Hopefully, that was all about to change.
Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out his card case and removed a business card. Taking out his pen, he wrote on the back, I have some news I want to share. I need to see you. Love, Nick.
He positioned the bag and flowers in front of the door. Hopefully, no one would steal the gifts, but if they did, they did. He slipped the card just under the flower box ribbon and turned back for the stairs. He would find a pub or something nearby and settle down to wait. He wouldn’t check his work email or the balances in his various investment accounts. He wouldn’t call his attorney or his accountant for updates on their progress.
He would simply sit and wait.
There was nothing more important right now than waiting for Sophia—nothing at all.
~*~
Sophia climbed the stairs, thumbing through the flyers and junk mail as she moved toward her floor. It had been good to hang out with Laura over pizza and beer. She would have been happy to stay out longer, but Laura had needed to get home. Maybe, now that it was the weekend, Nick would finally have time to get together.
If he didn’t, she’d go to The Den tomorrow night. She absolutely, positively would not become one of those women who pined after some guy. No way. Not happening.
She saw something in front of her apartment door as she made her way down the hall. Curious what it might be, she walked faster. “Whoa, what’s this?” she breathed as she got to her door.
There was a long, narrow box wrapped in a red satin ribbon. It sat on top of a large white shopping bag with sturdy handles. She plucked out the small card stuck just under the red ribbon and read it.
“Nick,” she exclaimed aloud. “Nick was here.”
When she’d given him her building code, she’d had fantasies of his showing up in the middle of the night and swooping in to have his dark, evil way with her. That had yet to happen, but clearly, he’d remembered the code.
And now, he had news. He needed to see her. How mysterious!
She unlocked her door and gathered up the things he’d left for her. Inside, she moved through her tiny apartment and sat on the sofa, placing the items on the small coffee table along with her purse and the junk mail. First, she plucked at the ribbon and opened the box. She drew in her breath as she took in what had to be easily two dozen of the most beautiful, perfect long-stemmed red roses she had ever seen. She lifted one of the roses to her nose. The fragrance was fruity and delicate. The base of the stem was nestled in a rubber-tipped floral glass water vial, as were all the roses in the box.
She set the stem carefully back into the box and peered into the large shopping bag. She pulled out two bottles of Veuve Cliquot and a ridiculously large box of chocolates with La Maison du Chocolat stamped in black letters on the lid.
“Holy shit,” she breathed aloud. “What’s this all about? Did he just close another insanely profitable real estate deal? Maybe buy a small country? Or is he just feeling guilty for being too busy to connect face-to-face for the past several days?”
Whatever his reason, that chocolate was calling her name, in spite of the earlier pizza and beer. Unable to resist, she pushed off the brown ribbon wrapped around the chocolate box and opened the lid. The most heavenly scent of rich chocolate assailed her as she stared down at row upon row of beautifully-made candies. She picked up one and took a bite, moaning aloud with pleasure as the rich, velvety flavors burst on her tongue.
As she chewed, her eye fell again on Nick’s card. When had he come by? Why hadn’t he called or texted?
One way to find out.
Fishing her phone from her purse, she started to text, but then decided against it. Even if the news was going to be bad, he deserved a call for the lovely gifts. She licked her lips as she waited for the call to connect, savoring the last bit of chocolate on her tongue.
Nick answered on the first ring. “Sophia?”
“Hi,” she replied. “I just ate the best piece of chocolate I’ve ever had in my life.”
“Ah, that’s a relief,” he said. “I was worried someone might take the stuff.”
“Nope. I’m looking at a couple dozen of the most beautiful roses I’ve ever seen, along with those awesome chocolates and two bottles of champagne. Now, all I need is the guy who brought them.”
“I’ll be right there. I’m down the block at a pub. I was waiting for you.”
“Why didn’t you text? Laura and I were having pizza at a neighborhood hangout. I could have met you.”