Page 22 of The Scent of Salt & Sand

“Flowers done,” Dean muttered aloud as he headed into the little restaurant after double-checking to be sure the bookstore across the street was open. “And now for the rest of my plan…”

• • •

The deliveryman from Flush Floral gave Dean a small nod of recognition as he left the Siren Tours office. Dean brushed at a spot of invisible lint on his shirt, and then the tinkling bell announced his entrance to the shop. He thought it was a good sign that Melody didn’t even look up from the package she held in her hands.

“Well, well, well, hello there, handsome,” Harmony welcomed him with a clap.

“Hi, Harmony,” Dean said. “Nice to see you again.” He was speaking to the tall blonde, but his gaze was trapped on Melody.

At the sound of his voice, Melody’s head snapped up. “Oh! Dean! It’s you.” She clutched the box against her chest, her cheeks turning an adorable pink.

“It’s definitely me.” He walked over to her, looking pointedly at the small bouquet she held in her hands. “I hope you like it.”

“I do! It’s beautiful and it smells delicious. But, um, what is it?”

“It’s easier to show you than tell you.” Dean held out his hand for the delicate bouquet. “May I?”

“Okay, sure.” She handed him the cluster of three gardenias held together by a sea-green ribbon tied to a barrette. Then, just like Mia had showed him, Dean gently placed the flowers in Melody’s hair over her left ear. “Oh!” Melody exclaimed, touching the bouquet softly as she peered at her reflection in the large front window. “It’s so pretty, and now the smell will follow me around all day.”

“So, you like it?” Dean asked.

“Yes! Thank you, but you didn’t need to send me anything,” Melody said.

“I didn’t need to, but I wanted to. And gardenias remind me of you.”

“Really? Why that particular flower?” Harmony asked, joining them as they continued to check out Melody’s reflection.

Dean recited the words he’d practiced with Mia, ending with, “So, these are for your eyes.” He sent the florist and Nana a flood of silent thank-yous as both women’s smiles widened.

“He is right,” Harmony said. “The leaves are the same color as your eyes.”

“Thanks again,” Melody said. “It’s a lovely gift.” A customer entered the store, pulling Harmony’s attention away from them, and Melody lowered her voice. “I’m really sorry about running out on you like that last night. I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me again. And I can explain. Sort of. If you give me the chance.”

“You don’t have anything to explain or apologize for—I owe you the apology. I went too fast. It was unchivalrous of me.”

“No, really. It’s my issue—my problem.”

Dean tucked a stray strand of curling copper hair behind her left ear. “How about we talk about it over lunch? Can you take a break?”

“She can,” Harmony said from across the room. “And don’t hurry back. I can handle things here.” She looked at Melody and her voice lost some of its musical lightness. “And I want to be able to tell Rhapsody that everything worked out for you two.”

Melody grabbed her purse and then hooked her arm through Dean’s, pulling him to the door. “Sounds good. See you later.” She waved absently at her cousin as they hurried outside.

Chapter Nine

“Sorry about Harmony. She is a little too interested in my—” Melody began, but Dean cut her off.

“Let’s make a deal. You’ll stop apologizing about your family, no matter how badly they embarrass you, if you don’t hold me responsible for whatever embarrassing thing my family does or says when you meet them, and that includes stories about my short-lived, unfortunate baseball phase.”

Her stomach flip-flopped. “When I meet your family?”

“Sadly for you, I think that’s inevitable.”

“I don’t know, Dean.” She considered, following his lead down the sidewalk. “That sounds pretty serious.”

“Then we’ll talk about it when we feel like being serious, but right now how about we focus on lunch?”

“Deal, but does that mean we can’t talk about your unfortunate baseball phase?” she snickered.