The door opened a crack. Cheyenne appeared. “What do you want?” she asked rudely.
Noelle tightened her grip on the tin of pricey flowers. “I have a delivery for Cheyenne Clifton.”
“Flowers?” Her tone softened.
“Venus et Fleur, also known as forever flowers. They’re sourced from farms known for their extraordinary horticultural standards.”
“I like the word extraordinary,” Cheyenne smugly replied.
“It’s because of the preservation process. They should last at least a year.”
“Guaranteed?”
Noelle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Correct. The company guarantees their beauty for a year.” She tapped the top of the instruction sheet tucked in behind the signature card.
Cheyenne snatched the container from Noelle’s hands. “I’ll be checking them to make sure none are damaged.”
“As I said…”
The door slammed in Noelle’s face. “What a witch,” she muttered under her breath.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the curtain move and glimpsed a man resembling Robert Barbetz.
Noelle stomped down the sidewalk, all the while hoping Cheyenne was allergic to the chemical in the flower’s preservatives and that she broke out into an itchy, scaly rash. Moving at a brisk pace, she reached the coffee shop in record time.
Peyton was already inside, watching for her friend. She sprang from her chair, flagging her down.
Noelle marched over, still aggravated by the woman’s rude behavior.
“I would ask if you delivered the flowers to our annoying islander, but I can tell by the look on your face you have,” Peyton joked.
“That woman is obnoxious,” Noelle huffed. “She grabbed the flowers right out of my hands. Had she not slammed the door in my face, I could’ve conked her over the head with the metal container.”
Her friend laughed out loud. “Now, this is a sight I would’ve paid to see. Was Robert around?”
“I noticed a guy peeking out from behind a curtain.”
Peyton slid a cup toward her. “I went ahead and ordered a chai tea for you. I hope it’s okay.”
“I love chai tea.” Noelle sipped the savory concoction. “I feel calmer already. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Peyton reached into her jacket pocket and removed a pair of travel binoculars. “This is the perfect spot to monitor the situation.”
“You can see Cheyenne’s place?”
“Clear as a bell. I watched the delivery, but because your back was to me, I missed the part where she grabbed the flowers, although I did see her slam the door.”
“Right in my face,” Noelle said. “I’ve never met Harlow’s ex, but I almost feel sorry for him.”
“Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.” Peyton held the binoculars to her eyes and adjusted the dial. “These little gems work like a charm. I can see movement behind the curtains.”
“Seriously?” Her friend craned her neck.
“For sure, two people are moving around inside her place.” Peyton handed her the binoculars. “Check it out.”
Noelle set her drink off to the side. “We couldn’t have picked a more perfect spot. We have an unobstructed view of her place.”
“Can I help you find something?”
