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

exterior, Mr. Nettleton had

was a bit scrawny compared to her mom's, but he'd still gone out of

wasn't having any of it. She wanted the big, fancy bouquet Dad had brought for Mom. “Nope, these are for your mom,” Conner said, quickly

to give up. Conner, pressed for time during his

Maja 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

just, those huge ones are heavier than

over her. “With you showing up like this, flowers and kid

got time to gossip, they've got time to buy their wives flowers, too," Conner shot

big boss

of the car, he pulled her back, insisting on a