Mad About You (15 page)

It was hopeless. Julie slumped on a stool at the worktable, staring disconsolately at the drawings in front of her. She had no idea how to depict “San Francisco Spirit.” It was hard to capture spirit when you didn’t feel any at all.

She closed her eyes, trying to regroup. In the dark of her mind, she’d expected to see Hyacinth’s saccharine smile as she accepted the trophy for the sixth year in a row. Instead she saw Scott’s disappointed expression as she told him to go to the wedding with Zoe.

She put her hands on her head. What had she done? The thought of him even looking at another woman twisted a knife in her chest, much worse than anything Hyacinth could do to her.

Except that she couldn’t call him to ask him not to go with Zoe. The thing was, he deserved someone great and accomplished—a match to himself. The last thing he needed was a florist who couldn’t even guard herself from being sabotaged.

So even though the competition was tomorrow and she had no clue what she would do, her thoughts were all on Saturday and the wedding.

She hoped with all her heart that she’d have the flowers done and be gone without seeing Scott with the other woman on his arm.

The door to the flower shop opened. Her head jerked up. She thought she’d locked it, because she didn’t have it in her to deal with customers today.

Sophie frowned into the dark store from the doorway. “Julie?”

“Go away.”

Instead, she flipped the light switch on.

Julie covered her eyes. “What the hell?”

“I knew it,” her friend said.

She pried one eye open, still bothered by the lights. “What?”

“You screwed up with the guy.” Sophie sauntered over and set her bag on the counter. “And now you’re wallowing.”

“I’m not wallowing. I don’t wallow.”

Setting her bag down, Sophie lifted her brow.

Julie crossed her arms and tried not to pout too overtly.

Sophie perched on the table and brushed Julie’s hair back from her face. “Want to tell me about it?”

“No.” She bit her lip to keep it from quivering.

The door opened again, and they both looked up.

Elise Carrington-Wright strode in, looking like the queen coming to collect heads.

Julie held her hand up. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m not seeing Scott any longer.”

“I didn’t take you for an imbecile.” Elise frowned as she marched toward her. “I hope this is an aberration and not a trait you’ll pass on to my grandchildren.”

Grinning, Sophie held her hand out. “You are someone I must meet. Sophie Martineau.”

Elise accepted the hand regally. “The actress, yes. And a friend of Julie’s?”

“Julie is the best woman I know”—Sophie speared the older woman with a narrowed look—”and I won’t let anyone hurt her.”

“Even herself?” Elise asked.

“Even then.” Sophie tipped her head. “And you?”

“I’ve come to take myself out of the equation.” Elise turned to Julie. “I realize I shouldn’t have pushed Zoe on Prescott once he made it clear that he wasn’t interested in her, however I choose to look at it as a brilliant move on my part.”

“Brilliant?” Julie blinked incredulously.

“I’m sure having her here pushed Scott closer to you, and I refuse to believe otherwise. But that’s neither here nor there.” She lifted her chin. “I don’t know what transpired between you and my son, but I can assure you that I won’t stand in your way. To be honest, I’m a little disappointed that you thought I’d object to begin with. I don’t know why I gave that impression. I liked and respected you to begin with, but I feel doubly so given Prescott’s feelings for you.”

“What feelings?” Sophie asked.

Julie poked her friend in the ribs.

“Stop that.” Sophie pushed her away and returned her attention to Elise. “What feelings?”

“Prescott intends to marry her.” The socialite’s expression softened. “Love is all I’ve ever wanted for my children. My parents had it. My father used to tell me the story of how the first time he saw my mother he knew she was the one. He walked right up to her, introduced himself, and then kissed her until her toes curled.”

Julie swallowed, remembering that night at Grounds for Thought. Scott had done exactly that. “And they had a happy life?”

“The best,” Elise said with feeling. “I foolishly chose status instead, and I was never happy. I won’t have that for Prescott and Alexis. So whatever you think will happen with the flower competition—”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Julie interrupted. “I’m out of the competition.”

“What?” both the other women exclaimed. Sophie added, “Have you been sniffing the hydrangeas again?”

She rolled her eyes. “Do you even know what hydrangeas are?”

