Be Mine Forever: A Valentine (Single Father Romance)

by Lexy Parker

  I went into the office, waiting for him to ask me the same question he’d been asking every morning since I announced I refused to do the flower deliveries ever again. I knew I sounded childish. I didn’t care. It was for the best.

  “What’s up?” I asked him.

  “Are you ready to pick up the flower shop route?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “No.”

  He growled and mumbled under his breath before turning back to his computer. Sheets spit out of the printer. He snatched one and walked out of the office, handing the sheet to the new guy before stomping back in and closing the door behind him.

  “Philip, this has gone on long enough,” he said. “Do you really expect to avoid seeing her for the rest of your days?”

  I nodded. “Yes, actually, that’s exactly what I’m going for.”

  “Sit.” He gestured toward the plain chair in the office.

  I sat down, knowing he wanted answers. I hadn’t told him why I didn’t want to see Jamie again.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You know what,” he said. “What the hell happened?”

  “Nothing happened. Nothing is going to happen. It’s over.”

  He scowled. “On Sunday, you practically floated through the door. You were happy, like really happy. What the hell happened between Sunday night and Monday morning? Actually, now that I think about it, you were fine when you left here on Monday morning.”

  I scowled, not really interested in talking about it. “I was.”

  “And then she told you to get lost?” he asked. “She told you she didn’t want anything to do with you anymore?”

  I shook my head. “No, I met her best friend and sister-in-law.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You met her best friend and her sister-in-law?”

  “No, they are the same person,” I said tersely.

  “Ah, I see the problem,” he said dryly. “How dare you meet other people?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Her friend, Dani, has a problem with my ring,” I snapped.

  He leaned back in his chair, exhaling a long breath. “Aha. The friend has a problem, and now Jamie has a problem with the fact you’re still wearing your wedding ring?”

  “No.”

  “No?” he repeated.

  “Dani has the problem,” I explained. “She said something that got me thinking about Tara and everything, and I think she might be right.”

  “What exactly did she say that makes you think she has a problem?” he persisted.

  “She basically said I’m leading Jamie on. I’m still married to my wife if I don’t take off the ring.”

  He grimaced. “I think she was only pointing out what the perception was.”

  “Either way, I’m not going to see her again.”

  “Do you think you might be overreacting a bit?” he asked. “If Jamie doesn’t have the issue with the ring, then it shouldn’t be an issue.”

  I smirked. “You would think, but I know she cares a lot about her friend and probably takes what she says very seriously.”

  “Have you talked to Jamie about what Dani said?”

  I shook my head. “No. There’s no point.”

  “Why not? The two of you are the ones in the relationship. What you guys think and feel is what matters. I wouldn’t let someone steal that away.”

  “I haven’t talked to her because her friend is right,” I said. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t think I can take off the ring and pretend I was never married.”

  “It doesn’t mean you pretend you weren’t married,” he said. “Jamie knows you were. She knows the story, right?”

  I bobbed my head back and forth between my shoulders. “Yes and no. She knows Tara died, but that’s about it.”

  “Why haven’t you told her?”

  “It’s not something I like to talk about,” I said.

  “Okay, I understand that, but don’t you think she deserves to know?”

  “Not now,” I replied.

  He sat forward, putting his hands on the desk. “I don’t want you to miss out on something that could be very good.”

  “It was too soon,” I said. “I shouldn’t have tried so hard.”

  “Look, I think Dani was only trying to say what I’ve been saying for a while now,” he said. “It isn’t meant to be cruel or to push you into something you don’t want. I think people care about you, and her friend certainly cares about her. It’s not meant to be anything more than a piece of advice. Don’t take it so seriously.”

  I shook my head. “She accused me of just fucking her and not treating her right. I’m not that kind of a man. I don’t want to be that man.”

  “You’re not that kind of man,” he said. “Don’t prove her right by running away.”

  I shrugged. “Too late.”

  He shook his head. “It isn’t.”

  “I better get going,” I said, taking my sheet from the desk.

  I was done talking about it. The sooner it was behind me, the sooner I could forget about the whole thing. I didn’t want to keep rehashing the situation.

  “I’ll see you later,” he said as I walked out the door.

  I got in the truck, heading out on my route. I drove past the flower shop, my eyes automatically straining to see inside. I slowed down, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. There were too many damn flowers in the window for me to see anything. I longed to go to her. I wanted to kiss her and hold her in my arms, which was exactly why I kept driving.

  Dani had been somewhat right. I was not ready for a woman like Jamie. Jamie deserved a man ready to give her everything. I wasn’t that guy. I didn’t want to mistreat her. I felt guilty for being so abrupt, but I was a firm believer in clean breaks and going cold turkey. I’d ignored the single text message she’d sent on Monday night.

  She’d forget me soon enough. The woman was beautiful, smart, and independent, and any man in town would be lucky to have her. Hell, they were probably lined up at the door. I had a feeling Jamie would reject them all.

