even dozen, including her boss, Cathy, who had been lured from her office by the commotion. Comments and questions were coming to Jillian from all sides.
"Open the card."
"Nice flowers."
"No one ever sends me flowers like that."
"What's his name, Jill?"
Finally, Shandra said, "Come on girl. Don't keep us all in suspense. Open the card."
Jillian surveyed the expectant faces, then slid the card from the envelope, read it, and smiled, covering her mouth as she did so.
Marie couldn't stand the suspense. "Well what does it say?"
"I miss your voice," Jillian replied softly.
"That's all?" asked Shandra.
"That's enough. That's perfect."
Reaction among the crowd ranged from rolling eyes to shaking heads as everyone but Shandra and Marie dispersed.
"They're from coffee guy, right?" Marie asked.
Jillian nodded.
"I knew it. You saw him last night, didn't you? You two hooked up late and now he's sending you flowers. You're bad, girl."
Jillian tried to feign offense but was too happy to pull it off. "No. I swear. I was with Liz and Jenna until almost eleven. He called as they were leaving and we talked for about an hour. That's all."
Clearly, the two did not believe her.
"No man ever sent me flowers just for talking to him," Shandra said.
Implication filled Marie's accusing gaze. "Me neither. Just what kind of talking did you two do last night?"
"I told you. It was all completely innocent. Now go away, I have work to do."
Shandra and Marie flung skeptical looks at their friend before they retreated down the aisle, whispering and glancing back at Jillian, who had returned to her computer.
She stared at the screen for a few seconds, then turned and reached for the flowers.
Callas. He sent me Calla lilies. How could he know?
She was all smiles and dreamy looks as she first studied the vase of creamy white flowers and then the card on which he'd written the note and his work number. She picked up the phone and dialed.
"Paul DiLorenzo."
"Thank you for the flowers, Paul. They're lovely."
"What?"
"Thank you for the flowers. They're lovely."
"Who is this?"
"Jerk," she said, laughing.
"I'm glad you liked them. I thought they might be a bit much since we've only talked a few times, but I really was missing your voice, especially since you didn't show up this morning. I thought the flowers might be a good way to get you to call."
"Show up?"
"At the coffee shop."
"Oh! It never occurred to me to tell you. It was Shandra's turn to get the coffee this morning. Three of us take turns. I hope you didn't wait too long."
"Nah, just long enough to almost be late for work.
"Poor guy."
"But it's okay now that I've heard your voice. Any thoughts on where we should go and what we should do tomorrow?"
"Well, I am partial to food. After that, surprise me."
"Surprise you, eh? Any limitations?"
"Nothing illegal."
"Shucks."
"Or immoral."
"Damn. You're killing all my good ideas."
Jillian laughed again. It was getting to be a habit whenever she talked to him.
"Poor baby. I guess you'll have to think a little harder."
"Now I like the sound of that."
"Bye Paul."
"How about lunch today?"
"Can't. I already have a date…" Jillian paused for a few seconds, grinning as she listened to the silence, "…with my boss and three other people from the department. The publisher wants to do a special issue next week and wants some design suggestions."
"Hmmm. I think I owe you one for that. Call me when you get home tonight?"
"It'll be very late. You might be sleeping."
"Doesn't matter. I can't think of a better way to wake up than to the sound of your voice."
10:25 AM
A happy Paul hung up the phone, grinned at Rob and said, "My flowers worked."
"I could tell." Rob was pleased for his friend, but anxious about his own delivery.
The florist's driver had stopped by forty-five minutes earlier to pick up the note and CD. It had cost him an extra forty dollars, twenty for the pick-up and twenty as a tip to the driver to ensure
"Open the card."
"Nice flowers."
"No one ever sends me flowers like that."
"What's his name, Jill?"
Finally, Shandra said, "Come on girl. Don't keep us all in suspense. Open the card."
Jillian surveyed the expectant faces, then slid the card from the envelope, read it, and smiled, covering her mouth as she did so.
Marie couldn't stand the suspense. "Well what does it say?"
"I miss your voice," Jillian replied softly.
"That's all?" asked Shandra.
"That's enough. That's perfect."
Reaction among the crowd ranged from rolling eyes to shaking heads as everyone but Shandra and Marie dispersed.
"They're from coffee guy, right?" Marie asked.
Jillian nodded.
"I knew it. You saw him last night, didn't you? You two hooked up late and now he's sending you flowers. You're bad, girl."
Jillian tried to feign offense but was too happy to pull it off. "No. I swear. I was with Liz and Jenna until almost eleven. He called as they were leaving and we talked for about an hour. That's all."
Clearly, the two did not believe her.
"No man ever sent me flowers just for talking to him," Shandra said.
Implication filled Marie's accusing gaze. "Me neither. Just what kind of talking did you two do last night?"
"I told you. It was all completely innocent. Now go away, I have work to do."
Shandra and Marie flung skeptical looks at their friend before they retreated down the aisle, whispering and glancing back at Jillian, who had returned to her computer.
She stared at the screen for a few seconds, then turned and reached for the flowers.
Callas. He sent me Calla lilies. How could he know?
She was all smiles and dreamy looks as she first studied the vase of creamy white flowers and then the card on which he'd written the note and his work number. She picked up the phone and dialed.
"Paul DiLorenzo."
"Thank you for the flowers, Paul. They're lovely."
"What?"
"Thank you for the flowers. They're lovely."
"Who is this?"
"Jerk," she said, laughing.
"I'm glad you liked them. I thought they might be a bit much since we've only talked a few times, but I really was missing your voice, especially since you didn't show up this morning. I thought the flowers might be a good way to get you to call."
"Show up?"
"At the coffee shop."
"Oh! It never occurred to me to tell you. It was Shandra's turn to get the coffee this morning. Three of us take turns. I hope you didn't wait too long."
"Nah, just long enough to almost be late for work.
"Poor guy."
"But it's okay now that I've heard your voice. Any thoughts on where we should go and what we should do tomorrow?"
"Well, I am partial to food. After that, surprise me."
"Surprise you, eh? Any limitations?"
"Nothing illegal."
"Shucks."
"Or immoral."
"Damn. You're killing all my good ideas."
Jillian laughed again. It was getting to be a habit whenever she talked to him.
"Poor baby. I guess you'll have to think a little harder."
"Now I like the sound of that."
"Bye Paul."
"How about lunch today?"
"Can't. I already have a date…" Jillian paused for a few seconds, grinning as she listened to the silence, "…with my boss and three other people from the department. The publisher wants to do a special issue next week and wants some design suggestions."
"Hmmm. I think I owe you one for that. Call me when you get home tonight?"
"It'll be very late. You might be sleeping."
"Doesn't matter. I can't think of a better way to wake up than to the sound of your voice."
10:25 AM
A happy Paul hung up the phone, grinned at Rob and said, "My flowers worked."
"I could tell." Rob was pleased for his friend, but anxious about his own delivery.
The florist's driver had stopped by forty-five minutes earlier to pick up the note and CD. It had cost him an extra forty dollars, twenty for the pick-up and twenty as a tip to the driver to ensure
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