A Arrangement for Rose Read online

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  All About Michelle

  More Books by Michelle Rene

  An Arrangement for Rose

  Copyright © 2020 - Michelle Rene

  Published by: Michelle Rene

  An Arrangement for Rose is a work of fiction.

  Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Cover Design & Formatting by: Dark Water Covers

  Edited by: Michael R. Burhans

  Music is what feelings sound like.

  - Author Unknown

  Chapter 1

  Rose

  “I hope you rot in hell,” my ex spits venomously at me as he storms out the door of my quiet flower shop, Roses and More.

  Six years ago, Todd McDaniels walked into my shop to order his mother flowers for her birthday. His megawatt smile nearly took my breath away and drew me in like a moth to a flame. By the time he left, not only had he ordered flowers for his mother and grandmother, he’d gotten my phone number as well.

  We dated for nine months and then he surprised me by proposing on New Year’s Eve. Our wedding took place on the anniversary of our first date. In the beginning, Todd was everything a southern girl like me could want in a man. He was charming, polite, handsome and thoughtful. The first three years of our marriage could only be described as blissfully perfect. When my grandmother took ill and passed away, Todd was my rock.

  It wasn’t until after I officially took over the business that he changed. My sweet, loving husband became jealous, possessive and verbally abusive. Though he was never physically abusive, after two years of being mentally beat down and defending myself against false accusations of affairs, I filed for divorce.

  Even though I refused spousal support, the laws of the state dictate otherwise. All I wanted was a fresh start; instead, the judge ordered that payments be deducted directly from his paycheck every two weeks. Thus, the reason for today’s hissy fit. After seeing the deduction on his pay stub, Todd felt the need to show up with accusations that I am ruining his life.

  “No thanks, the last two years of our marriage were hell enough,” I mutter to myself as I begin to massage my temples. It’s a feeble attempt to thwart off the headache I feel forming, but I still have a few hours of work ahead of me and a delivery to make.

  My assistant Janet peeks her head out of the curtain that separates the storefront from the workroom, “Rose, honey, are you okay?”

  I turn and give her a weak smile, “Yeah, I’m okay, just my monthly reality check from Todd.”

  Janet steps through the doorway and leans against the counter, “Reality check or not, no one deserves to be spoken to like that.”

  I brush invisible dust off the counter, not willing to make eye contact, “Yeah, well that’s just a taste of what I experienced every day the last two years of our marriage.”

  Janet immediately wraps me in a hug, “Oh sweetheart, we need to find you a man that knows how to treat you right.”

  I laugh as I pull out of her embrace and point a finger at her, “No. I have plenty of things to focus on without adding a man to the mix.”

  “I’m just saying,” Janet begins before I cut her off.

  “I know exactly what you are just saying, and as much as I appreciate your concern, I’m in no hurry to start a new relationship.” I glance at the clock just as the bell over the door rings, “Looks like it’s time for us to get back to work. Do you have everything you need for the gift basket?”

  Janet nods, “I do, or did, I worked on that while your visitor was here, so it’s all ready to go.”

  “Great! I have a few more arrangements to make before I can deliver it to the performing arts center.”

  While Janet takes care of the customers, I move to the workroom to complete the arrangements. The sunshine arrangement has always been one of my favorites. Yellow mums mixed with orange tipped yellow carnations form the rounded arrangement, while black pipe cleaners create the eyes and mouth needed to put a smile on anyone’s face.

  The rest of the afternoon passes quickly as I finish the remaining orders and a few arrangements for the cooler. As I’m cleaning up, Janet walks through the doorway, handing me the bank deposit bag.

  “Rose, honey, I’ve locked up and cashed out for the night, here’s the deposit.”

  Taking the bag from her, I lay it on the worktable, “Thanks Janet, what would I do without you?”

  She waves a dismissive hand at me, “Oh you’d do just fine, but it would be boring without me,” she teases with a wink.

  I laugh at her assessment before agreeing with her, “Yes, it definitely would be.”

  I load the gift basket and floral arrangement into my SUV, and then go back inside to gather my things. Turning off the lights, I set the alarm and lock the door. I climb into my SUV, start the engine and head towards the performing arts center.

  I pull around to the backstage entrance, turn off the engine and step out of my vehicle. I pocket my keys and remove the basket and arrangement from the back. This isn’t the first time I’ve made a delivery to the performing arts center. My grandmother was a proud supporter of the arts and donated arrangements displayed in the foyer to welcome the patrons to the performances.

  I walk to the door, ring the bell and wait for someone to open it for me. When the door opens, Ben Johnson smiles and pushes the door open wider.

  “Evening, Rose. Need some help with those?”

  “Hi, Ben. Thanks, but I think I’ve got them.”

  He closes the door and secures it, “I’m glad you’re here, I’ve been meaning to stop by and order one of your gift baskets for Lola.”

