Naughty Neighbor - Lauren Runow Page 0,37

like we see, but many have already exploded. We don’t know yet.”

“That’s really fascinating.” I follow him as he points out different star maps.

“This month, if you look south or southwest, Jupiter and Saturn are readily visible. You probably wouldn’t even know you were looking at them. Jupiter is the brighter of the two. If you can find it, you’ll see the constellation Sagittarius, and next to it is the S-shaped Scorpius. And this reddish star is Antares. It’s the heart of Scorpius.”

He’s adorably nerdy about the subject. I shouldn’t say it’s surprising because he’s always come off as an intelligent man. Yet a man who can read the stars is more well-traveled in my mind than those who have read a thousand books.

“How do you know so much about the night sky?”

“I love astronomy. My mom is really into astrology. She took me here a lot when I was little. They were doing a live viewing of Saturn’s rings, and I was mesmerized. I remember thinking, How is that even possible? I could visibly see the ring that wraps around it, just as I’d seen it in books. Made it all real, I guess.”

“I can imagine, that would be pretty cool.”

“For years, I wanted to be an astronaut.” He shakes his head, chuckling to himself. “I went to space camp in grade school. What I would have given up back then to go up in space. If it felt that cool, seeing it through a telescope, could you imagine what seeing it in person, clear as day in front of you, would be like?”

“There’s a ride at Epcot for that.”

He laughs out loud. “I’ll have to go there someday. Maybe you can take me.” He grins as he nudges my shoulder.

We walk side by side out of the exhibit and into another.

“What changed your dream of becoming an astronaut?”

“I was always told the flower shop would be mine someday. I had to keep on with the family tradition.” He lowers his voice like he’s repeating words he’s heard a million times. “Every Moreau has worked there since 1923. My great-grandfather peddled flowers from his farm and sold them on the streets as a side hustle when his first business went under during the first World War.”

“No Moreau can veer from the family plan?”

“Sure we can. Even though they used to work there, my sister, Milène, is an architect, and Penelope is a schoolteacher. I come from an old-school family. My grandfather left it to his oldest son, and my father is leaving it to me.”

“And you don’t want it?”

“To be honest?” He pauses as a grin covers his face. “Of course I do. I love it. One, working in a business with a legacy like ours is an honor. And the work, well, I get to make everyone’s day. Even in the darkest of times, flowers put a smile on your face. It’s the only gift you can give when a life is brought into the world and also when one is taken away. If you want to say you’re sorry, do it with a purple hyacinth, and to show your love—”

“Say it with a red rose.”

“Or if you come to me, I’ll tell you to give daisies.” He grins, and I tilt my head in interest. “They’re actually made of two flowers. The yellow middle is considered one flower, and the white outer ring is technically another, but together, they become one.”

Be still my heart, which is thumping pretty sweetly right now.

“A man who can talk stars and flowers. Maybe you’re right. You are definitely hero material.”

“Glad you’re finally realizing it.” He waggles his brows. “I’m glad you posted that video. By the comments, I think we did a pretty good job.”

I laugh out loud, surprised he brought it up. He’s right though. I’ve never had so much engagement on a post.

My smile lingers. “Yeah, my readers seem to think you’re pretty hot.”

“It’s about fucking time.” That cocky grin flashes as he faces me. “Wanna see something extraordinary?”

His eyes crinkle with the lightness in his expression. It’s the kind of look that makes you want to follow him off a cliff. If he said jump, I totally would.

With my hand in his, Jake leads me to the Doane Observatory within the Adler Planetarium. He waves to a man in a small window up high, and I recognize Kent’s face. Jake and I take seats in the middle row of the theater.

“I’ve never seen a show like this before.”

“I