Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
What the fuck is up with this midday circus?
Not only do I feel like I’m in the middle of a flower pissing match with the delivery guy, but I swear to fuck, I smell pizza.
I glance at Elio. Is it him? Does he always smell this good?
“I had these delivered for you.” Carrie hands off the wildflowers to Posey. “It’s a small thank you for the mural.”
Posey tears up. “For me? Really, Carrie? You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to,” she says, her voice soft and comforting as she rubs a hand over Posey’s shoulder. “I know my sister, and I can tell you that when she gets home and sees what you’ve done, she’ll be so touched.”
Posey lowers her head to smell the wildflowers. “That’s more than I can hope for. Abby has been good to me. I’m honored that I can be a part of this.”
“So…” The delivery kid breaks into the tender moment. “Are either of you hotties single?”
That’s enough bullshit for one day, so I level my gaze on him again and add to it with a step toward him. I’m all for intimidation if it gets this joker out of here. “You’re leaving now.”
“Fine.” He darts both hands in the air. “I was just trying to be friendly. No harm. No foul.”
“Go,” I reiterate my point with another step toward him.
He walks backward toward the door, shifting his gaze to Carrie. “Thanks for the tip, darling. If you need more flowers, you know right where to find me.”
“I won’t.” Carrie shakes her head. “I will never need to find you. Ever. Shut the door on your way out.”
I bow my head to hide a smile. That’s one down and one to go. Two, if I count Posey.
I want this apartment cleared out so I can finally get that moment alone with Carrie that I’ve been craving since the wedding.
Despite my best efforts, Posey wouldn’t leave Declan and Abby’s apartment. Her commitment to getting the mural done before the newlyweds set foot back on American soil is unwavering.
Shortly after the delivery kid took off, Elio said he needed to head back to Franzini’s. I encouraged his sister to tagalong but she tossed me a look I’d classify as somewhere between confusion and shock.
“I don’t have time for that, boss,” she said as she flung her arms into the air.
After a quick hug goodbye between the siblings, Elio was out of the apartment door, and Posey was back in the guestroom that will soon be completely transformed into a nursery.
That left Carrie and me alone for less than two minutes before she shot out of the main living area like a dart, claiming she needed to find a vase for the flowers.
She’s been out of my sight for almost five minutes. I know for a fact that her treasure hunt shouldn’t have lasted more than ninety seconds since there’s a large vase on the kitchen counter.
Abby keeps it at the ready because her husband brings her a fresh flowers every week.
I finally hear the tap running. I take that to mean that she’s filling the vase.
Not more than twenty-seconds later, she appears with it in her hands.
I stalk toward her to take it from her, but she hurries to the dining room table to place it down gently.
She immediately gets to work untying the ribbon holding the stems of the roses together.
I stand near her, but not close enough to crowd her.
I suspect she knows what I want. Or maybe she was too drunk to recall her virgin confession. Either way, I need to test the waters.
“Lavender roses are my favorite,” she whispers before I can say a word about the night of the wedding and what she said to me.
“I know.”
She stops placing the roses in the vase to look up at me. “How?”
I stare into her eyes. “Abby was ordering flowers for your birthday, and I overheard her. She told the florist that lavender roses are your favorite.”
She blinks twice. “My birthday was months ago. It was before we met in her office.”
“Yes,” I admit. “Lavender roses are rare, so that stayed with me. I remembered it.”
Her gaze drops briefly before it’s back on my face. She takes her time studying the curve of my jaw and the shape of my nose before she locks eyes with me again. “They’re beautiful, Rook. Thank you. I know you brought them because you think having Posey here is disruptive, but it’s not.”
Posey didn’t factor into my decision to pick up those flowers for her. I brought them to put a smile on her face.
“Can I buy you a drink?” I smile. “Or a coffee?”
It’s not the ideal scenario to discuss what happened at the wedding, but that conversation is overdue.
“You want to buy me a drink or a coffee?” Her gaze leaves me again to fall back on the flowers.