Page 50 of Mr. Green

Grant

The delivery driver brings in five more bouquets of flowers, all yellow. There’s a bouquet for every surface in my place. Grant has obviously thought this out. I have to admit, it’s the cutest thing anyone has ever done. I’m glad to see red roses are also in all the bouquets. Yellow means friendship, but Grant made sure there were red roses, equating to him liking me as more than a friend.

“I have one more for you. I almost overlooked it; it doesn’t match everything else I brought in,” he says as hedisappears to retrieve the odd item. Strange.

He comes back after thirty seconds holding a small bouquet of pink and purple carnations. It looks absolutely pitiful compared to the others. I automatically know it’s not from Grant. It’s not a coincidence the flowers all came from the same place. Living in a small town, where there’s only one flower shop. My stomach turns in response.

I take the note from the last bouquet after thanking the driver and closing the front door.

Lana,

Let’s start fresh.

I really need to talk to you.

Love,

Ryan

Surprisingly, my first thought is,that stupid buttface. I thought I’dwantto hear from him. I’ve been waiting two years. Now he’s reached out, it’s like I can’t believe he’s a real person trying to talk to me. I stare at the flowers, fidgeting and pacing. I decide the best thing is to keep ignoring him.

The flowers look sad, but I don’t want to throw them out. It’s not their fault their sender is a jackass. I put them in a corner in my kitchen where you can hardly see them. I don’t want to throw them out, but I also don’t want to display them. What if Grant came in and saw them here? I’m not “officially” with Grant, but I haven’t been in a healthy relationship for a while and I don’t know the rules. Maybe it just happens organically. Regardless, Grant has shown me what a dick Ryan was being, when I thought he was being sweet. I’ve gotten a taste of filet mignon and I’m not settling for chuck steak.

I’m still confused about why Ryan would just leave me. I don’t need to hear his side so he can explain, it’s more to confirm what he did was stupid. I want to be in a place to make him feel like he missed out on the best thing hecould’ve gotten. I’m not quite there yet, though. I want to be, but getting my confidence back isn’t something that’ll happen overnight.

I put my shoes on and grab Queenie for a run. I want to clear my head. I want to feel my body move. The more I focus on my body moving, the better I feel about it. I want to take full advantage of it, and the best way for me to focus is to get going. It’s why I enjoy running so much.

Queenie and I break into a steady pace. I’m keeping up with her, which is an insight into my mood. Most days she drags me along. I run, focusing on my feet hitting the pavement each time. Focusing on each leg moving and my arms pumping.

We run and run and run. By the time I realize I’ve taken us back to my apartment complex, I look down at my watch to see we’ve run eight and a half miles. If I ever need to do another marathon, I know exactly who to call to get me psyched up for a record time.

I walk into my place and immediately start the bath. Water always helps make me feel better. I rinse in the shower after I get Queenie fresh water. Then I plug up the tub and wait for it to fill.

As I’m sitting in the bath, I think about Ryan. One month ago, I would’ve been thrilled to hear from him. He never got me flowers, so I would’ve been excited to see he was finally making an effort. I should reach out to him. It’s something new for him to do. I should be happy he wants to talk. For some reason, my fingers won’t dial the number I know by heart.

Instead Grant’s number lights up on my phone making my lips turn up in a smile.

I answer without hesitation.

Chapter 33

Lana

“Hey!” I almost shout, smiling too big for my own good. “Thank you for all the flowers! You made my day!”

“Of course, Sunshine! Glad you liked them.” He pauses. “I was thinking, it’s going to be too long until I see you again. What do you think about coming to Texas? Then I can wake up with you properly.”

“Ummm. When? I have to go into the gym sometimes.”

“I was thinking Friday to Sunday. I’d ask you to come earlier, but then you’d be all alone in a state you don’t know.”

My smile is from ear to ear. I wanted to go see him in Texas and now he’s asking me. It’s not desperate if I go anymore.

“Yeah, I can make that work. I’ll look at a flight right now.” Let’s be real, I need another fix of him. The sex was so good. He lit my body on fire. I’mnotgoing to think about the butterflies in my stomach when he calls me or how his voice makes my body shudder.

“No, no. I told you your money is no good around me. I want to spoil you a little bit.”

“What does that mean?” I was thinking more like a sex fest.