Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

That's just how it was-one stoic dad, one lively daughter, both clutching the brightest pink roses, neither of them quite matching their pretty bouquets.

"Hurry up, your mom's coming-call her over!” Conner jostled Lizzy in his arms, his words light but quick.

Lizzy spun around, her wide eyes lighting up when she spotted her mom-cool and beautiful as ever. Like a little fangirl, she stretched her arms up, demanding a hug. “Waa waa~ ya ya ah!”—her not-so-subtle request.

Annie stepped out from the shade and faced them, and as she reached for her daughter, Conner plopped the bouquet of roses into her arms.

She stared, a bit caught off guard. "What's this about?"

“It's Qixi Festival, isn't it? Every lady gets flowers today." Conner, the unofficial boss of Newtown, had made a special trip just for this.

Annie looked from the flowers to her tall, always-dignified husband. She almost wanted to scold him, but the urge fizzled out. "So you dragged Lizzy along with you?"

She said hers weren't enough, insisted on

Mr. Nettleton had his

but he hadn't forgotten his daughter. Lizzy's bouquet was a bit scrawny compared to her mom's, but he'd still gone out of his way to pick her up from the Martins'

be so thoughtful? But Lizzy wasn't having any of it. She wanted the big, fancy bouquet Dad had brought

up. Conner, pressed for time during his lunch break and

let them go, just popping a sunhat on Lizzy before sending father and daughter out the door. On her lunch break, Annie sat in the car, flowers in her lap, and caught sight of Lizzy's little bunch.

want to get her the big bouquet-it's just, those huge ones

her. “With you showing up like this, flowers and kid in tow, my whole team's probably got something to

to gossip, they've got time to buy their wives flowers, too," Conner shot back, not missing

the big boss managed to avoid any

get out of the car, he pulled her back, insisting on a goodbye