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“Aren’t you going to read the card?” Kane McNamara, the second-in-command of Night Storm wanted to know as he leaned against the far wall with Max Hogan, the lieutenant of the Night Storm team.

“Yeah, Ryker, the card is the best part of getting flowers,” Cullen Lyons called out.

Fucking kill me.

“Let’s give the guy some room,” Gideon said. “He still might faint, and then you’ll get water and roses all over yourself.”

The door in the back opened up and Landon Kelly walked in. “Hey, you got flowers? Sweet!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Linc swat him upside the head.

“Okay, okay, showtime is over. Everybody back to work,” Kostya called out. “McQueen, I need to see you in my office. You too, Smith.”

Ryker carried his roses down the hall to Kostya’s office and endured the hoots and hollers. As soon as he and Gideon were in the office, Gideon shut the door and started to sneeze.

“Allergic?” Kostya asked sympathetically.

Gideon nodded. “Jada better not ever pull that kind of shit.”

“Just don’t piss her off,” Kostya advised.

Kostya and Gideon gave Ryker sorrowful looks. “Your poor girl didn’t know any better, did she?”

Ryker shook his head. “It never occurred to me. I’ve seen Charlie and Lawrence both get flowers at the restaurant. I was kind of like, ‘whatever floats your boat.’ But never in a million years did I think that Amy would get the godawful idea that sending me fucking roses at work would be a good idea.”

“And what’s more, you can’t hurt her feelings and tell her it was a bad idea and to not do it again…” Gideon said.

“Kostya, you’ve gotta get Lark to explain this to her. I’m begging you, man.”

“Leave my woman out of your love life,” Kostya growled. “The only way I’m willing to help you is to drive this bouquet to your house since you can’t bring it home on your bike. And if me saying that doesn’t spark any good ideas on how you can stop this from happening to you ever again…”

“I get what you’re saying, Kostya, but the guys at Amy’s restaurant who got flowers kept them there at the restaurant.”

“So explain how there is no place for you to put them, except in the break room and Gideon’s allergic. Then if she wants to send you flowers, she’ll send them to your home.”

“Or she’ll send you daisies,” Gideon chimed in.

“Fuck me.”

“Really? Really?” Gideon said. “After all the months of you bitching and whining, here you are with the girl, and you’re still bitching and whining?”

The corner of Ryker’s lip tipped up.

“I asked her to marry me. She said yes.”

“That is wonderful, Ryker!” Kostya said.

Gideon sneezed. Then sneezed again.

“Fan-fucking-tastic.” Gideon smiled as his eyes watered.

Ryker rubbed the back of his neck. “I know, right?”

“How come you didn’t tell us sooner?” Gideon wanted to know.

“I’ve been trying to get ahold of my folks. They went camping and they’re out of reception. It just didn’t feel right telling anyone else until I told them.”

“Understood,” Gideon smiled, then sneezed.