Forget Me Not

by Crystal B. Bright

This time, Gideon opted to do a video chat. No way would his dear friend disconnect the call if he saw his face.

  Dennis answered. Gideon had only seen the scowl Dennis carried on game day against the opponents. He had his dreads pulled back into a low ponytail. He had his eyebrows knitted together. When he breathed, Dennis looked like a bull about to charge.

  “You have got some nerve.” Dennis’s mouth drew in a tight line.

  “I’ve had a lot stuff going on, Den.” Gideon continued pacing when he noticed Dennis had started. “My brother got shot Super Bowl night.”

  “Yeah, I had to hear about it on the news. You couldn’t tell me? I thought we were boys.” Dennis pounded his chest with his fist.

  “We are. I wasn’t thinking about anyone but my family. I had to get home.” Gideon lowered his head, took a breath, and connected his stare to his friend before speaking. “My mom needs bypass surgery. It’s serious, man.”

  Dennis stopped pacing, but the grimace remained. “You didn’t tell me about that either.”

  “It’s not something you broadcast, you know. Her surgery is this coming Monday.”

  Gideon’s friend’s face softened finally. “Tell her I said good luck.” He looked off to the side.

  Gideon knew Dennis’s mother had passed away years ago from breast cancer, another reason not to tell him about Queen Elizabeth.

  “Thanks, man.” Gideon coughed. “Did you hear the other news?”

  “What? You getting married or something?” Dennis pressed his lips together.

  “Yeah, right. No. Coach Brick came to see me.”

  Dennis stilled.

  Gideon swiped his hand over his throat. “I’m done. I’m on the injured list. Might as well say I’m off the team.”

  “That’s rough. Guess you shouldn’t have run that last play.”

  Gideon glared at his friend. “Even though it won us the game?”

  “Yeah, but look at you. You’re a loose cannon. Coach doesn’t know what to do with you, which is a problem for me.”

  “Why’s that?”

  Dennis remained quiet for a while before he dropped a bomb. “I told Coach and the managers that when I signed on to be a Wolf, it was with the understanding that the team does a lot of running plays. If they support you running key plays, I need to go find a new team.” He shrugged. “Bottom line, I told them it was either me or you. I guess they made their decision since I haven’t seen Brick or heard from my agent.”

  “You bastard. You couldn’t come talk to me about the plays first? You ran to the coach and managers like a bitch behind my back?” The knife in his back felt like it sliced through his heart as well.

  “I’m the bitch? You’re the one who made the most important game of our lives all about you. We all have stories we want to tell our kids, Gid.”

  Gideon had to sit down. The more he paced, the more it sounded like marching. He didn’t need to alert his mother and brother. “No matter what you think of me, I never did anything intentionally to hurt you or your career. You waited until I was weak and you buried me. You know, the phone rings on my end too. You could have called me.”

  Dennis chuckled. “Why? You know it all. You have it handled, right?” He shook his head. “Good luck with rehab.” He disconnected the call.

  If Gideon didn’t need his phone and the contacts in it, he would have thrown it across the room. As soon as he heard the front door slam, he went downstairs. His mother sat on the couch and looked like he had always remembered her. She knitted while watching TV.

  He noticed a cup of tea on the end table next to her along with some cookies. Gideon couldn’t indulge if he wanted to be able to play next season.

  He sat on the chair across from her. “Do you need anything before I go?”

  “Yes, darling.” Queen Elizabeth put her knitting project down to regard her son. “Aren’t you going to thank me?”

  Before Gideon could ask what he needed to thank her for, he thought about the day and his whole life. With his mother, anything could be fair game.

  “Thank you for providing me with a great home and upbringing.”

  “Honey, you don’t have to go back that far. Try again.” She picked up her tea and took a sip.

  “Thank you for making that appointment for me.” He smiled and hoped that she wouldn’t want to delve any deeper in to what the doctor had said.

  “So?”