  “I’ll start one on Monday for her, you stop by anytime next week and we’ll add some personal touches.”

  Ben smiles and I see a mixture of gratitude and relief on his face, “Thanks Rose, I really appreciate that. I can stop by one day after work, if that works for you?”

  I smile, “Sounds good.” I lift the basket and flower arrangement, “Do you need to walk me back to deliver these?”

  Ben chuckles and shakes his head, “Nah, everyone here trusts you. Besides, you know where everything is. The performer is in dressing room number one.”

  I smile as a slight blush stains my cheeks at his compliment, “Thanks Ben, I won’t be long.”

  I make my way down the hall, the closer I get to the dressing room, the more I can hear the soft strains of the violin. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all the years I’ve made deliveries here, it’s never disturb the performer if they are practicing. Keeping that in mind, as I reach the door, I forgo knocking and quietly enter the dressing room and stand mesmerized by the sight before me. World-renowned violinist Alek Berringer cradles his instrument against his shoulder, lost in what I believe to be a sonata by Bach.

  He’s even more handsome than the posters or the internet would lead you to believe, and younger too, maybe mid-thirties. Dark hair falls across his forehead and an array of emotions cross his chiseled features as he pulls the bow across the strings. The beautiful sou
nd envelops me and I find myself closing my eyes getting lost in the music.

  It takes me a minute to realize that the music has ended, and as my eyes begin to open, my cheeks flame in embarrassment as icy blue eyes meet mine. Blinking I begin to ramble as I try to explain my presence in his dressing room.

  “Oh, um, I am so sorry.” I raise the items I’m holding as I continue and walk toward the table in the room. “I was making a delivery and you were playing so beautifully I didn’t want to disturb you.” He doesn’t say anything, just watches me move about the room with his head cocked to the side, a ghost of a smile on his firm looking lips. With everything situated, I begin to back away towards the door, “Okay, well I’m going to get out of your way. Good luck tonight.”

  I turn toward the door and place my hand on the knob, ready to escape my embarrassment, when I hear him speak behind me.

  “Wait.”

  Chapter 2

  Alek

  My eyes open as I finish my practice piece, and lower my violin, only to find a woman standing silently in my dressing room. Her arms are laden with gifts, her eyes closed in appreciation of the piece I just finished. Silence falls around us, as her eyes snap open in realization that the music has ended. Flustered, her face turns a bright red, and her brown eyes look everywhere except at me as she begins to explain her presence.

  I listen to her explanation as I admire her beauty. Dark brown hair falls in waves over her shoulders, and she nervously tucks it behind her ear as she moves about the room. Khaki pants and a pink polo shirt don’t do her curves justice but the color looks good on her.

  I need to say something, but I’m completely mesmerized by her beauty and thoughtfulness for not disrupting my practice. As she finishes placing the items on the table, and begins to move toward the door, I panic as she turns to open the door.

  “Wait.”

  Her head falls forward and her shoulders slump before she turns to face me. “Look, like I said, I’m sorry I disturbed you, I just needed to make a delivery.”

  “Oh no,” I say as I begin to move toward her. “Please don’t apologize; you were only doing your job.” I offer her my hand as I introduce myself, “Alek Berringer.”

  She turns more fully to face me, relaxing as she accepts my hand. “Rose McDaniels. Thank you for understanding. You play beautifully, by the way.”

  I bow slightly at her compliment, “Thank you. I trust you are staying for the performance?”

  “Me? Oh no, I was just here to make the delivery.”

  “But you are a fan of classical music, are you not?”

  “I am, but…”

  “Then please, let me arrange for you to stay for the performance.”

  She begins to shake her head, “Really Mr. Berringer…”

  “Alek, please.”

  This time she smiles as she says my name, “Alek. As much as I appreciate the offer, I should be going.”

  I step closer, unable to stop myself, “Are you sure I can’t persuade you to stay?”

  She gently shakes her head, eyes dropping to the floor before returning to mine, “I really should go.”

  Defeated, I reach for her hand, bring it to my lips, and brush a soft kiss over her fingers. She gasps in surprise and I wonder if she felt the same current, I did. “It was a pleasure to meet you Rose.”

  “It was a pleasure to meet you too, Alek. Good luck with your performance tonight.”

  “Thank you.”

  She opens the door and slips into the hallway to leave. Standing in the doorway, I watch the gentle sway of her hips as she walks toward the exit. When she reaches the door, Rose exchanges a few words with the security guard as he opens the door for her. The sound of her laughter floats down the hallway, and I find myself hoping to hear it again soon.

  Footsteps sound behind me, and a hand lands on my shoulder as my manager, Vince Cornetti steps up beside me. He follows my line of sight down the hall, “What’s got you so captivated?”

