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I turn the card over. That’s it? A cryptic message. I mean, if you’re going to send someone flowers, at least put your damn name on the card so the receiver knows who to thank.
I pick up my phone and call my brother.
“LuLu, you okay?” he asks me the minute the call connects.
“Yeah, did you send me flowers?”
“Depends, are they nice ones? Because if they are, then yes. If they’re shit and you hate them, then no, wasn’t me.”
“They’re blue tulips, Xavier. Blue. It’s weird. If you didn’t send them, who did?” I sigh.
“As much as I love you, LuLu, I didn’t send the flowers. Maybe you’ve gone and got yourself an admirer. When you find out who it is, let me know, 'cause I guarantee they won’t be good enough for you,” he says.
“Okay. What are you doing tonight?” I quickly change the subject.
“Working, why? Need another slumber party?” He poses it as a question, but really it’s an offer.
“No, I think I’m going to call Shar and see if she wants to catch a movie or something.”
Xavier goes quiet at the mention of my best friend. I know he’s had a crush on her since forever. He just won’t act on it. That being said, I’m sure when they’re both ready to admit their shared attraction, they will. I shouldn’t want my best friend anywhere near my brother, but I love them both and they’re really so suited for each other. I refuse to play matchmaker though. I am a huge believer in fate. If it’s meant to be, it will be.
“Okay, well, have fun. Be good and don’t do anything stupid,” Xavier tells me.
“What’s the point of having the city’s best criminal lawyer as a brother if I can’t do anything stupid?” I ask him with a grin.
“Lucy, God help the day I have to bail your ass out of jail.” He curses under his breath.
“Don’t worry, I’m far too pretty for prison,” I tease him.
“Yeah, and let’s keep it that way.” He hangs up.
“Nice talking to you too,” I say into the silence.
My eyes flick over to the flowers again, so I reach for the card and read it one more time. I don’t know if it’s creepy or sweet. Whoever sent them put some thought into it, and clearly spent a lot of fucking money on the gesture. Blue tulips are rare. I don’t know a lot about flowers, but I do know that much. My brain is going through the list of people who could have possibly sent them, and I can’t for the life of me think of anyone.
If my parents sent me flowers, they’d put their names on the card. None of my friends would send them to me either—well, Shar would if she could afford it. Something about this feels off, but then again, everything feels off to me lately. If the tulips weren’t so pretty, I’d throw them in the bin. Instead, I scrunch up the card and toss that.
Rest peacefully.Yeah, 'cause that’s likely to happen.
I pick up my phone and call Shar. I can’t sit around in this apartment by myself all night. I need to get out.
“Hey, stranger, good to see you’re not dead,” she answers.
“Right back at ya, babycakes. Get dressed. I’m picking you up and we’re doing something tonight.”
“Something? Sounds ominous. What is this something we’re doing?” she questions me.
“I don’t know just yet, but I’ll figure it out. See you in an hour,” I tell her, then hang up before she can argue with me.
Forty-five minutes later, I’m pulling up in front of Shar’s building. She refuses to look for a new place, even after her mum passed. I think some part of her believes if she moves out, she’ll be leaving the memory of her mum behind with it. The day will come when she realizes how far from the truth that is. And when it does, I’ll be there to help her. Until then, I’ll do my best to support her, even when I’d rather be selfish and have her live with me.
I find my key and unlock her door, letting myself in. “Honey, I’m home!” I call out as I drop my bag on her counter.
“In here,” she calls back.
I make my way to her bedroom, pausing in the doorway. “Whoa, Shardonnay. Bloody hot, babe. Why can’t I be into girls? Really, we’d make such a great couple,” I tell her.
She laughs as she slides her feet into a pair of black leather pumps. “I’d kill you in your sleep if I had to live with you, Lucy. I mean, I love you but loving you and living with you do not go hand in hand.”
