress designs.

“Guess who's next!” Bella said. She shifted her daughter to the other hip and tried to soothe her. “You do so many interesting floral designs that I've never seen before. Do you have a portfolio?”

“I usually take pictures of the bouquets as I make them. They're on my phone.”

“That's fine. Let's combine them into a portfolio book. People will love looking through it.”

“Sounds great.” I looked around Vendors Square, drawn in by everything I saw.

“Hannah will be here soon to take your pictures,” Bella said, “but I'd like to meet with all of you for a few minutes first to share some news.”

We didn't have time to carry the discussion any further because the other ladies arrived. Bella passed her daughter off to Aunt Rosa, who'd appeared from the house next door, and we went into Bella's office to meet. She gestured for us to sit, and I took the chair nearest her desk.

Bella sat behind the desk, looking more official now that she'd handed off her daughter. “Two things I want to let you know before we start the photo shoot. First, I'm opening a wedding facility in Splendora.”

“No way.” Hannah put her hands to her mouth, clearly stunned.

Scarlet clasped her hands together. “I knew it!”

“You've talked about it for ages,” Hannah said. “You're really going to do it?”

“Yep.” Bella nodded. “It makes perfect sense. I'm calling it Town and Country Chapel—the best of city luxury with the quaint feel of country living.”

“Perfect!” Hannah clapped her hands. “I love the idea.”

“The longer I'm in this business, the more the Lord seems to be linking me to Splendora. It's D.J.'s hometown. His parents still have a place up there. Twila, Jolene, and Bonnie Sue are there. D.J.'s uncle Donny. Even Scarlet's aunt Willy lives up there, and you guys know she's the best baker in the state. She'll be perfect to help out.”

Scarlet cleared her throat.

“Best baker in the state next to you, Scarlet, of course.” Bella chuckled.

“Nah, my aunt's light-years better than I am.” Scarlet laughed. “I'm not offended.”

“Well, you get my point.” Bella nodded. “We've got some great connections up there, and they will give the place a professional feel.”

Gabi looked a little concerned. “But they're not wedding coordinators. You'll need someone to manage the place, right?”

“Wait a minute.” Scarlet paled. “Is that what you're getting at, Bella? Please tell me you're not moving away. I don't think I could handle that.”

“No.” With a wave of her hand Bella seemed to dismiss that idea. “That's the fun part. I've been thinking of asking someone else—actually, a couple of someones—to work for me. They could run the new facility.”

“Who?” Scarlet asked. “Oh, let me guess . . . Twila and one of the other ladies?”

“No.” Bella laughed. “I can't even imagine what they would do with the place. They'll help me grow the business, I'm sure. They're so well known and loved by their community.” Her eyes sparkled. “But that's not who I had in mind to run it. I was thinking of Alex's sisters, Lily and Jasmine.”

“Oh, Bella.” I could hardly catch my breath. “That's an awesome idea. Does Alex know you're thinking about this?”

“No. I haven't told him yet, but I think he'll like the idea,” she said. “I like it too, but I want to pray about it before asking the twins. I'm not a hundred percent sure how they'll do working together since they're nothing alike. On the other hand, they're young and ambitious, and I know they could potentially bring in great clients.”

“Would they ever!” I agreed.

“You might not know this, but Lily has a business degree,” Bella said. “She's been dying to start her own company, so this will be perfect. She's so graceful and sweet.”

Hmm. I'd only seen her in mad-at-my-sister mode, so I couldn't really comment on the sweet part. But she had come off as graceful for sure. And the business degree was definitely a plus.

“This will be great for Alex's family too,” Bella added. “They'll have business around the clock at the new wedding facility. And we can have a great vendors' area up there too.”

“Speaking of which, have you tasted Jasmine's candies?” I asked. “She's got a whole line of wedding-themed chocolates. They're so good.”

“Oh yes.” Bella rubbed her stomach. “The last time I went to Splendora she gave me a gift basket as a thank-you for recommending her to one of my clients. She will definitely keep on making her candies.”

“Thank goodness.” I could practically taste them all now.

