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Are you at work yet? I just got out of a meeting and missed a call from a Florida number. They didn’t leave a message.
Thanks Holly. They called my phone too but I was busy. It’s just a flower vendor.
Well come home at lunch and call them back?
I can’t, have to work through lunch today doing party prep. I’m just going out to pick us up Subway.
I toss my phone into my purse, relieved when I never get a message tone…yet conflictingly disappointed that I don’t get to hear Bo’s voice. I take a couple deep breaths and march into the store to pretend I’m having a perfectly normal day.
“Morning Fiona!” Maxine is her usual sunny self.
She’s been dating a pilot ever since her trip to London and seems to be high on life. Why do some of us have all the luck in love?
“Hey Maxine. How’s it coming along?” She holds up a bouquet of red roses filled in with evergreen sprigs and gold-dusted berries. “Looks like a holiday miracle. I love it.”
I wish I was in the mood to let on over her beautiful work, but I just want to be quick and efficient right now. Knowing I’ll call Bo back, against my better judgment, is going to make this day insufferable.
I become foolishly exuberant when my phone rings again, but the excitement morphs into disgust once I see that it’s Quade. I excuse myself and go back to my car to sit and take the call.
“Hello.”
“Hey Cookie, you at the store?”
“Yes. I was. Helping Maxine prep for a huge New Year’s Eve party we’re decorating tonight.” I’m trying not to sound too exasperated, but Quade knows I hate being interrupted at work without good reason.
“Well that sounds nice. Getting into the New Year’s spirit?”
“Come on Quade, Maxine’s waiting on me. What’s up?”
“Oh is she really? I thought Max was fully self-sufficient by now?”
I break out in goosebumps as it occurs to me that Quade probably has my store cameras rigged to send him footage as well. Does he actually know Maxine’s working away without me right now? I look down nervously at my plunging neckline and wonder if he knows what I’m wearing.
“No you’re right. She is. I just have a lot to help with if we’re going to make our deadline tonight,” I gently grovel.
Quade takes his time letting out a huge sigh into the phone. “Okay Cookie, well…I’m in town tonight if you want to grab a bite with me. I could pick you up at work. I’d really love to come in and see what you’re doing in the store windows these days.”
I freeze up, sputtering for a response while my head fills with blood.
Quade hasn’t requested my company once since our incident, as though he hoped I’d forget the details over time. He always calls to let me know when he’s in town, acting like we’re still friends, but then comes up with an excuse for not getting together. “I’m sorry Quade…I told you we’re doing a party tonight,” I respond, thankful to have my own excuse this time.
“Let Maxine do it. Call Laura and whoever else to help her out. You shouldn’t have to be hustling at these parties anymore Cookie. It’s undignified.”
“Undigni…Quade…what?! This is a major annual client and they want me there, okay? The place is called Fiona’s Flowers for a reason you know, and clients need me to show a little interaction and interest from time to time, right?!”
“I’ll pick you up at five sharp.”
“What?! Quade…I can’t just…I can’t!”
“Is it not your store, Cookie? You can do anything you please. You’ll make arrangements with your girls, and then be ready for me by five.”
I sit holding the phone like a speechless idiot for an entire minute after Quade abruptly disconnects. It takes every fiber of my control not to hurl my phone through my own windshield. Fat lot of good that would do me. I instead slam it into the passenger seat, grip the steering wheel with both hands, and scream like a banshee…then thrash around flailing my fists into the windows and ceiling until I’m bruised everywhere. Good thing we closed early today. I’m not sure exactly how your typical holiday bouquet shopper would interpret my parking lot behavior, not that it would even stop me if we were open and teaming with customers.
I get out and slam the car door, then pace the sidewalk for several minutes trying to sort out what’s got me more infuriated…the fact that Quade thinks he’s the boss of me, or that I now won’t be able to call Bo at five o’clock. How ridiculous I am to even be thinking about something so frivolous at a time like this. I head into the store once I feel almost collected enough to deal with Maxine.
“Max…something’s come up. You’ve got this, right?”
“You mean…can I finish all the prep by myself today?”
