Free Iris in Bloom: Take a Chance, Book 2 by Nancy Warren Page B

possible son-in-law. “That’s how it happens sometimes. If you’re lucky.” And he slapped Geoff on the back and heeded his wife’s call to help him in the kitchen.
    After Geoff had eaten far too much and then been served a slab of strawberry shortcake the size of a road paver, Daphne announced that it was time for presents.
    “No, Mom,” Iris protested. “Nobody wants to watch me open gifts.”
    “Yeah. We do.” Cooper said in his boisterous way. Cooper was the youngest boy, he’d told Geoff when he introduced himself and though he was in grad school he didn’t seem like he took life too seriously. “And if I don’t get major kudos, my present’s going back to the store.”
    So Geoff found himself part of a circle watching Iris open gifts.
    There were the obvious no-imagination presents of scarves and bath products. A Kiss the Cook apron, some chocolates, but those were mostly from old friends and she acted delighted with everything. Her mother handed her a large box and said, “It’s for the café but if you don’t like it you know I won’t mind.”
    Iris opened the box and cried out with unfeigned delight. She lifted out an enormous ceramic sunflower with a clock mechanism. “I love it. It will look perfect on that big blank wall.” Then she and Daphne posed for a photo with the clock.
    From her sister Rose, the doctor, she got a card. When she opened it and read the contents she blushed and said, “No, it’s too much.”
    Her sister shook her head. “The first one’s on me.”
    “Wow. Thanks.”
    He wondered what that was about. The first what? Figured he’d probably never know. It was likely some obscure cosmetic procedure he didn’t need to hear about.
    When she got to his present, she glanced up in distress and said, “Oh, Geoff, you didn’t need to get me anything. Not when my mother roped you into coming.”
    “Happy to be here. I wanted to.”
    He found that he was excited to see her open the gift, as excited as he’d been when he spotted it. Okay, he hadn’t casually spotted it, he’d tracked it down online and driven all the way to Portland to pick it up.
    He wasn't the type to wrap things obscurely to hide what they were so it was quite obvious the wrapping covered a book.
    When she ripped off the wrapping she said, “Oh.” She held it up. “ Progress of Love , Alice Munro.” She opened it almost as though she were going to start reading right there and then and she squealed. “It’s a signed first edition!”
    The book hadn’t been particularly expensive but he’d wanted the gift to be special. He was pretty sure he’d succeeded in the birthday present department.
    “Geoff.” Her face lit up as he’d hoped it would. “I can’t believe you found this. I love it.” And she ran across the room to hug him. “Photo,” she cried. “I need a photo.”
    When he would have risen, she perched on his lap holding the book toward her brother who snapped pictures. He slipped an arm around her waist and posed.
    Before she left his lap, she turned her head. Their faces were inches apart. “Thank you,” she said softly and kissed him briefly on the lips.
    When the gifts were done people started to drift away, gathering coats and leaving. He judged it was time for him to take his leave.
    “Thanks for a great evening, Daphne and Jack,” he said to his hosts. He turned to Iris, felt that sizzle once more. “Happy Birthday again.”
    “Thanks. I’ll see you out.”
    And so she walked him to the door. They found his coat and he hesitated, wanting to kiss her so badly it hurt but, knowing she’d made it clear she wanted to be friends, and besides her family was inside. He settled for a hug. A long hug that had a lot of sensations to it that did not scream friend.
    As he trudged off toward his car, he heard her say, “Mom, Evan’s parked behind my car. Tell him to move it.”
    He heard her mother respond, “He and Caitlyn have gone to bed already.” There was a short