It Takes A Village

So this has been my favourite chapter to write so far, and I've been dying to share it with you! The chapter title is a play on "A Whole Lotta Rosie" by AC/DC, who Sam was listening to when he went running in a previous chapter. Hope you enjoy & thank you for your feedback on the previous chapter, I love reading your comments :)

Chapter 9: A Whole Lot of Roses

Cassie got up early on Saturday morning; much earlier than she would normally when she opened the Bell, Book and Candle. This morning she was leaving that duty in Tara and Grace's hands. They had both assured her that everything would be fine while Cassie looked after the flower shop for Abigail. Cassie felt like there was something they were keeping from her, all the same. Tara was still so near the beginning to her pregnancy that she hadn't really started to show yet, but Cassie still felt as protective over her as if Tara were her own daughter.

Abigail had breezed out of town the previous afternoon as soon as the last customer had left the flower shop, looking smug. Cassie kind of envied her and that first bloom of romance she was feeling with Harry. It had been a while since Cassie had felt like that, unless you counted her encounter with Sam in the Grey House kitchen.

It had only been Monday evening, but it felt much longer ago to Cassie. Almost as if it had happened in a different lifetime altogether. She had managed to avoid Sam for most of the week, without making it overly obvious that's what she was doing. Maybe she shouldn't use her Merriwick charms for her own personal gain, but a broken heart could only take so much, couldn't it?

Tara had told her that Sam had popped into the shop, and though he hadn't asked for her specifically, her daughter in law seemed to suspect that it was the proprietor and not any of the goods on sale that he was interested in. Cassie had waved this aside, glad that she had had the foresight to head back to Grey House to welcome some guests who had arrived early just before Sam's arrival at the shop.

Cassie took her time in the shower, choosing her outfit and carefully applying subtle make-up. If she looked like the put-together businesswoman that she was, then maybe she wouldn't feel so nervous about being in charge of the flower shop all day. She wasn't sure what was making her so apprehensive about it. Abigail trusted her, and it was just one day.

She made tea to take with her, and slipped her grey leather jacket over her shoulders. In no time, she would be back home. Hopefully relaxing on the sofa with a book and a glass of wine, or maybe Grace or Lori would want to watch a movie with her, if they didn't have other plans. She should really spend some quality time with George too, he had been so ashamed and apologetic since the truth about his "accident" the previous weekend had been revealed to her.

Once Cassie had opened up the flower shop, following Abigail's simple and clear instructions, she felt calmer and more confident. Really and truly it wouldn't be all that much different to a day running the Bell, Book and Candle. At least that was what she had been telling herself ever since her cousin had asked this favour of her. She finished off the last of her herbal tea, took off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves, ready to face whatever a whole day of working in the flower shop could bring her.

Sam thought he was going to be late. It hadn't been his intention, but it certainly looked like it might be the case anyway. He had got up at his usual time to go running and was showered and eating breakfast with plenty of time. Well, until hurricane Linda appeared of course. It hadn't helped that in his careful avoidance of her, Sam had completely neglected to mention what his plans for Saturday actually were.

"You're going back to New York, today?" He asked, bewildered as he put down the remaining piece of his raisin toast.

"Not permanently, so don't get too excited," His ex-wife replied frostily. "I just thought I might go back and check everything is okay with my apartment and I need to pick up some files from the office." She looked pointedly at him. "Some of us still have to work at weekends, we can't all be country doctors who come and go as we please."

Sam thought this was a little unreasonable, hadn't he rushed over to see George O'Hanrahan on Sunday afternoon? It was probably better not to mention anything to do with Cassie Nightingale in Linda's presence though. His ex-wife may not be the most intuitive woman, but she surely must have realised that Sam still carried a very much flaming torch for his next-door neighbour.

"Well, I'm sure Nick will be fine on his own," He had said instead. Their son was about the only safe topic he and Linda could discuss, but even that sometimes led to raised voices and slammed doors. "He's sixteen, and he'll be back to school in another week."

"What about you, where are you going to be?"

"Abigail asked me to help with her shop while she's out of town this weekend."

Linda only barely managed to prevent spitting out her mouthful of black coffee.

"Abigail Pershing? Doesn't she own a flower shop?"

Sam had the grace to blush at this. "Are you saying a man can't work in a flower shop. That's not very tolerant of you, Linda."

His ex glared at him. "This has something to do with Cassie, doesn't it?"

Sam felt it was a rhetorical question, but chose to answer anyway.

"No, I offered to help as a friend of Abigail's. It's the kind of thing we do in small towns like Middleton." A year ago, Sam Radford would not have believed it possible for those words to come from his mouth but now not only had he said them, but he actually meant every word. "Anyway, it won't just be me. Tara Russell is going to be in charge, I'm just helping her out and making sure she's okay."

Linda managed to hold her tongue, she was still embarrassed from her behaviour and Sam's subsequent rejection on Monday evening. It was typical though that on the weekend she decided to head back to New York for a visit, Sam would get roped into some scheme involving not only Cassie's cousin but her daughter in law as well.

"Well, it's your weekend," She shrugged.

"I think Nick said Courtney was coming over to play video games, and Grace was going to come over later on to help him study."

Linda rolled her eyes. Another weekend where the two men in her life would be wrapped up with the Merriwicks, it really shouldn't surprise her anymore. It also made her more determined to escape Middleton for a little while, and see if New York still held as much charm as she remembered.

Cassie had served two customers in the first hour of opening, and she had rather enjoyed herself. A couple who were passing through Middleton on their way to visit relatives had picked out a lovely spring bouquet. They had complimented the range of flowers in stock, and had commented that they looked much fresher than the ones in the Blairsville flower shop. Cassie filed that away to share with Abigail, and thought Martha might like to hear that too.

