The Little Flower Shop

Praise for New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster “If you love a feel-good romance that leaves you smiling and happy, then don’t miss The Honeymoon Cottage.” —Romance Reviews Today on The Honeymoon Cottage “The Honeymoon Cottage is a top-notch addition to Foster’s prolific body of work—another ideal escape for romance readers seeking the comfort of a hopeful, life-affirming love story.” —Shelf Awareness on The Honeymoon Cottage “Full of healing, hope and, most importantly, love... An absolute delight.” —Maisey Yates, New York Times bestselling author, on Cooper’s Charm “[A] satisfying page-turner, complete with adorable animals and an idyllic summer setting.” —Publishers Weekly on The Summer of No Attachments “A bubbly summer escape, and beyond that, a heartwarming look at the healing power of family.” —Entertainment Weekly on Cooper’s Charm “Brimming with heart, heat and humor.” —Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author, on Worth the Wait “A sexy, heartwarming, down-home tale that features two captivating love stories... Skillfully walks the line between romance and women’s fiction.” —Library Journal on Sisters of Summer’s End “Storytelling at its best! Lori Foster should be on everyone’s auto-buy list.” —#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon on No Limits LORI FOSTER is a New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author and a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award. She lives in central Ohio, where coffee helps her keep up with her cats and grandkids between writing books. For more about Lori, visit her website at lorifoster.com, like her on Facebook or find her on Twitter, @lorilfoster. LoriFoster.com The Little Flower Shop Lori Foster Dear amazing readers, Thank you so much for coming on another adventure with me to the quirky little town in Indiana. It’s a special place where a mannequin gets into shenanigans, the people are pushy but caring and love fills the kitschy little shops around the lake. Saul and Emily are happy to welcome you back. Oh, and extra thanks to everyone who wrote a fun review for The Honeymoon Cottage, where you first met these characters. I hope you enjoy The Little Flower Shop just as much. Please let me know! I love connecting with readers. Though I’m most active on Facebook, you’ll find me on other social media sites as well. Remember that you can always find out the latest about my books on my website, LoriFoster.com. Here’s wishing you lots of happy reading! Lori Foster Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 1 A barefoot wedding on the beach. A novel idea that the tiny town of Cemetery, Indiana, had fully embraced. As Emily Lucretia looked around at all the naked feet on women, men and kids, as well as the bride and groom, she couldn’t help but smile. After such a long day, it’d be so nice to do the same, to kick off her dress sandals and wiggle her toes in the summer-warm sand. Of course, she didn’t. For whatever reason, that type of carefree enjoyment wasn’t in her DNA. Long ago she’d accepted being the proverbial stick-in-the-mud, as her ex-husband had labeled her. But, she told herself, she was also a perfectionist, and even after a day in the late-August heat, her flower arrangements still looked incredible. Yardley, the stunning bride, had been thrilled with them all. Above the sound of music, conversation, and laughter, Emily heard a group splash into the lake. Swimming at a wedding. How fun was that? The day of celebration had, for many, turned into a real party once the ceremony had concluded. The air was humid but fresh, the mood mellow and festive. Scents from the flowers mingled with sunscreen, roasted pork over an open spit, and breezes across the water. Nearly everyone from Cemetery had turned out for the wedding until the beach had been filled. It was an unfortunate name for the friendly town, yet the people were wonderful, and Emily loved the quaint area with all her heart. Carefully maneuvering from one decorative stepping stone to another, Emily fluffed and straightened the various arrangements. From pink peonies and blue hydrangeas to freesia and gardenias, anemones and daisies to rosebuds and baby’s breath, it was a beautifully colorful wedding, ideal for the setting and exactly what the bride had requested. Emily heard laughter and looked up to see a group of women toasting Yardley as she and her new husband prepared to leave. Yardley made such a beautiful bride, and as the town’s wedding planner, she was in her element. She’d known exactly what she wanted, and how she wanted it, yet she’d never expected the area businesses to make the wedding a gift. The entire town loved Yardley—with good reason. Thanks to her, the matriarch and great-granddaughter of the town founder had loosened up enough to remove the town’s name of “Cemetery” from every local business. Before Yardley had won that particular argument through persistence laced with kindness, Emily had suffered the misfortune of running “Cemetery Florals,” which made it seem that she only supplied flowers for burials. Actually, the small town didn’t even have a cemetery. Those who passed away were buried in Allbee, the next town over. “You’re still wearing shoes.” Jumping at the sound of that deep, rich voice coming from right behind her, Emily turned too fast and almost stumbled off the stepping stone. Saul Culver reached out and caught her arm, his hand big and warm against her bare elbow as he steadied her. She looked up, way up, into incredibly nice green eyes, then down to those broad shoulders and the open front of Saul’s shirt. “Careful,” he said, releasing her and then pressing a wine cooler into her hand. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” Emily took the frosty bottle automatically, realized what it was, and tried to hand it back. “I can’t have this,” she protested.