Read Online A Very Holland Valentine: Holland Brothers 6 by Toni Griffin - Free Book Online
Authors: Toni Griffin
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wasn't picky really, just anything but roses.
The front of the shop was filled to brimming with all kinds of flowers, roses in abundance. There were teddy bears in all shapes and sizes, as well as colours. There were boxes of chocolates, not just the same generic crap that you could get at any supermarket but the handcrafted, individually made ones. Brian had made the suggestion two years ago that they branch out to more than just flowers, and people seemed to eat it up. The chocolates were a special order product and Heart in Hand was the only place in town that supplied them.
Sarah came out to the front of the store from where she'd been working out back. The place was a madhouse. Brian had been taking orders and answering the phone all day long, along with making up as many arrangements as he could. Sarah had been out the back with Wendy, another of their employees, doing the same thing.
Brian was thankful as hell that he wouldn't be the one to deliver all these. Wendy had already agreed to man the shop on Saturday when they were open until three for those that wished to collect their arrangements. Billy, the young man they hired to do their deliveries, would more than likely be pulling an all-day shift to make it through everything.
They weren't the only florist in town, but Brian liked to think they were the best, and by the number of orders they had, it would seem the locals might agree with him.
"You just about done for the day?" Sarah asked as she leaned on the counter next to where Brian was finishing tying the ribbon around the box of his last arrangement.
"Just about," he replied as he straightened the bow. Happy with his work, he placed the long plastic fork in the arrangement, placed the handwritten card with the recipient's name and address on the envelope in the prongs, and handed the completed product to Sarah. "Be a dear and place this in the fridge for me." He grinned at her and batted his lashes.
Sarah laughed at him and swatted at his arm. "Go on with you, you're half my age."
"I know, and you love me."
"I do. Now hurry up and clean up your mess, I want to go home. God, I can't wait for next week." Sarah turned and took the arrangement out the back to place with the other finished products. Brian couldn't wait either. Valentine's was their busiest time of year, and they were all usually utterly exhausted by the end of it.
Brian cleaned up all the clippings scattering the bench he had been working on. The flowers he hadn't used went back in their tall bucket of water, probably to be used tomorrow. By the time he was all cleaned up, Sarah had flipped the Closed sign on the front door and flicked the lock over. Brian emptied the register of cash and eftpos receipts and handed them over to Sarah for her to lock up in the safe in the office.
Wendy had left ten minutes ago, and taking one last look around the store, Brian was happy everything was where it should be. Sarah was back before he knew it.
"Everything locked up tight?" he asked.
She nodded and turned the lights off.
"Let's blow this joint." Brian chuckled as they made their way to the front of the store. They unlocked the door, set the alarm, and exited before relocking the door.
"I'll see you nice and early tomorrow for another fun filled day," Brian said as he headed to his beat-up old truck.
"If you're lucky… I might decide not to show up."
"Huh. You do that and I'll come searching. Just remember I'm on very friendly terms with the local cops."
"Damn you," Sarah said and grinned at him, then waved goodbye.
Brian laughed and got in his car. He wanted to get home and see how Zack was doing today. The man had been in bed for nearly a week. Thankfully there hadn't been another reoccurrence, but Zack was starting to get annoyed as not being able to move around. Brian couldn't blame him. He couldn't imagine being confined to his bed.
Joe and Maryanne had agreed to come over every morning and have the kids and make sure Zack followed
The front of the shop was filled to brimming with all kinds of flowers, roses in abundance. There were teddy bears in all shapes and sizes, as well as colours. There were boxes of chocolates, not just the same generic crap that you could get at any supermarket but the handcrafted, individually made ones. Brian had made the suggestion two years ago that they branch out to more than just flowers, and people seemed to eat it up. The chocolates were a special order product and Heart in Hand was the only place in town that supplied them.
Sarah came out to the front of the store from where she'd been working out back. The place was a madhouse. Brian had been taking orders and answering the phone all day long, along with making up as many arrangements as he could. Sarah had been out the back with Wendy, another of their employees, doing the same thing.
Brian was thankful as hell that he wouldn't be the one to deliver all these. Wendy had already agreed to man the shop on Saturday when they were open until three for those that wished to collect their arrangements. Billy, the young man they hired to do their deliveries, would more than likely be pulling an all-day shift to make it through everything.
They weren't the only florist in town, but Brian liked to think they were the best, and by the number of orders they had, it would seem the locals might agree with him.
"You just about done for the day?" Sarah asked as she leaned on the counter next to where Brian was finishing tying the ribbon around the box of his last arrangement.
"Just about," he replied as he straightened the bow. Happy with his work, he placed the long plastic fork in the arrangement, placed the handwritten card with the recipient's name and address on the envelope in the prongs, and handed the completed product to Sarah. "Be a dear and place this in the fridge for me." He grinned at her and batted his lashes.
Sarah laughed at him and swatted at his arm. "Go on with you, you're half my age."
"I know, and you love me."
"I do. Now hurry up and clean up your mess, I want to go home. God, I can't wait for next week." Sarah turned and took the arrangement out the back to place with the other finished products. Brian couldn't wait either. Valentine's was their busiest time of year, and they were all usually utterly exhausted by the end of it.
Brian cleaned up all the clippings scattering the bench he had been working on. The flowers he hadn't used went back in their tall bucket of water, probably to be used tomorrow. By the time he was all cleaned up, Sarah had flipped the Closed sign on the front door and flicked the lock over. Brian emptied the register of cash and eftpos receipts and handed them over to Sarah for her to lock up in the safe in the office.
Wendy had left ten minutes ago, and taking one last look around the store, Brian was happy everything was where it should be. Sarah was back before he knew it.
"Everything locked up tight?" he asked.
She nodded and turned the lights off.
"Let's blow this joint." Brian chuckled as they made their way to the front of the store. They unlocked the door, set the alarm, and exited before relocking the door.
"I'll see you nice and early tomorrow for another fun filled day," Brian said as he headed to his beat-up old truck.
"If you're lucky… I might decide not to show up."
"Huh. You do that and I'll come searching. Just remember I'm on very friendly terms with the local cops."
"Damn you," Sarah said and grinned at him, then waved goodbye.
Brian laughed and got in his car. He wanted to get home and see how Zack was doing today. The man had been in bed for nearly a week. Thankfully there hadn't been another reoccurrence, but Zack was starting to get annoyed as not being able to move around. Brian couldn't blame him. He couldn't imagine being confined to his bed.
Joe and Maryanne had agreed to come over every morning and have the kids and make sure Zack followed
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