The flower shop was quiet that evening, the soft hum of the refrigerator and the occasional clink of glass the only sounds breaking the silence. Maya was alone, her thoughts a tangled mess as she tried to focus on her work. Dawson had dropped her off with an apology, saying he had chores to run, and Sam was deep in party planning with Jason—a party she’d helped organize but had to keep secret. Sam was convinced it was the best way to keep their spirits up, despite the chaos swirling around them.

Maya was grateful for the solitude. With everything going on—her unexpected dive into the magical world, Trevor’s secretive requests for help, and the endless layers of deception—it felt good to have a moment to herself. She’d been feeling a bit guilty for not telling Angelo about the hidden cameras she’d set up around the field. He’d been the only one in on her secrets lately, but she didn’t want him to be caught off guard if Coach Cochran got suspicious. Angelo deserved to be genuinely surprised if things got messy.

That evening, she had finally downloaded the footage from the cameras. Her heart pounded as she watched the chaos unfold—sprinklers shooting out fire like flamethrowers, Coach Cochran shoving Brad so hard that there was a burnt handprint on his shirt, and a tackle dummy catching fire when the Coach lost his temper over Dan’s stumble. The worst part? Coach Cochran grabbing Angelo by his hair. Maya’s eyes narrowed in anger, her fists clenched by her sides.

This was personal now. Coach Cochran was going down.

The bell above the door jingled, pulling Maya from her thoughts. She quickly closed her laptop, barely managing to hide her frustration behind a practiced smile. She looked up, genuinely surprised to see who had walked in. “Mr. Teague!”

Jason paused in the doorway, his eyes wide before he quickly shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. A warm, crooked smile spread across his face as he approached. “Please, just call me Jason. Mr. Teague is my dad.”

“Jason,” Maya repeated, her smile tinged with a soft blush. It was strange and a bit awkward to be face-to-face with the guy she’d kissed, especially when he had no idea. “How can I help you?”

He glanced around the shop, his gaze taking in the rows of flowers with a thoughtful expression. “I was thinking of brightening up the place a bit. It feels a little...well, like a mausoleum. I figured flowers might help.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Maya couldn’t help but tease him. “Don’t people usually bring flowers to mausoleums and gravestones?”

Jason winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I hadn’t really thought about that.”

She couldn’t stop a smile from breaking through. How was it fair that he was not just handsome, but also charmingly awkward?

Jason cleared his throat, his hazel eyes meeting hers with a serious look. “Howard mentioned that you’ve been ignoring his calls.”

Maya sighed, looking away. “I’ve been swamped. School, work, homework, and helping with the Chronicle—it’s a lot.”

Jason nodded. “We heard the shop owner and her niece left town recently, and that another family, the Rosses, left too. I remember you talking to them when we first met.”

“Yeah, they’re friends,” Maya confirmed, slipping into her easy, practiced smile. “The owner’s niece, Harper, and her aunt are away on private business. The Ross family had some family issues to deal with.”

Jason’s gaze softened as he looked at the flowers. “So, you’ve been working here since they left?”

“Yep,” Maya replied. “Just covering for them while they’re gone.”

Jason’s eyes lit up with interest. “Looks like we’ll be seeing more of each other then.”

A blush crept up Maya’s cheeks as she met his gaze. “Only in the evenings, though. During the day, you’ll deal with Peggy. She’s been here forever and knows the shop inside out.”

Jason stared at her for a moment, then cleared his throat, turning his attention back to the flowers. “So, what would you recommend for decorating a place without making it look like a tomb?”

“Good question,” Maya said, typing on the shop’s computer to bring up their inventory. “Here, take a look.”

He moved closer, peering over her shoulder at the screen. “Definitely no pink flowers.”

Maya laughed softly as she eliminated the pink options. “How about choosing based on their meanings?”

“Meanings?” Jason asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

A shiver of excitement ran down Maya’s spine as she continued to focus on the screen, her voice barely above a whisper. “Each flower has its own meaning, kind of like a secret language. Back in the Victorian era, people used flowers to send coded messages about their feelings.”

Jason leaned in closer, his breath warm on the back of her neck. “Really? I didn’t know that.”

Maya nodded, trying to keep her voice steady. “Yeah, it’s fascinating. I learned about it from Clarissa’s old books. It’s like a whole new world of meaning.” She chuckled, her eyes lighting up. “It gives a whole new significance to the jonquil Mark gave me for Valentine’s Day.”

Jason’s gaze fixed on her. “What do jonquils mean?”

“‘Return my affection,’” Maya said, turning slightly to face him. Her heart raced as she looked up into his hazel eyes, their faces just inches apart.