“It’s all right, mí amore. I just have to find a way to pass the rest of my afternoon.”
“Promise you won’t be mad?”
He smiled and squeezed her hand. “I promise.” He gave her a wink. “Now go get that plant, and make it a good one.”
She widened her smile. “I will.”
WAY #2—HARD-TO-FIND gifts. A gift that requires effort is sure to be a big hit with the guys.
“I’ll call it the love fern,” Cyndi muttered as laughter threatened to escape her throat. She ordered the plant online, and then clicked off the computer. Going to the plant shop Damien told her about certainly helped, but the plants weren’t what she wanted. It had to be eye-catching. A plant that would look good on Max’s desk. In a couple of days they’d deliver the pretty green and silver fern. This time she signed her name on the card so he’d know it was from her.
She needed to force away her shyness. It wasn’t that hard. She’d tell him the plant was for his quick recovery. After all, she was the one who called 911 and stayed with him until the ambulance came...of course, she thought he was dying at the time.
Although excitement bubbled in her chest once again, she couldn’t control her jitters. Hopefully the next few days would pass quickly. In the meantime, she’d try to talk to Max as much as she could. Well, maybe she’d smile at him instead. Just thinking about talking with him made her stomach twist in knots.
No, talking wasn’t wise right now. Smiling was good, safe, comfortable. Baby steps—just take baby steps.
But the next few days didn’t fly by as she had wanted. Max and the Sports Producers were out of the office a lot, filming a segment with the local college basketball team. Fran piled extra work on her, as normal, but the boss’s idiot daughters decided to give her extra duties, as well. Cyndi had wanted to argue with them and tell them that was their job, not hers, but she knew they’d run to their mom and complain, and Cyndi would be assigned those odd duties anyway. Plus, she was kept busy, which helped keep her mind off Max.
Unfortunately, it was utterly impossible to work without seeing his charming grin and hearing the sound of his baritone laughter. She’d also missed smelling his knee-buckling spice cologne. She took small strolls by his office periodically throughout the day just to sniff inside.
She finally admitted she was crazy for him. Or was it just memories from how she’d felt in high school that made her want him? Maybe for now it was, but once she got to know him, her heart would change, she just knew it.
The day she waited for came, and Max sat in his office as though the universe knew her plan and wanted to help. The brown-uniformed delivery driver brought in a large plant wrapped in yellow cellophane. Her hands shook when the driver handed the plant to Max.
His wide eyes made her heart thump out of control, and the smile he wore when he looked upon his gift caused her legs to tremble. She moved from the file cabinet to her chair so she wouldn’t end up on the floor like a puddle of warm Jell-O.
People gathered around as Max opened his gift. She couldn’t see the plant so she rose from her seat, trying to peek over their heads. Laughter filled Max’s room, and her cheeks heated. What’s so funny?
Once everyone started to leave, she breathed a sigh of relief. He’d placed the plant on the edge of his desk. Immediately, something was off. Why was the plant a different color? She inhaled sharply. The plant wasn’t the green-and-silver leafed plant she’d ordered. The leaves on this particular plant were dark green and shiny, with only a couple of flowers budding which were white and yellow suffusing in pink. This was not the love fern she’d sent!
Her attention moved to him and she noticed he had the card in his hand. No! She couldn’t let him read it. Not now—not since it was the wrong plant.
She pushed away from the desk, rose and started toward his office. Her toe caught on a small garbage can and she tripped. Papers spilled onto the floor, but she didn’t care. Explaining the plant’s switch couldn’t be put off one second longer.
She hurried around desks, making her way toward Max’s room, and just as she turned the corner, the Senior Editor—who coincidentally happened to be Anastasia—cut her off by stepping into Max’s office first. Cyndi skidded to a halt and groaned. That woman was so very annoying and always sticking her nose in other people’s business. Cyndi wasn’t the only person at Channel Nine who disliked this particular person. But since her mother was the boss, nobody said anything.