  Chapter 36

  Jamie

  I unlocked the back door to the shop, the crisp cool morning air chasing me inside. It was as if winter decided to come back for another round after we enjoyed a nice week of warm weather. The weather was cold and bitter, just like my mood. I was still grumpy and in a sour mood after what had happened with Philip. As if it wasn’t bad enough the two of us were on the outs, I had to deal with the replacement driver. I never realized how good I had it with Philip until that dipshit showed up at my door.

  I was in a shitty mood, which wasn’t anything new. I’d been in a shitty mood all week. I couldn’t wait to stay home and curl up on the couch with a bottle of wine and some sappy movies that reminded me there weren’t really any happily ever afters. It all sucked.

  I dropped my purse on the table and went about preparing the deliveries for the day. The sooner I could get the guy out of the shop, the better for me. That was one good thing about not having Philip doing the deliveries. I was a lot more motivated to get the dude out in a hurry.

  I had just finished the last order when I heard a knock at the back door. I checked the time and realized it was too early for the driver. Maybe it was Philip coming to apologize and grovel at my feet. I rushed for the door, smoothed my hair back before cracking it open to find Dani standing there with two cups of coffee.

  “Peace offering?” she mumbled.

  I sighed, opening the door and letting her in. “Thanks,” I said, taking the coffee.

  “How are you doing?” she asked.

  “Fine.”

  I hadn’t seen her since she’d left on Monday. We had exchanged a few texts, but I was still a little pissed at her for turning my life upside down and imploding what could have been the start of something very good. That wasn’t something a girl got over in a few days. Coffee was certainly a step in the right direction, though.

  “Have you heard from him?” she asked in a small voice.

  I turned
to look at her. “No. Did you actually think I would?”

  She shrugged. “Actually, yes, I did. I’m so sorry, but you have to see this could be for the best. If he hasn’t called or showed up, I think it’s safe to say he wasn’t really ready for anything serious. You dodged a bullet.”

  I knew she was right. “I dodged one bullet only to catch another,” I snapped.

  “What? What bullet got you?”

  I rolled my eyes. “If you’re here another five minutes, you’ll find out,” I said with a sigh.

  “I have no idea what that means,” she replied.

  I shrugged, moving to turn on the laptop and get going with my day. I wasn’t quite ready to chat about nothing with the woman who was supposed to be my best friend. I was still smarting from all the love she’d shown me Monday.

  A knock on the back door announced the arrival of my delivery driver. I bristled, moving to the door and opening it. The guy was probably in his thirties, pretended to be Italian, and had a real Nic Cage vibe going. It wasn’t working for him at all. It skeeved me out.

  “The deliveries are ready,” I said, walking toward the table.

  I could feel him staring at my ass. By the horrified look on Dani’s face, she noticed too. I quickly shoved the last of the arrangements in the box and thrust it at him.

  “Hey, why the rush?” he asked in a slow drawl.

  “You’re busy, I’m busy, no need to dawdle,” I snapped.

  He grinned. I imagined in his mind he probably thought it was sexy. To me, it looked like the grin of a drunken sloth. There was nothing sexy about it.

  “All right, all right, you’re a lady that likes to get things done in a hurry,” he said in that same slow drawl. “I can appreciate that. What are you doing after work tonight?”

  “I have to wash my hair,” I replied.

  He laughed as if I were joking. “I like that. A woman with spunk. That’s cool. I don’t mind playing chase a while longer. It will make the catching all the better.” He winked.

  I walked to the door and pushed it open. “Bye.”

  He was laughing as he walked past me, clearly thrilled with his attempt to unnerve me. I slammed the door behind him the second he was gone, shuddering with revulsion. I looked up to find Dani still standing in the same place, her lip curled and her nose wrinkled as if something smelled bad. Something did smell bad. The dude’s combination of cheap cologne and a gallon of hair gel was toxic. I hoped he didn’t smoke. I was convinced he would ignite around any open flames.

  “Wow,” Dani said, shaking her head.

  “I told you. That is one nasty bullet I got slammed with.”

  “That dude is creepy,” she said. “Have you called the service to complain?”

  I scoffed. “I’m running out of drivers here. I can’t afford to pay the higher rates at the other companies. I have an ad up for my own driver, but so far, the only applicants have been completely unacceptable. I’m stuck with him.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “Maybe Philip can grow up and grow a pair and at least have the decency to work with you. It isn’t like you guys have to talk or do anything else. All he needs to do is show up and take your flowers. Do you want me to call and have a chat with him?”

  I laughed bitterly. “Oh, because that went so well the last time.”

  “I’ll apologize, but you can’t keep dealing with that guy. He’s gross, lecherous, and really creepy. I really don’t like the idea of you being alone with him, even if it’s only for a couple minutes.”

  “Me either, but you made my bed, and now I get to lay in it,” I snapped.

  She nodded. “True, which is why you should let me fix it.”

  “You can’t. The damage is done. I’ll find another driver. In the meantime, I’m stuck with Creepy.”

  “Have you tried to talk to him yet?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “Nope. I sent him one text and never got a response. I’m not going to beg. I do have some dignity left.”

