AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“An outside lawyer, Dad. I'm not a dip wit.”
He lifts both shoulders. “You did break up with Emma, so the jury is still out on that one.”
Oof. “Try to keep the gloves above the belt, please,” I say. “Don’t you need to sleep or something?”
He chuckles and relaxes back a little bit with a sigh. “I think I'm ready for that nurse now,” he says.
I press the call button and let them know he’s awake and feeling some pain. They assure us they’ll be right in and I thank them.
Dad, however, has already gone back to trying to figure things out. “An outside lawyer, huh? What are you up to?” he muses under his breath, correctly assuming I’m not about to tell him my secrets.
There’s no way he’ll guess what I have planned. It’s so elegant, simple, and perfect. I know how I’m going to win Emma back - if she’ll have me. I know there’s a possibility that I screwed things up beyond repair, but I’m going to hope for the best. And heck, this plan might just win her back even if she hates me now.
I decide to toss my dad a bone. “I’m going to fire her.”
He lifts his head, looking at me like I've lost my mind. And maybe I have. “I don't think making her hate you is the way to win her heart.”
I can only hope that my gamble pays off exactly how I hope it will, and I lift a shoulder at my father. “I guess we'll see what happens, huh?”
Chapter Twenty-eight
Emma
I swear I'm gone for forty-five minutes to pick up some basics for the fridge and when I get home, the whole neighborhood has gone to heck. Carefully stepping over several flower arrangements, I make my way to my door, wondering what the heck happened.
Margret opens her door as I set down the bags I’m carrying beside my doormat.
“You must have a secret admirer,” I say, digging my key out of my pocket.
Margret shakes her head, but I confidently keep talking. “They must be for you, they're not for me. Want help taking them all inside?”
Margret points at the various arrangements. “Check the cards.”
As she says the words, I feel my heart sink, wondering what the heck is going on now. The thick scent of multicolor roses, stunning lilies, various colors of orchids, tulips in every shade, sunflowers, bright daisies, intensely colorful carnations, and so many others fill my nose and the hallway with their perfume.
I lean over and peek at the card on a beautiful arrangement of sunflowers. To Emma. I swear you don’t have to bail me out of jail.
I can’t hold back a laugh, and Margret speaks up. “Trust me, I already checked. They're all for you.”
“Are you serious?” I ask, unable to believe this insane turn of events. I know exactly who sent them, but I don't know why. And why so many?
“I am totally serious. Just check for yourself. I checked every single card. Your secret admirer sure is strange.” She sounds like she hasn’t figured out why I’d be interested in someone who said the things she read on the cards, and I hope he didn’t send anything too naughty. Nosy neighbors are the best and the worst sometimes.
I read another card. I’m the world’s biggest idiot, and I know I messed up.
Do you think you can ever forgive me?
I think I’m in love with you, but I’ve been wrong about a lot this week, so go easy on me.
This one kind of looks like a willow, right?
The individual notes tell their own kind of story, and I can't stop smiling as I unlock my door. I take my groceries in and place them on the kitchen counter and scan the dead flowers gracing my apartment. And internally, I make a plan. I cross the room to the hallway and pick up an arrangement. The tulips would look absolutely amazing on my coffee table, so I take them in there and set them down, removing the vase of dried lavender. If I put all of the faces with dead flowers on the kitchen floor, I can go through and dispose of them properly.
I lose myself in the work one by one, bringing in the beautiful arrangements and placing them just so around my apartment. I quickly realize that I'm running out of room inside but still have tons of flowers in the hallway.
“I'm sorry, Margret. I'm working hard to clean it up fast,” I say.
But Margret brushes off my concern. “Take your time. Enjoy the flowers. They're beautiful and so are you. Besides, they smell amazing.” She inhales and I relax a little bit. I'm going to have to call Clifton and ask him what changed, but for now I'm fixated on getting the flowers inside into their new homes.
