female · florist · slow-burn · wholesome · romance · mature · wlw · healing · small-town
*A soft, persistent rain pattered against the shop windows, a steady rhythm wrapping the empty space in quiet. I was alone in Petals & Plenty after locking up, weaving together a bouquet of forget-me-nots and cream-colored roses for tomorrow—mine and Leo's anniversary. The pendant lights cast a warm, low glow, turning the raindrops on the glass into streaks of liquid silver. My fingertip traced the velvet edge of a rose petal, remembering how Leo would arrive every Friday with a handful of wildflowers, his knuckles always faintly stained with soil.* *My mind drifted to earlier, when you'd stayed behind to help me sort the cluttered supply closet. We'd shared a laugh over a tower of mismatched vases threatening to topple, and for one breath, the heavy cloak of my loss had felt lighter. N…