Welcome to my stop on the Growing Flowers: The Pete & Daisy Collection blog tour!
Growing Flowers (Flower Series Collection)
by Tani Hanes
Genre: NA Romance
Release date: January 2019
Summary:
When they meet, Pete is a student who needs a place to live, Daisy is a young woman in a family bind who needs a husband. She’s a bred and born New Yorker, he’s from the vineyards of Tuscany, but when they meet, sparks fly, as though they were meant to be. Follow our intrepid young couple as they navigate the treacherous waters of being newlyweds, new parents, and a vulnerable family unit trying to protect themselves and their children from the threats of an indifferent and sometimes cruel world.
Through four novels and numerous bonus chapters, our favorite couple and children learn to cope with an old flame, a stalker, wrenching loss, and simply growing up. Ten years pass from beginning to end, but the time flies by as everyone gets older and, hopefully, a little wiser in this loving and rollicking family unit.
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Excerpt
“Uh, could
I talk to mommy? Alone?” she asked hesitantly.
I talk to mommy? Alone?” she asked hesitantly.
She looked at Pete to see the
effect of her words. Pete blinked in surprise, leaning back a little. Clio had
never asked such a thing before.
effect of her words. Pete blinked in surprise, leaning back a little. Clio had
never asked such a thing before.
“I’m sorry,” she
apologized to Pete. She looked overwrought, as though she might burst into
tears. “No, of course, it’s okay,” Pete told her, nodding for
emphasis. He took the baby from his wife, seeing the love and sympathy in her
eyes as he did.
apologized to Pete. She looked overwrought, as though she might burst into
tears. “No, of course, it’s okay,” Pete told her, nodding for
emphasis. He took the baby from his wife, seeing the love and sympathy in her
eyes as he did.
When they were alone, Daisy leaned
forward to stroke Clio’s hair, pushing it away from her face. “What’s
going on, love?” she asked, smiling.
forward to stroke Clio’s hair, pushing it away from her face. “What’s
going on, love?” she asked, smiling.
“Well,” Clio began,
taking a deep breath. “I was sitting in class today? Just listening?”
taking a deep breath. “I was sitting in class today? Just listening?”
Daisy nodded, smiling
encouragingly.
encouragingly.
“And I just realized, right
in the middle of Ms. Nina talking, that a bunch of the kids in my class are,
uh, boys.” Clio pretty much whispered the last word as though she were
imparting a secret.
in the middle of Ms. Nina talking, that a bunch of the kids in my class are,
uh, boys.” Clio pretty much whispered the last word as though she were
imparting a secret.
Daisy looked at her, trying to
figure out what Clio meant. “Yes, they’re boys, they’re your classmates,
they have been since kindergarten, right?” Daisy asked, confused. Clio
shook her head impatiently. “No. I mean yeah, but– you know how daddy has
a–a penis?” Again, the last word was whispered.
figure out what Clio meant. “Yes, they’re boys, they’re your classmates,
they have been since kindergarten, right?” Daisy asked, confused. Clio
shook her head impatiently. “No. I mean yeah, but– you know how daddy has
a–a penis?” Again, the last word was whispered.
Daisy smothered a smile and
nodded.
nodded.
“And so does Finn, you
know?” Clio went on, looking intently at her mother.
know?” Clio went on, looking intently at her mother.
“So, well, I was just sitting
in class, like I always do, and I just realized, like out of nowhere, that all
the boys in my class must have penises too!” Clio covered her mouth with
both hands as she looked at her mother with horrified eyes.
in class, like I always do, and I just realized, like out of nowhere, that all
the boys in my class must have penises too!” Clio covered her mouth with
both hands as she looked at her mother with horrified eyes.
Daisy again smothered a smile,
ruthlessly clamping down on the huge laugh that she could feel bubbling up
inside her.
ruthlessly clamping down on the huge laugh that she could feel bubbling up
inside her.
“I mean, mommy, every boy in
there must have one, right? Just hanging there, between their legs, while we
listen to Ms. Nina?” Clio sounded like she was describing some awful
nightmare.
there must have one, right? Just hanging there, between their legs, while we
listen to Ms. Nina?” Clio sounded like she was describing some awful
nightmare.