  “Nothing.” I turn and step back inside the dressing room. “Are we still on time for tonight?”

  “Yep, right on schedule,” Vince replies as he thumbs through the cards attached to the floral arrangements and gift basket. “Do you want these sent to the local nursing home?”

  My eyes land on the gift basket, “The flowers, yes, I’ll keep the basket.” Lifting it from the table, I set it in my lap, remove the card and place it in my pocket. The amount of items in the basket is impressive. There are two bottles of a local ale, a package of pistachios and pretzels, chocolate covered raisins, and chocolate chip cookies from a local bakery. I remove the wrap and take out a package of pistachios. I grin as I tear into the plastic and pop one into my mouth.

  “What’re you grinning about over there?”

  “Am I?” He gives me the don’t play dumb look and I shrug, “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a basket that contains so many of my favorites.”

  “Yeah? Well you should chill the beer so you can have it after the show.”

  “Good idea. Do me a favor and make sure the basket gets back to my hotel room with the rest of my things.”

  “Will do. I’ll even make sure the beer gets in the fridge.”

  “Thanks,” I set the basket on the counter and lean against it. “How long are we in town?”

  “We have the show tonight and tomorrow, so after check-out on Tuesday. Why?”

  “I was just wondering if we could stay in town a little longer, that’s all.”

  “Sure. We don’t have to be in Charlotte until Saturday, and it’s only a four hour drive. Why the sudden interest in staying in town?”

  “I just thought it might be nice to see the city while I’m here.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  I laugh at his response, “What? Is it so unthinkable that I may want to slow down and see the sights in a city we’re visiting?”

  He stands from his seat and walks over to the counter to stand beside me. He leans a hip against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. “You sure there’s nothing fueling this, change of pace?”

  I chuckle at his concern, and clap him on the arm, “Nothing that I’m willing to share just yet. But when I am, you’ll be the first to know.”

  He raises his hands in surrender, “Okay, I’ll leave it alone for now.”

  “Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have performance to get ready for.”

  Once back in my hotel room, I shed my jacket and lay it across the back of the sofa. The performance went well. As an encore, I played the Bach sonata I practiced this evening. Visions of the beautiful woman that surprised me earlier filling my mind as I played.

  The basket Rose delivered catches my eye, and I pull out the bag of pretzels before removing one of the bottles of beer from the small refrigerator. I twist off the top and reach into my pocket to remove the card, Roses and More. The name makes me smile, “Clever,” I say aloud into the room. The woman is definitely creative, and hopefully she’ll be open to seeing me tomorrow.

  Chapter 3

  Rose

  I pull into my spot behind the flower shop, turn off the engine, and grab the coffees I picked-up on my way in. Stepping into the workroom, I drop my purse on the counter, and walk through the curtain into the store.

  Janet inhales deeply as I approach, “Mmm, nothing smells better than that first cup of coffee.”

  I grin as I hand her the paper cup, “I will never understand how you make it until 9 a.m. without caffeine. I have a timer set on my coffee pot so my first cup is ready by the time I’m out of the shower.”

  Janet eyes me suspiciously, before she takes a sip of her coffee. “You really have a cup that early?”

  “Yep. The first cup wakes me up, the second makes sure I’m nice to people.”

  Janet laughs and rolls her eyes, “Like you could be mean to anyone.”

  “You might be the first to find out if we don’t open the door so we can let in customers,” I tease with a wink.

  She scurries towa
rd the door, “Oh no, I’m not going to be your first victim.”

  I laugh and shake my head as she twists the lock on the door and opens it allowing our first customer of the day into the shop.

  Classical music plays softly in the background as I create the arrangements scheduled for delivery today. Hearing Alek play last night reminded me how much I love listening to it. As I’m putting the finishing touches on the last arrangement, the bell sounds as the front door opens. Funny how I’ve been back here for a few hours and haven’t once heard that bell until now.

  Turning to place the arrangement in the cooler, the curtain parts and Janet appears, “Rose?”

  “Yeah,” I reply without looking in her direction. She doesn’t elaborate, and when I look at her, I notice the Cheshire Cat grin she’s wearing. “What?”

  “There’s a gentleman asking for you.”

  “Okay,” I draw out slowly unsure why this is such a big deal. “Why are you being so weird? It’s not the first time a man has asked specifically for me.”

  She lowers her voice to a whisper, “No, but not one of them was as handsome as this one.” She begins to shoo me toward the curtain, “Now get out there and see what he wants before he leaves.”

  I smack at her hands, “Okay, okay, stop pushing.” I brush off my apron and tuck an errant strand of hair behind my ear before parting the curtain and stepping out behind the counter. His back is to me, so I speak to get his attention, “How can I help you?”

  He turns and my breath catches, “Mr. Berringer? What are you doing here?”