Page 36 of Suddenly Mine
“Better than that,” said Alice, taking Merry’s arm and leading her into the locker room. “We’ve all been trying to guess. Who is it?”
Who is what?she wanted to ask, but she’d suddenly forgotten how to speak.
The large locker room looked exactly the way it had yesterday: lockers down each side for the staff to put their belongings, benches lined up down the middle, a door that led to the restrooms and showers. The only thing that was different was a bouquet of white, pink and red roses sitting on one of the benches. She could smell them from here.
“What are they? Who are they for?”
“Don’t play the innocent,” Alice said. “They’re for you!”
Merry frowned. That was impossible. In her whole life, she had only ever been given flowers once when she was a teenager and her cat had died. Her granny had picked her a bunch of poppies to help her feel better.
“Go on! I can’t wait any longer!” She gave Merry a gentle nudge and Merry walked reluctantly to the bench. The flowers really were beautiful, full and proud and shiny. They must have cost a fortune. Nestled among the leaves was a little envelope,her name written on the front in beautiful calligraphy. Merry looked at Alice and Alice urged her on.
“If you don’t,” her friend said. “I will.”
“Oh, fine,” Merry said. She plucked the envelope free and opened it, slipping out the little card inside. On the front was a single candy cane, striped red and white. All that was written inside was:
Thanks for last night.
Her cheeks flushed hot and she slid the card back into the envelope with shaking hands, tucking it into her coat pocket like contraband.
“Well,who?” squealed Alice, snatching the card. “There’s no name! What the hell does ‘thanks for last night’ mean?”
It didn’t need a name. She knew exactly who had sent them — she could still feel the after-effects of being a good girl this morning.
“I swear, I am going to explode if you don’t tell me!” Alice said.
“Then you’ll have to explode,” Merry said. “Because it’s nobody, it’s nothing. It’s . . .”
Christian was leaving soon for the other side of the world. What did he want from her? A few weeks of hot chocolates and hotter sex and then a sad goodbye? It didn’t seem fair that he was playing with her heart like this.
“It’s a joke,” she said, the smile falling from her face. “A stupid joke. You can have the flowers. I don’t want them.”
“I think it’s the boss,” said Trudy from the bench where she was getting changed. “Lewis Carroll himself. I think that’s why you can’t say anything.”
“Ew!” Merry said, and Alice’s laughter was so loud it echoed off the wall.
“That’s it!” she said. “That has to be it!”
“No!” said Merry. “That’s just wrong. He’s like a hundred years old.”
“So who, then?” Alice said. “Who would send you a bouquet of flowers like that? From Florisan’s, too — they’re expensive.”
“Come on,” said Jasmin. “I mean, you’re obviously going to bring him to the Christmas Ball, so you have to tell us who he is before then.”
Merry took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m not going to tell you who,” she said. “But I’ll saywhat.”
The three women fell silent with anticipation, and Merry cast a quick look over her shoulder to make sure they were alone.
“So, the other day I was just standing at the door, greeting people, and this guy walks in. He’s . . . I mean, he’s amazing. He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”
Merry was blushing so hard she could toast marshmallows on her cheeks. Her three friends listened on, wide-eyed.
“I felt something for him. It’s like . . . Okay, this is going to sound really corny, but bear with me. It’s like, you know how when you’re a kid you make a Christmas wish, and Santa brings it to you. Every single wish is different, and he brings you exactly what you ask for.”
“Uh, Merry,” said Jasmin in a fake whisper. “I have news. Santa isn’t real.”
“No, I know,” said Merry. “But when you’re a kid you think it’s magic. It’s just your parents, they pick your presents, but in your heart, when you’re young, you know it’s something else, something incredible. That’s how it feels now, with him. I feel like he’s a perfect present for me and me alone. He’s my Christmas wish come true.”