"I have to take extra time off, Phoebe. Jack got rather snotty when I asked him for it. I want the rest of my vacation, but I'm not spending every waking minute here while my mom recovers."
"I hear ya." She smiled, bobbing her dark red curls. "Any way I can help, you let me know. You're my boss, not Jack Simpson and he can bite my tight ass if he thinks he can push either of us around."
"You said it! How about dinner on me after work? I have something to talk over with you."
"Cool! I'll be in shortly, I've got some more copies to run. Want me to hold your calls?"
"Nobody but the family knows I'm back. I doubt I'll get any."
"Okay, I'll be back in about fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, Deb's got your phone and the desk covered."
"Super. Thanks, hon."
Mara shut her door and sat in her office for a few minutes before she pulled the first file toward her. She'd done five by the time Phoebe came back in and dragged another file off the stack and sat on the other side of the desk. She'd brought in coffee and cookies on a tray. Mara smiled her thanks and went back to her files.
The phone beeped and Phoebe picked up. "Yes, Debbie?"
"There's a delivery for Miss Cross," she said excitedly. "She's supposed to sign for it personally."
"Okay, Deb. I'll tell her." She hung up and gave Mara the message.
Confused, Mara walked out to the main office. At the reception desk she saw a beleaguered delivery man. Stacked beside him were at least ten floral boxes, each of them large.
"What on earth?" Reaching for the clipboard, she signed for the flowers.
The delivery man looked tired, but smiled. "Now, there's something that goes with the flowers," he grinned, pulling a CD player out from behind the boxes.
Pressing the button, the opening chords of Linger began to play. As the song progressed, the man opened each box of flowers, presenting them to Mara with a flourish. In the last box was a note.
"Yours Now, Forever, Always. I Love You! Cole."
Mara was not the only woman in tears by the time the song ended. The delivery man gathered up his CD player and started toward the elevator.
"Wait!" Mara called after him. "Phoebe, get my purse. He deserves the best tip I can give him!"
"No need, Miss Cross. That's been seen to," he smiled. "You enjoy those flowers. I admit, it's the most unusual delivery I've made, but the most fun for sure. Take care now." Tipping his hat, he left with a smile on his face and a spring in his step.
"They're gorgeous!" Phoebe and the others were sniffing the roses and other flowers.
"Where will I put them all? I know! Girls, grab what you want and we'll split them up. That one's mine," she pointed to the last box. It was full of dark red and white, long stemmed roses.
"Are you sure?" Phoebe was stunned.
"Yes, that way wherever I go in the office, I'm reminded of him." Taking her box of roses, she went back to her office.
"Him? Him who? Mara!" Phoebe grabbed an assortment of flowers and followed her back to the office.
"I'll tell you about it at dinner," she replied over her shoulder. "Let's finish this mess and get the hell out of here."
She and Phoebe had the files gone over and signed in record time. Taking their flowers, they locked up her office and left.
"Where are we going?" Phoebe asked as they were walking past the reception desk.
"Dinner at Sarducci's," Mara replied.
"Sarducci's? I'm not dressed for that!"
Sarducci's was the most exclusive Italian restaurant downtown. Mara could always get a table, because she had done the renovations on the restaurant a year ago.
"You look great. It's really rather casual. Come on, you don't want to pass up the best baked ziti in town do you? We'll have to take your car, Phoebe. My sister dropped me off."
"That's okay. You're paying for dinner. I can drive us there." She giggled. "So tell me about the flower guy!"
Mara grinned slyly. "Oh, Phoebe. He's so incredible!"
"Must be rich, if he can afford those flowers!"
"I don't even know. He could be dirt poor, and I wouldn't care."
"So.... How well did you get to know him?"
Mara blushed. "Well enough."
"Oh, my God!"
On the way to the restaurant, Mara told her all about meeting Cole and Red. Phoebe hung on every word. When she told her about dancing with Cole at the restaurant, Phoebe sighed.
"That's so romantic! So that's why the song with the flowers? Oh, how sweet!"
The restaurant looked like an old, Italian plaza done in rustic and very authentic decor. The two women were seated at a great table overlooking the fountain. It sparkled and glittered in the candlelight. They ordered their meals and sipped glasses of wine while they listened to the band play.
Mara was reminded of the guys who had played for her and Cole and felt herself tearing up. To distract herself, she turned to Phoebe with a grin.
©2021 Dellani Oakes
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