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"Welcome to Evans After. Can I help you?"
He took his sunglasses off as he walked up to the reception desk of the small office. "Hi, I'm James. What's your name?"
The girl smiled brightly. "I'm Mary."
"Ah, Mary. As much as I hope you're having a wonderful day, I'm actually here to brighten someone else's. I have a delivery for Lily Evans?"
Mary's face went a little brighter. "Lily could use some brightening today. I hope it's a good delivery."
"Would I bring anything less?" James paused for a moment. "I realize you don't know me, but the answer to that is no. I only bring the best deliveries."
"I'll hold you to that." Mary stood up from her chair and walked out of the room. "I'll go get Lily."
James looked around the quiet lobby as Mary retreated from her spot by the desk. The walls were filled with portraits, mostly families and babies, but some weddings and events as well.
"Hi, you have a delivery for me?"
James didn't turn at the voice, but kept his eyes trained on one of the photographs. It was an older couple surrounded by dozens of red headed kids and grandkids. "You're a photographer?"
The voice came back sounding surprised and amused. "Well, that or I really like to decorate with portraits of other people's families."
"Well, I can't fault you for that. Makes you look like-" James was cut off when he turned and looked at the woman standing next to him. He hadn't expected the sight of her to take his breath away. He gaped for a moment too long, then stuck out his hand. "James Potter."
The amused look now colored her face. "Whoever James Potter is must be an interesting fellow."
"He is. That is, I mean. I am." He furrowed his eyebrows together. "Why do you say that, though?"
Her smile turned mischievous, and he felt his heart clatter against his ribs. "If having pictures of random families on my walls make me look like you, then you must be interesting."
"Oh, I am. Terribly. You should be so interested in knowing me."
"Well, James Potter, interesting man. Let's take this one step at a time." She looked at him expectantly.
"Um, okay. What is step one?"
One of her eyebrows shot up. "Mary said you have a delivery for me?"
"A deli- oh! Yes!" James lifted the box he was holding, a large smile plastered on his face. "I'm here to make your day."
"Does your boss make you say that?"
James's face fell. "Say what?"
"The bit about making my day. It sounds like a line you're forced to say." Lily crossed her arms over her chest, and shrugged.
"Does it?" James looked down at the box and thought for a moment. "I thought it sounded nice."
"Oh, it's fine! I'm sorry." She shook her head like she was trying to clear her thoughts. "Don't mind me. I'm sure your boss is very happy you did it."
"I don't have a boss. I'm the owner." James hesitated, tilting his head to the side. "Well, one of them, anyway."
Lily's eyebrows both shot up this time. "You make your own deliveries?"
He shrugged a shoulder behind the box. "Not usually, but our delivery boy had already left for the day, and the guy who placed the order said it had to be delivered today, so I came myself."
Lily's face blanched. "The guy who ordered it? Where is the delivery from?"
"Padfoot & Prongs, the new flower shop on the corner." Her face creased into deep lines as she looked at the box in his hands. "Not a fan of flowers?"
She ran a hand through her hair. "Flowers are fine. I'm not a fan of who they're from."
"You don't know who they're from. You haven't opened the box."
She fixed him with a look. "They're white lilies with a green ribbon around the stems. They're from Severus Snape, and I'm not opening that box."
James didn't have to open the box to know she was right. He had packed a dozen white lilies, secured with a green ribbon, not an hour earlier. "Huh. Okay, they are." He looked down at the box in his hands again. "I don't know what to do with them now."
"Take them back."
James felt his face go blank. "I, um. Can I do that?"
The amused look was back. "I don't know, boss man. Can you?"
"It has honestly never come up."
Lily chuckled. "Well, happy to be your first then." James felt his skin flush. He looked down at the box again, not sure what to do. "Give them here. I'll let Mary take them home."
He handed her the box. "Sorry about that. Do you want the card?"
"Oh god. There's a card. Of course there's a card." She grimaced as she looked at it in his hand. "Do I want the card?"
James felt the corner of his mouth go up. "I asked you that."
"Yes, but you've read it. So," she nodded at the card, "do I want it?"
