Page 101 of Making Over Maris

Bless Jack. He was so thoughtful. She’d only just left his place but somehow he’d managed to have these flowers delivered before she arrived.

As though she had conjured him up, he stepped behind her and slipped his arm around her waist. “Mmm. Flowers.” His voice rumbled in her ear.

“They are beautiful. I love roses.”

He nibbled on her neck the way she liked. “Who are they from?”

She spun around and gaped at him. “These aren’t from you?”

He blinked. “I don’t think so.”

Her fingers trembled as she fumbled through the blooms and found a card—

Oh. Crap.

She blanched. “They’re from Todd.”

Jack stilled. He stared at her. His mouth opened. Closed. Same deal with his fingers. He paled. “Why…why would Todd be sending you flowers?”

She sat in her seat with a thud. “Apparently he wants me to call him back.”

Jack swallowed. His Adam’s apple made the long, slow journey down and back. “Are you going to? Call him?”

Exasperation curled in her gut. “I wasn’t. But now…”

“But now? A couple dozen roses—”

“Six.”

“Six dozen roses and now you’ll call him back?”

“Only to tell him—”

A muscle bunched in his cheek. “Nah. That’s okay. I get it.”

Her heart hitched at his expression. “No. Jack. You don’t.”

“Sara—”

“No. Sit down and shut up.” He didn’t look as if he was going to obey so she repeated herself in a sterner tone. In that tone.

Like a puppet, he dropped into the chair by her desk. She got up and closed the door then came back and sat facing him.

How was she going to say this?

He deserved the best she had to offer—and that meant honesty. As difficult as that would be for her.

“He broke my heart, Jack. I offered him something I thought was very special and he tossed it back in my face.” God, those words were tough to say. But they became easier. Easier as the truth spilled out. “I don’t want to be with him. I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t even want to see him.” She took his hands in hers. “I want to be with you. Can you understand that? I love what we have. But more than that, I love that you love it. Does that make any sense?”

His nostrils flared but he said nothing. His eyes, however, glowed.

“You don’t make me feel bad about myself. You don’t make me want to crawl into a hole and hide. He did. I like who I am with you. Okay?”

“O-okay.”

“So you’re not allowed to be jealous of Todd. Not allowed to even think about Todd. He no longer exists to me.”

“But what about all these flowers?”