  No such luck.

  “So I messed up my ACL pretty badly, but not so bad that I have to have surgery. That’s the good news.” His smile widened.

  “But you need it?” she pressed.

  “The doctor suggested I get it. But he also said I could heal with physical therapy.”

  “Good. So how long will you have to wear the brace?” She smiled as she set her cup down.

  Gideon peered down. Through his jeans, he saw the outline of the brace around his knee. “Six weeks for now, along with some physical therapy. Then the doctor will check on my progress.”

  “Good.” She nodded. “Go on.”

  Gideon shrugged. “That’s it.” He would leave out the fact that the doctor had strongly suggested surgery.

  “Isn’t there something else you need to thank me for?”

  He collapsed back into the chair. “I’m not going to stay here with you. I have a perfectly good home of my own.”

  Elizabeth picked up her phone and typed something on the screen before she turned it around to him. Gideon sat up and moved in closer. He caught an image of him kissing Janelle behind Flowers Galore.

  Gideon knew the photographers had been behind them. Janelle had warned him and he’d heard the telltale sounds of a camera. He didn’t care. He’d wanted to kiss Janelle and do so much more with her. He hadn’t felt like that since he and Hilary had parted ways.

  “You can thank me at any time for getting you two together.” Elizabeth laughed.

  Gideon stood. He strolled over to his mother and kissed her on her forehead. He connected his gaze to hers before he said, “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Now are you two having sex yet?” she asked. “I think I have condoms in my purse.”

  Gideon rolled his eyes as soon as his mother turned her head. “If you don’t need anything else, I’m going to head on home. It’s been a long, exhausting day.”

  “Okay, dear.”

  Gideon got to the door.

  Elizabeth stopped him again. “Just remember, dear. A woman needs a lot of foreplay.”

  “Good-bye, Mom.” Gideon opened the door.

  “Never use a woman. Do it only if you truly care about her.”

  He stepped over the threshold. He couldn’t get out of this conversation fast enough. “I love you, Mom.”

  “And please use condoms. Janelle is a lovely woman, but you can never be too careful. I would love to be a grandmother, but only in the right way.”

  Gideon started to close the door before he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Love you, dear,” he heard his mother say before he escaped.

  Not weird at all.

  Instead of driving home, Gideon went to Flowers Galore. He knew Victor would be fine at Pick ’N Clip. He wanted to be able to catch Janelle. That kiss had meant more than a simple thank you. He’d felt it. He hoped she had also.

  Gideon started to pull into the parking lot to her store when he saw a couple of reporters and photographers milling around outside the front door.

  Damn.

  Luckily, the photographers hadn’t seen him in his car going by the business. He went down the street and parked. He would throw the ball into her court and see what happened.

  * * * *

  At the end of the day, Janelle felt both beat and exhilarated. What a day full of surprises. First, all the customers that had showed up that morning. Then the surprise of the additional supplies courtesy of Gideon. Then that kiss.

  She put her fingers to her lips. It had been a long
time since she’d had a kiss like that. Could Gideon be that same boy from years ago?

  Her office phone rang.

  So far, only news outlets and curious customers had called her, asking her questions about Gideon and their relationship. She’d told everyone who asked that she and Gideon happened to be business associates and no more. Then the kiss had happened.

  Janelle answered the phone, hoping it would be more business. “Flowers Galore. How can I help you?”

  “How were the sales today?”

  Janelle’s bottom jaw unhinged.

  Gideon continued talking. “Was it like yesterday?”

  “Uh, yeah. Yes. Lots of sales and orders. I’ll be swamped on Valentine’s Day.” She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair.

  “That’s a shame. Valentine’s Day should be spent with someone you love, or at least with someone you really like. Is there someone you really like?”

  She could almost see him smiling. She heard the happy lilt in is voice. “Your flirting skills are so lame.”

  He laughed at her.

  “Shouldn’t you be apologizing?”