"Well," James considered the card. "I thought it was sweet when I wrote it down, but now that I know that he is your… ex?"
She let out a great 'ha!' before continuing. "Ex would be a generous term for it. Though I guess it's close enough. Not sure what else you call the guy you dated a few times before he went and revealed he is the epitome of every terrible word ending in -ist."
"Oh no. That's terrible." He shook his head, running his hand through his hair. "I can't believe you dated a pianist ."
Lily snorted. "Yeah, that's the worst possible -ist."
"I know," James groaned. "The fingers are just long and creepy."
"And bony knuckles."
"Right! Just so weird." There was a brief pause. "He wasn't actually a pianist, right?"
Lily chuckled. "Not as far as I knew, but who knows what else he was hiding."
"Alright, good. And if you ever meet my business partner, I'd appreciate it if you skip mentioning this to him."
Lily smiled. "Working with a pianist?"
James sighed. "I am. The shame of it."
"Does he know that you hate his hobby?"
"He does not. It would break his heart, so I haven't had the heart to tell him."
"Well, now I have to."
James looked up at her in shock. "You wouldn't."
"I would." She gave a solid nod to punctuate her sentence. "You've been lying to him."
"No, I haven't!"
"So he knows that you hate pianists?"
"No, but he's also never asked what I think of pianists, so I can't have ever lied to him about it."
She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "That's a technicality, and you know it."
"Yes, but one that keeps me honest!"
"Alright, you're off the hook for now, but I'm going to keep my eye on you."
"I hope you do." James watched as the faint blush spread over her cheeks. "Well, I should probably go back. I'm sorry that bringing you flowers didn't make your day like I promised."
"It wasn't too bad, though it definitely wasn't the flowers that did it." James felt himself flush at that.
"I'll just have to try harder next time."
Her returning smile was soft, but sincere. "I'll hold you to that.
one week later
"Sirius, what is this order?"
"For the lilies?" Sirius shrugged. "The guy seemed pretty insistent they go out today."
"Yeah, but he's a creep."
Sirius looked down at the card he wrote for the order. "Really? I thought he sounded like he just forgot their anniversary or something."
James leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “Nah, remember the girl I told you about last week?" James nodded toward the order sheet. “He’s her ex-ish.”
“Ex-ish?”
James shrugged. “What else do you call the arse that you date for a few days before he reveals his creep factor?"
Sirius shoved the card back in the envelope. "I already charged the guy. I'm not sure we can turn it away now."
"It's lilies with a green ribbon again?" Sirius nodded, and James grinned mischievously. "How do you feel about an upgrade?"
The bell dinged as James walked in the front door. Mary didn't look up immediately as she started greeting him. "Welcome to Evans Aft- James, you're back."
"I am. I have another delivery."
Mary quirked an eyebrow. "For me?"
James frowned. "No, but I promise to have something for you next time."
Mary smiled kindly. "Well, if that's from him again, I think it may be for me anyway." She winked at James, and walked out of the room.
A few moments later, Lily walked in with a smile on her face. "You're back."
"I am. I brought you some more flowers."
Lily tilted her head to the side as she regarded him. "No promise to brighten my day this time?"
James smiled warmly at her. "I'm hopeful that I still will, but no promises this time."
"Well, okay." She clapped her hands and rubbed them together. "What have you got for me today?"
"So, bad news first. We got a call from that same guy for the same order, urgent delivery and all."
Lily groaned. "This is not looking good on the brighten-my-day front."
"I know, but hear me out." James waited until she nodded before continuing. "My partner took the order, not realizing who it was. He had already charged him, plus the rush fee, so we couldn't really cancel the order anymore."
Lily sighed. "I'm hoping there's good news to follow all of this."
"There is!" James set his box on the counter, and winked at Mary, who was looking on with an amused expression. "I couldn't cancel the order, but I could change it. We included some free upgrades." James opened the box and pulled out the bouquet he personally made with Lily in mind.
