The Mafia's Flower Boy

chapter 2

A couple weeks go by with nothing eventful happening, I open the shop up at eleven every morning and close it at seven every night. Ms. Hazel comes over on occasion to gossip about anything and everything, I get to enjoy a chat with our regular customers every so often. Even though my life is boring I can atleast live some excitement through them, Joe's daughter just got married, Natasha's grandmother just got caught giving handjobs for money in the nursing home (gross, I know), and Kamari got engaged (which I knew was gonna happen for a while considering her fiance ordered the flowers through us, since we're the only florist she enjoys). I sigh deeply as I can't help, but think about how mundane and lonely my life has been. The most exciting thing that's happened to me recently is my parents getting back from their vacation so I can take a day off. Hell, I haven't gone out on the town and enjoyed time with a stranger in almost two months, I've been so preoccupied with work. I should probably also try to find a friend, cause at this point my loneliness is getting very sad.

As the bell rings I look up and my breath catches in my throat. Oliver Auriemo- if that is his real name- stood in the entrance looking as menacing as ever, his silhouette shadowed by the sun backlighting him in the doorway. As he takes a step inside, someone following behind him I can't help but stare; hoping it wouldn't be too creepy, and look more like a friendly shop owner welcoming his guests in. He was dressed in a dark fitted t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and black vans; all of which looked very good on him. I didn't realize I was miserably failing my mission when I saw his eyebrow raise just an inch and the side of his mouth cork up in a smirk. I quickly removed my eyes from him and noticed a man standing next to him, looking just as dangerous and was almost as attractive as Oliver- almost. Realizing the reason I failed was due to me not saying anything, I clear my throat and smile, "welcome in, is there anything specific I can help you find today?"

I swallowed thickly, pushing my hands into the tops of my thighs to get them to stop shaking as he stares into my soul, "can I get a single rose." He asks, voice as cold as ice, but somehow sending sparks of warmth through me.

"S-sure thing!" I curse myself for stuttering and hurry to get everything together to package up the rose. As I am working I take this opportunity to question him, as I was curious about the man in front of me, and no amount of detective work has gotten me anywhere. "I don't think I've seen you around here before, did you just move?" I ask, having no idea how to dig without looking crazy.

"It's a big city, you tend not to know who your neighbors are." He answered, not giving me any information.

My cheeks turn a bright red at how stupid I must have sounded. "Oh, haha, that's very true. I guess, I was just thinking about how people tend to stick to their neighborhoods so it feels like our own little town here sometimes. Alright, well here's the rose! Have a nice day" I smile and hand him his rose before smiling bashfully at him and the other guy, who unsurprisingly hasn't said a word.

As they walked out I realized that they hadn't even paid for their rose, I was so caught up in my embarrassment and trying to get him out quickly that I didn't even charge him. Just as I am about to pull out my own money to pay for it for him instead of going after him, because that's definitely not an option, he walks back in and hands me a twenty. "Should probably be more careful about charging people, keep the change." I was in such shock that I whispered a tiny 'thank you' and watched as he walked away again. The fiery look in his eyes haunting my mind.

The next day I meet my parents for breakfast before they have to open the shop. We meet up at a lovely restaurant a couple blocks over, deciding to sit outside as it was a beautiful day. Once our food is ordered I turn to my parents and ask about their trip, as we haven't really had time to sit down and talk about it since they got back.

My mom's eyes light up and she starts to animatedly speak, "well, it was absolutely beautiful! The mountains and beaches and everything was absolutely amazing and what made it the best of all was your father was just so-"

"MOM! I don't need to hear anymore! I'm glad you had fun, but I'm still your son!" I exclaim, very embarrassed by where this was going. My dad chuckles deeply and takes a sip of his drink.

"I was just gonna say he was romantic and took me on cute little beach dates and we went snorkeling, get your head out of the gutters" She sent me a wink. "Anyways, Ms. Hazel told me that a very handsome man has been visiting the shop to see you. What's that about and why haven't you told us?"

I groan and take a swig of my mimosa, as I'm gonna need all the help I can get. "He is not coming to see me, he has only been in the shop twice and has shown absolutely zero interest and he ordered flowers for Mother's Day, that is the complete opposite of coming in to see me. The lady is delusional, dearest parents, and you should not listen to a word that comes out of her mouth." I finish my rant with another gulp of mimosa for good measure.

Just as my luck has it, that as soon as I finish my rant I glance around to see none other than Oliver Auriemo himself getting out of a tinted black SUV. Three men get out of the same car and follow behind him as they make their way towards the entrance of the restaurant we're currently dining at. They're all just as menacing as him. One of them has dark brown hair, a scar on his cheek and tattoos down his arms, the second has strikingly light blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and his cut up knuckles blend into the tattoos that he also adorns, and the third tattooed one has dark hair as well, almost looking like the first's twin, but without the scar, dark eyes pierce my soul and I take my eyes off of him.

Who is this guy? I guess it's true that when you meet someone you start to notice them everywhere. Luckily for me the food comes out before my mother can pry anymore into the subject and by the time it's all set on the table and we started eating she completely forgot what we were talking about. 

Our breakfast continues on without any issues, we just talk about random things and joke around with each other. Today is my day off at the shop so I went a little crazy with the mimosas and in no time I was tipsy and having to go to the bathroom.

As I'm walking to the bathroom my eye catches Oliver's as I see him and his buddies sitting at a table in the back, talking to Mr. Porcelli, the owner. I quickly look away and continue to the bathroom, my bladder about to explode and my brain too under the influence to see him and behave. I doubt he was really looking at me, that'd be very insane and self obsessed to believe.

Upon finishing my business and washing my hands, I turn to the door to leave right as it opens. I stand there, slightly shocked to see Oliver strolling in, eyes on me. "Rowan, what a surprise to see you here." His voice is cold, but his eyes show a spark of something, something that I can't read.

"Oh, Mr. Auriemo, the surprise is likewise. I hope you're having a good day." I don't know what to say and all I can think about is jumping his bones, so I do what any sane person would do and I imagine I'm talking to a 90 year old man, not the insanely handsome man in front of me.

"My day is going just as planned." He replied, very cryptically, seeming to have no intention of moving out of the doorway.

I nervously shuffle towards him, trying to squeeze past and out the door. "Well, I must be going, it was nice running into you and I hope the rest of your day goes as planned."

He nods, finally stepping to the side and just as the door is about to close behind me I swear I hear him say "till we meet again." He must mean that he's going to come in to purchase more flowers. It was slightly odd, but made enough sense that I let it roll off my shoulders and I hurried out to finish my food before I started to get a boner thinking about that rugged man.