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Authors: Nikki Duncan
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a thing he couldn’t allow himself to go that far in his treatment of her mother.
When had he come to care for her enough to change his behavior?
The only way he could see to deal with her was to ignore her attitude. He’d taken issue with Misty’s clothes, but he was taking issue with everything about her mother. How this beast had created the warm and giving florist he was falling for was a mystery, but she was making him understand Misty better. Her clothes were only part of her rebellion against her mother.
He shrugged and made sure his voice was level. “We will get your message to her directly, ma’am.”
As soon as Mrs. Wilson-Morgan spun on her heel and marched her privileged self away, Jace left Brad in control of the desk. Suddenly he knew how to prove to Misty he respected her. He knew how to show her how he was beginning to feel.
Inventory numbers swam before Misty’s eyes as her headache stretched toward migraine strength. Her stomach roared with the reminder that she’d been running too late for breakfast, had been too busy to stop for lunch, and dinner wasn’t something she saw in her near future. She rubbed her temples and read the numbers again. Something wasn’t adding up.
She pulled the files up for the Wellerman and Greenbaum weddings to double check their plans with their order. The Wellerman numbers were in line. The Greenbaums were off, way off, and there was nothing in the database to explain why.
Misty headed to the lobby where Jenny manned the main desk and had the complete file for each wedding. “Jenny, do you know what’s happened in the Greenbaum/Smith file? Their flower order looks like it was doubled.”
“I know they added to their guest list, but I didn’t think it was that much.” Jenny rolled her chair to the drawer for the file where she kept the order invoices. “Have you left your office at all today?”
“No. You could say I’m in avoidance mode.” Terrified her mother had staked the building out, Misty had resorted to hiding. She was going to have to return the calls soon, but she wasn’t in the mood. Not that she was ever in the mood.
“Well, whatever you’re avoiding can’t be bad enough that you’ve locked yourself in your office without food all day.” Jenny handed the file over. Censure pinched her eyes. “You should have spoken up and I’d have gotten you something.”
“I haven’t been in my office all day.” The talk of food had her stomach rumbling and Jenny arching a brow.
“Hiding in your flower freezer and staging room is the same thing. You look tired.”
“Thank you for the flattery.”
The front door opened. A delivery boy wearing a shirt from Carlito’s Pizza Pies walked in with a heavy bag used to keep the pizza hot. She loved Carlito’s and the way they used large chunks of super fresh meats and veggies on their pizzas, but rarely took the time to go. Her hips weren’t very forgiving when it came to Carlito’s.
“I have a delivery for Misty Morgan.”
“I didn’t order anything.” Shut up and take the food, woman! Her rumbling stomach bellowed.
The young man looked at her with a soft smile. “Misty Morgan. Tulle and Tulips Designer Weddings. The man at the front desk said this is the place.”
“That’s me, but I didn’t order anything.” Hunger swept over her with dizziness. She grabbed the edge of Jenny’s desk.
“How much do we owe you?” Jenny reached for her purse.
“It’s pre-paid.”
The boy pulled the box from the bag and placed it on the desktop. The aroma of fresh-baked crust, melted cheese and grease floated up. Misty’s stomach rumbled again. Her head throbbed with the increasing pain of a hunger headache. She didn’t care who’d ordered it. If she didn’t eat she was going to pass out.
Jenny tipped the delivery boy and thanked him before sliding the pizza toward Misty. She moved over and grabbed the extra chair at the reception desk and pushed it toward Misty. “Sit.
When had he come to care for her enough to change his behavior?
The only way he could see to deal with her was to ignore her attitude. He’d taken issue with Misty’s clothes, but he was taking issue with everything about her mother. How this beast had created the warm and giving florist he was falling for was a mystery, but she was making him understand Misty better. Her clothes were only part of her rebellion against her mother.
He shrugged and made sure his voice was level. “We will get your message to her directly, ma’am.”
As soon as Mrs. Wilson-Morgan spun on her heel and marched her privileged self away, Jace left Brad in control of the desk. Suddenly he knew how to prove to Misty he respected her. He knew how to show her how he was beginning to feel.
Inventory numbers swam before Misty’s eyes as her headache stretched toward migraine strength. Her stomach roared with the reminder that she’d been running too late for breakfast, had been too busy to stop for lunch, and dinner wasn’t something she saw in her near future. She rubbed her temples and read the numbers again. Something wasn’t adding up.
She pulled the files up for the Wellerman and Greenbaum weddings to double check their plans with their order. The Wellerman numbers were in line. The Greenbaums were off, way off, and there was nothing in the database to explain why.
Misty headed to the lobby where Jenny manned the main desk and had the complete file for each wedding. “Jenny, do you know what’s happened in the Greenbaum/Smith file? Their flower order looks like it was doubled.”
“I know they added to their guest list, but I didn’t think it was that much.” Jenny rolled her chair to the drawer for the file where she kept the order invoices. “Have you left your office at all today?”
“No. You could say I’m in avoidance mode.” Terrified her mother had staked the building out, Misty had resorted to hiding. She was going to have to return the calls soon, but she wasn’t in the mood. Not that she was ever in the mood.
“Well, whatever you’re avoiding can’t be bad enough that you’ve locked yourself in your office without food all day.” Jenny handed the file over. Censure pinched her eyes. “You should have spoken up and I’d have gotten you something.”
“I haven’t been in my office all day.” The talk of food had her stomach rumbling and Jenny arching a brow.
“Hiding in your flower freezer and staging room is the same thing. You look tired.”
“Thank you for the flattery.”
The front door opened. A delivery boy wearing a shirt from Carlito’s Pizza Pies walked in with a heavy bag used to keep the pizza hot. She loved Carlito’s and the way they used large chunks of super fresh meats and veggies on their pizzas, but rarely took the time to go. Her hips weren’t very forgiving when it came to Carlito’s.
“I have a delivery for Misty Morgan.”
“I didn’t order anything.” Shut up and take the food, woman! Her rumbling stomach bellowed.
The young man looked at her with a soft smile. “Misty Morgan. Tulle and Tulips Designer Weddings. The man at the front desk said this is the place.”
“That’s me, but I didn’t order anything.” Hunger swept over her with dizziness. She grabbed the edge of Jenny’s desk.
“How much do we owe you?” Jenny reached for her purse.
“It’s pre-paid.”
The boy pulled the box from the bag and placed it on the desktop. The aroma of fresh-baked crust, melted cheese and grease floated up. Misty’s stomach rumbled again. Her head throbbed with the increasing pain of a hunger headache. She didn’t care who’d ordered it. If she didn’t eat she was going to pass out.
Jenny tipped the delivery boy and thanked him before sliding the pizza toward Misty. She moved over and grabbed the extra chair at the reception desk and pushed it toward Misty. “Sit.
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