The bouquet included a variety of bright, colorful flowers, including maroon gerbera daisy, burgundy mini carnations, fuchsia roses, orange spray roses and Peruvian peach lilies. He had tied them together with a gold ribbon, and placed them in a tall, slender vase. He set them on the counter. Arranging a few of the stems that had moved out of place, and turned to face Lily again.
Her eyes were bright and round, and, unless James was misreading it, she had gone a little misty. "James, they're beautiful. Did you make this?"
He felt bashful all of a sudden, humbled under her praise. "I did."
"You made these for me?"
"Yes." He felt a little nervous now. Had he read this wrong? Was she not happy? He began babbling to fill the silence, pointing as he talked. "I kept some lilies in there, these peach colored ones. There are twelve, true to the original order. I picked the gerbera daisies because they reminded me of you, and the rose-"
"They reminded you of me?"
James paused, not even realizing he had said that. "Um, yeah. The red, like your hair, obviously. They're also happy and brighten up the whole room."
Lily smiled widely at him, and he could see Mary grinning behind her hands. James shrugged, trying to pretend like he wasn’t feeling embarrassed about actually sharing that with her.
“That has to be the sweetest reason anyone has ever gotten me flowers.”
“Really?” James scoffed lightly. “Then someone needs to send you more flowers.”
“Is that so?”
James nodded solemnly, grasping his hands together behind his back. “I’m a professional florist. I know these things.”
“Well, I might just have to take your word for it then.” She walked forward to where he left the flowers on the desk.
“Maybe you won't have to take my word for it.”
She smiled over at him, before burying her head in the bouquet and inhaling deeply. “They smell lovely. I don’t think I’ve ever had flowers smell so good. How do you do that?”
“Magic.”
She laughed lightly. “Come on, you must have a secret.”
“Maybe I do, but it’s a trade secret. I can’t just go around giving them away to anybody.”
She looked up at him, batting her eyelashes, and smiled sweetly. “Am I just anybody?”
“God, I hope not.”
He hadn’t really meant to say it, but when he saw her face light up, he couldn’t find a reason to regret his words. They stood there, smiling at each other, for far longer than was reasonable.
“Oh, there’s a card.” James spoke abruptly, interrupting the tension that was building between them.
Lily looked at him with trepidation. “Do I want the card?”
James pulls a card out of his left pocket. “This one? Probably not. It’s exactly what you think it is.” James pulled a second card out of his right pocket. “If you want, you can have this one instead. This one is nothing like what you think it is.”
The smile spread across her face slowly, and she reached for the card in his right hand. He gave it to her, pocketing the one in his left hand again. He watched as she pulled the card out of the envelope and read it slowly.
Then she read it aloud: “Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places.”
James ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he had never been able to break the habit of. “It’s Ralph Waldo Emerson.”
“I know. I’ve always loved Emerson.”
“My mom had this quote in the apron she wore to garden. It’s part of the reason I wanted to open a flower shop.”
“That and the easy way to meet girls?”
James laughed. “It’s not as good for that as you would think. Most girls getting flowers are happy to receive them. They’re generally feeling more in love with their partner, not looking to hook up with the flower shop owner.”
“Hm, I suppose that would be a damper on the potential relationship.” Lily chuckled, and placed a hand on his arm. James felt his arm warm under her touch, and he smiled at her again.
“Well, I suppose I should get back to the shop.” James shuffled his feet a bit, grabbing the now empty box off the counter. “I hope I’ll see you around.”
“I hope so too. I may even want another flower delivery at this rate.”
James smiled brightly. “I’ll make sure the next one is worth it.”
one week later
“Hi James.” Mary was watching the door as he walked, this time carrying a large bouquet of bright red gerbera daisies. James smiled brightly at her, and walked straight to the desk.
“Hello Mary. I’m back with another delivery.”
“Let me guess. Not for me again.”
James looked down at the red bouquet in his hands. “Well, this one’s not.” From behind the larger bouquet, James pulled out a single, giant sunflower. “This one is, though.”
Mary’s face lit up, and James had the warm feeling that reminded him that this is why he started this shop. The smiles on people’s faces when they received flowers would never, ever grow old. “You got this one for me?”