  “For what?”

  “Kissing me like that when you hadn’t asked for permission.” She drummed her fingers on her desk.

  “Good. You didn’t mention that you didn’t want to be kissed or that you didn’t like it.”

  She gasped and hoped the sound hadn’t traveled through the phone. Gideon had made a great point. If she really didn’t like him, and if she’d hated the kiss, she would have mentioned that first. She hoped from the way her body had fused against his that he would have known how much she’d enjoyed his lips capturing hers.

  Gideon cleared his throat. “I apologize. I must admit, I’ve always been a bit impulsive.”

  “I’m not.” She crossed her legs. “The next time the impulse strikes you, ask for permission.”

  “So you want there to be a next time?”

  “What I want should be of no concern to you.” She twirled a pen around on her desk like a solo version of spin the bottle.

  “But I am concerned. Why hasn’t a man scooped you up yet, or better yet, married you?”

  Janelle leaned forward. Her chair squeaked under her movement. “Like I said, I’m married to my work. Besides, a husband would get angry with me after a while. I wouldn’t be able to wear a wedding band while I work. I do have to dig in a lot of dirt every day.” She couldn’t wear a lot of jewelry while she did her job. She would be too afraid of ruining a precious piece.

  “A smart husband would get you a simple band for working.”

  “Oh, really? And why is that?” She had to hear this reasoning.

  “Your husband would know that flowers and plants are your life.”

  The smile melted as she listened to Gideon.

  He continued. “He would know that you would be happy digging in the dirt while you take care of your babies. The plants, I mean. Not actual children. He would get you something simple to wear to work, something you could have under gardener’s gloves. But at home, you would wear the biggest ring out there.”

  “Oh.” Janelle couldn’t say anything other than that one word.

  He sighed. “So will you do dinner with me tonight?”

  Janelle opened her mouth but she still couldn’t speak. What could she say? Yes, she wanted to have dinner with him, but the thought of cameras following her around scared her?

  “Hello?” he said when she didn’t respond right away.

  “I can’t.” Janelle shook her head.

  “Can’t or won’t?”

  “Shouldn’t.”

  “Ah. I don’t like that word. It implies there’s some sort of rule that should be followed. What’s holding you back?” The curious tone in his voice weaved through his low timbre.

  Janelle chewed on her lower lip. She could reveal so much about herself. How her last boyfriend had fled after he’d accomplished his goals. How her mother’s idea of a relationship had tainted her view on men. Or how her fledging business made her feel unattractive to men.

  Instead, she said, “You are like ivy. You cover everything and take over wherever you grow.”

  “At least you didn’t call me a poison ivy.” He released a chuckle. “Just call me a hollyhock.”

  She smiled. “Are you saying you’re like an annual?”

  “I just keep coming back.”

  Janelle couldn’t help but laugh.

  “See. A man who can make you laugh is one you can trust.”

  Her laughter stopped. “It’s not you I don’t trust.”

  He latched on to that statement faster than she expected. “See. I was right. You don’t trust yourself around me.”

  Penny poked her head into the office. “You ready to go?”

  Janelle held up a finger and mouthed the words, Just one second.

  “I’ll even let you pick where we go. My treat though,” Gideon said.

  Janelle shook her head as she stood. “As tempting as that sounds, I don’t think it’s a great idea. It’s bad enough now that I’m afraid to go home to see who might be there waiting for me.”

  “Tell me where you live. I’ll keep whoever is bothering you away from you.” The sternness in his voice came through as powerful as his words.

  “I can’t ask you to do that. And I definitely can’t tell you where I live. One day you’ll go back to train and to football. I’ll still have nosy reporters and photographers bugging me about you. It’ll be very inconvenient.”

  “Okay. Then come to my house. Stay with me if you want.”

  Janelle blinked at that offer as she put on her coat. “You barely know me. Why would you make an offer like that?”

