The Reverence of a Man on Fire (BOOK II)

Chapter 8- A New Job

--Aurora POV--

"Thank you, come again," I waved with a smile on my face as the customer left the shop with her own satisfied smile stretched across her face, a beautiful bouquet leaving with her.

"How's that bouquet looking, Petra?" I asked my best friend as she worked on one of her bouquets, going to stand beside her as I watched.

"Quite beautiful, if I do say so myself," She proudly stated.

"Once you're done with that, should we go for some lunch? I'm hungry," She nodded in agreement to that as we carried on working for the next half an hour, me serving the customers, and watering the flowers when I wasn't doing that, while she tidied up some display bouquets.

Petra's my best friend, we've been friends since childhood, so I never once imagined life without her. She got married to her high school sweetheart as soon as they graduated high school and gave birth to an adorable baby girl a year later who I'm proud to say I'm the godmother to. She's a healthy little girl who's six-years-old right now.

Unfortunately, Petra's husband passed away from Cancer a few years ago, and while she's doing a lot better now, she's never looked at a man since his funeral. And as her best friend, I only wanted the best for her, and if that meant she wasn't ready to start dating again, it wasn't my place to force her, even if that day will never come.

"What should we eat?" She asked as I took a moment to think about it.

"I'm craving... something Italian," I softly spoke, thinking back to the sun from the beautiful country I visited last week, and felt my stomach grumble in remembrance of all the tasty food I ate while I was there.

"Italian? Again? You usually get bored of a specific food if you have it too much, why is that not happening this time... Unless..." Her face shifted from confusion to a mischievous smile as I raised an awkward brow, wondering what silly story she was cooking up this time.

"Unless what, Petra?" I crossed my arms, pausing on the sidewalk of the road we were walking down to look at her, waiting to her hear theory of why I was craving Italian food.

"There's something affiliated with the food that you're craving," I raised my brows, not knowing how to react to that.

"Something affiliated with the food I'm craving? What's that supposed to mean?" I scoffed, holding back my laughs as we started walking once again towards the same Italian restaurant that we were fast becoming regulars at.

"I'm guessing a memory..." I blinked, almost stumbling over my feet after hearing her words, which was apparently enough of an action for her to get her answer.

"Oh my gosh! Who was it!? Tell me!" I jumped, surprised at her sudden outburst when she suddenly grabbed my shoulders and began shaking me as if the answer would just fall out.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" I struggled to release myself from her grip, but once I succeeded, I took a safe step back, glaring at her before going to enter the restaurant where the server took us to our usual table.

"Can I not just enjoy some food? Everyone loves Italian food, there's no need to delve so deep into it," I spoke as I picked up the menu, skimming over the large assortment of different dishes while wondering which one I should get today.

"Then why did you react the way you did? It was suspicious," She pointed her fork at me as I rolled my eyes in reply.

"The timing was a coincidence, you know how clumsy I can be," I awkwardly laughed as she raised a brow in disbelief, knowing that the opposite was the truth, and I sighed, running a hand down my face. Growing up with as much freedom as I have; Climbing trees, learning self-defence, it became a natural habit for me to be able to stay poised in nearly all situations.