The shop felt different with Ethan in it—
as if the morning light softened
and the flowers opened just a little wider
when he stepped closer to Amelia.
She could feel him beside her now, warm and steady.
Their arms brushed lightly, a whisper of contact that sent a gentle flutter through her chest.
Amelia pretended to adjust the ribbon on the bouquet, but her fingers trembled slightly. She knew Ethan noticed—he noticed everything—but he didn't comment. He simply waited, giving her space to feel whatever she needed to feel.
After a moment, she looked up at him.
"You make this… easier," she whispered.
Ethan's expression softened.
"Make what easier?"
"Being close to someone."
Ethan's eyes warmed, his voice dropping to a gentle murmur.
"That means more to me than you know."
She swallowed, the weight of emotion sitting warm and soft inside her.
"What about you?" she asked.
"Is this easy for you too?"
Ethan nodded slowly.
"Being near you feels natural. Like my mind and my heartbeat finally agree on something."
Amelia's breath faltered.
"That's a lot to say," she murmured.
"It's the truth."
She didn't look away this time.
Her gaze held his—shy, warm, learning to trust.
Finally, she broke the moment with a small breath and turned toward her counter.
"I need to finish trimming the stems," she said softly, trying to steady her hands.
"I'll help," Ethan said.
Amelia looked at him, startled.
"You know how?"
"No," he admitted with a soft smile.
"But I can learn."
She laughed quietly, the sound light and genuine.
"Okay… you can pass me the tools."
Ethan nodded and walked around the counter, standing beside her as she showed him each tool.
"This one trims the excess leaves," she explained.
"This one makes a diagonal cut on the stem."
"And this keeps the petals from bruising."
Ethan listened with full attention, as if she were explaining something sacred. When she passed him a stem to practice on, his fingers brushed hers—warm, steady, intentional.
Amelia didn't pull away.
"Like this?" he asked, mimicking her motions.
"Almost," she said gently.
She reached out, guiding his hand with hers—slow, light, careful.
Ethan froze.
Not from discomfort—
from the way her touch seemed to quiet everything inside him.
Amelia didn't notice at first. She adjusted his grip lightly, her voice soft.
"You want to angle the blade like this…"
Her hand lingered on his a moment longer than necessary, and when she finally pulled away, Ethan let out a slow breath.
"That was better," she said.
"That was something," he murmured quietly.
Amelia blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Ethan shook his head gently.
"Nothing. Just… being close to you feels… good."
Her cheeks warmed.
"Mine too."
The admission hung between them—soft, tender, filling the space with warmth.
They trimmed more stems together, Ethan learning quickly, Amelia guiding him gently when he hesitated. At one point, she reached for a pair of scissors just as he did, and their fingers brushed again.
This time, she didn't pull away.
And neither did he.
Their hands lingered for a quiet second—
soft, intentional, warm.
Amelia looked up at him shyly.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"Don't be," Ethan murmured.
"I like when that happens."
Her heart fluttered wildly.
She didn't try to hide the smile that blossomed on her face.
When they finished the bouquet, Amelia set it aside with a soft sigh.
"It looks… beautiful," she said.
"So do you," Ethan murmured.
Amelia's breath caught.
Her cheeks flushed a soft rose, mirroring the flowers beside them.
"You can't say things like that while I'm holding scissors," she said weakly.
Ethan laughed quietly—warm, deep, soft.
"Then I'll wait until you put them down."
Amelia set the scissors on the table slowly, glancing up at him with a teasing spark she didn't usually show.
"Okay," she whispered.
"I put them down."
Ethan's smile softened, his voice lowering.
"You really are beautiful, Amelia."
This time, she didn't look away.
Didn't hide.
Didn't shrink.
She let the words settle inside her—warm and full and real.
"Thank you," she whispered.
The bell above the door chimed suddenly as a customer walked in, breaking the quiet moment.
Amelia stepped back quickly, but Ethan didn't move far. He simply gave her a small, reassuring smile before she went to greet the customer.
And even as she helped them, she kept glancing back at Ethan—
because she knew,
in a gentle and undeniable way,
that something meaningful was blooming between them.