by R. C. Martin
“Hi!”
“Fuck—Teddy Bear! I can’t believe I actually got ahold of your tatted ass.”
I laughed, tickled by her greeting.
That’s my Harper.
“I can’t believe you’re calling me in the middle of the day.”
“The kids are out for recess. I literally have, like, two minutes before the little shits get back.”
My grin was still plastered to my face as I shook my head at her. Harper was an elementary school teacher at a school just south of Denver. She loved her job, and her third graders were her pride and joy—even if her nicknames for them sounded less than endearing.
While it was the beginning of summer break, Harper opted to work part-time. Her school put on a day-camp so working parents would have a safe and affordable place to leave their children during the day. In short, Harper couldn’t get enough of her little shits.
“Well, if you only have two minutes, you better talk fast. I miss you.”
“I miss you, too—which is why I was going to call you and bug the hell out of you until I caught you.”
“Hey, I’m not the only one who has been hard to reach,” I protested.
“Fair. But all that’s history. I’m going to come up Saturday. We’re going to have a girl’s day. I already called Sarah, and we’re going to meet her for brunch—but then it’s just you and me for the rest of the day. Think you could clear your schedule?”
I scoffed, amused she thought she even had to ask.
“I’m yours, Harp. What time should I be ready for brunch?”
“I’ll pick you up at ten.”
“Awesome. I can’t wait.”
“Me neither! Okay—my two minutes are officially up. I have to go wrangle my hellions. I’ll see you Saturday.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
She made an obnoxious kissing sound and hung up. The joy she brought to my heart lingered, and the expression which came along with it was still on my face as I walked into the gallery.
Right away, I could hear Andrew. His voice wafted through the gallery from upstairs. I looked up there and saw he was talking to someone, and I wondered if it was a buyer or an artist. Sure Geoffrey would know, I headed to where he was perched in his seat behind the reception desk. When I saw him, I was taken aback by the devilish look etched on his face. I frowned at him, silently expressing my confusion, but his grin only grew wider.
I gasped when he reached for something and then lifted it up onto the ledge of the front desk.
The bouquet of flowers was absolutely beautiful. My mind raced to try to conjure an explanation for them. Instantly, I thought of Reeve, my heart swelling at the possibility that he’d seen the error of his ways and was groveling in the best possible way.
“These came for you while you were out,” Geoffrey said. He had to stand so I could see him from behind the floral arrangement.
It took a second for his words to register in my mind. Even still, his statement didn’t make sense. “Wait—they’re for me?”
“They sure as hell are not from Reeve. Cheap bastard.” He mumbled the last bit under his breath. I didn’t have time to give it too much thought before he demanded, “Freckles, move your ass. There’s a card. I haven’t opened it; but if you leave me in suspense another minute, I will.”
My stomach fluttered with nervous butterflies as I made my way behind the desk. “You’re sure they’re for me?” I asked as I set aside my phone and my purse.
“The card says Theodora.”
Another frown pulled at my brow. Only this time, I was even more confused. Nobody called me Theodora. Reeve did; but while the thought had crossed my mind these might have been from him—he wouldn’t send them to me. My parents were my next best guess, but they didn’t call me Theodora either—not unless I was in trouble. In any case, my birthday wasn’t for another couple months, so they didn’t seem like a logical guess.
“Dammit, Teddy.” Geoffrey’s tone was like a reprimand wrapped affectionately in amusement. He yanked the card out of the bouquet and thrust it at me. “Stop trying to guess and just open it.”
“Okay, okay,” I giggled.
It didn’t go unnoticed that there was a slight tremble in my hands as I opened the envelop and pulled out two rectangular cards. The first was handwritten, the script neat and masculine—all the letters capitalized and uniform. As I read the note, it felt like the floor had been yanked out from beneath me. My heart lodged itself in my throat, like gravity forced it there, my body lost in a free fall.
His message was short and to the point, but I found myself reading it again and again.
