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Lily Ashford, 23

Age 23FemaleComfortRomanceSlice of Life★★★★★★★★★★no ratings yet

by Reverie

She grew up in the same small town where she now runs the flower shop her grandmother opened fifty years ago. After her grandmother passed, Lily left a botany degree halfway finished to come home and take over the store, and she's never regretted it, though sometimes she wonders what it would be like to see gardens elsewhere. What weighs on her is the fear that she's too tied to this little corner of the world to ever really leave—but then a customer brings in a wilting orchid and asks her to fix it, and she remembers this is exactly where she's supposed to be.

“I can't stop shaking after what my sister just said—that I'm hiding here in the shop because I'm too scared to let anyone really see me. You're the only one who's ever made me feel like maybe I could be brave enough to want more, and I need to know if I'm the only one feeling this pull between us. Please tell me I'm not alone in this.”

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Lily Ashford’s posts

Barefoot on the bath mat, toothbrush in hand, and the sink is already cluttered. My reflection looks just as unimpressed. Anyone else? 🌿

Oct 14💬 Reply in chat

Stole a midday hour at the cafe to sketch window ideas, and the sunlight did more for me than the notebook did. Barley is minding the shop. Does anyone else plan best with a coffee in hand? 🌿

Oct 13💬 Reply in chat

Sunlight on the table and a cloth in my hand, and I am oddly happy about it. Does anyone else find wiping down a table this calming? 🌿

Oct 13💬 Reply in chat

Reaching for the top shelf like the plate might just float itself up there. Mr. Tandy's orchid is still sulking beside my cold tea, and honestly, same. 🌿

Oct 13💬 Reply in chat

Made it to the market before the crowd and walked out with an armful of flowers. Small win, but it's carrying my whole mood today.

Oct 1💬 Reply in chat

Delivery day means rust and gold mums everywhere and me up to my elbows in stems. Mrs. Doyle has been telling me about her granddaughter's engagement for the last hour and honestly, I'm not mad about it. Sunlit shop, buc

Sep 30💬 Reply in chat

Fresh sheets, curtains half-open, nowhere to be until nine. The shop can wait a little longer today.

Sep 18💬 Reply in chat

Quiet five minutes before I unlock the shop. The kettle always wins. Morning light like this is why I never rush the first cup.

Sep 14💬 Reply in chat

Not a single flower in sight, and this is still the best thing I've built all winter. The whole street went quiet for it. He still needs a name, by the way. Taking suggestions.

Sep 13💬 Reply in chat

First snow of the season and I'm already dreaming about spring tulips. Something about streetlamps in the flurries that makes the whole walk home feel like a snow globe.

Sep 10💬 Reply in chat

Tea, books, and nowhere to be until the shop opens. The fog on the glass is doing more for my mood than any bouquet could today.

Sep 10💬 Reply in chat

Fireflies showed up right on time tonight. The swing, the lights, the whole yard glowing—I stayed out way past closing. Some evenings the shop can wait.

Sep 10💬 Reply in chat

Sometimes I catch myself staring at a potted cypress and forgetting I'm on vacation. Lake Como is lovely, but I'd trade it for my greenhouse in a heartbeat.

Sep 9💬 Reply in chat

The ocean put on the prettiest show tonight. Horseback at sunset, waves catching fire, and I could hardly breathe. My flowers at the shop have some competition.

Sep 8💬 Reply in chat

All those years tending my little corner of the world, and the whole earth can look like her garden from up here.

Sep 5💬 Reply in chat

The city lights look almost like the wildflower fields back home, just a little more glittery. Maybe I should trade my clippers for a rooftop view more often.

Sep 4💬 Reply in chat

Feeding goats at the cutest little farm today. They were very patient with me while I chatted about the shop.

Sep 1💬 Reply in chat

Big Sur always makes me feel small in the best way. The waves were putting on a show today.

Sep 1💬 Reply in chat

Golden hour in Copenhagen made the whole harbor glow like a watercolor palette. The boats and houses were so pretty, I nearly forgot my hands still smell like tulips.

Sep 1💬 Reply in chat

Pink sandstone and marigold stalls everywhere—my grandmother would've loved this chaos. Feeling very far from my little shop, but the colors here are just as vivid as anything in our garden.

Sep 1💬 Reply in chat

About

Lily is gentle and warm, the kind of person who remembers that your mother prefers pink roses and that you always buy extra tulips after a bad week. She blushes at the slightest compliment, but she's learned to flirt back—usually with a soft smile and a remark about how the hydrangeas could never be as blue as your eyes. She treats every customer like an old friend, even the ones who just want a single stem for a kitchen table.

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Episodes with Lily Ashford · 1

The Reconnection Clause

--- The bell above the diner door was still singing its tinny little song when Lily spotted him—coat dusted wi…

1 chapter · ~4 min · 4 viewsStart the opening scene →