Anastasia laughed, her over-sized belly shaking like Santa’s bowl-full-of-jelly when she waddled in. “Oh, what a pretty flower, Max.”
Cyndi rolled her eyes. It’s not a flower, you dope!
“Yes, this is a lovely plant,” Max said. “Cyndi sent it to me.” He glanced at the card. “It says, for a speedy recovery.”
Anastasia shrugged. “Cynthia? Really?” She shook her head. “That surprises me. That woman can’t do anything right.”
Cyndi didn’t like Ana’s sarcastic tone. If only she could spit on the woman’s face. That would certainly get her fired, though.
“Uh, well...I happen to like it.” Max nodded. “I think it adds color to my office.”
He likes it! Inwardly, she cheered.
“Oh, yeah. It’s definitely very colorful. I suppose if you like things like that...” Ana sneered.
“I think it’s a great plant. The tag says it’s called a Christmas Rose. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’m sure Cyndi went through a lot of trouble to get it for me.”
Ana rocked back on her heels. “Yeah, I bet she searched really hard to find it. She’s not the Research Producer for nothing. For once she did something right.”
Cyndi couldn’t stop the smile from stretching across her face, even if she wanted to punch Ana in the face. All that mattered was that Max liked it. Her heart beat to life again, and she enjoyed the elated feeling.
Now would be the perfect time to talk to him, but just as she said a silent prayer for courage, Amanda waved to her, motioning her to come over.
Cyndi shook her head. Amanda pointed to the clock on the wall. Then Cyndi remembered. They had a deadline. The five o’clock news was approaching fast, with still so much to do. There would be no time to talk with Max now.
She crept back to her desk and turned to her computer. Amanda held out a stack of papers to her. Cyndi groaned. Yet, she could actually work better now with the plant delivery out of the way. Her mind was clear, and strength had entered her body once more, taking the shakes away.
So deep in concentration, she didn’t see Max walk by until he stopped and turned.
“Hey, Cyndi?”
“Huh?” She glanced his way. Her heart hammered against her ribs. “Oh, hello, Max. How are you feeling?”
“Just fine, thanks. And thanks for the plant.” He gave her a wide smile, and then strode back to his room.
Beside her, Amanda nudged her elbow against Cyndi’s shoulder. “Way to go, girl.”
Once again, Cyndi’s face heated. “Well, I felt awful about the reaction he had the other day from that chocolate.”
Amanda tsked. “Yeah, just terrible, wasn’t it? And who knew his allergy was that bad? I wonder how chocolate got in his cup when he’d ordered coffee?”
Cyndi shrugged, but kept her mouth closed. She hoped Amanda wouldn’t suspect what had happened.
The rest of the day passed quickly. Cyndi kept busy until quitting time. When Max walked out of his office and turned off the light, he looked her way and smiled. He held up the plant. “I’m going to take this home and put it by my front window.”
Her heart leapt. “That’s a great place to keep it.”
Max had made her day. And her evening.
She practically skipped out to her car, and when she walked from her vehicle toward her townhouse, the bounce in her step hadn’t disappeared. Her face hurt from the constant smile, but she didn’t care. Things were working perfectly. She’d have to thank Damien.
Instead of going home, she went
straight to Damien’s door and knocked. Inside, his musical whistle rang through the house. The tune wasn’t familiar, but it didn’t matter. She enjoyed the cheerful lift of his voice anyhow.
When he opened the door and looked at her, his smile widened. So did hers.
Happiness overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t keep from flinging her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. She kissed his cheek and he caught his breath in a quick inhale. His arms wrapped around her waist, bringing her closer to him. Once again, she was reminded how incredibly built he was. His musky scent enticed her and stirred flutters in her stomach. Even the beat of her heart quickened.
She withdrew enough to gaze at his face. “Your suggestion worked.”
His eyes softened, tenderness evident in the way he looked upon her. Strange, but this expression wasn’t the heated look he’d always given her. Lately they had been different, and very confusing. What could he be thinking? Uncertainty clouded her mind again.
