"Can I help you?" Rose asked politely to the young man who entered the store.

"I hope so," he replied with a sweet smile and a twinkle in his dark eyes. "I heard this was the best place in town for flowers."

"I try to be the best," Rose replied.

Rose's was the flower shop Rose had owned and operated for nearly two and a half decades. She was proud of the store and loved the praise she received because of it.

"What can I help you with?"

"Well," Scott began. "I'm going on a blind date tonight and the only thing I know about the girl is that she's an old-fashioned romantic at heart."

"Red roses are good for romantics," Rose remarked.

"Yeah, but I think that's a little presumptuous," Scott replied. "This is the first time I've really met the girl and I've always thought of red roses as being more...um...intimate. That probably doesn't make any sense though."

"Actually, yes it does. How about white roses? They show that you were thoughtful enough to buy roses without looking like you expect anything," Rose reasoned.

"Perfect," he said, a hint of triumph in his voice. "I'll take one, wrapped."

With a smile Rose moved behind the counter. After she pulled out a square piece of cellophane and arranged a layer of green fern leave, she move to the cooler removed a single white rose.

"My granddaughter loves coral colored roses. I would have suggested those but we're fresh out," Rose commented as she placed the rose on it's bed of greens and baby's breath.

In a matter of only a few minutes, the cellophane was wrapped around the rose. The young man paid and was quickly on his way.

*********************************************************************************************

It was five minutes before eight and Kiki was almost ready. After Josh picked up Jane, she quickly showered and dressed in a short black skirt and pale blue, short-sleeve blouse. Her hair was dried and curled and her make-up looked perfect. Just as Kiki was slipping in to he shoes, the telephone rang. She thought it would be Rose to let her know what time to expect her that night.

"Hello?" Kiki said.

"Kiki?"

Instantly, Kiki recognized Gwen's voice and was a little surprised.

"Gwen? What - are you going to be late?"

"Don't hate me," Gwen stated flatly. "I'm not taking you out - but you are going out tonight. Just PLEASE don't hate me."

Surprise turned to confusion. Before Kiki could question Gwen's cryptic message, the doorbell rang.

"I'll call you tomorrow," Gwen stated and then quickly hung up.

Kiki switched the phone off and turned toward the door. Reluctantly, she started walking, not wanting to guess who would be on the other side.

As she reached the door Kiki pushed up to her toes and looked out the peek hole. A mixture of relief and utter shock consumed her. Unsure how to act or what to say, Kiki opened the door and forced a smile to greet Scott with.

"Hi," Kiki said, pushing open the screen door.

"Hello," Scott responded with a genuine smile as he looked her over. He offered a single white rose wrapped in cellophane.

Motioning for him to enter the house, Kiki accepted the rose and thanked him.

"You look surprised to see me," Scott remarked nervously.

"To be honest with you, I am," Kiki replied.

"Gwen said you would be expecting me," Scott said suddenly feeling very awkward. "She also told me to tell you that Mike says I'm as clean as Rockefeller's fingernails."

"She said that?"

"Well, I cleaned it up."

Just then, Rose came through the front door and stopped abruptly. She stared at Scott a moment, a look of surprise in her features.

"So this is your blind date?" Rose asked with a raised eye brow.

"This couldn't be your granddaughter - you don't look old enough," Scott replied.

After a moment of silence, Rose smiled. She turned to Kiki and said, "I like him.."

Kiki felt her cheeks warm as she watched Ross walk out of the room. Turning her gaze back to Scott, she felt very uncomfortable and her mind searched for an excuse to get her out of the date.

"Look, if you don't want to go out it's okay. I understand," Scott said in a sympathetic tone.

"Well, I really don't think. . ."

"Just go out with him, Kiki. What could it hurt?" Rose stated as she made her through the living room, heading for her own room.

"I'll tell you what," Scott began. "If you want, I'll pay for dinner if you get the movie. That way it's not really a date."

Kiki couldn't help but smile. She looked into his sparkling eyes and felt a strange tingling feeling in her stomach. Again, Kiki felt her cheeks warming and looked down in a bashful way. His proposal was sweet and she had to admit she wanted to know more about him.

Kiki looked up into his eyes and sighed in a defeated way. "Well, I guess since I'm already ready, I might as well go out."

Scott's face lit up. Kiki called to Rose to let her know that she was heading out for the night. Scott preceded Kiki out of the house and down the walk way. When they reached his navy blue Mustang, Scott opened the passenger door and then closed it once Kiki as seated. Quickly, he moved around the car and slid behind the steering wheel and they were off.