When I’m finally off the plane, sitting in the black SUV taking me across town to Los Feliz, I actually do start to feellike a star. Don’t worry, I won’t let it go to my head, but being able to place last-minute special orders and have them delivered exactly when I need them?Thatis a level of fame I can get used to. It also helps to live in the second-largest city in the U.S.
A quick text from Haddy lets me know everything is in place, meaning Gina is at home. I thank the guy for the ride, grab my bag, and take a quick breath before climbing the steps to the cute bungalow I used to call home.
I’m dressed in my suit from after the game, and my too-long hair is back in a small ponytail. Waiting on the porch is the cellophane-wrapped bundle and a small blue box I special ordered.
I put my duffel bag beside the chair and pick them up. I take the pouch out of the box, inspecting the contents briefly.Perfect.
Straightening my jacket, I smooth a piece of hair off my face before I tap the door lightly three times and enter.
The television is on, showing highlights from some national dog show. Mav glances over his shoulder and stands, giving me a nod before heading to the kitchen.
“You’re going to miss the judging!” Gina calls after him, and her sweet voice hits me right in the chest.
I swallow the emotions thick in my throat and walk to the couch where she’s lying, holding the remote.
“Owen!” she gasps, sitting up quickly.
She’s dressed in a pink tee with a bunch of dogs on the front and the wordsMan’s Best Friend, only it has aWoin script before theMan. She’s also wearing black PJ pants with white poodles all over them.
Her strawberry hair is up in a ponytail, and her face is washed. The sprinkling of freckles is visible across the bridge of her nose, and she looks so damn good, for amoment, I have trouble remembering all the things I planned to say.
“Gina,” I start, but my voice is hoarse.
I clear it, and I’m about to start my prepared statement when her lips tighten into a frown.
She throws the remote onto the couch, cutting me off with a sharp, “No.”
Then, she turns on her toe and walks quickly past me to the stairs, running up them without even looking back.
“Wait…” I frown, looking up in the direction she fled.
Mav sticks his head out the door to the kitchen and waves his hand in a scooping-upward motion. “Go get her!”
I look down at the bouquet of roses I’m holding, and I hesitate, waiting for it…
“What…?” Her voice rings out from upstairs. “Who did this?”
None of this is going how I planned it, but hell, when has my life ever followed a plan?
I jog up the stairs to find her standing in the hall with both hands on her head, looking into her bedroom.
I stop on the landing, remembering the night so long ago when I was in this very same spot, watching her in her doorway. I remember how badly I longed for her that night… I think it’s only gotten worse… and when our eyes met, she came to me then.
Her arms drop to her sides, and she turns to face me now. “Did you do this?”
“You said you wanted someone to bring you flowers just because he was thinking about you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since Thursday night, so I figured I should give you the same amount of flowers.”
I ordered enough white tulips, pink and white roses, and blue hyacinths to fill her bedroom. Haddy and Mav helpedme arrange them all. Well, Haddy arranged them. Mav kept Gina distracted while she did it.
And apparently, I owe Haddy “big time,” because it took six trips to sneak them all in without raising suspicion. No worries—I’ll do whatever she wants if this goes how I plan.
“Well…” She exhales through her lips, sounding almost reluctant. “They’re beautiful.”
“The lady at the flower shop said those are the flowers that sayI’m sorry.” My eyes haven’t left her. “I didn’t even know there were specific flowers for that.”
I take a cautious step closer, holding out the bouquet of red roses in my hand. “I got these because they meanI love you.”
She’s shaking her head no as her beautiful eyes fill with tears.