DINE WITH ME.
THINKING OF YOU,
JUDAH
I sat back on the edge of the desk, my mind too distracted to be bothered with the responsibility of keeping me vertical any longer. It wasn’t until after I read the note a ridiculous amount of times that I took a second to look at the other card. It was Judah’s business card, which addressed him as Judah D. St. Michaels. I also saw he held the role of managing partner at a firm called Eddalyn’s Interiors.
“Teddy, I’m going to kill you in approximately two seconds,” grunted Geoffrey matter-of-factly.
“Oh. Shit. I’m sorry,” I stammered. I shook my head clear and handed him both cards. “Here.”
I didn’t bother to watch his face, not at all wishing to witness his initial reaction. If there was one thing I knew would never change about Geoffrey, it was that he was a romantic. Whatever his face said, it would sway my opinion of the entire situation; and I had yet to decide what my opinion was in the first place. My gaze settled on the bouquet once more.
I never felt more unsure of my own thoughts.
The arrangement was beautiful. The vase was full of pink roses, delicate, pale pink lilies, two succulents, and a spray of greenery to round out the ensemble. I wasn’t an expert when it came to floral deliveries, but I was smart enough to understand this was no small gesture.
“This is the guy from Monday, isn’t it? This is the asshole who asked you out.”
Well aware I wouldn’t be able to avoid the matter so long as Geoffrey had questions, I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and forced myself to look into his eyes. I then offered him a nod, which elicited a smirk to crawl across his lips.
“Maybe he’s not as much of an ass as you thought. This looks and smells a little bit like an apology.”
I wrinkled my brow as I tried on such a possibility. I thought back to my encounter with the handsome man two days prior. It didn’t take much for me to remember the look in his captivating gray eyes. I remembered the way he touched me without even a hint of hesitation—and then I remembered his blunt proposal.
With a shake of my head, I took the cards from Geoffrey. “No. I don’t think that’s what this is,” I began to reason. “Looks like more of a bribe than an apology. I mean, you read this.” I held up the note in my hand, feeling more confident the more I thought about it. “He didn’t say he was sorry.”
“Oh, come on, Teddy. Don’t pretend you aren’t at least a tiny bit interested.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but my lie got caught in my throat. The truth was, I hadn’t forgotten him as I hoped I would. I still remembered the way he gazed at me. I remembered the way he excited me into a stupor. And the flowers?
Thinking of you, Judah.
I was officially flattered.
Geoffrey arched a single eyebrow at me, folding his arms across his broad chest. I knew him too well to be intimidated by him, but I got the picture, nonetheless.
“Remember what we talked about?”
I frowned at him, unwilling to admit I did.
“Freckles, you can go out with him and not sleep with him. There’s nothing wrong with giving him a chance. Maybe you’ll like him.”
I scrunched my face, but I knew I was being silly. While Judah certainly rubbed me the wrong way, I couldn’t ignore his gesture. It had been two day
s, and he was still thinking of me. Only, instead of showing up at the gallery and trying again, he took a gentler approach. Deep down, this sparked a hint of curiosity.
“If nothing else,” Geoffrey continued, interrupting my thoughts, “you’ll get to stare at the man while enjoying a free meal. That alone is worth the risk of finding out that he really is just a jerk.”
I pulled in a deep breath, peeked at the bouquet, and then heaved a heavy sigh. “I don’t know, Geoff.”
“Well, you have to call him.”
“What?” I asked, jerking my focus in his direction.
“Baby girl, those flowers deserve a phone call.”
“I—I—I, but I…”
For reasons I didn’t think required an explanation, the thought of calling him made it feel as though the ground had been yanked out from beneath my feet. Again.
Geoffrey ignored my stuttering attempt at a refusal and snatched the cards from my grasp as he reached for my phone. Before I could stop him, he was dialing Judah’s number. I gasped, suddenly panicked, and stood to fight him. I tugged at his arms, silently pleading for him to relent, but I was no match against his Viking strength.
