Autumn loved the sporadic, unpredictability of life. Surprise birthday parties and 'just because I was thinking of you gifts' brought her unlimited joy. Three years ago she prayed, wished, and hoped life would be routine and mundane. Her desires weren't granted. She spent that Spring organizing her husband's homegoing instead of celebrating their second wedding anniversary. Once his urn was placed on the mantle in the house they planned to start a family time moved on, all the people that celebrated his life left her behind in a well of despair. She was planted in the past, unable to shift to the final step of grief. Calculations and numbers didn't enthuse her so she quit.

She needed to remember life could be beautiful again. A dandelion sprouting through the crack of a sidewalk reminded her. It took another spring for her to accept losing the man that was a friend and a lover since the age of twenty-five. Hands deep in soil, potting plants, creating bouquets that resembled a rainbow after a sunshower she was remade into the person she was today. Four years ago she didn't think she'd ever genuinely smile again. She thought wrong. She'd do more than smile. She'd beam with joy.

"We have another one," Jade said, handing her cousin the slip of paper she ripped from the pad that donned the insignia of Floral Passion. "Isn't wedding season supposed to be over."

Autumn shook her head reading the list, "Not until October. But love can't be confined to a twelve month schedule. Love is as boundless as the ocean, like—"

Jade cut her off, "Save the metaphors for the card."

"You mean simile." Spencer chimed in, surveying the sticks of chalk in the bucket, determining which one he wanted to use.

"Anyway." Jade continued not paying him any mind. "You are a lover of love, correct?"

"Yes." Autumn typed the pastel green apron around her waist wondering where the twenty year old was going with the line of questioning.

"And everyone deserves to be loved, right?"

"I do." Autumn answered no longer unsure where the line of questioning was going and she didn't want to go there. So, she did what any sane person would do. Switch the conversation to someone else. "Spence, you didn't text last night. Did the date go well? You found your Jane?"

Spencer made a face, "She was precarious."

"Is that a good thing...or bad?" Jade asked, then batted her question away with her hand. "Not important. Tommi, I have a friend."

"That's good, Jade. Everyone should have friends." Spencer decided on the blue chalk. "I didn't text because I was busy."

"Keep that." Jade said. "We don't need to know about your sex life."

Spencer shook his head. "Wasn't going there. I don't speak about sex around children." Jade flicked a rose leaf at him and Autumn chuckled at their antics. They weren't related but acted like siblings.

He continued, "She tripped off the curb and broke her arm. I spent the night in the E.R. We didn't leave the hospital until 2 in the morning and then she told me I was bad luck and to delete her number."

"This is why you old people should let me do the matchmaking." Jade quipped. "I couldn't told you that anyone named Moon Star Nelson was short of a few screws but you saw big brown eyes and loss common sense."

"Brown eyes are entrancing." He glanced at Autumn and then back at the chalk. "How do you feel about blue and yellow?"

"I trust your judgment." Autumn affirmed going over the arrangements she didn't have to complete before closing today.

Spencer smiled at her words and went to the blackboard to complete the task she begged him to do a couple of years ago after witnessing the elegant penmanship wielded while creating a website for her. She offered to pay him but he refused stating he didn't have a reason to leave the house and get some socialization.

As everyone worked on a task the chatter stopped in the flower shop for almost half an hour. Jade was busy repotting a ficus and Spencer was in deep concentration to ensure his letters were precise.

Autumn stopped reading the list of fresh flowers the bride wanted in the arrangement to view the delicate way he curved his 's' and the whimsical strike he slid across his 't'. It was like art. The measured breath he took before placing the chalk against the wall to make the next letter. The gentle manner he held the stick without breaking it, which his grasp very well could. The recreational boxer had enough strength to crumble the chalk to dust if he wanted. Plus, he was left-handed; another reason why she loved watching him write.

"Do you have any beardtongue?" A deep voice hummed at her side calling her eyes to his handsome face and out of her trance.

"Huh," She blinked at the man before her.

"Penstemon." He said. She glanced at his finger drumming on the reclaimed wood counter. He must be in a hurry.

"I know what beardtongue is?" She smiled at the handsome man. "I was thinking, going through my inventory."

"And it's all up there." He pointed towards her head.

She nodded, "All stored in the noggin."

"That's impressive." He looked at her in wonder and she wondered what was constructed in his thoughts.

"I'm an impressive woman." She shrugged, lifting her eyes off the collection of fresh-cut flowers in vases and flowers planted in crates. "I don't have any at the moment but I do have butterfly pentas and some amaryllis the same yellow-red."

"I don't know what you just said but they sound pretty so I'll take them." He pulled out his wallet and handed her his card.

She read the card, "So, Jameson...do you already know what you want to write on the card or do you want me to fill it out for you?"

"Oh, no..." He shook his head. "They're for me."

"Oh." The corner of her mouth quirked up. "A man who like's flowers."

"A man indeed." His smile widened as his eyes took in the full sight of her sharp angles and curves to his face.

"That's refreshing," She held his gaze for a second then shook her head, "I'll get those ready for you."

"You don't have to rush." He said Autumn tried to ignore Jade's two thumb-ups in glee. "I'm not in a hurry."

"But we have orders to fill." Spencer chimed in half-way through with his quote.

Jameson darted daggers at his back then refocused on Autumn as she strutted to the flowers he needed.

"It's our busiest season." She uttered before squatting down to grab a bouquet of amaryllis. "These are going to be lovely wherever you place them."

"Absolutely." Jameson nodded in agreement.

Autumn could feel the heat of his eyes remain on her as stood back up and when she glanced at him on her way back to the counter he didn't snatch his sight away. He was bold. She liked that. It would be something that intrigued her if she was looking for a man with that quality or any man at all.

"This is your busy season," He started watching her arrange the flowers. Autumn knew it was coming. She could always tell when someone was getting ready to ask her out. The statements that hung in the air waiting to be connected to a question applying a pressure and tension to her insides that made her anxiety grow. "But what about your evenings?"

"They're wide open." Jade harked, sitting an empty planter on the counter next to him. "How do you want to fill it?"

"You don't have to answer her." Autumn fanned her away. Jade shrugged and went back to repotting. Autumn continued. "My little cousin thinks she's my mama."

"I have a little brother that's convinced he's my dad." Jameson told. His words made her smile and he matched. "He's eight but that's a long story."

"I bet it's interesting." She tied a bow around the pastel green paper wrapped bouquet. "And before you go there...I'm not available." She handed him the bouquet.

"Oh. I didn't know you were in a relationship." He retrieved the bouquet. "Sorry. Thank you. They're beautiful. Have a great day."

Autumn watched the easy gait as he left the shop as relief washed over her marred with a faint trace of regret.

"He was cute." Jade stated, toying with a leaf.

"He was." Autumn agreed. "But...I'm not ready."

"And that fine." Spencer adding, placing the pieces of chalk in the bucket. "When you're ready that right person will be there."

Autumn nodded studyied her left hand. The lighter shade of flesh on her ring finger had darken to the hue of all her other digits years ago but she was still in love. She was in love with a ghost and she knew she'd have to take the dive one day. But today wasn't it.