Read Online SWEET ANTICIPATION by Kathy Clark - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathy Clark
Tags: Fiction
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would have it, though, it wasn’t until Rita had actually driven away that a flood of customers—too many for one person to take care of—crowded into the small shop.
Lauren tried, practically running from one person to the next. It would have been simple if everyone had simply selected a plant, paid cash and left, but that was not the. case. Some people wanted a corsage, others wanted a flower arrangement, and still others, unintentionally proving her theory, didn’t have the faintest idea of what they wanted and needed her advice. Just as she was reaching up to unhook a huge basket of Swedish ivy from one of the hangers above the window, she heard the little bell tinkle over the front door, and she muffled a moan. At this point, what she needed was a helping hand, not another customer.
“Don’t you dare lift down that basket,” a fierce masculine voice boomed behind her. “What on earth are you doing standing on that step stool? Don’t you realize you could hurt yourself and the baby by doing something that stupid?”
As she realized whose voice it was, she almost made his warning come true as her foot slipped on the step. Luckily, she was able to catch her balance and, a little shaken, she backed down until her feet were set firmly on the floor. “Jordan, please calm down,” she said, low enough that only he could hear her. “I’m trying to wait on my customers and I can promise that I will not be in a terrific mood if you drive any of them away.”
“You should know better than to reach over your head for something heavy like that plant. And you were asking for an accident by standing on that little stool.”
“But that couple wants to buy the plant and someone had to get it down,” she defended herself automatically, even though she knew that, for once, he was absolutely right. The plant would have been almost too heavy for her to lift—especially while she was balanced on a stool—even if she weren’t pregnant.
“If that man were a gentleman, he would have offered to get it down for you. It’s obvious that you’re in no condition to do it,” Jordan whispered back. “You go wait on someone else. I’ll take care of this one for you.”
“But—”
“Go on. There’s a line of people waiting at the cash register and I noticed a few of them glancing toward the door. You’d better hurry or you’ll be the one who’s guilty of driving customers away.”
She didn’t like the way he had stepped in and started giving her orders, but unless she wanted to have a very public, possibly embarrassing, argument with him right there, she knew he had left her with no alternative. Besides, she grudgingly admitted, she could use his help. Forcing a wide, friendly smile and beaming it in the general direction of the couple waiting for the hanging basket, she went to the counter and rang up the sales of the people waiting there. As she took their money or ran their credit cards, she tried to keep an eye on Jordan. He was easy enough to spot as he was several inches taller than anyone else in the room and his deep, rich voice carried over the other sounds. Lauren heard him tell one young lady that he knew her mother would love “these pink flowers” because his own mother had a pot of them on her front porch and they bloomed every year. And he talked a man who was shopping for a present for his girlfriend into buying a pot of “those purple things” because they smelled so good.
As she rang up sale after sale, she couldn’t help but relax a little. Jordan’s self-confident, authoritative attitude that probably made him such a good scientist was now helping him to be a successful salesman. Some of these people were frequent customers and Lauren knew from experience that they usually looked at everything at least twice before making a selection. But not today. Instead of fluctuating as they probably would if Lauren were waiting on them, they seemed completely
Lauren tried, practically running from one person to the next. It would have been simple if everyone had simply selected a plant, paid cash and left, but that was not the. case. Some people wanted a corsage, others wanted a flower arrangement, and still others, unintentionally proving her theory, didn’t have the faintest idea of what they wanted and needed her advice. Just as she was reaching up to unhook a huge basket of Swedish ivy from one of the hangers above the window, she heard the little bell tinkle over the front door, and she muffled a moan. At this point, what she needed was a helping hand, not another customer.
“Don’t you dare lift down that basket,” a fierce masculine voice boomed behind her. “What on earth are you doing standing on that step stool? Don’t you realize you could hurt yourself and the baby by doing something that stupid?”
As she realized whose voice it was, she almost made his warning come true as her foot slipped on the step. Luckily, she was able to catch her balance and, a little shaken, she backed down until her feet were set firmly on the floor. “Jordan, please calm down,” she said, low enough that only he could hear her. “I’m trying to wait on my customers and I can promise that I will not be in a terrific mood if you drive any of them away.”
“You should know better than to reach over your head for something heavy like that plant. And you were asking for an accident by standing on that little stool.”
“But that couple wants to buy the plant and someone had to get it down,” she defended herself automatically, even though she knew that, for once, he was absolutely right. The plant would have been almost too heavy for her to lift—especially while she was balanced on a stool—even if she weren’t pregnant.
“If that man were a gentleman, he would have offered to get it down for you. It’s obvious that you’re in no condition to do it,” Jordan whispered back. “You go wait on someone else. I’ll take care of this one for you.”
“But—”
“Go on. There’s a line of people waiting at the cash register and I noticed a few of them glancing toward the door. You’d better hurry or you’ll be the one who’s guilty of driving customers away.”
She didn’t like the way he had stepped in and started giving her orders, but unless she wanted to have a very public, possibly embarrassing, argument with him right there, she knew he had left her with no alternative. Besides, she grudgingly admitted, she could use his help. Forcing a wide, friendly smile and beaming it in the general direction of the couple waiting for the hanging basket, she went to the counter and rang up the sales of the people waiting there. As she took their money or ran their credit cards, she tried to keep an eye on Jordan. He was easy enough to spot as he was several inches taller than anyone else in the room and his deep, rich voice carried over the other sounds. Lauren heard him tell one young lady that he knew her mother would love “these pink flowers” because his own mother had a pot of them on her front porch and they bloomed every year. And he talked a man who was shopping for a present for his girlfriend into buying a pot of “those purple things” because they smelled so good.
As she rang up sale after sale, she couldn’t help but relax a little. Jordan’s self-confident, authoritative attitude that probably made him such a good scientist was now helping him to be a successful salesman. Some of these people were frequent customers and Lauren knew from experience that they usually looked at everything at least twice before making a selection. But not today. Instead of fluctuating as they probably would if Lauren were waiting on them, they seemed completely
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