Just as I open my mouth to agree, there’s a knock at my door.
“Hold on,” I tell them, brushing my hands on my wide-legged slacks. “If it’s another delivery of Caiden’s protein shakes, I’m going to start charging him per package I accept.”
“It’s not the only package you accept from him,” AJ yells, and I snort loudly as I head toward the door.
Peering out of the peephole, I only just spy Tanner standing outside my apartment looking mildly overwhelmed, and with good reason. He’s carrying what appears to be the entire floral shop, several enormous bouquets of flowers tucked against one side of his body, while an oversized teddy bear is hugged tightly to the other side. In the hand attached to the arm guarding the bear is a box of chocolates that used to be my favorite before they started making me sick, and hanging on the arm holding the flowers is a gift bag that looks to be holding a bottle of wine.
What the hell?
Opening the door, I blink at Tanner.
Tanner blinks back.
“Should I be concerned about possible rich enemies or something?” he asks, and a startled laugh slips free, just as a shriek floats from my cell phone.
“SHOW US!” AJ demands from my phone, and I hurry over to retrieve it before rotating the camera to show the girls the delivery that has appeared.
Henley gasps softly, Zelda raises an eyebrow with no small amount of suspicion, while AJ immediately declares, “Oh, one of those boys of yours is definitely trying to get pregnant.”
“Oh my God,” I laugh, shaking my head.
Tanner grins, amused but very used to the nonsense my friends and I bring, before he steps into the apartment and deposits everything on the kitchen island carefully. The teddybear lands on his very own stool, the flowers take up most of the counter on the island, and Tanner hands me the wine and chocolates directly as he says, “There wasn’t a card on the flowers, so I’m not sure who sent everything. It all arrived at the same time, so I didn’t get a chance to ask any of the delivery men who the sender was.”
That kind of makes my stomach dip slightly, the rush of surprise fading. Still, I assume it’s one or more of the guys being adorably romantic in the most dramatic way, so I say, “Just a sec. I’ll ask the guys.”
Tanner nods, so I find the group chat I need and type out a quick message.
MADDIE:I don’t suppose any of you sent me enough flowers to financially ruin any nearby florists? I’m not prepared for botanical warfare today, so who declared war in the form of peonies and roses?
Eyeing my new emotional support bouquet, I shake my head again, stunned by the sheer size of it. I wonder how Tanner managed to carry it without dropping the thing.
Checking my cell, I find two replies already waiting for me, and I read them one after the other.
CAIDEN:If I was going to seduce you, I wouldn’t do it through the art of photosynthesis.
I snort.
BAXTER:Just how much have you received? Are we talking hostage-level amount of flowers?
Rolling my eyes, I type out a reply.
MADDIE:It looks like there’s enough to trigger seasonal allergies in neighboring countries. I’m talking aboutenough romantic foliage to qualify for garden tax. And that’s not all. I also have a teddy large enough that it looks like it needs its own bedroom. There’s also chocolates and wine. Which of you are trying really hard to get laid tonight?
More replies come quick, like they were waiting on me to respond.
BAXTER:I mean, if the offer stands ;)
CAIDEN:Is that all it would take? I took you more for a woman who’d prefer to have a store’s worth of books and iced coffee delivered. Never would have taken you to fold for a floral bandit. I’ve been doing it all wrong, damn it.
Jesus Christ.
Thankfully, the other two are a little more in touch with their serious sides, their responses direct and to the point.
RAYNE:I didn’t send anything, mayhem. Is there a card?
To Tanner, I ask, “Is there definitely no card or note?”
He shakes his head, propping his hands on his hips. “Nothing, Mads. I kind of assumed it was one of the guys in the apartment below. It wasn’t them?”
