Page 51 of Ruled Out

“Hey,” I greet her, walking across to wrap the flowers. “No, we aren’t closed. I was just about to head home.”

She passes them to me and watches as I begin rolling them into white paper.

“I didn’t know you worked at my favorite florist.”

I shrug. “It’s part-time. I pick up hours when I can. Helps to pay the bills.”

As I look up, she nods, her green eyes meeting mine. She doesn’t smile though; her expression is more worried. “Are you okay?”

I snap off a piece of tape from the dispenser, securing the wrap. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

It’s then I make the fatal mistake and look at her again. The warmth in her eyes tells me she’s not buying my bullshit, and I blink back the moisture building up on my lashes.

Reaching into her tote bag, she fetches out a fresh tissue and hands it to me.

I figure it’s useless hiding my upset, and I dab at my eyes, smearing mascara on the tissue.

She takes in a breath through her nose and pauses, the silence stretching between us. The only sound is heavy rain pounding the sidewalks outside.

“Look, Mia. We might not know each other that well, but I want you to know whatever it is, it’s safe with me.”

I look down and shake my head. “I can’t say.”

“Is it Jessie?”

My head whips up to her. “Jessie?”

She nods slowly and hands me a twenty. “Don’t be mad. But Kate Jones is my best friend. She mentioned you were round at theirs last week, babysitting the twins with Jessie.” A delicate smile pulls at her lips. “It didn’t come as a surprise that you were seeing each other. I had seen the way he looked at you in the bar.”

“W-we aren’t seeing each other.” I drop my shoulders and sigh. “We shouldn’t even be friends.”

Frantically, I grab a random green ribbon and begin tying it around the bouquet.

She reaches out and places a hand on top of mine to steady me. “I don’t need to know details, but Kate told me that you’ve known each other a long while.”

On a long breath, I finish the bow and look up at her. “We do. But it’s complicated. We aren’t supposed to know each other anymore. The thing is, I’m worried about him. I haven’t seen or really heard from him since he went home to Dallas last weekend.”

Felicity presses her lips together. “Neither have we. He was supposed to be at my son’s game last night, but he didn’t show. He sent a text saying he was sick and couldn’t go.”

My brows knit together. “Sick?”

She nods. “He texted the boys and said he had the flu and that he’d see them at practice tomorrow.”

“He hasn’t replied to any of my texts,” I say, my worry only increasing.

“He probably doesn’t want you to stress about him.”

I huff out a laugh and hand Felicity her change. “A little too late for that.”

“Why don’t you go round to see him?” she suggests.

Huffing out another laugh, I grab my cell and bag from the side and check the screen—still no messages from Jessie. “I would if I knew where he lived.”

She looks genuinely surprised, but doesn’t say anything.

“Like I said, we aren’t supposed to see each other. It’s a long story.”

Felicity takes out her phone and begins tapping on the screen. “One involving your dad, I’m guessing.”