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I won’t have to be the bearer of bad news. I can dump everything in the lap of the woman I’m talking to.

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” I say before ending the call.

This delivery debacle is almost over. After a quick stop at Liam’s office, I’ll be home free.

Chapter 3

Athena

“Oh, no.” Audrey, the woman sitting behind the reception desk at Dehaven Center, shakes her head. “Are you saying that you tried to give these to his girlfriend, and she refused them?”

I nod. I explained the situation to her twice. The first time I could tell she wasn’t paying attention. Her focus was on the screen of the phone in her hands.

When I plopped the enormous bouquet on her desk, she took notice, so I repeated my story word-for-word a second time.

“I thought Wren was the woman of his dreams,” she mutters under her breath. “Why would she do this?”

I shrug as if the question was directed at me even though I know she’s lost in thought.

I shove a hand into the front pocket of my jeans and tug out Liam’s credit card. “He forgot this at my shop. Can you see to it that he gets this too?”

Her gaze floats over the card before it lands back on the envelope. “You said that she wrote him a note?”

I watch as she flips the envelope over. Her fingernail skims over the small piece of blue tape.

I lean forward. “Her note is in there. It’s for his eyes only.”

It’s not my place to say that, but I swear that this woman is about ready to pull back the tape and read the message.

“Of course.” She pushes the envelope to the side. “Did she say anything about what she was feeling?”

The compassion in her tone is unmistakable. Blonde curls bounce around her heart-shaped face. She’s dressed in a cream suit with a pink blouse underneath. Her entire look gives off an air of calmness and serenity.

It makes sense since she’s the first person to greet anyone who walks through the double glass doors of the Dehaven Center.

The reception area that I’m standing in is decorated in muted tones. There’s soft music playing and the gray chairs that line the wall face a coffee table that is covered in magazines and pamphlets.

To the left is a corridor that’s home to a series of doors. All of them are open except one.

I’m not about to offer her a replay of Wren’s words, so I go with the easy answer. “She asked me to give the note and the flowers to him.”

Audrey trails a fingertip over one of the petals of a yellow daylily. “These are breathtaking. Mr. Wolf has great taste, doesn’t he?”

I glance over my shoulder at the bank of elevators beyond the glass doors before I level my gaze back on her face. “I need to go.”

“I introduced them,” she says, shoving to her feet. “Wren did my engagement photos and I’ve booked her for the wedding too.”

She wiggles her left hand in the air, showing off a diamond and emerald ring.

“This isn’t my first marriage, but who says you can’t have it all the second time around?”

I’m not one to judge. If circumstances were different, I’d pitch my case to do the flowers for her wedding, but I’m only here to deliver bad news.

As if she’s read my mind, she sighs. “Which florist do you work for? I’m looking for just the right person to handle the flowers for my special day.”

My hand dives back into my tote. I yank out another business card. I haven’t given out two in one day before.

“I own Wild Lilac.” I drop the card in front of her. “I’d be honored to work with you on creating the perfect floral designs for your wedding.”


Tags: Deborah Bladon Romance