As I walked from table to table, gathering salt and pepper shakers and ketchup bottles for refilling, I greeted the faithful locals who still came in to grab a bite. I made a second quick sweep with water and coffee. It wasn’t my job as hostess, but I liked taking care of the regulars. If it weren’t for them, I’d be out of a job. And I needed one, and every penny that came with it. Until January at least.
Living with Grandma meant I had few bills, but I’d been saving everything I could to help offset the cost of living on my own. Unlike my brother, I didn’t have my dad to pad my pockets, and financial aid would only take me so far. Luckily I had managed to find a roommate who I’d met at a nursing school informational session. We hardly knew each other, but like me, Emily was in need of someone to split bills while finishing up her degree. She was soft-spoken, not much of a partier, and very focused on finishing school quickly and successfully. All in all, she seemed like the perfect roommate. Hopefully, I would still feel that way after a few months of living together. But I had a feeling we’d both be so busy with school we’d hardly have time to do much else besides study.
As I wrapped up my workday, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, knowing it would be Grandma, considering she was one of the few people who actually still called.
“Hi Grandma,” I said while clocking out on the computer.
“Hola mijita. Will you be home for dinner?”
“I’m on my way now.”
“Ay bien. I’m making your favorite.”
“Fideo?”
“Si. I’ll see you when you get here.”
“Okay, bye.” I pushed my phone back in my pocket and headed to my car. Today was definitely one of those days where my mood was directly affected by the weather. A little sunshine could have gone a long way…or flowers? I glanced around the hood of my car, convinced someone had set the bouquet down and meant to pick them back up, but nobody was around.
I reached into the thick green stems where a little white envelope was tucked.
Smile, Beautiful.
It didn’t say who they were from, nor were they addressed to me, which still led me to believe they may have been left here by accident. The handwriting wasn’t even familiar. I scooped them up and unlocked my car, then laid them in the passenger seat.
But if these flowers were in fact for me, who would’ve left them? I mean, sure, I’d love for them to be from Colby but I knew they weren’t. We were barely working on rebuilding our friendship, plus I would’ve recognized his handwriting. Like everything else about him, I had it memorized.
I glanced down at the card again and confirmed that wasn’t Colby’s handwriting. Who else would leave me flowers—Gabe? He lived about twenty minutes from here in a neighboring town, and after I’d bailed on the bonfire, I couldn’t imagine he’d put in the effort. But maybe? There was only one way to find out.
I picked up the phone and called Colby.
“Hello?” He sounded confused by my call.
“Sorry, I’m driving and couldn’t text. Is Landon around or is he working?”
“Oh, um, he’s here. Want to talk to him?”
“Can you just ask him something really quick?”
“Sure.”
“Would Gabe drive all the way to Port Lucia and leave flowers on my car?”
“I already know the answer to that.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t realized Colby knew much about the guy. “Well, would he?”
“Actually, I’m not sure if he would, but I know those flowers aren’t from him.”
“What? How do—”
He cleared his throat. “Because they’re from Landon.”
“Landon?” I glanced at the yellow daisies. They were like packaged sunshine. But yellow was the color of friendship, right? And also my favorite color. “Um, why? I mean thank you, or thank him, of course, it’s so thoughtful but, you know, just wondering why?”
“Guess you’ll have to ask him.”
“Oh, okay. Well, I’ll, um, do that.” What in the world was going on? It had to just be a friendly gesture. I couldn’t imagine it was anything else because wow, would that be awkward. “I guess I’ll call him or something.”
“Yeah, you should definitely talk to him.”
“Okay, well, I’ll talk to you later then?”
“Sure.” His voice lowered. “I’m always here if you want to talk.”
We hung up and I stared at the flowers then back at my phone. How did I even ask about this? It would be so much easier to text but I was sure Landon had heard me on the phone with Colby. A text would be way too impersonal. And rude, considering he got me freaking flowers.