“But by walking away with her already hot and bothered and ready to go, you hurt her anyway.” Jase pointed out.
Shit. “Yeah.”
“Well, I’m not Freud.” Jase wiped a clump of dirt from the tabletop. “Thank fuck for that. But, in my estimation, you both want to do this thing. So, you lay out some guidelines, toss her on the bed, and show her the ways of the sexually inclined.”
“That, right there, is why you’re a fuckin’ florist and not a therapist.” Brek stood and walked to the window of the cooler. Jase’s idea wasn’t bad. They would set more rules, understand where the other was coming from, and move forward. Communication and all that shit.
“The alternative is to get used to your right hand.” Jase followed him. “We both know that’s not gonna happen. Now, lilies are my go-to forplease let me in your pants. I think in this situation we’re going to have to layer them with a handful of hydrangeas because you got her all hot and bothered, then walked away. Nothing sayssorry I was an assholequite like hydrangeas.”
Brek pointed to some small blue flowers. “What about those?”
“Ahh…those are agapanthus blooms,” Jase slid open the door and stepped inside. “The most expensive flower we carry. These are theI’m sorry I slept with my secretaryflowers.”
“Now you’re just makin’ shit up.”
“Making shit up is my gift,” Jase replied, grabbing a handful of the stems. “Will you be paying with cash or credit?”
“Cash.” Brek pulled his wallet from his back pocket and counted out some bills. Time to talk to Velma.
Jase wrapped the flowers.
Brek tucked them into his jacket and headed back to the apartment. He’d wait for her there.
* * *
He turnedhis key in the door and pushed it open.
No Velma. The apartment was silent. He did the only thing he could think of to find her.
He dialed her sister.
Claire picked up on the first ring. “I’m not happy with you.”
“I messed up.”
“No kidding.” Claire was in a huff. He couldn’t blame her.
“Do you know where she is?” He filled one of Velma’s vases with water and set the flowers in it.
“She’s on a date,” Claire replied.
His stomach did a nosedive.
“Some matchmaking thing your mom put together,” Claire continued.
Brek cursed under his breath. “She say where this thing’s happening?”
“If I tell you are you going to muck it up again?”
“No.”
“Pinky swear promise?”
“Claire.” He practically growled at her.
“Elway’s,” Claire said, matter-of-fact. “Don’t hurt her or I’ll send Dean to hunt you down.”
“Fair enough.” He wouldn’t hurt her. Not again.
