Make You Feel My Love

Four weeks later, Paul was returning home from a six game road trip spread out over twelve days that the team had gone undefeated on. It was three days before Thanksgiving, and Paul's family, along with Tessa's, were due in Wednesday morning ahead of the game the team had against Chicago that same night.

Tessa had enjoyed having Delilah visiting them, and the two women had already made plans for February when Tessa would go to Nashville to stay with Delilah and James with Ava. James had told Paul when he dropped him off at the hotel to meet his team that he planned on proposing to Delilah over Christmas.

They had gotten in late from Columbus on Sunday evening and Tessa had already been asleep when he got home. She and Ava were gone when he finally woke the next morning. He showered, made himself coffee and something to eat before heading out himself, intent on surprising Tessa with some little gift to say thank you for dealing with his first extended road trip in a new city with their infant daughter.

He stopped first at a local boutique that Tessa had come to love that she had found while out once with Sarah. When he told the girl behind the register who he was looking to buy something for, she steered him to a cuff bracelet that she swore Tessa had eyed and tried on the last two times she had been in. He bought that and a few strands of beaded necklaces the girl recommended.

As he walked out, happy with his purchases, his eye caught the sign of the neighboring business; Beauty. He remembered Tessa buying flowers there right before Delilah's visit and that she had loved the fresh blooms in the house so he crossed the street. When he entered, the bells over the door chimed and he heard a voice call out that she'd be right with him. He looked around the shop and his eye caught on the small University of Minnesota logo stuck on the side of the register.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the voice came from behind him. "How can I help you?"

He turned slowly and took a step back in surprise. "Katie?"

Her eyes grew wide as they locked. "Paul? What are you doing here?" Never did she imagine sharing space in her flower shop with Paul Martin, her first love, the reason she moved to California in the first place.

"I live here."

"In San Jose?"

"I signed with the Sharks this summer; I moved out here in August." He took a tentative step towards her and then another. "You look the same as the last day I saw you."

She laughed. "You mean the day you left me a crying mess in a dorm room?"

"You were beautiful; still are."

She blushed. "You've aged nicely also, Paul. Your hair though..."

He shook his hair. "What? It's very California."

"Says who?"

"Nealer."

"Nealer?"

"James Neal. We were teammates in Pittsburgh."

She nodded. "Well what brings you here today?"

"Oh, I, uh was gonna get some flowers for my house. My teammates wife mentioned buying flowers here." He didn't know why he lied, why he didn't just say he was buying flowers for his wife but he didn't, and he wasn't sure he regretted that in the moment.

"Does that make me the official florist of the San Jose Sharks then?"

He chuckled. "I'll make sure any of the guys in the dog house know exactly where to start to get themselves out."

"Anything particular for you today?"

"Something pretty? My parents are coming in town for Thanksgiving."

She nodded and walked towards the case, pulling out a large arrangement of sunflowers, orange lilies, yellow roses, and burgundy daisies. "Something like this?"

"It's perfect," he answered. "I had no idea you were into this. What happened to becoming Minnesota's best investigative journalist?"

"I found out I liked flowers a whole lot more."

"Why California?"

"I wanted a clean start in a new place after college," she replied quietly.

"I'm so sorry, Katie," Paul said earnestly, squeezing her hand.

"I needed a job so I started out here, taking orders, taking care of the inventory. Making bud vases led to small arrangements which led to the owner teaching me everything. When Nan decided to retire three years ago, I bought the shop from her."

"It looks like you're doing good for yourself."

"Thank you. I need help though; I met a girl last month that would have been so perfect but I haven't heard from her."

Paul swallowed hard at her unknowing mention of Tessa. "I'm sure the right person will come along."

"I hope so. Anyway, let me ring this up for you; I'll even give you the friends and family discount."

"We should get lunch next week, catch up," he blurted out. "Let me give you my number."

"Okay," she agreed. "That would be nice."

He handed her his credit card with a smile. "It was really great seeing you, Katie."

"No one has called me Katie in years," she admitted. "It's been a really long time, Paul."

"Sort of feels like just yesterday we were freshmen in college meeting for the first time."

She handed him his card and receipt to sign. He wrote his phone number underneath his signature. "If you want to have lunch, I'd like that. But it's completely up to you."