He pulled her into his apartment and kicked the door closed with his foot. “What happened?”
His voice was deep, which caused strange little flutters inside of her bosom. A spark started in her chest and spread throughout her body, fire consuming her quickly. She pushed away from him and took a step back. His tender look had disappeared, replaced by a familiar one. His gray eyes twinkled, stirring warmth in her chest. She scolded herself for reacting this way.
Shaking off the perplexing feelings, she clamped her hands and held them to her stomach. “They delivered my plant to Max’s office today and he liked it.”
Had his smile just wavered? No, it couldn’t have. He was excited for her, wasn’t he?
“Really? I thought you bought it the other day?”
“No, I ordered it. The delivery driver brought it today.” She pouted for a brief moment. “Although, it wasn’t exactly the plant I’d ordered, but he liked it anyhow.”
Damien’s black eyebrows rose. “Really? What did you order?”
“The plant I ordered was called Hunter’s Robe.”
“What did they send?”
She shrugged. “It was a weird looking plant with shiny green leaves, and a strange white, yellow, and pink flower.” She chuckled. “It was definitely tropical.”
“Do you know what it’s called?”
“Christmas Rose, I think.”
His eyes widened, and then he bit his bottom lip. “Christmas Rose, you say?”
“Yes, why? Have you heard of it?”
He nodded. “If it’s the plant I’m thinking about...” He paused and covered his mouth.
Is he hiding a laugh? She smacked his shoulder in a playful punch. “Damien, tell me. What do you know about this plant?”
“Cyndi, honey? I think you gave him a...a...poisonous plant.”
Her heart hit the floor, as her smile dropped into a frown. “What? Why would a name like Christmas Rose be poison?”
He turned to walk into his den. She followed, her mind frozen in fear. No! She wouldn’t accept this. There was no way this mix-up could happen. Not to Max. And not to her...not when her luck was slowly changing.
On the far side of the wall sat Damien’s computer desk. He bent over the machine, his fingers flying across the keyboard. She leaned closer, studying the websites as they popped on the screen. Within minutes, he’d found a site for poisonous plants. Another click displayed the picture of the Christmas Rose.
“Is this it?” he asked over his shoulder.
Dread washed over her as bile rose in her throat. “Oh, no,” she muttered. “I’ve done it again.”
Five
Color quickly faded from Cyndi’s face as she brought her shaky hands up to cover her cheeks. Tears swam in her eyes, wrenching Damien’s heart. Her body swayed, and he reached out to clutch her shoulders, steadying her.
“Cyndi, it’s going to be all right. We’ll just call Max and tell him—”
“No.” A sob tore from her throat. “We can’t call Max. He can’t know I made a mistake...again.”
“You didn’t. The mistake was made by the shop.”
“You don’t understand. I can’t mess up with Max. He’s supposed to be different.” She pulled away from him and sank into the swivel chair by the computer, her blank stare focused toward the screen.
He knelt beside her and ran his fingers over her knee covered snugly by her tan slacks. “Although the plant is poisonous, I’m sure he won’t eat the leaves or the flowers. That’s the only way it can hurt him.”
She leaned forward, her gaze moving across the screen as she read the Internet article. “It also says it may cause a rash.”
He sighed and swiped his fingers through his hair. “True, but I don’t think he’ll be playing with the leaves, either.”
“But what if—”
“Cyndi, please stop worrying.”
She swung her head around to face him, her eyes wide. “We have to do something.”
“What do you suggest?”
Her face remained passive while she stared into his eyes. His chest constricted from the sadness touching those blue orbs. He wanted to take her into his arms and comfort her, and yet he couldn’t. He wouldn’t be able to stand a rejection from her. Besides, he wanted to prove to her, and himself, that they could just be friends. He liked her for her mind, not just her body. Because he did...didn’t he? Yes, he did!
Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “We could go get it from his house.”