  “Like I said before, my mother likes you, so you have to be good people. Plus, I feel like I owe it to you for intruding in your life. I have a guesthouse that you could stay in that’s away from the main house.”

  She snickered. “And here I have a small, seven-hundred-square-foot apartment where I can hear my neighbors sneeze.”

  “I work hard for what I have. I make no apologies for it.” His statement made it seem like he’d had to either explain or defend his choices in the past to other people. “Plus, I have my privacy. You can have privacy and security.”

  Janelle lowered her voice. “Yeah, but for how long?”

  She’d felt secure in her last relationship until the rug had been pulled from under her. Gideon could be like all the rest of the men in her past, including the man who’d fathered her…wherever he might be.

  “Thanks for the strange but nice offer. I have to go.” She slipped on her coat and hung her scarf loosely around her neck. “Thanks for the extra flowers today. I’ll pay you back.”

  “No need.” His tone lightened.

  “Please, let me pay you.” She hoisted her purse and backpack with her laptop on her shoulder before turning off the office lights.

  “Dinner would be a great payment.”

  “A dinner that you would pay for?” She snickered. “How is that paying you back?”

  Gideon paused before answering. “Great company would be priceless.”

  Janelle stood frozen to her spot as she absorbed his words. Good thing she couldn’t see him. He could have had her in any way he wanted.

  Penny tugged on Janelle’s scarf. When Janelle peered at her friend, Penny nodded her head toward the door.

  “I have to go. Have a good evening, Mr. Wells.”

  “Gideon.”

  Janelle smiled.

  “You have a lovely night, Janelle.” He disconnected the call.

  She stared at her phone as though the man existed inside of it.

  “If you want him, call him back.” Penny broke Janelle’s daydream when she jabbed her with her elbow.

  Janelle put the phone in her purse. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re two professionals talking.”

  “Uh-huh. Talking about dinner, husban
ds and wedding rings, right? Why don’t you admit that you like the guy?” Penny opened the door and headed to her car.

  Janelle waited a moment at the doorway before she went to her vehicle. She didn’t need someone else jumping out of the bushes to scare her with a camera and a probing question.

  “Of course I like him. He’s nice and has a great knowledge of flowers and plants. He’s a good colleague.” Janelle unlocked her car and threw her items inside.

  “With a great ass.” Again, Penny held up her hands and curved her fingers like she’d done when they’d watched the Super Bowl.

  “Oh, by the way. No more pictures of me on the Internet, please. I have enough going on in my life without you adding to it.” Janelle pointed to her employee and gave her the sternest look she could muster.

  In a surrendering move, Penny held up her hands. “Okay, okay. You win. No more hot, steamy pics of you and that sexy-ass Gideon Wells.”

  “Thank you.” Janelle started to take a seat in her car.

  “Hey, boss.”

  Janelle peered over the roof of her car.

  “How was that kiss?” Penny pursed her lips and made an obscene kissing sound as she got in her car and started it.

  Janelle pointed to her. “You are not my friend,” she shouted to her.

  The accountant with an office next to her shop slammed his door and locked it.

  “Hello, Mr. Sleaston.” Janelle waved to the man, who glanced at her and continued to his car with his head down.

  Nothing about the man distinguished him from any other average man. He had a medium to slight build. He wore dark clothing, probably meant for him to blend into his surroundings. His black horned-rimmed glasses gave him a bit of character. Otherwise, her business neighbor could best be described as forgettable.

  One day, the man would develop a personality and acknowledge her. Until then, she would continue to talk to him like a good neighbor. Small-business owners had to stick together.

  Janelle drove home without listening to music. The silence kept her mind uncluttered and centered on Gideon, that body, that smile, those hands, that kiss. Had he done it because he’d felt compelled to kiss her or did he want to manipulate her? She hadn’t known him that long, or really at all to know his character.

  She didn’t want to think about him anymore. Each time she did, her nipples hardened and her pulse raced. She could barely control her breathing.