"Basil?" Lyla asked. She couldn't believe for a moment what she was seeing. But there he was standing in shop. On any other occasion, she would have been happy to see him, but looking at him now, she was not. Basil smiled at her.
"Good morning beautiful," he greeted. He smiled brightly at her. "I have a new flower I found, I pressed it for you." He sauntered up to the counter. Lyla smiled politely back. She couldn't help but compare him to Jack, and she found him lacking. She wondered now how she ever could have thought that he was someone she could love. Jack came out of the back room at that moment. Basil had taken her hand and was raising it up to his lips.
Jack watched this exchange, and couldn't help but feel jealous. It was ridiculous, he had no claims to this girl. Lyla blushed, when she met his eye.
"Basil," Lyla said. "I would like for you to meet my new hired hand, his name is Jack." The man Lyla called Basil turned to look in Jack's direction. Jack could clearly see the man was unhappy with his presence in Lyla's store.
"You're Lyla's employee?" Basil asked. Jack could hear the disdain in the man's voice. It made him bristle.
"Yes," he answered curtly.
"Oh," Basil said. "Nice to meet you." Jack could hear the animosity in the smaller man's voice.
"Likewise," Jack replied. He quickly made himself busy, filling some of Lyla's delivery orders.
"Lyla, are you free tonight for dinner?" Basil asked. Lyla stared at him. She knew he was asking this as a mere formality. Lyla never declined an invite from him. Lyla was in fact not free for dinner, she and Jack had made plans already.
"Actually, I'm busy tonight," Lyla said. She watched the shock on Basil's face. Clearly he had thought that he would come back to Flowerbud with a willing and ready Lyla waiting for him. She couldn't help but feel a bit smug at the look on his face.
"Well then, how about tomorrow?" Basil asked.
"Sure," Lyla answered. She wanted to talk to him anyway. This thing between them couldn't go on any longer. It hurt her too much. Lyla looked up at Jack who had an unreadable expression on his face. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.
Rachel walked around her small room humming a cheerful tune. She had been humming the same tune since encountering Sanjay in the garden. It had been so pleasant to sit with him uninterrupted. She very rarely had time with Sanjay that Amir did not dominate the conversation. She felt a rush of emotions remembering the all to brief kiss. She glanced in the mirror, and she could see a slight flush rising on her cheeks.
"What has you so cheery this morning?" Tina asked as she stopped into her room.
"Oh! Tina!" Rachel exclaimed. "How are you this morning."
"I'm fine, not as good as you are," Tina mused. Rachel felt herself blushing even more. "What's going on?"
"Nothing, I am just in a good mood this morning," Rachel lied. Tina crossed her arms over her chest. It was apparent that Tina did not believe her.
"I did not become a reporter without figuring out when people are lying," Tina insisted. "And you my dear are lying." There was no vindictiveness in her voice. Rachel smiled at Tina sheepishly. She had wanted to tell someone about what happened anyway. She sat down on the bed and started telling Tina about what had happened.
Amir walked happily to Rachel's room. He had decided that today would be the day he made his move. He had been attracted to Rachel since had first seen her. There had been something innocent about her, even after finding out about what she was, it hadn't deterred him. He stopped as he heard giggling coming from her room.
"Sanjay kissed you?" Amir heard Tina ask in an excited voice. Amir stopped short. He wondered who Tina was talking to.
"Yes," came Rachel's voice. "Yesterday in the garden."
"I thought you had a thing for Amir," Tina stated.
Amir walked away. He no longer wanted to hear what Rachel had to say.
Sanjay was preparing tea when Amir came into the kitchen. He smiled at the prince, who did not smile back.
"Is something the matter?" Sanjay asked.
"Yes," Amir stated. "We need to talk about Rachel." Sanjay looked at Amir.
"What about her?" Sanjay asked.
"I like her," Amir stated pointedly. "I want the opportunity to woo her." Sanjay had never before felt angry with his boss, but he felt angry in this moment.
"So what exactly are you saying?" Sanjay asked.
"I'm asking you to back off," Amir insisted.
"Shouldn't it be up to her?" Sanjay asked. After they had kissed, Rachel had confessed her feelings for him. Sanjay was not sure he was willing to step aside to let Amir take over.
"I'm asking you to back off," Amir repeated. There was a thinly veiled threat in his voice.
"I don't know if I am willing to do that," Sanjay answered. Amir glared at Sanjay and abruptly turned out of the kitchen.