She was so cute, even when she wasn’t trying to be funny. He smiled, despite the warning bells going off in his head. “And what would you say to him when he greets you at his door?”
“Well, I was thinking...we could wait until he leaves, and then get it.”
He blinked and shook his head. “I don’t think I heard you right. Are you talking about breaking and entering?”
The corner of her mouth raised in a grin. “Maybe.”
“You are serious.” He chuckled.
She lifted herself from the chair and paced the length of his front room. Her teeth pulled on her bottom lip as she did the nervous nibble he enjoyed watching. Of course, he’d always liked watching her because she made him smile.
“Actually, I am serious.” She stopped and met his gaze. “I need to get into his house and take the plant while he’s away.”
Damien stood and folded his arms. “You’ve forgotten one thing, mí amore. How are you going to accomplish this?” He took two steps and stood in front of her. He cupped her face with his hand. “First off, do you know where he lives?”
The color in her cheeks darkened as warmth from her skin heated his palm. “Yes.”
He wasn’t going to ask how she knew. Not yet, anyway. He didn’t want to think of her as Max’s stalker. Then again, that thought only made him want to laugh.
He nodded. “Second, do you know his schedule? How will you know when he leaves his house?”
“I thought about watching him; a stakeout, so to speak.”
“Hmm...and who’ll be your partner in crime while you’re ransacking his house? Who’ll watch out for you?”
Her eyes softened and she smiled. She released his hand from her face and held onto it. “You.” She shrugged. “Aren’t you my very own fairy godmother?”
Her comment made him stare at her with wide eyes as his mind tried to reason what she’d just said. Laughing, he shook his head. “I’m your fairy godmother?”
“You know what I mean.” She lightly punched his arm. “You are trying to help me win Max, just like the fairy godmother tried to help Cinderella. So really, you are the only person who I’d want watching out for me.”
As hard as he tried, he couldn’t stop his heart from melting, even if she did think of him as a fairytale character...a woman, no less! Then again, he was in the friend’s zone. Women gave each other cute little nick-names all the time. But he really didn’t think he liked the one she’d just given him.
He really shouldn’t go with her, yet the hammering in his hea
rt gave him the answer. Crime or not, he’d help her. She’d owe him big-time now, and he’d find a way to collect.
“Fine.” He smiled. “As your fairy godmother, I’ll go with you.” That title really didn’t sound good coming from his mouth. It even left a bitter taste on his tongue. He was a man in every sense of the word. Some women considered him a hunk—although he thought that was an exaggeration—so why did he allow Cyndi to give him this title? But how could he turn her down when she smiled so sweetly and her eyes glimmered with happiness?
She squealed and threw her arms around him. Oh, yes. This was why he let her call him that name. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her berry scent. The same smell that drove him crazy. He didn’t want her to leave his embrace, but she pulled away.
“Let me go home and change first. I think we should both wear dark clothes, don’t you?”
He chuckled. “You’re really getting into this, aren’t you?” He shrugged. “I suppose we’ll look into character when the police come to arrest us.”
She slapped his shoulder in a playful action. “Would you stop thinking so negatively? This is going to work. I just know it. Besides, you can just wave your magic wand and everything will be made right.”
“Someone just kill me now,” he grumbled with a chuckle.
An hour later, Damien drove them up to Max’s house. Only one light lit his porch. From the passenger seat, Cyndi leaned toward Damien as she looked out his window. Closing his eyes, he breathed in her berry scent again. He gripped the steering wheel to keep from wrapping his arms around her and holding her there.
“This is perfect. His house is dark and his car isn’t in the driveway.”
Her soft voice pulled him from his thoughts and he opened his eyes to look at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She sat back in her seat. “Now drive over there.” She pointed to a spot on the street shadowed by the large oak tree.
He drove the car alongside the curb and turned off the engine. At midnight, not a lot of neighbors were out and about. He thanked his lucky stars for the privacy of the night, especially the half-moon.
Her Own Fairy Godmother Page 6
