How do you handle it when your best friend thinks she knows exactly what you need in life?
Often, and without our knowledge, friends see our love life and relationships as a playing field that they control. Ivy gets a kick out of pretending she's the world's best matchmaker.
Every time she looked in Lillie-Rose's direction, Ivy smiled. She couldn't wait for her cynical friend to meet Nathaniel.
Within the few weeks she'd come to know him, she knew he was the guy for Lillie-Rose. They had the same critical sense of humor, but that was where the similarity disappeared, Where Lillie-Rose pretended to be tough, Nathaniel was the epitome of the protective dependable male. Just what Lillie-Rose needed, a prince who would stand by her side and be the husband she'd always secretly wanted?
Lillie-Rose walked around the flower shop tinkering with the small items on the shelves. The frequent sideways glance she was receiving from her friend was making her a little nervous.
"What are you smiling about Ivy? Each time I've looked up, you're looking at me and smiling. Is it Bernard? Are you so in love you can't see anything but rainbows and butterflies? The love bug has surely eaten a hunk out of you."
Ivy laughed. "I guess you could say that. It's funny, but I see the potential for love all around."
"I'm sure you do. From the gushy phone calls I was getting from you and Carmella, you both seem to have cornered the market while I was away these past three weeks."
"If you only knew the half of it, you would want to be a part of the love fest."
Lillie-Rose chuckled nervously. The gleam in her friend's eyes that she had mistakenly labeled love, now shone for what it really was the freakin', painfully conniving glare of the match maker.
"I'll learn it from watching the two of you. Not everyone in life needs to experience love, Ivy."
"Ah, but Lee you'll miss so much."
Trying to ignore her friend's look of enthusiasm, Lillie-Rose focused her vision on what was in her hand and almost choked. She hurriedly replaced the small statue of a couple kissing, onto the shelf before moving away to sit on the edge of the desk.
"Looks like you're up to something, Ivy and I don't like it." Pointing her finger in her friend's direction, she squint her left eye. "If you're about to pull one of your famous match-making fails, stop right now."
"Come-on Lee, just think..."
Lillie-Rose immediately shut her mind to what her friend was saying. The last thing she wanted to be was ‘fixed up' with another one of Ivy's date rejects. Especially when her every free, thinking space of her mind was filled with the image of a beautiful knight standing under a tree.
For three weeks she'd prepared files, succeeded in balancing accounts for clients, all of the time chewing her nails in anticipation for her return home so she could finally question Ivy about the beautiful man on the mountain. If anyone would know anything it would be Ivy.
Just the thought made her smile, her fantasy interrupted by the sudden squealing peal of Ivy's voice.
"What? What happened?"
"Oh Lee, you don't know how happy this makes me. You won't regret it."
I'm regretting it already and I don't even know what I've done."
"You agreed to meet a friend of mine. He should be…."
"No, I didn't."
Lillie-Rose's quick denial was brushed aside by Ivy's infectious giggle.
Yes, you did. I was telling you about him and you were smiling and nodding…"
"No, stop. We're not going through that kind of thing again."
"Wait, before we get into the conversation, I have to run to the back. It won't take me a minute. You think you can watch the shop until I get back?"
"Not a problem."
"There might be, Branson and the stupid brothers will be here to drop off a delivery. Try to get them to bring the load to the greenhouse. I've been having a lot of issues with my thick headed brothers, but I know you can make Branson see the way."
"Will do." Lillie-Rose agreed happily, she'd do anything to get her friend out of the room and off the subject of a possible blind date. "I'll just sit behind the desk and rest, but don't take too long. I came here straight from the airport because I have something I wanted to ask you."
"Okay, I just have to grab a couple of things."she hurriedly left the room. From the vantage point she'd had on the opposite side of the flower shop, she was privy to the view directly outside the building's windows. The sight of Nathaniel parking his truck was the catalyst she needed to get her little plan on the roll. :-a
Honestly, to me they are the epitome of giving candy to a child...I love candy.
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