bells chime overhead announcing the boy’s arrival before he can make himself known . he watches as the tips of auburn hair swing as her head swivels towards the door and a grin instantly floods his features at the sight of her . he lifts a free hand in greeting , letting her finish up with a customer . he’s been to her shoppe enough times to know his way around , he slips through the short aisles heading to the front desk , leaning against the wooden fixture as he waits for her behind the counter . it isn’t long before johanna is leaving the client and making her way towards him and he stands up a little straighter , a hand hidden behind his back . he lights up around her , anyone who came within ten feet of them could easily see it - and perhaps the pair of them were always looking too closely at each other that they couldn’t see the bigger picture . he kept his feelings buried deep down - so far down they hadn’t even fully been acknowledged yet . for one - there was a friendship he wasn’t willing to risk if he were to voice how he felt and two - his recent draft into the nfl kept him away from her longer than what would be fair . “ got you something , ” he says when she’s close enough , “ i don’t know what it is , but it reminded me of you . ” he pulls a single purple flower from behind his back , holding it out to her by its long stem , petals perfectly still in place . ” i plucked it from the robertson’s yard on my way over . ” there’s a small smirk that filters through his boyish features , “ they weren’t home - ‘ sides , i think it’s one of those better to ask for forgiveness than permission situations . ”