this area that had woken her up.
“I’ll let you two bond. Don’t worry about your store.” Jillian smiled and waved goodbye.
After she stopped at a fast food place and chowed down a rather good chicken sandwich, she drove over to the Blooms of Hope. When she walked in, a woman about twenty-five with an armful of tattoos was working quickly behind the counter helping a man. The aroma of flowers was pervasive, but nice.
She looked up. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”
“I’m Jillian, and I’m here to help.”
“Oh, there is a God. If you’re ready to help, can you go into the backroom and bring me two long boxes? There should be a few on the table.”
There was nothing like jumping into the proverbial deep end without a life preserver to boost her spirits. Jillian stepped behind the counter and entered the back room. Very nice . Floor to ceiling shelves covering two of the opposite walls were filled with vases, stuffed animals, ribbon, and other assorted things one needed to make the perfect bouquet.
A large table in the middle took up most of the room. On top were several pre-made boxes. Some were long and thin, perfect for packing long-stemmed roses, and others were large cubes, just the right size for a stuffed animal. Jillian picked up two of the long boxes and carried them out.
“Are these the ones?”
Anna smiled. “Perfect.” She placed half a dozen roses in the box and then cut pink ribbon to length. Once Anna wrapped it lengthwise and then widthwise, she looked up. “Can you place your finger here?”
“Sure.” Images of wrapping Christmas presents with her mom flashed in her mind’s eye, and a brief high washed over her, filled with contentment and joy. Being here in Silver Lake and helping out at the store was so much less stressful than reading motions and depositions.
Once Anna finished, she smiled and handed the man the gorgeous box. As she rang him up, Jillian watched how she swiped the man’s card and what buttons she pressed on the register. “Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. I hope Mrs. Jenkins loves her gift.”
“I’m sure she will.” He smiled and then left.
When no one else came in, Anna sagged. “I am so happy you were willing to help. I’ve been swamped all day.”
“My pleasure. It gives me something to do.” While carrying in two boxes from the back and placing a finger on the ribbon wasn’t a great feat, Jillian understood that just having help around gave a person a sense of hope that she’d get through the day.
“I can’t believe I forgot to ask. How’s Elana? When she called to tell me you’d volunteered, I was so excited that I didn’t ask about the baby.”
“She’s doing great. While she’s happy, I think Elana’s a bit scared at the same time. First time mother jitters, I guess.”
Anna grinned. “I can’t wait to see the baby.”
“I only saw Aiden for a few seconds, but he’s a cute, chubby boy.” Jillian glanced around. “What do you need me to do besides making arrangements? I’m willing to sweep floors, tidy up, or work the credit card machine.”
“For starters, can you grab the red vase with the wild flowers from the second shelf and bring it over? I want show you how to use the helium machine to blow up balloons and how to attach them to the vases.”
For the next three hours, Anna ran around like crazy, helping customers and directing Jillian to grab this or that. When there was a lull, she explained how to use the credit card machine.
It wasn’t until close to five that things settled down. Just as Jillian allowed herself a pat on the back for surviving her first day, pounding feet sounded on the stairs causing Jillian’s pulse to rise. It was immediately followed by a wave of lust that nearly made her drop the two vases she was holding.
Mate, mate , urged her tiger.
Damn. She had to shut up her animal. The only possible solution was to go for a run.
You promised that before and didn’t deliver , her animal said.
I
“I’ll let you two bond. Don’t worry about your store.” Jillian smiled and waved goodbye.
After she stopped at a fast food place and chowed down a rather good chicken sandwich, she drove over to the Blooms of Hope. When she walked in, a woman about twenty-five with an armful of tattoos was working quickly behind the counter helping a man. The aroma of flowers was pervasive, but nice.
She looked up. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”
“I’m Jillian, and I’m here to help.”
“Oh, there is a God. If you’re ready to help, can you go into the backroom and bring me two long boxes? There should be a few on the table.”
There was nothing like jumping into the proverbial deep end without a life preserver to boost her spirits. Jillian stepped behind the counter and entered the back room. Very nice . Floor to ceiling shelves covering two of the opposite walls were filled with vases, stuffed animals, ribbon, and other assorted things one needed to make the perfect bouquet.
A large table in the middle took up most of the room. On top were several pre-made boxes. Some were long and thin, perfect for packing long-stemmed roses, and others were large cubes, just the right size for a stuffed animal. Jillian picked up two of the long boxes and carried them out.
“Are these the ones?”
Anna smiled. “Perfect.” She placed half a dozen roses in the box and then cut pink ribbon to length. Once Anna wrapped it lengthwise and then widthwise, she looked up. “Can you place your finger here?”
“Sure.” Images of wrapping Christmas presents with her mom flashed in her mind’s eye, and a brief high washed over her, filled with contentment and joy. Being here in Silver Lake and helping out at the store was so much less stressful than reading motions and depositions.
Once Anna finished, she smiled and handed the man the gorgeous box. As she rang him up, Jillian watched how she swiped the man’s card and what buttons she pressed on the register. “Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. I hope Mrs. Jenkins loves her gift.”
“I’m sure she will.” He smiled and then left.
When no one else came in, Anna sagged. “I am so happy you were willing to help. I’ve been swamped all day.”
“My pleasure. It gives me something to do.” While carrying in two boxes from the back and placing a finger on the ribbon wasn’t a great feat, Jillian understood that just having help around gave a person a sense of hope that she’d get through the day.
“I can’t believe I forgot to ask. How’s Elana? When she called to tell me you’d volunteered, I was so excited that I didn’t ask about the baby.”
“She’s doing great. While she’s happy, I think Elana’s a bit scared at the same time. First time mother jitters, I guess.”
Anna grinned. “I can’t wait to see the baby.”
“I only saw Aiden for a few seconds, but he’s a cute, chubby boy.” Jillian glanced around. “What do you need me to do besides making arrangements? I’m willing to sweep floors, tidy up, or work the credit card machine.”
“For starters, can you grab the red vase with the wild flowers from the second shelf and bring it over? I want show you how to use the helium machine to blow up balloons and how to attach them to the vases.”
For the next three hours, Anna ran around like crazy, helping customers and directing Jillian to grab this or that. When there was a lull, she explained how to use the credit card machine.
It wasn’t until close to five that things settled down. Just as Jillian allowed herself a pat on the back for surviving her first day, pounding feet sounded on the stairs causing Jillian’s pulse to rise. It was immediately followed by a wave of lust that nearly made her drop the two vases she was holding.
Mate, mate , urged her tiger.
Damn. She had to shut up her animal. The only possible solution was to go for a run.
You promised that before and didn’t deliver , her animal said.
I
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