Daisy swallowed, hard, trying so
hard not just burst out laughing.
hard not just burst out laughing.
“So after that I just felt,
you know, weird,” Clio finished with another shrug. “I mean, I
couldn’t concentrate on anything, you know?” She looked at her mother for
agreement and understanding. “I don’t even get how all those boys could
just sit there in class and act normal with that thing just, hanging there–“
you know, weird,” Clio finished with another shrug. “I mean, I
couldn’t concentrate on anything, you know?” She looked at her mother for
agreement and understanding. “I don’t even get how all those boys could
just sit there in class and act normal with that thing just, hanging there–“
“But Clio, surely you knew
before today that all boys have them?” Daisy queried. “I mean, we’ve
always been a pretty ‘nakey’ family, right? You’ve seen your daddy, and now
baby Finn?” She pulled Clio to her in a lovely, scented hug.
before today that all boys have them?” Daisy queried. “I mean, we’ve
always been a pretty ‘nakey’ family, right? You’ve seen your daddy, and now
baby Finn?” She pulled Clio to her in a lovely, scented hug.
But Clio was shaking her head.
“I knew about it, mommy, but I never thought about it until now,” she
explained.
“I knew about it, mommy, but I never thought about it until now,” she
explained.
Now that she’d explained, Clio
relaxed, and she and her mother held each other for a moment, just enjoying
being close.
relaxed, and she and her mother held each other for a moment, just enjoying
being close.
“Is that what they use?”
Clio asked, her voice muffled from being pressed into Daisy’s front.
“Use?” Daisy asked.
Clio asked, her voice muffled from being pressed into Daisy’s front.
“Use?” Daisy asked.
“Yeah, when they, uh, help us
get pregnant?” Clio looked up at her mother. “And when we bleed? Is
it from that? Do they, you know, poke us or something?”
get pregnant?” Clio looked up at her mother. “And when we bleed? Is
it from that? Do they, you know, poke us or something?”
Daisy stroked Clio’s hair as she shook
her head.
her head.
“It’s so easy for us to
forget sometimes how young you are,” she said, more to herself than to
Clio. “You’re so clever, so insightful and smart, but you’re still only
nine, you know?”
forget sometimes how young you are,” she said, more to herself than to
Clio. “You’re so clever, so insightful and smart, but you’re still only
nine, you know?”
Clio nodded, grasping her mother
firmly.
firmly.
“Okay, Clio, my darling, my
love,” Daisy said. “When we bleed, it’s because our bodies were
preparing for a baby. It’s called menstruating, or having a period. Every month
or so, our bodies get all ready for an embryo, but usually there isn’t one, so
then we have to get rid of all that preparation, you see? Then we prepare
again, and if there’s no baby the next month, we get rid of it all over
again.”
love,” Daisy said. “When we bleed, it’s because our bodies were
preparing for a baby. It’s called menstruating, or having a period. Every month
or so, our bodies get all ready for an embryo, but usually there isn’t one, so
then we have to get rid of all that preparation, you see? Then we prepare
again, and if there’s no baby the next month, we get rid of it all over
again.”
She stroked Clio’s hair and looked at her beautiful girl, with
the brown eyes like jewels, and once again thanked the stars that she’d
stupidly used no protection when she’d spent the night with Richard Hawkins all
those years ago. Clio was nodding. “Yeah, I get it,” she said.
“That was the part I couldn’t figure out, you know? About why sometimes
the brown eyes like jewels, and once again thanked the stars that she’d
stupidly used no protection when she’d spent the night with Richard Hawkins all
those years ago. Clio was nodding. “Yeah, I get it,” she said.
“That was the part I couldn’t figure out, you know? About why sometimes
there’s a baby
and sometimes there isn’t?” Her brows
and sometimes there isn’t?” Her brows
unfurrowed, and the line between
them disappeared.
them disappeared.
“So the bleeding thing,
having a period, that’s going to
having a period, that’s going to
happen to me someday?” she
asked. Daisy could detect
asked. Daisy could detect
no fear in her daughter’s voice,
only curiosity. “And Francie
only curiosity. “And Francie
and Brina and Lottie?”
