“Please have the card for the flowers say, ‘I just wanted to make you smile. Also, I don’t know what you like to eat, so I hope you enjoy’,” I smirked to myself, “And have it signed from Johnny Cash.”
She gave me a quizzical look, before looking alarmed at the small, genuine smile I had on my face. I never smiled at work. I never got personal enough for it. Walking back into my office, I had my own list of shit to do. Such as calling my realestate agent and having him put in an offer on her apartment. It was in a great neighborhood and could be something I could use to help with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program.
“When she accepts the offer, I want you to send in a crew after she moves out. I want you to fix it up perfectly and paint it. Do not give her my name, tell her the buyer wishes to remain anonymous. Look into how I go about possibly using it to rent out to members of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program if they need a year to get on their feet.”
“Yes, sir. You can count on me,” Jared said. He had been my real estate agent since he helped me find my apartment ten years ago, and then helped me buy the building. Thankfully, no one knew it was me that was the landlord. I didn’t want people showing up with complaints on my door. I ended up hiring a live-in maintenance man, someone who people could call the Super. He set up an automatic payment to me for rent as soon as I offered the job and said it was a position that comes with an apartment at a lower cost by a few hundred. He practically jumped at it for the lower rent alone.
It seemed it was time to invest in some more real estate for another added income. Maybe I would take that building too. It was in a decent area, decent schools. Everything Jared was telling me about the listing was great, minus the consistent, round-the-clock harassment from her ex-husband and his mistress. That was fine.
I’d handle them.
*****
Around four in the afternoon, my phone rang. Looking at it, I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered. Curiosity got the better of me. Thank fuck I'm not a cat.
“This is Cash.” My voice sounded as arrogant as possible.
“Thanks for the flowers, Johnny.” I heard the sweetest voice and the small smile that said she couldn’t get it off her face. I thought my ears were deceiving me. I hoped I wasn’t dreaming, but hearing her, I instantly felt lighter. It felt like all the shit from the day had faded.
A smile plastered across my face; I knew I looked fucking stupid.
“You’re welcome, Red. How was the food selection?” I was smiling as big as possible, knowing I probably sounded like that nervous teenage boy. She giggled.
“Well, considering today was Moving Day and we had a steady stream of food coming, it wasn’t all that bad. However, when the flowers showed up, Eddie lost it. He was so mad when he found out everything was from you. But I thought it was delicious. Mmm!” She took a second, where it sounded like there were others around, but she was moving further away. Were we about to share secrets?
“Where did you get those egg rolls from?” Her voice was a whisper, like she cupped her hand around the phone so no one would hear.
“Did you like them?” I asked, conspiratorially. If these are the kind of secrets she expects, I’m gonna have to take her there myself.
“Yes!” She quietly exclaimed, sounding so happy, and also a bit like I should have known. “Those and the milkshakes. Mmm!”
“Which flavor?”
“Peanut butter chocolate.” She let a breath out, “To die for. Almost better than the candy.”
“That does sound delicious, and highly unlikely.” I mused. Just enjoying the happiness in her voice. I was also locking away all the information she was giving me for future reference. I wanted to be prepared. Whatever she could think of wanting. I wanted to know. I heard grumbling in the background.
“Is that Eddie sulking?”
That caused, what sounded like, a full belly laugh. It was so beautiful. So unrestrained and free. It was such an infectious, uplifting sound. I was laughing with her before I knew what was happening. Soon the sun was setting, a cursory glance at the clock showed it was seven o’clock and I was still in the office.
On the phone with this beautiful woman, talking like we were the best of friends, and had been for years. Or like old friends catching up with each other after being away for so long. Or…maybe it was like getting to know everything about the woman I was going to marry.
And that thought made all of this that much better. That much more special.
I was learning about my future wife.
And I couldn’t ask for anyone better.
Chapter Twenty-Five:
Devin’s POV
Getting to know Cash, my own man in black, was wonderful. We continued to talk back and forth, texting and calling, but did not actually see each other for another week. Our schedules, with work alone, were not lining up. And then we were so busy in our off-time that we couldn’t see each other.
At all.
He was a “Big Brother” in the Big Brother-Big Sister Program where an adult volunteers to mentor a child who needs it most. He mentored his “little brother” twice a week. Plus, he’d still go to his mom's house every Sunday early in the morning to help her with whatever around the house, yard work, and to just spend the day with her. He also worked very hard as a partner in Clint’s firm.
