The early sun illuminated the inside of Le Petite Fleur flower shop as Y/N worked on adding the finishing touches to her outdoor displays.
“Hmm, should I color code or rainbow it?” Y/N asked herself, as she admired her hard work. The floor was dotted by black containers bursting with a collection of hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, calla lilies, carnations, spray roses, among others. She turned to look outside the large window that covered the whole front of her shop. The clear blue skies made her decision easier. “Rainbow it is.”
Grabbing hold of two bins at a time, Y/N waddled to the front door strategically using her foot to open up the door. She worked slowly but efficiently until she struggled with the final two bins. She managed to open the door and walk out but as she moved to place the bins of flowers to the floor she took a misstep and was about to plummet to the ground when two firm arms encircled her waist stopping her mid-fall.
“Whoa there babe” a deep voice boomed from directly behind her. It took Y/N a few seconds to connect the voice to the arms that had saved her from humiliation (and re-doing the two bins of flowers that would’ve been destroyed). The arms that cradled her waist slowly pulled her upright. The faceless stranger grabbed the bins from her arms and placed them gently on the ground. She took this moment to take in her hero: dressed in tight black pants and a tattered black shirt that appeared to have been attacked at the shoulders by scissors cutting them off leaving his toned arms out. Her eyes skimmed upwards ending at his bright red hair that made even the darkest red rose blush.
At that moment, the stranger turned around. Y/N was startled at the pale green eyes that stared at her. A smirk played on his pale pink lips. The sun made his piercings gleam and emphasized the dark, thick bands that marked the skin around his right elbow.
“Thanks” Y/N managed to breathe out. Everything about his appearance screamed danger but something insider her told her there wasn’t anything to worry about.
“No problem neighbor” the man in front of her responded.
“I own the tattoo parlor next door. I’m Michael. I don’t think we’ve met yet” Michael extended his hand. Y/N took the three steps that separated them and took his hand in hers as she shook his hand tentatively. “And your name?” Michael asked with a smile.
“Oh right. I’m Y/N. I own this flower shop” she replied with a flourish of her left hand in the direction of her store.
“Well I’m glad I was able to rescue you Ms. Y/N of the flower shop. I have to open up now, so I’ll see you around.” Michael gave Y/N’s hand a gentle squeeze before walking around her to the building next to them that was covered by breathtaking designs of roses, intricate tribal patterns, and haunting depictions of death.
“See ya” Y/N mumbled more to herself than to her neighbor. She turned around, shaking her head slightly in hopes that it will untangle her thoughts a bit before she set forth to arranging the flowers along the wall of her shop.
The rest of the week passed by in a breeze, with all the orders coming in and people stopping by Y/N had no time to think about her run-in with her mysterious, tattoo-bearing neighbor. As if the gods had sensed that her thoughts had finally wandered off to Michael, because at that moment he walked in. It was already late, the sun was setting low tainting the skies with orange, red, and purple as the night was coming in.
“Am I too late to make a purchase?” Michael inquires.
“I can stay open for a fellow neighbor” a small smile appearing on Y/N’s face.
“Thank you. Today’s my mum’s birthday and it’s been busy at the shop so I didn’t get a chance to get her anything. Do you still have any arrangements available?” Michael asked, eyeing the limited flowers that Y/N had left.
“I have the ones that are out here and I just put away the big, expensive ones”
“I’d like to see those if you don’t mind.” Michael followed Y/N to the walk-in cooler as he perused Y/N’s beautiful creations. He finally settled on the most extravagant arrangement that he found. “This one. Only the best for my mum” he stated. As Y/N reached down to grab the arrangement in order to wrap it up, Michael’s hand shot out stopping her mid-way. The place where their skin made contact burned. Their breathing slowed. Y/N looked up to see Michael’s eyes burning into hers. For a moment they stayed frozen, too scared to break the connection. After what felt like hours, Y/N cleared her throat as she looked away not able to handle the intimacy of the moment any longer.
“Please, let me” Michael spoke as he bent down and effortlessly carried the flowers to the front counter. Y/N followed behind him and immediately proceeded to wrap the collection of roses, baby’s breath, gladiolus, and lilies in clear plastic.
“Here you go. If your mom has any questions about how to care for them just let me know. I’d be happy to help” Y/N commented quietly.
“Thank you, Y/N” Michael responded purposely making eye contact. Before Y/N could reply, he bent over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “You’re amazing” he whispered, and with that he picked up the flowers and vanished through the door into the dusk, leaving Y/N breathless behind.
Over the course of the months after their first meeting, Y/N and Michael fell into an easy friendship. In the morning Michael would come early to help Y/N carry out the flowers she would display outside which she would repay with a cup of coffee. They would eat lunch together and sometimes dinners as well. Gradually, her mysterious neighbor became her greatest confidant. Y/N could trust Michael with anything so the day she came back from a meeting with the landlord she went directly into Michael’s parlor. In this rare instance, the parlor was empty with Michael sitting along the back cleaning his tools.
“Y/N? What are you doing here? What’s wrong?” he said shocked at seeing her in the shop. This was the first time she had stepped into the shop. Not able to respond, Y/N runs the rest of the distance to Michael sinking into his arms as the tears that she was trying so hard to contain spilled out. One sob followed after another in a continuous succession. She could barely contain her sorrow. “Hey, hey, hey babe. What’s wrong? No. Y/N please don’t cry. I can’t handle seeing you cry” his tender voice helping to calm her down.
“I’m so sorry” Y/N whispered. “It’s just you were the first person I thought of to come to.”
“I’m right here. What’s wrong?”
“I just talked to the landlord. My lease expires at the end of this month and he decided to increase my monthly payments and I can’t afford it. You don’t know how terrible it feels to have everything you’ve worked so hard for being torn from your hands. That flower shop is my life. I can’t bear to think about letting it go, Michael, I just can’t abandon it.” Her voice muffled by Michael’s shirt.
“You’re going to keep your flower shop.” Michael declared.
“Michael, I want to stay positive and believe that it’s a possibility but my shop doesn’t generate that kind of profit in order for me to pay the rent. Plus, all of my money is tied to my business.” Y/N responded, drying the remaining tears from her cheeks.
“I’ll help you. I’ll become a silent partner.” Michael said as he replaced Y/N’s hands with his thumbs, stroking her cheeks.
“No, Michael you don’t have to do that. Yes, losing my flower shop will suck but I can’t let you invest in a business that won’t return the same money you put in.”
“I want to do this. I’ve always wanted to own a flower shop” Michael chimed, as he ran his hands through Y/N’s hair, placing the lose strands behind her ear.
“Now you and I both now that’s a lie” Y/N giggled.
“I love hearing your laugh” he whispered leaning closer to Y/N, resting his forehead on hers, and causing Y/N’s breathing to become shallow.
“Why are you doing this?” Y/N asked her voice barely audible.
“Because I think I might be in love with you Y/N of the flower shop” Michael explained as he moved to close the distance between their lips, stopping close enough for their breaths to mingle, waiting for Y/N’s response.
“Good, because I’m in love with you Michael of the tattoo parlor” with one last giggle, Y/N closed the distance between their lips sealing their partnership and the rest of their lives.
