“Yeah,” I replied with a nod. “He told me this morning that he heard from him last night. He made it there okay, and all is good.”
“That’s good,” Lucas said quietly.
“Luke.” We heard Callie and glanced over to see her standing with a woman, waving him over.
“That’s my cue. I’ll see ya tomorrow night.” He clapped my shoulder and walked off, disappearing down a small hallway with Callie and the woman.
“They’re for my anniversary,” I heard the man in front of me say. He turned to head for the door, and my brow furrowed at the bouquet in his hand.
I was still watching him as he made his way down the sidewalk when I stepped up to the counter. “Black roses. That seems a bit morbid for an anniversary.”
The woman behind the counter chuckled. “I think a lot of people misinterpret black roses.”
“Aren’t they like…doom and gloom and death?”
“No.” The woman laughed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean, they can be used to convey grief or loss, yes. But they have several other meanings…”
The woman ran down a list of different meanings for the roses while I ordered my mom’s arrangement to be picked up tomorrow. When she stepped away to put my order in the back, I pulled out my phone, sending Morgan a quick message—her being mentioned by Lucas had me suddenly craving her company.
Come over tonight.
Princess
K.
I stared at my screen for a moment, blinking a few times.
The “K” is really throwing me off here.
Why?
It’s giving pissy and dismissive…
Sorry. I had a shit day today with some project delays, and I’m just in a mood.
Well, I’ll get you unmooded later.
That’s not even a word.
It is now, Princess.
K.
“Okay, you’re all set, sir,” the woman said.
I glanced up from my phone and smiled, but my eyes strayed to the case behind her, displaying their various rose options. A thought struck me, and I smirked as I slipped my phone back into my pocket. “Can I get one more thing…”
After leaving the florist, I made a few more stops before heading home. I hung out, channel surfed through the TV, ordered a pizza for dinner because I didn’t feel like cooking, and waited for Morgan to arrive.
When the knock finally came on my door around seven, I opened it and saw Morgan standing on the other side. I chuckled as I took in her stressed demeanor and stepped aside to let her in. “Rough week?”
“You could say that. And all I can say is thank God it’s Friday.”
“Well…” I smirked. “I got you something that might cheer you up a little bit…”
Her brows pinched as she looked at me. I bent down, grabbing my “gift” from the small recess in the island where I’dhidden it. When I set it on the counter and slid it over to her, her brow furrowed deeper. “You…you got me flowers?” Her tone was laced with sheer skepticism, and honestly, rightfully so.
I chuckled. “Yeah, well…you said earlier you were having a bad day, so I wanted to do something to cheer you up.” Her eyes lifted from the flowers to mine, her expression filled with bewilderment as she reached for the small bouquet of black roses, taking them into her hand. There were only six of them, so it wasn’t some astounding display. “The lady at the flower shop ran down a list of meanings behind black roses, and one of them wassupreme hatred.” I snorted at the look now on her face. “It seemed too fitting to pass up.”