“I didn’t know what kind of flower you like, but I thought this one was bright and sunny, just like you.”
“You charmer.” James laughed at her gleeful accusation. “Let me get Lily.”
Lily walked out of the back office at a furious pace. “You have got to be kidding. He sent me more flowers?”
“What?” James’s heart raced. Was she mad? Did he do something wrong?
“That dirty snake! He can’t get it through his head that I don’t want them.” Lily was practically fuming, standing only a few feet away from him. He watched her for a moment longer than was necessary, admiring the way her fury colored her face. It should have been frightening, but he only found her more beautiful.
“Um, no. Actually.” James paused, considering. “Well, he tried, but we turned him away.”
“Oh.” Now the color in her cheeks was from her blush rather than her rage, and it only made his heart melt more. “Then, what are those?”
“These?” James lifted the bouquet a bit, shrugging slightly. “These are from me.”
Lily met his eyes, and which flickered between his face and the flowers for a moment. “You got them for me?”
“I did. I had to wait for our delivery guy to bring more of the red gerbera daisies. You seemed to like them, so I wanted to give you more.” James held the bouquet out for her. “You’re worth the wait.”
Lily smiled at him, such a warm and sincere smile as he had not seen so far. “They’re gorgeous. I think they’re my favorite flower.”
Mary snorted, reminding James that she was still in the room. “Of course they are. A gorgeous bloke tells you that a flower reminds you of him, and you think you could have any other favorite flower?”
Lily blushed deeply, and it made James’s cheeks hurt with how hard he was smiling. “Is that so, Lily? Am I the gorgeous bloke that helped you find your favorite flower?”
She didn’t answer, and he thought that was answer enough. “Is there a card this time?”
“Of course.” James handed her the card out of his right pocket. She opened it, and read it out loud immediately. “She’s a little wildflower with a lot of warrior underneath. Melody Lee.”
Mary gasped behind them, but neither James nor Lily paid her any mind. “Wildflower?”
“Yes, I think you are. As beautiful as, as wonderful as, as fierce as a wildflower.”
“Last week’s quote was Emerson about-”
“Yes.”
“James.” Her eyes were bright and shining now, and James thought her eyes contained a multitude of love and devotion. He could get lost in her eyes, fall into her eyes, fall in love in her eyes.
“Go on a date with me.”
“Yes.”
three weeks later
James was working at the front counter of the little flower shop late in the afternoon. Suddenly, the door burst open, and a black haired man with a hooked nose stormed inside. “I want to speak to the owner, now.”
James looked at him for a moment, considering. “I’m the owner.”
The man scoffed. “Are you, now? And working at the front desk? Can’t get anyone to work it for you?”
James cocked an eyebrow in annoyance. “There’s nothing wrong with working the front desk.”
“Right. The owner, please.”
“You asking twice doesn’t make me any less the owner than I was a few minutes ago.”
“Fine. I have an issue with your service.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, sir.” James knew his voice didn’t contain anything that sounded like sorrow. “Was the delivery wrong?”
“Ha!” The man seemed annoyed. “You won’t even take my order. I’ve been denied an order three weeks in a row now. Is my money not good enough for you?”
“Your name, sir?” James clicked on the computer’s ordering system.
“Severus Snape.”
“Ah, yes.” James closed the window, and stepped away from the computer. “You’re right. Your money is not good enough.”
“Excuse me?”
“The lady you have been sending flowers to has expressed her desire to no longer have a relationship with you. That includes not wanting to receive flowers from you. Therefore, we won’t accept any orders for her from you. If you’d like to send flowers to someone else,” James paused, looking him up and down, “you should probably just find a different florist, honestly.”
“You’ll regret that! I’m dating her.”
“No, you’re not, at least not according to her boyfriend.”
Snape glowered at James. “And who would that be?”
“Me.” James smiled broadly. “I suppose I have you to thank, considering I met her when I delivered your first order.”
“You- But- I had-” The man was sputtering, and James reveled in the response. “I- You can’t-”
“You should probably leave now. Have a wonderful- eh, whatever.” The man stalked out the door, and James couldn’t help but smile at his retreating back.