  “Sometimes, somebody has to be willing to let go of their pride and dignity and make the first move,” she said.

  I turned to her, my hands on my hips, my mouth hanging open. “Seriously? Are you seriously trying to get us back together? Wasn’t your whole goal of demanding he take off the ring to separate us?”

  She shook her head. “That was not my goal. My goal was to force a conversation. A conversation the two of you were dancing around, ignoring it as if it wasn’t there. I didn’t want to force a breakup.”

  “I don’t want to argue with him or have a difficult conversation,” I retorted, sounding petulant. “I liked glossing over the icky stuff.”

  She giggled. “That’s part of a relationship.”

  “Did you and Gage fight?” I asked her.

  She threw her head back, laughing. “Oh, yes. We fought, we made up. It’s part of being in a relationship. If neither of you has an opinion or expresses how you feel, you’re never going to get anywhere. You can’t agree all the time. There are going to be things that piss you off, and if you don’t speak up, they sit and fester.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t like arguing or confrontation.”

  “Don’t think of it as a confrontation. You’re talking about things that make you mad, happy, sad, or whatever. If you never talk about those things, you’re never really letting that other person in. You’re just kind of getting by. It’s all on the surface, and you’re not truly getting to know one another. You have to know what works, what he likes and doesn’t like. He needs to know the same about you. I know that ring bothered you. I know it did. Don’t deny it.” She held up a finger when I started shaking my head.

  I sighed. “A little, but not to the point I felt I had to say anything about it.”

  “You would have kept swallowing your feelings and keeping your mouth shut. He’d ask you what’s wrong, and you would say nothing when there really was something. That isn’t healthy. That is only going to lead to resentment, and ultimately, the two of you would have broken up anyway.”

  “You don’t know that,” I argued.

  “Yes, I do know that,” she said. “He couldn’t commit. You couldn’t trust him. That is not a recipe for a long-lasting, loving relationship. You may have had great sex, but eventually, that would have faded and the two of you would drift apart. It may have taken a while, but it would have happened. Then, you’d really be left with a broken heart. Right now, it’s just a little surface scratch. You’ll heal in no time.”

  I laughed. “You sure are confident in your advice.”

  She nodded. “I am because I’ve been in a loving relationship and because I know you.”

  I groaned. “I really don’t like fighting.”

  She grinned. “But the making up is oh so good. Trust me, if this is going to work between the two of you, this ring thing needs to be hashed out. If you are truly okay with him wearing it, then so be it. But if you aren’t, you need to say something.”

  “It’s too late now. That ship has sailed.”

  She laughed. “It’s never too late. Talk with him.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think I want to. I don’t like the arguing or getting into all the drama. It’s pretty evident I was not meant to be in a relationship or married. I’m twenty-six, and the longest relationship I’ve had was under a year.”

  “That’s because you hold back,” she said. “You don’t ever really let yourself be free with anyone. It’s that reserved part of you that I’m talking about. Rage, scream, yell, and get it all out. If he sticks around, he’s a keeper. If he doesn’t, then he didn’t care enough about your feelings to listen.”

  “I’m not a screamer. I don’t like shouting. It’s pointless. No one listens to anyone that’s shouting.”

  She shrugged. “Fine, you don’t have to yell, but you do have to tell him when you’re pissed and why. Don’t be one of those women who says nothing is wrong and then three months later jump his ass for that thing he did three months a
go that pissed you off.”

  I laughed. “That’s a woman’s right.”

  “It’s annoying and obnoxious,” she shot back.

  I smiled, nodding my head. “We’ll see. For now, I’m going to work. I’ll think about it and see if I’m up for a lot of drama. For now, I just want to get through the day.”

  She nodded her head, walked to me, and gave me a reassuring hug. “I’m really sorry I caused upheaval in your life. I should have waited. I’m sorry, and if there is anything I can do to make it right, please let me know.”

  “Thank you. I will.”

  I walked her to the door, feeling better that at least one of the relationships in my life was on the mend. I heard what she said, and I knew she was right, but I was a peacekeeper. I hated the idea of digging into feelings and all that. I liked things easy and on the surface. Clearly, it wasn’t working for me. I was going to have to decide if I really wanted a meaningful relationship. If I did, that meant it was time to lay it all out on the table.

  I groaned. “Yuck.”

  Chapter 37

  Philip

  With the remote in my hand, I flipped through the channels on the TV. Nothing appealed to me. The weather was shit outside, and Sadie and I were cooped up in the house. That was probably a good thing. I wasn’t in the mood to hang out at a park or the arcade, watching happy families spend time together. I wanted to wallow. Sadie had been playing quietly in her room, content to build a mansion for her dolls while I watched everything and nothing at the same time. How could there be so much crap on TV all at the same time?

  I was strongly considering a nap when I heard a truck out front. A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door. I got up to find Clay standing there with a paper bag from a local fast food joint.

  “What’s up?” I asked him, a little confused as to why he was there.

  Clay looked at me before pushing me aside and walking in. Seconds later, my little girl appeared in the living room, giving Clay a warm hug.