Turning to her, I gripped the strap of my handbag over my shoulder and smiled apologetically. “Mrs. June, I’m sorry about speaking like that.”
She waved me off as she moved over to the lilies in a tub. “I was young once, and I did like the cock.”
Did she just say she liked cock?
She hummed. “Though, no one is as good as my Bert. He might need a little blue pill to help, but he can still bring a smile to my face.”
Was yelling too much information rude?
“Why, the other day, after he took the pill and went for hours, I was so sore I had to put an ice pack on my—”
“Here they are!” Henri shouted as he slipped through the swinging doors.
“Oh my, they’re lovely.”
“Oui, I couldn’t agree more. Let me ring them up for you.”
Good for Mrs. June for still getting some, but I didn’t need to know that about a customer. How would I look her in the eyes next time when I knew she needed to cool down her vagina?
“Bye now, dear,” she called to me on the way to the door. Meanwhile, I was still frozen in the same spot.
“Bye, Mrs. June.”
“Good luck on finding some cock.”
“Ah, thank you?” As soon as the door closed after her, I turned to Henri.
He looked a little pale. “I couldn’t let her finish speaking of her—” He gagged and shuddered dramatically. “I’ve always been scared of ladies’ lower bits.”
Snorting, I shook my head and walked around him to the back, where I would put together the afternoon orders for deliveries. “It’s a good thing you’re gay, then.”
“It sure is, or I’d be living as a monk right about now.”
Shaking my head, I shooed him back out the front. “Leave, or I’ll get nothing done.”
Luckily, we heard the front door open, and he did disappear, or he would have gone back to telling me what I “needed.” I didn’t need anything except maybe a lesson on how to speak normally around Country.
An hour later, I still couldn’t believe I’d said vroom-vroom. What was I? Five years old?
“Henri,” I called.
“Oui, amour?”
“I’m heading out back to load the van.”
“Keys are on the file cabinet in the office.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed the first bouquet of flowers and the keys before heading out the back door to Henri’s van. As usual, I winced when I spotted the vehicle. I’d lost count of the times I’d told him to change the signs on the van since it looked like a dick entering a vagina instead of flowers with their stems.
Huh, maybe that was why dicks and vaginas were on my mind recently. I’d definitely spoken about them enough for a while.
I quickly finished stacking the flowers and made my way back inside for the last time to grab my bag. “Henri, I’m off.”
“I know. I can smell you from here.” He laughed at his own joke as he slipped into the back area.
“You need a man, Henri. Then he might be able to teach you how not to make terrible jokes.”
“Non, amour, you need a sense of humor. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Don’t work too hard.”
“When do I ever?” He winked.
“All the time, and you tell me I have no life.”
“Go out with me then.”
“To a gay club?”
He shrugged. “Any. I’m not picky, and I do a good job at sucking straight men’s cocks who want to live on the wild side for the night.”
Groaning, I palm my face to hide my smile. “You’re terrible. But I’ll think about a night out.” With a wave, I made my way back out to the van and climbed in. Starting the engine, I pulled my sunglasses out of my bag and slipped them on with a smile still on my lips. I’d only been working with Henri for a couple of months, and I already loved it. He was busier than a lot of the florists around town. The previous place I got fired from, since the owner’s new wife didn’t like me, was on the other side of town, but he’d never been as busy as Henri’s.
I could see why.
He didn’t have the charm that Henri had.
I wasn’t the only employee at Henri’s. He had a morning guy who did deliveries. Only Henri and I put together bouquets, and I was only allowed since I’d proven I had the skills with colors and arrangements.
Flowers had always been a passion. My parents’ yard was the talk of the street. I had spent so much time getting it just right, making sure I grew an abundance of flower varieties so I could cut and arrange them. I had a nice Instagram account, a portfolio of sorts, where I posted photos of my work using the flowers from my parents’ yard. Showing my account to Henri was the reason he’d given me a chance, since I didn’t have a degree to go with it.
God, I really did need a life.
Still, I didn’t see a problem with enjoying my work. It was better than my other job. I worked three late-night shifts cleaning a veterinary clinic. I needed all the money I could get. While it was good to stay at the compound, I wanted a place to call my own, without my parents’ help.
I would have enough for a mortgage deposit in another year if things stayed on track.
By the time I was done with the deliveries and letting Henri know it’d have to be the weekend to go out, I drove back to the clubhouse and went right up to my room, knowing I had a pile of laundry to get done. Not only my things, but I did it for several members of the club. It made me feel better to help, as I did stay there rent free, like all the club girls. It was why I also spent most Sundays preparing as many meals as I could for the week for the club. The other nights the brothers had cookouts, called for pizza, or got another club woman to make something, since none of their members were any good in the kitchen.
Slipping through the bathroom, I knocked on the other bedroom door and slid it open when Stracy called out.
“Hey.” I smiled as she waved at me, throwing me a wink too.
My smile slipped when I took in the person sitting on the end of her bed, filing her nails. Davina glared at me. She was a newer club girl and wasn’t picky when it came to the brothers.
When she sucked in a breath, I knew she was about to spit some shit my way. “You know you getting a room here is bullshit, right? You don’t even fuck any of the guys.”
“Davina, she’s been here longer than you, and the guys like her,” Stracy put in from where she sat, leaning against the headboard while painting her toenails.
Davina snorted. “Bitch, I’m nice and I suck cock. She shouldn’t get a room here because she doesn’t open her legs. Instead, everyone knows she only hangs around here because she’s pining for something that won’t ever be hers.”
My throat thickened as I took a step back. Was that how all the girls thought of me? I pulled my weight around here to make sure I didn’t have to sleep with just anyone. But I didn’t realize my little crush was obvious to everyone.
Even though I wanted to slap the bitch or knock a few teeth out, I ignored her. What could I say to that? “Stracy, do you have any washing?”
Davina cackled. “See, she can’t even defend herself because she knows it’s true.” Her smile was sarcastic. “Honey, do everyone a favor and pack yourself up. Country doesn’t want you. He’s too busy fucking real women. It’s obvious he feels sorry for you, to keep letting you stay here.”