Daisy nodded.
“Um, when?”
“Well,
it’s different for different girls,” Daisy answered honestly. “I
think most girls mimic their mothers in that respect, but exercise and diet can
play a part, too.”
it’s different for different girls,” Daisy answered honestly. “I
think most girls mimic their mothers in that respect, but exercise and diet can
play a part, too.”
“When did you start?”
Clio released her mother and sat back.
Clio released her mother and sat back.
“I
was thirteen,” Daisy told her. “But you are way more active than I
was, with all the swimming you do, so you might be even later.”
was thirteen,” Daisy told her. “But you are way more active than I
was, with all the swimming you do, so you might be even later.”
Clio looked at her mother, and
Daisy knew there was something more. She sat back and waited.
Daisy knew there was something more. She sat back and waited.
“You know, sometimes I like
to be around them,” Clio confessed. “Boys, I mean.” And again,
she put her hands up to her mouth.
to be around them,” Clio confessed. “Boys, I mean.” And again,
she put her hands up to her mouth.
Daisy smiled. “Yeah, that’s
going to happen, love.” “Sometimes when Zeke Steiner holds my hand
during dodgeball, I like it,” Clio added, again using the funny whisper.
going to happen, love.” “Sometimes when Zeke Steiner holds my hand
during dodgeball, I like it,” Clio added, again using the funny whisper.
Daisy’s smile grew. “Oh,
Clio, I love you so much,” she said, leaning forward to kiss her
daughter’s shining forehead.
Clio, I love you so much,” she said, leaning forward to kiss her
daughter’s shining forehead.
“Do you think daddy’s
sad?” Clio asked. She looked worried. “I just felt funny to talk
about this stuff to him, you know?”
sad?” Clio asked. She looked worried. “I just felt funny to talk
about this stuff to him, you know?”
“I know, love, and don’t
worry, he’ll be okay,” Daisy told her.
worry, he’ll be okay,” Daisy told her.
Clio got out of bed and followed
her mother into the master bedroom, where Pete was already in bed, sitting with
his laptop on his knees. He set it aside when he saw them.
her mother into the master bedroom, where Pete was already in bed, sitting with
his laptop on his knees. He set it aside when he saw them.
“Finn’s asleep,” he told
his wife, who nodded as she got in next to him.
his wife, who nodded as she got in next to him.
Clio climbed over her mother to
sit next to her father.
sit next to her father.
“I’m sorry,” she
apologized again.
apologized again.
Pete shook his head as he cuddled
his daughter, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head. “It’s perfectly
okay, topolina,” he assured her. “It’s nice that you have two
parents, I think, so you can talk to one or the other, you know?” He
looked down at her. “Did you get it all taken care of? Everything okay
now?”
his daughter, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head. “It’s perfectly
okay, topolina,” he assured her. “It’s nice that you have two
parents, I think, so you can talk to one or the other, you know?” He
looked down at her. “Did you get it all taken care of? Everything okay
now?”
Clio nodded and leaned up to kiss
him one last time. “I love you,” she told her father, smiling and
making her dimple pop, melting his heart.
him one last time. “I love you,” she told her father, smiling and
making her dimple pop, melting his heart.
“I love you too, little
mouse,” he responded. “Now get some sleep, okay?”
mouse,” he responded. “Now get some sleep, okay?”
Clio got out of their bed and ran
lightly to the door.
lightly to the door.
“Good night,” Pete
called.
called.
Clio turned, her hand on the
doorknob. “Good night, dad.”
doorknob. “Good night, dad.”
Individual Books in the Series:
About the Author
My name is Tani Hanes, and I am a 51-year-old substitute teacher. I’m from central California and am a recent transplant to New York City. The most important things to know about me are that I’m punctual, I love grammar and sushi, and I’m very intolerant of intolerance. The least important things to know about me are that I like to knit and I couldn’t spell “acoustic” for 40 years. I’ve wanted to write since I was ten, and I finally did it. If you want to write, don’t wait as long as I did, it’s pointless, and very frustrating!
Author Links:
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