"Why did you pick those?"
"I didn't get you flowers for your room. They are beautiful though." She returns to her bathroom to finish putting on a heavy amount of makeup—another thing my Ana didn't do.
My gut turns as I realize my flower stalker has followed me again. This is the same arrangement that was on my mom's bedside after her funeral. The same flowers I have sent to the hospital every time they’re delivered. The same flowers that mean an apology. I don't know what apology or even who sends them, but I get them and I hate them. Jones thinks it has something to do with my parents’ deaths as there is also a delivery of dark crimson roses to their gravesite in Tel Aviv every year for the whole month of June.
I need to get off this crazy train. I follow Ana back into her room.
"How do I look? Do you approve?" I turn around in my deep purple printed scarf dress with open toe high heels that buckle at my ankle. I have the dress wrapped so the ties cross around my back and waist and end at the small of my back. My dress is daring as the front is open to almost my navel. I have strategically lifted the back so my tattoo doesn't show but mycleavage does. I’ve got them, so I'm going to flaunt them. My high heels are almost five inches in height, I'm going to be looking down on a few men. Perfect! Well, not Duncan. Woah! Down, girl, no thoughts of that.
"I love it, Maya, it’s so you, and those shoes are hot."
"I got this while I was in Tel Aviv last year. I bought a couple other dresses in different Mediterranean styles too. I love them because they pack easily."
"I like it."
"Good, because I bought you one too in turquoise. Here." I toss her the package I'm carrying.
"Oh, I can't accept this, Jonathon wouldn’t approve. It's not the style he wants me to wear."
"Excuse me. The hell you say. Pick out your own clothes, woman. This is so you."
I want my best friend back, the one who didn't care what a guy thought, or anyone else for that matter.
"He's my soon-to-be husband, and he wouldn't like that much cleavage showing." She points to my chest.
"Fine, I'll keep it for when you pull your head out of your ass and tell him that you wear anything you want. Besides, I bought you a tube top to match, it hides the cleavage," I grumble at her.
"Please, Maya, don't be angry. He’s trying for a big promotion and I have to look my best," she begs.
"Okay, this is your dress and I'll have it whenever you want it."
A knock at her door concludes our conversation.
"Coming," she yells as I return to my room to put her dress away for safekeeping. "Daddy, you look handsome, and so do you,Duncan."
I walk into the room and see both men waiting for us.
"Maya, sweetheart, look at you. I can't believe it's been over a year since I saw you last. How is work?" He pulls me into his arms and kisses my cheek. This man has been so special to me since I lost my parents. He filled in when I didn't know I needed them. He used to come visit me monthly and was at both my graduation from college and the police academy. He and Greg are my rocks.
"James, I'm good. You know how work can be." I catch Duncan over his shoulder looking at me. He is wearing an all-black suit. He still needs to shave, but it turns me on, and I want him to rub that scruff over my body. Oh crap! No more of those thoughts. I smile at him and he smirks at me, it's like he can read my mind.
"Daddy, ask Maya about her new job." Ana interrupts my mini-orgasm.
"What new job?" He pulls back and his eyebrows drop. "Greg hasn't mentioned a new job."
"We need to get downstairs before Jonathon thinks Ana is pulling a runaway bride."
"We will be talking about this, darling." He walks to Ana and offers his arm. Duncan walks to me and offers his.
As soon as my hand touches his arm, I feel the tingles from earlier. He covers my hand with his and there’s a slight tremble to his fingers. Maybe I'm not the only one affected here. He flexes his muscular forearm under my hand and I tighten my grip. We all head down to the rehearsal and I wonder if the best man is going to annoy me as much as it sounds like Jonathon will.
Jonathon isas stuffy and pretentious as this hotel. I knew the instant he decided he was better than me and didn't like me. What can I say, I don't like him either. He brushed me off and started flaunting Ana in front of his business associates that he invited to what is supposed to be a family night. Duncan left me, and James started mingling too. I hate mingling and feel out of place. This is only the drink service, we haven't even started the actual rehearsal, and I already want to leave.
"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" a male voice says from behind me.
"Excuse me?" I turn and look at the blond man holding two glasses.
He is about six-one with blue eyes and a trim body. He is probably a runner, as in he runs from a fight. There was a time when this type of man would appeal to me for a one-night stand, but now his type just annoys me. I turn to walk away.
