The Remake (Second Chance Flower Shop #4) - Noelle Adams Page 0,2

be droopy about.”

This time it didn’t sound like a compliment. At all. It didn’t sound personal. It sounded more like a smug, obnoxious, generalized observation. The kind that was of no help whatsoever and that Fitz was the last person on earth to be making. She glared at him coldly as she gritted out, “I was not droopy.”

It wasn’t the most clever of comebacks, but she couldn’t think of anything to say. What the hell was wrong with her? Not just getting disappointed because Charles hadn’t noticed her but also getting disappointed that Fitz hadn’t said something sweet about her.

She must be out of her mind.

Without another word, she walked away from Fitz, and fortunately this time he didn’t follow.

WHEN SHE REACHED SECOND Chance Flower Shop, she pushed in through the front door. The store had just opened, and there wasn’t anyone sitting behind the counter. But a few seconds after Belinda entered, Skye Devereaux (soon to be Jenkins) popped her head out from the back room.

“Oh hey, Belinda. We’re all back here.”

Belinda followed Skye back.

When Belinda and Ria’s parents had died, they’d left their family flower shop to Ria since she was the only one of their two daughters interested in keeping it up. Ria had tried for a year or two to sustain the local business like her parents had, but there was simply no way to make a profit anymore. She’d been on the verge of selling out when she and her friends had gotten some attention on social media for a flower arrangement and a poem, and they’d somehow managed to rebrand a successful business from there called Second Chance Flower Shop.

Belinda still wasn’t sure how it had happened. People worked all their lives for the kind of success that Ria, Madeline, and Skye had found for the past few years. It wasn’t that they didn’t deserve it. They were all talented and hardworking and good at what they did. But any fool knew that it took more than that to find success in this world. For whatever reason, it had worked out for them, and Belinda was happy for them. She still didn’t want to be involved with the business—although she always helped with their taxes—but she had never been a jealous person, and she was so proud of her sister.

Today the three of them were sitting around in the back room. Instead of working, it looked like they were chatting and drinking coffee.

“Hey,” Ria said, smiling as Belinda entered. The sisters looked a lot alike with long dark hair, dark brown eyes, and slim, shapely figures. But Belinda had always understood that Ria was prettier. She always fixed herself up and dressed in stylish clothes. Belinda herself never had patience for that. She pulled her hair back in a low ponytail and never wore makeup. It had always seemed like more trouble than it was worth. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Belinda replied. “Just Fitz hanging around, being annoying.”

“He’s not that bad,” Ria said.

“We’ll have to disagree on that topic.”

“It’s just because he likes you,” Skye chimed in. Her blue eyes got very big when Ria gave her a little kick. “What? He does, doesn’t he?”

Belinda rolled her eyes at the silly optimism of that remark. “No, he doesn’t. He just finds it entertaining to get on my nerves.” On this subject, she had absolutely no doubts.

“Well, you should try not to give him any ammunition. If you didn’t respond, maybe he’d give up.” Ria’s eyes were serious. She liked Fitz a lot, and she was always trying to make peace between him and her sister.

“I know that. But I can’t help it. He drives me crazy.” Belinda let out a long breath. “But you’re right. I should just try to ignore him. I’ve tried it a hundred million times already, but maybe this next time will be the winner.”

Ria laughed. “Maybe. I thought you were working at Anna’s this morning.”

“I was. But I wasn’t getting anything done, so I gave up. I’ll just go home and try from there.”

“Skye said she thought Charles was over there,” Ria said.

“He was. Or is. Or whatever. He was there when I left.”

“Were you able to talk to him?”

Belinda shook her head. “He didn’t even notice I exist. I think whatever hopes we might have in that direction are futile.”

“Well, why should they be? He hasn’t gotten to know you at all.” As always, Ria leaped immediately to her sister’s defense. “As soon as he gets to know you,