“No.” Her friend shrugged. “It was the first flower that came to mind. But that doesn’t matter. What happened with the competition? You were going to kick that Gardner woman’s ass.”

“I think she stole my design, though I won’t know for sure until tomorrow. Not like it matters, because I can’t come up with anything as good to represent San Francisco Spirit.” She waved at the papers in front of her.

Elise strode to the table and picked up a few sheets, her brow furrowing. “These aren’t bad.”

“But they aren’t good either. Definitely not good enough to win.”

The older woman set the pages down. “Have you considered doing something with the Giants?”

“The Giants baseball team?”

“The Giants pull the city together in a way that nothing else does,” Elise said. “When they win the World Series, the entire city celebrates. They represent the city’s diversity and determination, and they inspire loyalty. They bring everyone in San Francisco together as a community.”

“Community,” she repeated, sitting up straighter. Then she looked at the socialite. “What made you think of the Giants?”

“I’m quite a fan.” Elise resettled her purse in the crook of her elbow. “I have season tickets. My father used to take me, and it was one of the few things I didn’t lose when I married into the Carrington-Wrights.”

“And yet you’re encouraging me to marry into the family,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but my son is exceptional.” She winked.

Julie let the idea roll around in her head, a design already forming. But she shook her head. “I can do the design, but it took me weeks to shape the foundation for my panorama, much less adding the flowers. And I have the wedding flowers to finish, too.”

Sophie grabbed her purse. “I can help with that. I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” Julie called after her.

“To round up the troops.” She pointed at Elise. “I’m assuming you’re going to stay and help?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” The older woman set her purse down and took off her jacket as Sophie hurried out of the store.

“What’s going on?” Julie asked, confused.

“Community.” Elise smiled. “We’re going to help you finish your competition entry.”

What? Surprise made her blink, and emotion clogged her throat. She swallowed a few times before she could say, “You’re a judge. Is that allowed?”

“I’m known for my meddling,” Elise said proudly. She pulled a stool closer to Julie’s and sat primly on it. “And while you draw a plan for our creation, I’m going to tell you how I’m meddling in your affair with Scott.”

Julie gaped at the woman. “I can’t decide if I’m in awe of you or terrified.”

“My children say the same to me all the time.” Elise smiled happily. “You’re going to fit into our family just fine, Julie.”

Chapter Twenty-three

It covered a whole table, a brilliant array of roses, chrysanthemums, and orchids. Dyed strawflowers dotted the undulating edge of the entire panorama, representing the people of San Francisco. In the center, in preserved orange gladiolas, was the Giants’ logo, with the Bay Bridge in the background and a sea of iris for the bay.

It looked amazing.

Julie hugged herself. It was more than amazing, not because of her design but because of the love and support that had been poured into making it. Love and support for
her
.

Sophie put her arm around Julie’s shoulders. “I’ve got a flask strapped to my thigh, if you need a swig.”

She smiled faintly, watching the judges walk up to her display. “I’m okay for the moment, but I may change my mind.”

“Just let me know.” Sophie adjusted the dark glasses she wore. “I don’t know how you’re handling this so calmly. I’m a blithering mess on the inside, worse than I was at the screening of my first movie.”

Julie put her hand over Sophie’s. “It’s logical that you’d be nervous. You made this happen.”

“I just rallied the masses.”

Sophie did more than rally the masses. Sophie brought back half the neighborhood to help set up and decorate the panorama and help with the floral arrangements for Alexis’s wedding. The women she’d coerced into coming to Back to the Fuchsia were amazing. Julie knew them from the local stores, and some of them, like Eve from Grounds for Thoughts, bought flowers from her. But she’d never taken the time to get to know them.

Talk about being an idiot. They were amazing. She shook her head, thinking of the way they’d cheerfully flooded into her shop and helped out. And they weren’t idle women. Eve ran a busy coffeehouse and bookstore, Olivia had her lingerie store, Lola left her own deadline. Nicole had her lingerie line, her friend Valentine was also a successful businesswoman, and their other friend Marley chronicled it all by taking pictures in between prepping flowers. Gwen, an artist herself, had been especially valuable, directing everyone when Julie was occupied elsewhere.

