Page 55 of What Doesn't Kill You…

"I don't think Caribbean resort prices will work in Glasgow," Violet reminded her.

From the look in her mum's eyes, she was going to try them anyway. Violet had come by her stubborn streak honestly. It was strong in the female side of her family.

The door at the back of the shop opened and a tall, brown skinned woman sailed into the room. She had a welcoming smile, and the lines around her eyes softened her angular face.

She considered the group before saying, "I'm Tina the florist. Which one of you is the bride?"

When Violet didn't instantly answer, Jasmine placed a hand in the middle of her back and shoved.

"I'm Violet," she said as she skidded to a halt in front of the florist. "The bride." The urge to gag was strong.

"I'm so pleased to meet you." Tina held out her hand. "You had some wonderful flower choices for your wedding. It's a pleasure to put it together for you. How can I help you today?"

Against her better judgement, Violet liked the woman. She really hoped she wasn't involved in the drug running side of things.

Her mum elbowed her way in front of Violet. "I'm Violet's mother," she said. "I'm a florist too. I own a shop in Scotland." She gestured to the room full of colorful blooms. "Of course, it's nothing on this scale, but I'm so excited to see what you’ve planned for my daughter's wedding."

Jasmine couldn't be left out. She crowded Violet on the other side. "I run the business with my mum, and I have so many questions for you. She pointed to the refrigerated bouquets. “What do you use in the water? Those look far fresher than ours."

Her mother took offense. "I wouldn't say far fresher," she grumbled.

Jasmine ignored her. "We'd love to take a look at Violet's flowers." She angled her head, maybe hoping to see through walls into the back of the shop. "Are they here?"

Tina seemed delighted to find more florists. It was as though she'd just found out they were all members of the same cult. "I'm afraid they're in the warehouse."

"Could we go to the warehouse?" her mum asked. "I'd really like to have some input in what she's doing." She gave Violet a pointed look. "Seeing as we only heard about the wedding at the last minute."

Violet sighed and squeezed past her family. "If you could let them get a look at the flowers, I would be so grateful. I mean, have-your-baby grateful. They won't shut up about them. I'm getting serious guilt-trip stuff because I didn't get married in Scotland and let them do the flowers."

"Violet!" Her mother glared at her, before giving the florist an embarrassed smile. "She got her manners from her father," she said.

"Please," Violet said to Tina. "I'm begging you, let them at the flowers so I can concentrate on getting married without listening to digs about the floral arrangements."

Tina burst out laughing. She cast a glance at the woman behind the counter who seemed equally amused.

"Well," Tina said. "It isn't strictly allowed, but seeing as you're both in the business, I don't think it would hurt to let you get a peek behind the curtain."

"That's wonderful!" Jasmine beamed at Tina and then her mother. "Violet won't even tell us what she picked." She lowered her voice. "We're worried she's chosen funeral flowers."

Her mother was nodding. "She also has her father's sense of humor."

"No funeral flowers," Tina said. "Unless we count the wreath." She winked at Violet.

Oh, yeah, she liked Tina. It would be such a shame if she was a drug-dealing criminal.

"Follow me," the florist said. As they passed the desk, heading out the back of the shop, she leaned into the woman behind the counter. "No need for management to know about this, is there?"

"Know what?" the other woman said with a grin.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Violet let out a low whistle when they walked into the flower warehouse. It was a massive, temperature-controlled room lined with tables, crates, and shelves filled with flowers. There were at least half a dozen women sorting the flowers or arranging them into beautiful displays. Two young men lifted large boxes onto shelves at the back of the room, while a security guard kept an eye on everything.

On the left side of the warehouse were two huge walk-in fridges with solid doors. Beside them were large, glass fronted fridges filled with arranged displays and bouquets. The far end of the space had been divided in half. One half was fitted with two open roller-doors leading out to the dock. The other half housed a private room, with another guard on the door. This guard didn't wear the hotel security uniform. Instead, he was dressed in a suit that'd been tailored to hide a shoulder holster. He was one of Damien's pet soldiers.

Interesting…

"Oh my goodness," Rosey Lee said as she stared around in wonder. "This puts our tiny shop to shame. I can't believe the variety of flowers you have in here. I always prided myself that our shop had an extensive range of blooms, some that weren't easy to find, but this is staggering. You must ship them in from all over the world."