The bell tinkled again just before ten and she frowned, because surely that couldn't be right? What was Sam doing coming into the flower shop? Most people knew that Abigail was going to be away, because news travelled fast in Middleton and because people had got used to seeing her with Harry at weekends. If Sam was going to come in and buy a bouquet of flowers for Linda, Cassie wasn't quite sure what she would do.

"Cassie?" he asked, equally surprised.

"Sam," She tried to keep her voice normal; steady but it sounded a little false even to her own ears. "What can I help you with today?"

He looked at her blankly for a few moments before blinking. "Uh, Abigail asked me to help out today while she's away with Harry…but she said Tara would be here."

"Tara is working in the Bell, Book and Candle with Grace." The pieces were falling into place very quickly now. "And Abigail asked me to look after the shop today."

"Ah," Sam's face relaxed into something close to a smile. "We've been played."

"Well, Abigail's skills as a matchmaker are seriously lacking," Her voice was colder than Sam had ever heard it.

"Cassie?" But she brushed passed him on the pretence of rearranging the display of lilac coloured tulips.

Sam tried to follow her, but the tinkling of the bell signalled another customer was arriving. He watched Cassie's professional demeanour fall into place and couldn't help feeling like he'd lost her.

When the satisfied customer had left, Sam made tea in the little kitchen at the back of the shop and took a cup to Cassie. She accepted it politely, blowing across the surface of the tea and taking a sip.

"Please can we talk,"

"I don't really see what there is to talk about, Sam."

"The other evening…"

"Yes?" Her eyes bored into his.

"I'm sorry if I pushed things too far…if I was too, I don't know…" He ran his hands through his hair. "I'm just really sorry Cassie, I was out of line."

"Why?" The question was asked so softly that for a second Sam thought he had imagined it.

"I just miss you so much, and when George came to see me… Well, he told me that you still had feelings for me and I just acted without thinking. I'm sorry."

"That's what you're sorry for?"

"Of course," Sam frowned at her. "I'm sorry for hurting you Cassie, I promise that has never been my intention."

"What about Linda?"

"What about Linda?" And then the penny dropped. But how could she have known? The kiss with his ex-wife had been brief, although it had felt like much too long at the time. There was no way Cassie could have seen it or heard about it? But then Cassie always seemed to know what was going on or what was going to happen before it occurred. "Oh."

Cassie turned away from him again, gripping the mug of tea in her hands as if it would anchor her.

"She threw herself at me," He said softly. "Very much like the way I pushed myself on you. I should have seen it coming. We've been living under the same roof for weeks; living like a married couple again in all except one way."

He took the mug from Cassie's hands and set it on the counter.

"There is nothing going on between Linda and me. I love you."

Somehow they were holding each other's hands, fingers twined together.

"Sam, please. I can't do this." She felt close to tears again. "I don't know how to be with you when she's living in your house. I'm sorry."

She dropped her hands from his, severing the connection between them. She was grateful that the shop phone chose that moment to ring.

"Hello, Abigail's Flowers."

"Nice phone voice Cassie," It sounded like Abigail was in a car. "How is everything going?"

Cassie took a breath before she replied, knowing her cousin would pick up on any tension in her voice if she hadn't already.

"Everything is great," She replied, filling Abigail in on the sales she had made and the comment about the flower shop in Blairsville. "I would have been fine you know, I didn't need back up."

"I don't know what you mean," Abigail smiled, before she ended the call.

Cassie placed the phone back in its cradle and watched as Sam tried to help a young guy select flowers for the girl he was taking on a date later. Why did it have be so complicated between them?

"I hope we're getting a commission for this," Sam said later, a little breathless from loading a selection of wedding flowers into the back of a van.

"Abigail will definitely be paying for this one way or another," Cassie replied.

After the initial tension had passed, they had worked well together. They had the kind of telepathy that long-time lovers have; and it was both a relief and a disappointment to see that many things had not changed between them.

"You should at least get some of the merchandise for your efforts, and for having to put up with me all day."

"Sam, I don't want you to buy me flowers,"

He was approaching her, one long-stemmed perfect red rose in his hand.

"Just one won't hurt." His voice was low and seductive, his eyes warm. It was hard to deny the little flip in her belly. It would have been all to easy to just lean in and kiss him. But then he let out a strangled sound, somewhere between a curse and a yelp. "Okay, maybe it will."

In spite of herself, Cassie found that she was smiling. "That's what happened when you try to steal from your employer…even if she's not paying you."

She took his hand and peered at the small cut on his finger where the thorn had torn the flesh.

"If only we knew a good doctor," She quipped, leading him around to the counter where Abigail kept the first aid kit.

"You could kiss it better,"

"Sam,"

She opened the first aid kid and took out an antiseptic wipe and a band aid. He winced when she rubbed the alcohol wipe over the cut and she rolled her eyes. The big brave surgeon turned small town doctor wasn't such a badass now. She carefully wrapped the band aid around it, and in spite of her better judgement, pressed a gentle kiss to the fabric.

"Cassie," He locked eyes with her, and the way he looked at her had her faltering.

He gently took her face between his hands, ignoring the sting on pain in his injured finger. He lowered his lips to hers, barely brushing them together. He was giving her every opportunity to step back; to push him away; to say no. He wasn't going to rush it this time, wasn't going to kiss her with all of the finesse of a seventeen year old boy. This time he was going to seduce her like a gentleman, the way he should have done on Monday evening; the way she deserved.