Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 560

He’d given her a chance to get close to him…

Camila Davis tried to keep her feelings in check, but it was pointless. She found herself drawn to him, step by step, like a moth to a flame.

Falling for someone was never something you could just turn off.

But Camila never forgot—he was already engaged to someone else. Sooner or later, he’d belong to another woman.

These two emotions—desire and restraint—kept pulling her apart inside. She started losing sleep over it; by Monday morning, Camila looked like she’d had a rough night.

When Walter Wilson stopped by the research center to see her, he immediately noticed. “Whoa, Camila, you look beat. Didn’t get enough sleep? Is it the project giving you trouble again?”

He tossed out a few guesses, but none of them were close to the truth.

Camila didn’t plan on spilling her heart out—this was about her and Dennis Williams, and she wasn’t ready to talk. But Walter was just being a good friend, so she offered a half-truth. “It’s not a big deal. I’m just missing one ingredient for the new compound I’m working on.”

That much was actually true. The ingredient was a rare flower, pretty expensive and she needed quite a bit of it. So far, she hadn’t had any luck tracking it down.

Once Walter understood the problem, he grinned. “Oh, is that all? Don’t worry, I’ll ask my mom.”

Walter’s mom was obsessed with flowers—she was a pro at arranging them, too. Walter’s dad spoiled her rotten, even buying her a massive greenhouse filled with every kind of fancy bloom you could imagine.

So, for Walter, Camila’s problem was a breeze. He made a quick call, then turned to her with a satisfied smile. “All set!”

Camila blinked. “That fast? But… why your mom?”

She was pretty sure Mrs. Wilson didn’t get involved in The Smith Group’s business.

Walter just laughed. “Told you before—my mom’s a total flower nerd. She’s also president of the local Horticultural Society. When she’s not at work, she’s up to her elbows in plants. My dad even bought her a whole greenhouse just to keep her happy. If you need a flower, she’s the one to ask!”

Camila couldn’t help but smile. “Well, I appreciate it! Thank you, Mrs. Wilson.”

“No problem,” Walter said, grabbing his keys. “Let’s go over there now. You gotta see this place.”

“Sure!” Camila replied, relieved to have a break from work—and from her own thoughts.

Walter drove her to the Horticultural Society, and it was even more elegant than she’d imagined. “All the ladies from Harrisburg’s high society come here for flower arranging classes,” Walter whispered. “The instructors have won all sorts of awards.”

“That’s amazing,” Camila murmured, gazing at the rows of stunning flowers on display. Clearly, everyone here was a serious flower buff. Compared to them, Walter’s own flower arrangements seemed… pretty sad.

“Not at all! They’ll need a bit to finish picking your flowers, anyway. We might as well do something fun.”

Mrs. Wilson dove right in, explaining the basics of floral design. True flower arranging, she said, was a real art. Camila was a complete novice, but she caught on quickly. By the end of their impromptu lesson, her arrangement looked pretty darn impressive.

Mrs. Wilson’s eyes sparkled. “Wow, Camila! That’s better than anything Walter’s ever managed.”

She turned to her son, mock-exasperated. “You have no idea how hopeless he is. I’ve tried teaching him a dozen times. Still can’t get it right—I’m almost embarrassed to say he’s my student!”

Camila stifled a laugh. Walter rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks, Mom. I really appreciate the support.”

Mrs. Wilson just shrugged. “Talent, honey. You’ve either got it or you don’t.”

Walter just groaned, and Camila had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing outright.

Just then, the sound of high heels echoed down the hallway. Camila glanced up to see several elegantly dressed women sweeping into the room.

They spotted Walter and Camila and grinned. “Well, if it isn’t Walter Wilson! And who’s this lovely young lady?”

One of the women winked at Mrs. Wilson. “Is this Walter’s future wife? My, my, it’s the first time we’ve ever seen him bring a girl around!”