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Pansy pulled the phone to her chest, closing her eyes. She would be seeing him tomorrow since Neville Longbottom, a guy she used to go to school with, was her flower supplier. He was also extremely handsome, built like a tree. Tall, muscular, strong.She owned a small bakery, two shops down from Neville’s flower shop. Her speciality was simple, yet tasty, cakes with live flowers. She used to work alone, but after her business took off, she had so many orders she couldn’t keep up on her own. She had to hire her best friend Theo, who helped her with the shop while she could only focus on baking. She went to find her daughter and asked her again not to text random people from her mother’s phone. Daisy—her sweet angel—giggled and shrugged, only apologising and looking slightly abashed after her mother’s stern look. Pansy couldn’t stay mad long, though. She pulled the tiny body against her and hugged her daughter to her chest. Ever since they lost Blaise—Pansy’s husband and Daisy’s dad—four years ago, it was just the two of them. “Mr. Neville is nice.” Daisy’s quiet voice reached Pansy, making her smile.He was. There was a time Pansy thought he might even be interested in her, but she quickly dismissed the idea. She was a raging bitch to him at school and now a single mom. She wasn’t exactly ‘wifey’ material. Or girlfriend material.“Yes.” She smiled at the little girl, still holding her in her arms.“You should go on a date with him.” Daisy nodded at the end, like she wanted to confirm what she’s just said. Her light hair bounced with each move. She didn’t look like her mother or her father, something many people pointed out.Pansy straightened her arms, looking at her daughter with a raised brow. “Where is this coming from?” Daisy beamed at her mother, her eyes glimmering with joy. “Uncle Theo said you can’t take your eyes off him.”
Uncle Theo. Of course. Who else would work against her like that?
“Petal, I can’t ask Mr. Neville on a date.” Even if she kind of really wanted to.“Why not?” Daisy looked up at her mother with those big brown eyes so similar to Blaise’s and Pansy seemed to lose track of thought. It was one of the only traits that resembled him. “I just can’t. Now off to bed, Petal.” Pansy kissed her daughter’s forehead and patted her back until her little girl moved to her bedroom.
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Pansy was running late, and she still had to step by Longbottom Florals for a special delivery. Her client wanted pansies in white and pink which were not in her usual order. She let Daisy come in first, smiling when her daughter ran straight to the owner.
“Mr. Neville!” Daisy smiled at him, waving enthusiastically.
Neville placed down the bouquet he was holding and crouched next to her. “Hiya, Daisy. How are you today?” He smiled at her, glancing at Pansy, but keeping his attention mostly on Daisy.
Pansy’s heart squeezed painfully - seeing her daughter with a man like this always brought thoughts of what could have been if Blaise was still alive. She wished Daisy had a father figure, someone to look up to and someone to love her as much as Pansy did. Even though the little girl had a variety of aunties and uncles, it wasn’t the same as having a dad. Pansy knew that too well, since she lost her parents shortly after her sixteenth birthday.
“Good!” she beamed, showing a missing tooth. “Mommy is stressed, because we are late, though.” Neville looked at Pansy again, but she could just give him an apologetic smile.
She had a lot of baking to do, not to mention decorating and a blackcurrant curd for a special order. Her head hurt just from thinking about how much she would have to do, probably calling Theo to help her with Daisy.
“She didn’t even have time to make me my favourite cupcakes!” Daisy pouted when Neville got up and extended his hand to her.
“Help me with your mommy’s order and tell me about your favourite cupcakes.” Her daughter didn’t even hesitate to grab his palm and follow him to the back of the shop. Neville gleaned behind his shoulder at her and pointed his chin forward, asking her to go after them. “Let me guess, it’s strawberry shortcakes.”
Daisy giggled and shook her head. “No! Raspberry shortcakes!” She glanced behind her, at Pansy. “I don’t like strawberries.”
Neville nodded. “Noted.” He smiled at her, dropped her hand and opened a fridge to get Pansy’s order. It was a few different kinds of small bouquets, enough for her to decorate cakes and leave some on her kitchen table.
He handed her the flowers but reached back for another few flowers - these looked like he hand picked them, most of them wildflowers.
“There you go, Petal.”
Daisy giggled looking at her mama. “Mommy calls me that!” Then she reached for her bouquet, grinning and hugging them to her chest. “Thank you, Mr. Neville.”
For the second time today, Pansy’s heart squeezed. She hasn't seen her daughter this happy in a long time.
“Neville is fine.” He winked at her and the little girl giggled. Pansy could help the smile that spread on her face.
“Hiya.” Pansy lifted her gaze to meet the brown orbs of her favourite florist. Her cheeks flushed against her will when she noticed a flour stain on her dress. She tried to brush it off with her hands, but it only seemed to make things worse.
Neville was holding a bouquet of pink and white gardenias, smiling at her. “For your bedside table.” He said gifting her the flowers.
How could a man wearing simple jeans and a flannel be this sexy? Perhaps it was his easy-going attitude, combined with trendy hairstyle, please-seat-on-my-face-stubble and two full sleeves of tattoos.
“You didn’t have to.” Pansy tried to act unbothered by his sweet gesture but, internally, she was screaming.
“I know.” He had the audacity to wink. Pansy rolled her eyes and glanced at the back.
“Let me at least get you a cupcake, as a thank you.” He was already halfway to the door, shaking his head.
“No, I wanted a beautiful lady to have flowers on her bedside table, so I brought her flowers. It was for me, not for you.” He flashed her a smile and left.