Carnations in January Read Online Free PDF Page A

Grace stood and laid the bouquet on the shelf. She adjusted the display. “I was thinking we could do other things along with the flowers. Teddies or something. Maybe chocolates or balloons as well. Something similar to what the bigger chains do.” The shelf moved slightly. “Don’t you even think about falling,” she warned it, waving a finger at the wall.
    The shop door opened, the bell jangling at the same moment the shelf fell, sending the contents sliding to the floor. Grace grabbed the one end, dust and plaster covering her. “I told you not to do that,” she sighed.
    “Oops,” said an all too familiar voice. Tanned hands grabbed the other end of the shelf. “What happened?”
    Grace looked sideways at him. “As much as I love your visits, Elliott, your timing leaves a lot to be desired.”
    “You mean you don’t wear dust and break things as a matter of course?” Elliott looked at her innocently, his eyes twinkling.
    “Only around you. Do you wait for disaster to strike before you come over?”
    “Every time.” He laughed, as he set the shelf on the floor and looked at the wall. His fingers traced the holes. “Easy to fix. You had the wrong fittings. You need plaster plugs not wall plugs. Give me two minutes. Drink this.”
    Grace took the coffee. “Thank you.”
    Mandy winked at him. “Maybe you should just bring your tools rather than bringing Grace coffee each morning, Mr. Wallac.”
    “Don’t give him ideas.” Grace sipped the coffee.
    Elliott laughed. “I’ll be right back.”
    “I should pay you for the number of times you’ve said that. Never mind the amount of free labor I’ve been getting.” She watched him leave. Everything about him from the way he moved, to the way his clothes fitted, set her nerves aflame—and she had no idea why. She just wished they didn’t. Especially as half the time he acted like she either didn’t exist or he had no idea who she was.
    However, she didn’t have time for a relationship, nor did she want one. The less she had to do with men, so called Christian men in particular, the better.
    “He likes you,” Mandy told her from the desk.
    “What gives you that idea?” Grace put the cup down.
    “Numerous cups of coffee for one thing. And he’s always here, if he isn’t working.”
    “He’s just being neighborly. So, going back to the business for a moment, can you look up teddies, vases, balloons, and chocolates, while you’re on the Internet?”
    “Yes, boss.” The phone rang. “Carnation Street Florist. Sure, let me check the diary.” She covered the phone. “Grace, can we do a wedding on January twenty-eighth? Customer got let down, and they need someone fast?”
    Grace shook her head at Mandy. “I don’t know. That’s three weeks.” Panic filled her. She had no idea how to do a formal bouquet. How could she commit to an entire wedding? “I…”
    “We’ve done loads. We’ll help, show you what to do,” Shana said encouragingly. “Besides, there’s nothing like a wedding to advertise the business. We do it right and we’ll get heaps more orders.”
    “OK. Book it in. I guess its buttonholes, corsages, table decorations, and so on, but make sure you get exact lists of what they want.”
    Mandy grinned, shooting off a mock salute and turning back to the phone.
    Once again, the bell rang. Elliott had returned, and he set down his tools. “Were you serious about paying me, Grace?”
    She nodded, keeping the flippant response of why wouldn’t I be to herself. “Of course I was. Any other bloke would have billed me in triplicate by now.”
    “Great. Then pay me in flowers. It’s my sister’s birthday today, and she loves carnations.”
    Grace smiled. “One bunch of carnations coming up. I’ll make the arrangement in the back, keep out of your way.”
    “Before you go…” Elliott’s voice made her turn back. “I was hoping you’d come to church this weekend.”
    “I can’t, sorry.”
    “Why not?”
    “I’ll be