She leaned against the door, smiling almost shyly. “Thanks, Ollie.”
“Pleasure was all mine.” I pulled my keys from my pocket and headed for my car, turning my head back only at the sound of the door clicking shut.
I got into my car and pulled out my phone, bringing up our text message thread.
ME: You didn’t tell me to stop flirting with you.
After hitting send, I tossed my phone on the passenger seat and pulled away from her house.
And try as I might, I couldn’t wipe the stupid fucking grin off my face.
CHAPTER NINE – LONDON
RULE NINE: PINK MAKES THE BOYS WINK. ESPECIALLY IF THE PINK THING IS YOUR CHEEKS.
“Hey, London? These were just delivered for you.”
I looked up from my laptop and froze. “What?”
Mandy poked her head out from around the bouquet of flowers. “They have your name on. Do you have a secret admirer?”
I pushed my chair back with a shake of my head. “Not that I know of, but then again, if I knew, it wouldn’t be secret. Can you put them on the desk, please?”
My assistant shuffled over and put the bouquet of pretty colored flowers on an empty part of my desk. “They’re amazing. The card is just here.”
I took the folded white card she offered me and opened it.
London,
Thanks again for dinner last night. It’s really been a long time since I had homecooked food.
Ollie
I fought back a smile and folded the card, replacing it in the bouquet, then looked at Mandy. “Thanks. Just a friend thanking me for dinner.”
She peered over at the yellow roses that were interspersed with purple irises and pink carnations. “If that friend is a male, I don’t think he wants to be friends.”
I cleared my throat, and she grinned.
“I’ll get back to work now.” She skipped out of my office and closed the door behind her.
I turned back to the flowers.
Why had he sent flowers? The dinner was a thank you to him.
Was Mandy right? Was Oliver interested in more than friendship with me?
No. That wasn’t right. He was Leo’s soccer coach. That wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?
He did get along with Leo. Leo loved him, actually. Had for ages. And Oliver was handsome and sweet and made me laugh.
He also said in his interview he wasn’t sure if he was staying in America, and I wasn’t interested in a relationship that might not last.
Oh, fuck it all.
I grabbed my phone and snapped a picture, then sent it to both my cousins and all my friends individually to see what they thought, explaining the situation.
The messages came back one by one, all promptly.
You’d think none of them had a life or a job.
IVY: Oh, yeah. He’s interested.
I started a quick tally chart on my notebook.
SAYLOR: Yup. Bang him at least.
Always elegant.
TORI: Definitely interested. Good chance to get laid.
As with Saylor, I was not surprised by that response.
KINSLEY: Oh I agree with Mandy. He’s definitely interested in you. This could be good for you!
Why couldn’t Ivy use that many words? She was my cousin, after all.
PIPER: OOOHHHHH HE WANTS YOU
My friends, ladies and gentlemen.
HOLLEY: Saylor said bang him, Kinsley likes this journey for you (she needs to lay off Schitt’s Creek) and I’m going straight down the middle. I think he definitely likes you. I also think it wouldn’t hurt either of you to have some fun while Leo is away.
The voice of reason.
Well, I didn’t think he was interested, so I was wholly outnumbered.
The idea of sleeping with him was out, though. I didn’t do that. I had never had a one-night stand in my life. I’d actually never slept with anyone I wasn’t in a relationship with.
It wasn’t anything I intended on doing anytime soon.
I chewed the inside of my lip. I knew I had to text Ollie and thank him for the flowers—and I was truly grateful—but I didn’t know what to say.
Thank you didn’t seem adequate.
Anything else seemed too much.
Ugh.
I was overthinking this, wasn’t I?
Yes, I was. Totally overthinking this.
I opened my messages with him and typed.
ME: Thank you for the flowers.
I hesitated. No, no. That was too simple.
I just got the flowers… Thank you.
Ugh. Still not right.
The flowers are beautiful. Thank you. You shouldn’t have.
Oh, that still wasn’t it. For the love of God, why was this so hard?
A shrill ring echoed through the room, and I squealed, staring at my desk phone. I put my phone down and switched it for the handset. “Hello?”
The line went dead.
Ugh.
Freaking fake calls. I was getting so over those.
My cell buzzed, and I once again switched the phones over.
OLIVER: Just wanted to say thank you properly. Glad you liked them. x
Wait.
What?
What did I send?
Holy shit.
I blinked fast and read my message. It was the last thing I’d tapped out, and I blew out a long breath.
Well, it could have been worse.
At least I’d gotten that out of the way, and his message didn’t really warrant a response.
For now. Leo did have practice tonight, after all, and I’d have to see him then.
Ohhhh.
I dropped my forehead onto the desk. What was I doing? Why was I acting like a teenager over this? I was a mother, for goodness’ sake. I had no business fluttering about like I was just seeing my teenage crush in person after years of having a poster on my wall.
I sat up and looked at the time. I had a ton of work to do. I didn’t have enough time to be sitting here lollygagging and thinking about someone who may or may not have feelings for me.
And I definitely didn’t need to be doodling a heart on the notebook to my right.
Damn it.
I tore off that page, scrunched it up, and tossed it in the metal trashcan under my desk right as two knocks sounded at my door and it was pushed open.
“Ebony, come on in,” I drawled, pushing hair from my face. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“How is your special edition coming on?” she asked, feigning interest as she walked around my office.
God, I hated her.
“Well, thank you. What are you doing in here?”
“I need you to work on a piece for me.” She turned and looked at me through her appropriately colored black hair. “There’s a concert by a local band this Saturday at Bronco’s and I need you to cover it.”
“Uh, I can’t. I’m busy working on the edition about the sports center, and you know that, since you started with it. Can’t someone else do it?”
“Nope. They’re all busy, and I know you don’t have your kid this weekend.”
“Exactly. This weekend is my weekend off. Mr. Chester told you I can’t pick up your assignments while I’m working on this. You’ll have to do it yourself.” I got up and held the door open a little wider in the hope she’d get the point. “If you don’t mind…”