She felt like she had a whole crowd of new best friends. If she were ever going to conquer the world, she’d call all those ladies together to help. She shook her head, abnormally overcome with emotion. “I don’t know how to thank everyone, and especially you.”

“We don’t need thanks. We did it because we believe in you.” Sophie squeezed her. “And we women of Laurel Heights stick together. If we got closer, do you think we’ll be able to hear what the judges are saying?”

“I don’t think I want to know.” She watched the five officials confer in a small circle. Elise was one of them.

Elise had been the most surprising of all. She’d been there the entire time, helping. She even called Alexis to come. Julie felt bad making the bride help with her own arrangements and bouquets, but Alexis had joyfully said it was much better than what was going on at their house.

The judges wrote things down on their scorecards and moved on to the next display. Elise glanced at her and winked.

Julie let out the breath she was holding. She’d made the woman promise she wouldn’t judge her panorama with a bias, since she’d worked on it. Elise had waved aside her concerns, saying that if she didn’t think her future daughter-in-law was fabulously talented, she wouldn’t have been there in the first place.

Future daughter-in-law.

That wasn’t guaranteed, not with the way she’d left Scott hanging. Elise had told her that he’d made it abundantly clear that Zoe was a pleasant woman but not for him. Elise had also been determined to fix the situation. She had a plan.

Julie shuddered, thinking about it. It could go horribly wrong—or very right.

The thing was, if she won, would Scott know that her decision to be with him had everything to do with him and nothing to do with winning the competition? She still wanted to win, just to see the look on Hyacinth’s face. But yesterday, surrounded by an army of Laurel Heights women, she’d realized she didn’t need a trophy to prove herself. Proof of how awesome she was had been all around her—she’d just been blind.

Sophie leaned down to whisper, “That woman is so smug.”

She knew instinctively who her friend talked about. Her gaze swung to Hyacinth’s table, where she stood smiling happily, a copy of the panorama Julie had originally designed in front of her.

“Normally, I’d be beyond pissed,” Julie said in a soft voice, “but for some reason I just feel sorry for her.”

“That’s because your display is better.” Sophie lowered her glasses and looked menacingly at the woman. “Would it be frowned upon if I went and sat on hers?”

Julie laughed softly. “I’d pay you to do that.”

“I was waiting for the right moment to tell you, but I did a little research on our friend Hyacinth.”

Julie faced Sophie, who looked very self-satisfied. “What?”

“Let’s just say if my name was Bertha Jansen, I’d change it, too.” Sophie lowered her voice. “Bertha only has an AA from a community college in Northern California, by the way.”

“The poor woman,” Julie whispered, shaking her head.

“Seriously?” Her friend put her hands on her hips, frowning. “That’s all you’ve got to say about her? After everything she’s done?”

“I’m going to win. That’s all I wanted.” Not true, because she wanted Scott more. She frowned at the display from a newcomer on the other side of the room. “Did you stop by the Sunshine Flower panorama? It’s her first year here.”

Sophie nodded. “It was great for a first year effort, but not as great as yours, or even the one you designed that Bertha stole.”

She faced her friend. “I think Sunshine Flowers should win.”

Sophie shook her head, confused. “Wait, I think I just heard you hint that you’re thinking of giving the win to someone else.”

“You heard right.” Julie looked at the young woman. “I talked to her earlier. Her business is struggling. The PR a win would bring her could be the difference between making it or breaking.”

“You pretend to be an ogre, but you’re really a marshmallow on the inside.” Sophie hugged her. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone your secret.”

“I better go tell Elise I’m withdrawing.”

Sophie pushed her toward the judges.

Head high, she marched over to them. “Excuse me.”

They all turned to look at her, but Elise was the first to respond. She smiled fondly at her. “Yes, darling?”

“I’m withdrawing from the competition.”

The judges stirred, looking perplexed and disturbed. Once again, Elise was the one who spoke. “You really don’t want to do that, Julie. Trust me.”

She was going to win—she heard the undertone. She smiled, happy, even more confident this was the right choice. “No, I really do want to withdraw. There’s someone who deserves to know he came in first, not a trophy.”