Me: That might ring a bell. Promise me they’re not huge, because that… that would be a straight no from me.
Mark sends a string of emojis laughing so hard they’re in tears.
Mark: No, I wouldn’t do that to you. But I’m dying to see this sparkly thing staring back at me while I take you from behind.
Whoa, buddy… The butterflies just released in my belly have me sucking in a breath. I don’t know if it’s more fromexcitement or nerves. Both. I’m going to go with both. I have zero clue on how to answer that.
Me: Aren’t you supposed to be working?
Mark: I’ll stop making you blush for now. Even though I absolutely love it when you do. Talk to you later. Good luck finding the owner of the roses.
Me: I’m just glad you didn’t change your mind about me and that was your way of ending things with me.
Mark: NEVER
His rapid text back makes me smile. The knots in my belly from a few minutes ago feel less like lead weights. Overall, I feel much lighter. I make a quick phone call to the florist. The address wasn’t wrong, but when she says they’re from an Eric with no last name given, I freeze.What the hell?I immediately march them to the front desk and ask the temp girl if she’d like to have them. I do not want anything from that man.
Upon returning to my office, I whip my phone back out to text the girls.
Me: They weren’t from Mark. I called the florist to find out if they were a mistake. They weren’t. They’re from Eric…
Sets of bubbles instantly appear.
Jane: NO!
Sydney: What the hell?!
Holly: Oh no he didn’t!
Me: I gave them to the temp girl up front.
Jane: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Holly: I would’ve just trashed them.
Sydney: That’s awesome.
Me: Anywho… we need margs tomorrow night.
They all answer with emojis indicating full support of that idea.
???
Mark
I tap my pencil on a blueprint, staring at my phone on the desk. Did the florist make a mistake? Or is a bit of competition throwing their hat in the ring, and if so…who? Ava truly sounded as if she thought they were from me. It makes me feel kind of crappy inside to think she automatically assumed that I was searching for an out. I have no intentions whatsoever of giving her up, even if I’m swimming in uncharted waters. Having someone to share my secrets in the dark with is a feeling like none other. I’ve never felt like I could truly open up and let someone see my soul stripped bare like her. With the exception of my mother and maybe Colin. They still only get the side of me that I wish to give them.
My phone buzzes, stuttering a smidge across the blueprint. It’s another text.
Ava: It um…wasn’t a mistake.
My stomach tightens with a tinge of jealousy, a strange sensation I’m not familiar with, but at least she’s being open about it.
Me: Who has something to be sorry for, Ava?
Ava: … They’re from Eric.
Oh, so after all these years, Fuckhead wants to play games. I stop and breathe for a second, pinching the bridge of my nose to release the pressure and distract from the feeling of my now thudding pulse. They have a history. This doesn’t mean anything. How does Ava feel about this? What does she want? Surely she’d never entertain the idea of giving him another chance.
