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The door chime sounded again and Leanna, the other part time clerk at the flower shop, came in.
“You’re in today?” Jen asked.
“Oh, no. I forgot my umbrella. It’s supposed to rain later today.”
“Oh, right. Yours is the purple one, right?”
“Right. So glad it’s still here. So, how are you finding it so far?”
“Working here? It’s awesome. You guys are really sweet.”
“Aw thanks. You, too.”
“You guys also have really intriguing customers.”
“Oh, you mean, Mr. Harrington.”
“Who?”
“Blake Harrington. He’s a businessman. He owns Harrington Enterprise, The Clothing Store…you know, all the businesses in the area. He’s here every day buying flowers for different women.”
“Oh?”
“I know. He must really have hot dates because the flowers are really expensive and he delivers them personally.”
“Oh.” Jen tried to hide the deflation in her voice. “Well, good for him.” Great! He was a real player. Well, of course, a guy as hot as that would have a lot of women at his feet.
“Rose is his regular. He always buys for her. Then there’s Janey. Elizabeth. Oh, you’ll get to know him. He’s a real sweetie, though. Doesn’t smile much. All business and everything. But Mr. Myers says he brings in most of the business here. So we don’t ask too many questions.”
Jen smiled half-heartedly. She felt her heart ache with every one of the names Leanne listed. How could someone so sweet and decent looking be such a player with women? Did they all know about each other?
After Leanne left Jen started fixing up the flower displays, her mind on Blake “Player” Harrington. What was she thinking? Good thing she hadn’t fallen for him.
***
The next couple of weeks, Jen would see Blake in the store, sure enough, buying expensive flowers for Rose and other women. Each floral arrangement came with the same words—To the most beautiful woman in the world. Jen wondered how many women could be the most beautiful in the world at the same time.
It was a different woman each day. She admitted to herself that he was charming and very intriguing. They would have many chats about life, politics, sports and entertainment. In fact, they had many stimulating conversations. Sometimes he would spend more than an hour talking to her especially when the shop wasn’t so busy. She enjoyed his mind-blowing conversations but they never touched on the subject of the recipients of his flowers. She figured he was a customer and she was just being friendly, nothing more. But oh, he was mysterious and attractive. Very different from all the other men she’d met. He never even attempted to make a move on her until…
***
The following week, when the door chime sounded her heart stopped again. It was Blake. Every time she saw him, he had this effect on her that she could not control. She wished her body did not react so positively to Mr. Harrington the way it did. In her books, he was unavailable and that was that!
This time she was really going to turn off her attraction to him. If she could manage that.
“Hey, nice to see you again,” he said.
“Thank you. What can I do for you today, Blake?”
“Well, it’s a little personal, actually.”
“It is?” Jen was more than puzzled.
“Yes, I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me to a charity function this weekend?”
What? The nerve of him.
“I…why me?” He really went for what he wanted, didn’t he? She really wanted to ask why he wouldn’t go with Rose or the other women he called “the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Because, I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Not just in the physical, but you have a heart of gold.”
Jen was speechless.
For a while a long silence lingered between them.
Jen moved from behind the counter and went over to the flowers, not sure of how to respond.
“Thank you, Blake. That’s so kind of you…but…” her voice became softer and trailed off. This was how it started with her ex, wasn’t it? He was a player, too. He offered her sweet words but they were not just for her ears alone, she would later learn.
