“Angelo, can I put this in the window?”
Jared’s head spins to me. I wave the leaflet at him, already climbing into the window and slotting it into the corner. “Have you got copies? We have a photocopier.”
“For business use,” Angelo adds.
“Exactly.” I nod.
“Mybusiness use.”
“Which is what this is. We’re using your business. Which is very kind, thank you. Eat your beetroot. It’s good for you.”
Jared glances between us. “Uh. Thank you. I appreciate it.”
His cheeks are red.
“Come back sometime,” Angelo says suddenly. “I will teach you about flowers.”
I blink. So does Jared, his eyebrows raising. “That’s very kind of you, sir.”
“Not today though. Today we are busy. So go away.”
Angelo spins, disappearing into the back office as Jared gapes. I hide my laughter behind my hand. “He doesn’t mean it.”
“I do.” Angelo shouts back to us. “Emmy is very distracted by nice-looking men. She will ruin another bouquet.”
I sigh. “I promise, that’s not what it sounds like.”
“Blond ones,” Angelo shouts. “Dark ones. Red ones.”
“I am not – wait. What do you mean,redones?”
My heart starts to thump, hairs lifting on the back of my neck. Turning away from Jared, I chase Angelo down. He’s sitting behind his desk, about to bite into a croissant he clearly stashed here this morning. When I appear in the doorway, he tries to hide it behind his back, but the crumbs on his shirt give him away.
I don’t care about the croissant. “What do you mean, the red one? What red one?”
My voice rises.
“Em.” Jared is behind me. “What’s the matter?”
“Angelo.” I can’t breathe. “Who was here? Was there someone else here?”
He puts the croissant down, studying me.
“A man,” he says finally. Seriously. “Yesterday. I thought he was one of your men. He asked for you, but you were not working.”
Slowly, I shake my head. It feels like water is rushing into my ears. “Not… not one of mine. Did he say my full name?”
Angelo frowns. “He got it mixed up. I thought you met him on the flame app. What was it? Emmy…,”
I know what he’s going to say before he says it.
“Matthews.” He clicks his fingers. “Emmy Matthews.”
The blood drains from my face. My hands. My feet.
“Emilia.” Jared is in front of me now. His hands are on my shoulders.
I can’t hear you.