“She's a big wedding fan, trust me.” Bella jotted down a note, then looked back at us. “Speaking of which, I need to remember to set up a vendors' area for Jasmine's candies here at Club Wed. That's the beauty of this new arrangement.
We'll all be working together.” She gestured to each of us. “And I do mean all of us. I truly believe God has brought us together. We'll just keep on growing, adding more wedding-themed businesses that brides have to choose from, no matter where they live in the great state of Texas.”

Great state of Texas.
For the first time I could say those words and mean them. I'd finally fallen for more than the flowers—I'd tripped head over heels into friendships and a relationship with the greatest Greek cowboy ever to yee-haw his way into my heart.

Bella rose and smoothed her blouse. “Now, one last thing before we head outside to take Cassia's pictures. I wanted to tell you that I've had an idea, one I think you're going to like. All of you, I mean. I talked to Brock Benson a few days back. You all know he's a good friend of ours.”

“Wait—
Brock
Benson
?” I shook my head. “You know him?”

Bella appeared stunned at my reaction. “Sure. He's been here several times over the past few years. I figured you knew about our connection to him. Didn't Athena tell you?”

“You know Athena too?” Was I hearing things? Bella knew Brock Benson? And my cousin? Crazy! Were these Rossis tied to everyone?

“Well, I know
of
her,” she said with a nod. “Brock told me all about her the last time he came to town. He loves his gig on
Stars Collide
. I think it's calmed him down to do a weekly show instead of movie after movie. And that's where he met his wife, so his ties to the show are pretty strong.”

“Yeah. I just didn't realize that you knew all of this . . . and him.” I shook my head, still perplexed.

“The writing is stellar,” Bella added. “Brock says Athena's the best writer he's ever worked with. Sharp as a tack. Guess
he should know, right? He's done a ton of movies and TV shows now.”

“Right.”

At this point the other ladies in the room started sharing stories about their favorite Brock Benson movies, finally agreeing that his pirate movies were their all-time faves.

Bella finally got us to calm down by clearing her throat. “Anyway, Brock sings Athena's praises all the time. That's the point.” She gazed at me. “And I'm going to assume that you know Brock too. Through Athena, I mean?”

“I don't really know him personally,” I said. “I just feel like I do because of all of Athena's stories. He seems like a great guy. Babbas has been talking about getting him to come to the island to make a commercial for our shop.”

“Funny you should say that. My idea was . . . similar.” The edges of Bella's lips curled up in a smile. “I think if I approach this just right, I might have the perfect plan for all of us.”

She went on to lay out the most amazing idea I'd heard in ages. It seemed almost too good to be true. By the time she reached the end of her plan, I felt my spirits lift. If we pulled this off—if Bella and Athena, working together, could really get Brock to come to Galveston and do us this one teensy-tiny favor—it would not only bring an end to the feud between the Pappas and Rossi families, it might just bring in tourists to all of the shops on Galveston Island.

I whispered up a prayer of thanks for a friend with such a creative imagination.

“Is it okay if I tell my father what you're thinking?” I asked. “I really think it would go a long way in helping mend his relationship with your uncle Laz.”

Bella's nose wrinkled. “Hmm. Well, before you do that, let
me make a call and ask Brock. I don't want to make promises until we know for sure he'll come.”

And so she did. Just like that, she picked up her phone, punched in a number, and chatted with Brock Benson like they were old friends.

Okay, they were old friends, but she talked about everything from the weather to his role in
Stars Collide
to his life as a new dad. From there, the conversation shifted to her idea. I could tell from the smile on her face that he liked it. Obviously very much, judging from the pitch of her voice as the conversation continued.

By the time she ended the call, I knew we had a winner.

“He's on board,” Bella said. “It's going to be great. And best of all, Athena is already on her way down to the island, so he said he'll fly down next week. He's going to bring his wife with him, so you'll get to meet her too.”

Scarlet, Gabi, and Hannah all chimed in, talking over one another. Seemed all of them were tickled by this news. Then again, who wouldn't be? Brock's willingness to help us out was great news for everyone in attendance.

“So it's okay to tell my family?” I asked.

“Yep. Soon as Hannah snags a few shots of you in the gazebo, I'll head to Parma John's to let Uncle Laz know. He's going to be tickled pink.” She looked at me intently. “This is going to solve the problem, Cassia. I know it will. And it won't just help the two restaurants, it's going to help all of us.”