The Magnolia Café

Chapter 22

A couple of days have passed since that...moment with Connor. But neither of us mentioned anything, nor did anything, and nothing has changed. Did I imagine everything? Am I going crazy?

"Morning." Ren walks through the door with my order of flowers and a pile of papers in his hands.

"Morning Izzy."

"What's that?"

"Well, I thought about what you said." He drops the papers on the counter and I take a look.

"The workshop! That's great Ren, I'm so happy for you. You'll see things will get better."

"Can I leave some of these here?"

"Sure. And what about leaving some more at the antique store and the bookshop?"

"I don't think that Albert will be very keen on that."

"Don't worry about it. I'll go with you. I have to deliver the flowers to them anyway."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Give flowers to them."

I shrug. "I'm not sure, to be quite honest. It just feels good to do something for others. I guess I'm just selfish after all and just do this to make me feel better."

"You're anything but selfish." I smile. Ren and I leave the Magnolia and quickly stop by other places. "What happened after lunch? The other day, when we ran into Connor."

"I'm not sure. I... We had a moment. But afterwards he acted like nothing happened."

"Care to elaborate?" I quickly tell Ren the details of my fall and the preceding... kiss.

"Do you think it was too soon? Or maybe he's not interested at all, and I've been reading it all wrong. Or maybe I'm just completely losing my mind, and everything was actually a dream."

"If you have been reading it wrong, then we all have been deceived by Connor. Which I don't think is the case. Connor can't lie or hide anything. Not even if his life depended on it. He turns red before he even gets the chance to try."

"Then what do you think?"

"Not the right moment, yet. You said it yourself. We all have traumas. You are still working through yours. He must have his."

"So, when is it the right time?"

"You two figure out that. That's beyond my mere advice as a friend."

"But aren't we just going around in circles?"

"Welcome to the dating world. Although I haven't been a part of that for quite a while. I think it still works more or less the same way."

"But why did he kiss me like that, then? If he was just planning on ignoring it afterwards."

"Okay... So now I'm curious again. How did we kiss you?"

"Like... I don't know how to describe it. And I'm too embarrassed to talk about it. I might not seem like it, but I can be quite a prude. I can't talk about my intimate life that openly."

"Just try, please. Let me live vicariously through you."

"Fine. I'll try." I sigh. "Like we wanted me. Truly wanted me. When you don't want to let go. When your heart is beating so fast you feel disoriented, when you are out of breath, but you still don't let go... It was... more or less like that." I cover my face with my hands while I whine.

"Why didn't you mention that in the beginning?"

"Sorry if I didn't think that the intensity of the kiss was that important to describe."

"It's the most important detail. And you left it out."

"So, where does this leave me, then?"

He shrugs. "You know Connor. He's as shy as he is good-looking. Which makes things really difficult for you."

"Basically, you are saying I'm doomed."

"No. You just need to woman up and take the lead."

I say goodbye to Ren and head back to work. As soon as I reach the counter at Magnolia, the fliers are gone.

"What happened to the fliers?"

"We are all out." Rita smiles.

"It was your idea, right?" Connor asks.

"How did you know?" He shrugs and shows me one of his dazzling smiles. Don't you dare show me that stupid smile right now! "Well, anyway, let's hope that a lot of people sign up."

"We should all go at least once, don't you think?" Carla suggests, peeking from the kitchen.

"I obviously love flowers, but I have to admit, I don't do well with dirt."

"Come on, it's going to be fun," Rita says enthusiastically.

"Besides, it was your idea." Connor smirks.

"Can't you be on my side? I already gave the idea. It should be enough."

"That's precisely why you should go. Don't you want to see your idea come to fruition? And Ren is your friend, so you should show your support."

"You guys just want to see me squirm. Admit it."

We all laugh.