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She’d been thrilled to assist in an exam for their currently pregnant panda, too. It was hard to tell if the baby would come to full term. Typically, they didn’t. Having a baby panda born in captivity was an incredibly rare thing. To be a part of that, though, was still pretty amazing.
The staff had taken her out a couple of nights, and she’d been able to sight see a little bit. Even with all of the excitement, she missed Evan. They had talked every night, and had even had a very sexy video chat. It wasn’t the same, though.
* * * *
When she heard the knock on the door Monday, she bounced with excitement. She’d been tracking the orchid delivery all day. Evan would be off work soon. She wanted to have it out of the box by then.
She opened the door, taking the box marked as fra
gile carefully from the delivery man. She set it inside and signed. Saying a quick prayer that it had made it through transit, she peeled back the tape and peeked inside.
“Yes!” she shouted. The bloom was still attached. The woman she’d purchased it from assured her that she’d shipped them before without an issue, but she’d been antsy all day. God, she really hoped Evan liked it.
Pulling the plant out of the box, she read the note and plant care tips. She’d toss the note but pass along the care tips. Seeing as Evan knew so much about plants, it was hard to imagine he’d have any issue caring for it. Weren’t most orchids the same anyway?
Oh, Jesus, she thought, pressing a hand to her stomach. She was a little nervous. What if he didn’t like it?
Her phone buzzed. Evan had been nagging her all day, when he realized she had stayed home for a delivery. He had correctly deduced it was his gift. Mostly because she was incapable of lying well.
She picked it up and read, “I see something has been delivered to you. C’mon. Just tell meeeeee.”
“Very well,” she typed. “I feel that under the circumstances, this gift is better in your custody anyway. You can have it early.”
“See you in a minute,” he responded. “Victory!”
To be fair, she had been building it up over the last two weeks. She really hoped he wasn’t disappointed. Shit. She hoped he knew what it was. He was always spouting off the scientific names when he talked to her about the greenhouse.
She heard the knock on the door and laughed. Someone had closed up early it seemed.
She opened the door a crack and asked, “Can I help you?”
“Taryn, baby. You’ve been driving me insane with this all week. I’m dying. I’m literally dying. Let me in.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling. “I hope you like it.”
“I’ll love it,” he assured.
She stepped back to let him in the door and said, “I really hope you like it.”
He walked through the door, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on the plant sitting on the counter. His eyes wide, he asked, “Holy shit. Is that a phragmipedium kovachii?”
“Yep,” she said.
“How did you even get one? Aren’t they illegal to import?” he asked as he examined it.
“I know a guy. Well…a lady,” she said. “She has a permit to legally import them. One of the botanists from work set me up with her.”
“Oh my god,” he said. “I’ve only seen pictures. These only grow in the most remote part of Peru. Holy shit, baby.”
He turned around and walked over to her. He cupped her face in his hands and said, “That is the best gift that anyone has ever gotten me. Thank you.”
He pressed several kisses against her mouth and thanked her about four more times before she finally stopped him by placing a finger against his lips.
She asked, “So I take it that you like it, then?”
“Very, very much,” he said, as he hugged her close again.
She let herself relax against his chest for a moment and said, “I was worried.”
