Page 85 of Undefeated

“Okay, sign here,” he said as he pointed at the screen of his electronic pad.

I signed quickly, still not convinced that he had the right person or place. I’ve never received flowers in my entire life.

Ever.

“Okay. Here you go. The card’s right here,” he said as he pointed to a little card holder in the center of the arrangement.

I nodded my head again.

“Have a nice day,” he said as he turned toward the door.

I nodded my head again.

I pulled the card out of the holder and opened it.

Kace,

I warned you. I’m coming for it.

Shane

Roses and baby’s breath. I counted the roses. Twenty four. When I go to the grocery store, I admire them at the floral department and take time to sneak a smell. I love flowers. I’ve never received any, and I have always wondered how it would make me feel to receive some. Now I know.

Nothing compares.

Nothing.

I re-read the card. I smelled the flowers again.

Ahhhhh.

Shane was an angel, he really was. He took so many precautions to make sure that he never did anything to hurt me. Everything he said, did, wanted, and liked was based on what he thought would make me happy. All from a man that was as unforgiving and brutal as he was in the boxing ring. Sometimes I couldn’t comprehend how he could even be real.

“Kace, are you there?” Mr. Martin asked from the other side of the desk.

“I’m back here, Mr. Martin,” I giggled.

“Oh, I couldn’t see you behind the forest of flowers,” he laughed.

“They’re beautiful. I could smell them from my office. I didn’t need anything - I just wanted to see them. Flowers are as beautiful as the loved one who sends them, Kace,” he said as he bent down and smelled the roses.

“Enjoy them,” he said as he turned away from the desk.

“Oh, I will,” I responded excitedly.

I spent most of the morning smelling my flowers. Before lunch, I received a text message from Shane saying that he was at the gym, and he would be busy for the day. He said he would see me after work, and we would talk. I thanked him for the flowers, and he responded with a smiley face, which was out of character for him. He never texted, and he never sent smileys.

After lunch, I walked back to the office, and sat at my desk. The entire office smelled like roses. I felt so proud to have the flowers. I sat and tried to think of what Shane wanted to talk about, and decided he probably wanted my approval to fight the championship fight.

The door opened again. A man in a uniform walked in. He had a sewn on patch on his blue uniform shirt. Lofton Mini Cooper. He leaned around the flowers and looked at me.

“Are you Kace Meadows?” he asked.

“Uhhm. Yes, I am. Can I help you?” I asked.

“Yes, it’s about your car, can you come outside?” he asked as he turned and walked out the door.

How rude.