When Rena woke in her own bed the next morning, she blinked up at the darkness. A glance at her phone showed it hadn’t yet reached six, so she had a few more minutes to sleep in before she got a fresh start on the day. She stretched and moaned, feeling a few pops of relief.
Then she froze.
How did I get here?
The events of the previous night came rushing back at her, and she covered her face with a pillow, mortified that Axel had seen her in her bunny PJs while she’d been whining and crying about not having a man.
God. Can my life get any worse?
She sucked in a breath and darted for the bathroom.Yes, my life can get worse.She groaned again. There, out for anyone to see, six different hair products, a sludge of toothpaste on the counter she’d meant to clean up last week, an open box of tampons, and, on the floor, the dirty clothes she’d worn yesterday as well as the towel she planned to wash when she did laundry. She looked like a slob. She could only pray Axel hadn’t needed to use the bathroom. Then again, if she’d been in his place and he’d been passed out, would she have snooped?
Yep. Totally.
She covered her burning cheeks and said out loud, needing to hear the truth, “Well, it’s not like he can think worse of me than he already does.”
Needing to clear her mind, she hurried into workout tights and some layers, donned a headband and her walking shoes, and set out for some early morning exercise. She knew this neighborhood in Rainier and felt comfortable walking with only her keys and pepper spray for protection, just in case. Rena was no fool.
No, not when it comes to protecting your body from a would-be mugger. But God forbid you not let on to the sexiest man alive how pathetic and needy you are.
Fortunately the chill air hadn’t affected the dry sidewalks, so she didn’t fear slipping. A good thing, because her walk grew faster as, in her haste to recall last night, she remembered everything she’d told him. Yet as she moved, she realized something else. Axel hadn’t made fun of her. He’d listened. He’d called her the most lovable woman he knew. He’d held her close and hugged her when she’d cried. Her heart skipped a beat recalling that.
Such compassion from the big, strong bruiser.
Yet for all that he’d listened, he hadn’t volunteered to be her Mr. Right, had he?
She would have sighed if she could catch a breath. Instead, she warmed up to a light jog, motivated to run off her embarrassment.
Half an hour later, she returned home and went into the kitchen to grab some water, glad she’d worked up a sweat despite the winter cold.
At the sight of a single red rose lying on the dining table, she froze. Had someone broken in while she’d been gone? Before panic could set in, the note by the flower held her transfixed.
She saw Axel’s name scrawled at the bottom.
Rena stroked the pretty red petals and stared at the note. In strong, bold caps, he’d written:
Häschen, I am glad you got some much needed sleep. You are more lovely than you know. Everyone but you can see it. This flower does not do you justice, but I wanted you to know you deserve beauty in your life. I did tell you I was leaving when I tucked you into bed, but I do not think you heard me. I will see you Friday night for our next date. (Because tonight did NOT count)
Have some faith that your Mr. Right is waiting for you. You need to be patient.
And don’t even try wiggling out of Friday.
XO Axel
She fanned her face, hot and bothered by all the emotions she was feeling. She’d never had such a romantic note in her life. He called her lovely? A flower didn’t do her justice? She lifted the rose and smelled its sweet perfume, then read the note over and over again.
One thing troubled her. Nowhere did Axel claim to be or want to be her Mr. Right. Was that a sign he was humoring her until he got her into bed? Did he want the date to show her he really liked her—he wanted her to wait for him? Or was he just being kind, wanting something casual and helping her to see her potential?
Or, as she’d often been accused, was she overthinking things?
I should just appreciate the flower and that I have a date Friday night.She grew giddy and danced her way up the stairs to her room before settling down. She folded the note and tucked it away in a box where she kept her most prized possessions: two torn pictures of her father, her first valentine from a little boy in kindergarten, a child’s locket with her initials on it (a gift from her mother), and a photo of her and Del when they’d signed a lease together for the townhouse. For now, Axel’s note would join the items she treasured.
She sniffed the rose again and left it on the bathroom counter while she showered, singing Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” and sighing to herself, imagining her perfect HEA in which she kissed Axel and their four kids goodbye as they left for school…
The day passed in a blur, her clients happy, her stylists happy, and Rena’s mood buoyant for no reason at all. She’d kept the rose at home except for one petal, which she’d tucked into the front pocket of her jeans.
As she finished sweeping, Tommie came up to her looking suspicious. All the clients had left for the day, with just the stylists remaining behind.
“What?” Rena asked, humming to herself as she turned to straighten up the wash station. She noticed Stella and Nicky watching.
