Love in Bloom by Arlene James Page A

green ivy. She had caught her long hair in a loose ponytail below her left ear. Tate tried to remember if he had seen those small gold hoop earrings carved with ivy leaves before, but he kept getting distracted by the delicacy of her earlobes.
    “You look great,” he heard himself say. Glancing away, he tried to bury that compliment with another. “The shop looks wonderful. Isabella will be so proud.”
    “She gave me exactly what I needed,” Lily told him.
    As if summoned by the mention of her name, his daughter pushed through the door just then, the bell jangling over her little head. Her grandmother followed, along with Gracie Wilson. Isabella had hung on Gracie for a while, until she’d realized that Gracie had no more interest in Tate than he had in her. Now that Gracie was engaged to marry Trent Morgan, they could greet each other as easy friends again.
    “Hey, Tate.”
    “Gracie, good to see you. Isabella, look.” Tate pointed to one of her crayon creations. Lily took it off the shelf and showed it to her then put it back.
    “Makes a pretty display, don’t you think?”
    Isabella let out a shriek and threw herself at Lily, somehow dodging an elderly couple picking through a display of ivies in miniature pots. Lily quickly passed the coffee back to Tate and scooped up his daughter. Carrying her around the room, she pointed out each coloring. His mom, meanwhile, took Gracie around. Presently Gracie and his mother approached Lily and Isabella, who seemed to be trying to squeeze Lily’s head from her body with one of her “power hugs.”
    Ginny plucked her granddaughter from Lily’s arms, declaring, “Lily and Gracie need to discuss business now.”
    Gracie bluntly exclaimed, “I want you to do the flowers for my wedding at the end of August.”
    Lily beamed. “Lovely.” She waved a hand at a small glass-topped table and a pair of delicate chairs tucked into a corner. “Let me show you my design catalog.”
    “I want to keep it simple,” Gracie said, hurrying over to seat herself.
    Lily followed. Remaining on her feet, she pulled a thick binder forward and flipped it open. “Let me know when you see something you like.”
    Tate thought grumpily that she might at least have looked in his direction before letting herself get caught up with Gracie’s wedding plans. Frowning, he took a long drink of the cold coffee, only to hear his mother ask, “Isn’t that Lily’s?”
    “What?” he asked. Ginny looked pointedly at the cup in his hand. “Oh. No, it’s mine, actually.”
    Ginny lifted her eyebrows but said only, “I promised Isabella a treat, so we’re going to get in line at the bakery next door. Care to join us?”
    “Uh, I think I’ll mosey on down the street.” He wanted to see the arrangements that Lily had done for the other businesses.
    “Will you be home for lunch?” Ginny asked.
    Tate made a doubtful face. “I expect I’d better stay in town. The ladies on the committee have put together some sort of covered dish thing for lunch, I think. Don’t count on seeing me again until after the reception this evening.” It occurred to him that he ought to be at Lily’s side during the reception. He was, after all, her official committee contact and host.
    “In that case Isabella can stay at our house tonight,” Ginny offered, but he automatically shook his head.
    “I’ll just pick her up later.”
    Ginny sighed. “All right, son. Whatever you say.”
    “Thanks, Mom.” He kissed her cheek then Isabella’s. “Behave yourself, sprite.”
    “Yes, Daddy.”
    Ginny carried her out of the shop, Isabella babbling about her pictures and wanting to see the book and pet shops. Tate wanted to see those shops, too, but probably not for the same reasons as his daughter. He dithered a moment longer, watching Lily as she guided Gracie through the photo album and kept an eye on the other customers in the store. Lily needed help. Hopefully she would soon need someone permanent. He had a list,