When he pressed the phone to my ear, it was already ringing. My mouth hung open in horror as I glared at him. I was on the verge of calling him something foul, but then a smooth, deep baritone voice, which made me weak at the knees, filled my ear.
“This is Jude.”
My glare vanished in a second, and my jaw fell in a sign of unadulterated anxiety. Geoffrey only grinned at me before signaling for me to speak.
“Uh—um—uh, hi,” I barely managed.
A beat of silence passed between us, and I wondered if he could hear the whoosh of blood racing through my body as loud as I could.
“Teddy?”
“Yeah. It’s me.”
I shrugged helplessly at Geoffrey. I felt like an idiot. He only beamed at me in excitement.
“You received my gift.”
“Yeah. I mean, yes. They’re beautiful,” I said, willing myself to sound like a human being capable of speech.
Geoffrey nodded at me as he took my hand and brought it up to the phone. Obediently, I held it myself. Rather than leave me to my conversation, he sat right beside me and leaned in close.
“I wanted to call and say thank you.”
“It was my pleasure. May I ask if you have reconsidered my dinner invitation?”
“Uh…I’m—I’m thinking about it,” I replied honestly.
My response made him chuckle, and I sucked in a breath as I looked to Geoffrey. I then took his hand, needing him to save me from myself. No—needing him to save me from that glorious sound.
“What must I do to convince you, Theodora?” asked Judah. “I fear I won’t be able to get you off my mind until you say yes.”
The smile that crept across my face could not be helped. Neither could I stop the blush that colored my cheeks as I continued to stare into Geoffrey’s blue eyes.
“Nothing, Judah. You’ve been generous enough. I just need to…think about it.”
“Very well. I’ll be waiting.”
“Okay.”
“Fair warning, Ms. Fitzpatrick—I’m not a particularly patient man, especially when it comes to a woman as beautiful as you. Have a good afternoon, Teddy.”
He hung up without another word. I eased the phone away from my ear slowly and stared at it blankly. I had no words. It was undeniable—the man turned me upside down. I didn’t even know him, and yet he made my heart race and my palms sweat after a two-minute telephone conversation. I couldn’t explain it. It was like my attraction to him superseded all reason.
I was pulled from my thoughts when I felt Geoffrey’s lips press against my temple. “Teddy?” he started to say, his lips still grazing my skin. “You’re letting that man take you to dinner if I have to drag you kicking and screaming.”
Chapter Ten
I woke seven minutes before my alarm, and I was happy to turn the thing off without having to be bothered by the sound. As I sat up in bed, the sun fought its way into my bedroom through the thin curtains which covered my windows. Remembering the full Saturday ahead of me, I didn’t linger between my sheets. I joined the sun and dove into the morning. After a much needed stretch and a yawn, I headed for Mr. Coffee.
I stopped dead in my tracks upon reaching the mouth of my kitchen. The sight of the flowers was proof I hadn’t shaken off the haze of sleep quite yet. It was the only explanation that could make sense of the fact that I forgot about the bouquet I brought home the night before. The arrangement made my one-butt kitchen look even smaller than it already was.
Unlike the eclectic assortment that still sat at work, this one was full of an array of classic flowers; pale pink peonies, white roses, and light yellow gerbera daisies. I pressed my lips together, fighting any burgeoning expression of giddiness as I inched my way further into the room. My eyes flicked in its direction more than once as I prepared my coffee. After I set my morning jolt to brew, I reached for the card stuck in the flowers, which were delivered late the previous afternoon.
MY PATIENCE WANES…
DON’T MAKE ME BEG, TEDDY.
JUDE
I caught my bottom lip between my teeth, propping my hip against the counter as I stared at his handwriting. Even though I loved the peonies more than the roses he sent, I hadn’t responded yet. Contrary to what an outside observer might have assumed, I wasn’t trying to string Judah along. I really wasn’t. But there was a discrepancy between the man who approached me at the gallery and the man with impeccable taste in floral arrangements. I couldn’t make heads or tails of him, and therein was my problem.
