said softly but firmly. “All you did was work the last four years. You never even took a break. You don’t date very much, and you haven’t had sex for just as long. I’ll bet you don’t even remember what sex is. Work is not everything you know.”
“ I love my work.”
“ Charlie, you should stop working so hard and relax more. I mean, you’ve already sweated to get to where you are now. You’re only twenty-eight, and you’ve achieved more than most people have at your age, aren’t you happy with it?” Mandy asked, more serious now.
“ I’m very happy with it; Mandy, I’m not looking to get more ahead on the corporate ladder.” Charlie said softly, “I love what I do, that’s why I spend so much time working. Jeff already understands that my work comes first to me.”
Her friend sighed, frowning a little. “Maybe I’m too old-fashioned, but I can’t see anything being more important to me than Rob and Megan. I mean, I love running the floral shop, but if I have a choice of spending time…well…”
Charlie , Mandy and Becky grew up together. Having been best friends all their lives, there was nothing about each other they didn’t know. And although they have a lot in common, their views on careers was not one of them. Becky left Linwood as soon as she was old enough, and made her own way to Chicago, where she secured a job as a fashion buyer for a major department store. Mandy married Robert, her high school sweetheart, right after graduation. She stayed in Linwood to become a housewife while Charlie left home to go to college. They don’t regret their career choices and they always supported each other on it.
It was almost noon when the door chimes sounded again and a vivacious female voice was heard even before anyone walked into the shop.
“---would really brighten up the place, unless of course if you don’t water them. And knowing you, you would probably forget to water the plants and kill them all in a couple of weeks.”
“ So why do we even bother?” a deep male voice drawled back teasingly.
“ I don’t know why I bother with you,” was the snappy reply just as a leggy blond came through the doorway.
She was dressed simply but fashionably in a pair of black pants that hugged her long legs; a fitted, hip length jacket in a muted silver color that showed off her perfect lithe figure. Short silky honey-blond hair framed a beautiful face that couldn’t be more than eighteen years old. Her eyes were large and brightly blue. She wore minimal makeup, looking very young and fresh; a natural beauty.
But it was the man that was literally being dragged inside the floral shop that held both Charlie and Mandy’s attention. Dressed casually in a T-shirt and worn denim, with a brown leather bomber jack over top. His black hair was slightly overlong, those azure eyes sparkling on a tanned face.
Ryle Sullivan. Charlie stiffened as she instantly recognized him.
“ So don’t bother me and go back to Chicago” Ryle said in answer to the blond as he allowed himself to be pulled into the shop.
“ Hey,” the blond smiled charmingly at Charlie and Mandy, completely unaffected by what the man had said. “Isn’t that just like a man? I gave up a perfectly good weekend to come down here to help him settle in, and this is the thanks I get.” She said confidingly, tongue-in-cheek.
It was hard to resist her easy charm; Charlie and Mandy found themselves smiling in amusement. Mandy didn't seem to be able to keep her eyes off the man, while Charlie steadily tried to avoid Ryle’s piercing eyes.
“ Is there anything I can help you both with?” Mandy asked warmly, her eyes lingering on the man.
“ Something wonderful to cheer up a dull apartment,” the blond answered brightly, “Maybe a pot of this and one of that,” she started walked around the shop, stopping to admire some plants as she walked by them.
Mandy had no choice but to follow the younger girl.
“Does
“ I love my work.”
“ Charlie, you should stop working so hard and relax more. I mean, you’ve already sweated to get to where you are now. You’re only twenty-eight, and you’ve achieved more than most people have at your age, aren’t you happy with it?” Mandy asked, more serious now.
“ I’m very happy with it; Mandy, I’m not looking to get more ahead on the corporate ladder.” Charlie said softly, “I love what I do, that’s why I spend so much time working. Jeff already understands that my work comes first to me.”
Her friend sighed, frowning a little. “Maybe I’m too old-fashioned, but I can’t see anything being more important to me than Rob and Megan. I mean, I love running the floral shop, but if I have a choice of spending time…well…”
Charlie , Mandy and Becky grew up together. Having been best friends all their lives, there was nothing about each other they didn’t know. And although they have a lot in common, their views on careers was not one of them. Becky left Linwood as soon as she was old enough, and made her own way to Chicago, where she secured a job as a fashion buyer for a major department store. Mandy married Robert, her high school sweetheart, right after graduation. She stayed in Linwood to become a housewife while Charlie left home to go to college. They don’t regret their career choices and they always supported each other on it.
It was almost noon when the door chimes sounded again and a vivacious female voice was heard even before anyone walked into the shop.
“---would really brighten up the place, unless of course if you don’t water them. And knowing you, you would probably forget to water the plants and kill them all in a couple of weeks.”
“ So why do we even bother?” a deep male voice drawled back teasingly.
“ I don’t know why I bother with you,” was the snappy reply just as a leggy blond came through the doorway.
She was dressed simply but fashionably in a pair of black pants that hugged her long legs; a fitted, hip length jacket in a muted silver color that showed off her perfect lithe figure. Short silky honey-blond hair framed a beautiful face that couldn’t be more than eighteen years old. Her eyes were large and brightly blue. She wore minimal makeup, looking very young and fresh; a natural beauty.
But it was the man that was literally being dragged inside the floral shop that held both Charlie and Mandy’s attention. Dressed casually in a T-shirt and worn denim, with a brown leather bomber jack over top. His black hair was slightly overlong, those azure eyes sparkling on a tanned face.
Ryle Sullivan. Charlie stiffened as she instantly recognized him.
“ So don’t bother me and go back to Chicago” Ryle said in answer to the blond as he allowed himself to be pulled into the shop.
“ Hey,” the blond smiled charmingly at Charlie and Mandy, completely unaffected by what the man had said. “Isn’t that just like a man? I gave up a perfectly good weekend to come down here to help him settle in, and this is the thanks I get.” She said confidingly, tongue-in-cheek.
It was hard to resist her easy charm; Charlie and Mandy found themselves smiling in amusement. Mandy didn't seem to be able to keep her eyes off the man, while Charlie steadily tried to avoid Ryle’s piercing eyes.
“ Is there anything I can help you both with?” Mandy asked warmly, her eyes lingering on the man.
“ Something wonderful to cheer up a dull apartment,” the blond answered brightly, “Maybe a pot of this and one of that,” she started walked around the shop, stopping to admire some plants as she walked by them.
Mandy had no choice but to follow the younger girl.
“Does
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