Page 37 of Bloom

He burst out laughing. “Great movie.”

“Glad you got the reference.” I ignored the fact my cheeks were burning. “Uh, I would say maybe this.” I gestured between us, to the table, to the café. “This is kinda perfect for me.”

He licked his lips before a smile won out. “This, for me as well. And maybe a trip to the garden centre?” His gaze held mine. “Then maybe we’d take the plants back to my place and you can show me the best place to keep them. You know, for optimum sunlight positioning, that kind of thing.”

Right, then.

Back to his place. And from the look in his eyes, he wasn’t talking about the plants.

I nodded slowly, trying not to appear too eager. “Sounds like a solid plan.”

His smile was shy and the tips of his ears were red. Yep, we were definitely on the same page.

“We don’t have to find the closest Bunning’s though,” I added. “The Botanic Gardens have a nursery shop. We could go take a look if you want?”

“The Botanic Gardens?” His whole face brightened. “How did I not know they have a plant shop? I haven’t been there in years. It’s so pretty up there.”

“It is. I haven’t been in a while either. It’ll be fun.”

He finished his coffee. “Ready to take me plant shopping?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

The truth was, I’d never been more excited for any kind of shopping. And for what might be happening later back at his place. I was trying not to think about that and instead focused on enjoying every moment.

After all, taking a gorgeous man plant shopping in the Botanic Gardens on a lovely spring day was in itself a highlight for me. Not even a perfect date, but a truly perfect day.

The nurseryitself was quaint and rustic, something out of a romance movie. And as soon as Linden walked inside, I wondered if it was a bad idea.

He gasped loudly and gripped my arm. “Oh my god, look at all the baby plants! I want one of everything!”

I didn’t even mind him calling them baby plants because his eyes were as wide as his grin, and he kept his hand on my arm.

“Look at this one,” he said, excitedly showing me a Sydney red gum sapling. “He looks like a Harold.”

“A Harold?”

“Yes, his name.”

“Oh, I, uh... I wasn’t aware plants had names.”

“Of course they do.”

I laughed. “Right, yes, of course. So, will Harold be living inside or outside at your place?”

“Inside. I have a balcony but it’s tiny.”

“Then maybe we should look at the inside plants and not the ones that grow to about thirty metres.”

“Oh. Probably a very good idea. Sorry, Harold.”

Yes, sorry, Harold.

We wandered over to the indoor section, his arm now linked through mine. It made me ridiculously happy. I picked up a small seedling. “You mentioned a pothos before. This one is similar. Well, it will be when it’s bigger.”

“He’s so teeny.” He gently touched the new leaf. “He’s barely a sprout.”

“He will grow.”