He told me he was a gentleman, and the flowers certainly supported his statement. However, he made it very clear his main objective was to sleep with me. I didn’t have to think twice about how that made me feel. On the one hand, I couldn’t deny a man as gorgeous as he, showing an interest in me, made my insides tingle. Yet, with an end game of simply forging his way between my legs, it was hard to see past that.
There remained a small chance he was more than what I could see at surface level. When I thought about it—and I thought about it more than I wanted to admit—I had to confess I’d never met anyone who was so adamant about taking me to dinner. There was a growing part of me that was curious to figure out what it was about me he saw and liked. Even more, I wondered, given the chance, if he might be interested in far more than my body after an evening of conversation.
And would I want more of him? I asked myself.
Geoffrey’s speech in the supply closet at the beginning of the week came to mind. I raked my fingers through my hair, tossing the tresses down my back as I blew out a frustrated sigh. If I was being completely honest with myself—which I knew was necessary—I had to acknowledge he was right. I couldn’t shy away from all romantic relationships out of fear that they’d end the same way things ended between Justin and me—painfully, heartbreakingly, and soul-crushingly devasting.
All men aren’t monsters.
I closed my eyes and forced myself to absorb that truth. I was pretty sure there was a little bit of darkness in all of us, but I also knew not everyone chose to let it reign over the light we possess. Even more, I couldn’t deny the hope I harbored in my heart—the hope that I’d one day find a man with whom I wanted to share my life. I was under no illusion that Judah was the one; but whoever he was, I wouldn’t find him while I was hiding behind my camera lens, or work, or my best friend.
Resolutely, I dropped Judah’s note on the counter and left the kitchen in search of my phone. I was in my room only long enough to pick up the device and unplug it from my charger. On my way back to the kitchen, I scrolled through my recent calls and found the one number not saved to my contacts. Before I could change my mind, I pushed a call through.
With my eyes sealed closed tight, my stomach clenched in anxiety as I listened to the ringtone. I wondered if he’d answer. No sooner had the
question crossed my mind, than I opened my eyes as I cringed a little. It was on the fourth ring when I realized it was before nine in the morning. On a Saturday. He could have been sleeping. For a moment, I panicked that I’d wake him up. Then, to my utter relief, I was dropped into his voicemail.
“You’ve reached Judah St. Michaels. I’m currently unavailable. Please leave a message.”
Hearing his voice made my skin break out in goosebumps. I ignored them, took a deep breath, and willed myself to be brave at the sound of the beep.
“Hi, Judah. It’s Teddy. Um, I’m sorry to call you so early on a Saturday. I probably should have called you last night, to thank you for the flowers, but—actually, I don’t have a good excuse for why I didn’t. Uh—” I smacked my palm against my forehead and scrunched my face at myself. Shaking my head, I went on to say, “Um, so, I’m calling now because, well—I’ll go out with you, okay? That is, if you’re still interested. I guess…”
My voice trailed off for a moment, and my mind raced. It occurred to me that while his patience waned the day before, it could have evaporated overnight.
“Uh, I guess you could have changed your mind between yesterday and today; in which case, you can totally ignore this message.”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I yanked my phone away from my ear and stared at the screen in embarrassment. It took me a second to register the numbers as they ticked by, keeping track of the length of my call. I bit my lip—hard—and quickly pushed the red button. I then let out a huge sigh, aghast that really just happened.
I called Judah and left a voicemail that made me sound like a pre-pubescent teenager.
“Shit,” I groaned.
Before my screen could go black, I opened my text messages and tapped on Geoffrey’s thread.
Me: I’m an idiot!!!!!!!!!!
I tossed my phone onto the counter and reached into the cabinet for a clean mug. I didn’t even have a chance to grab the full coffee pot before I received a text response.
