How’s the car?”
Shawna had purchased a Camry over the weekend. “I love it. I don’t know why I took so long to get a new one, but I’m glad I finally did it. It’s a relief not having to worry about whether or not my car will start when I turn the key.”
“It’s a major purchase. I understand why you took your time.”
Her sister hadn’t felt the same. Yvonne had given her a hard time, stating she couldn’t comprehend why she hadn’t bought a new car sooner when she’d probably spent the equivalent of a new car in clothes and shoes in the past year. Yvonne didn’t “get” her obsession.
Erin looked past her toward the front of the store. “What’s that?”
Shawna turned around to see a man striding down the middle aisle with a bouquet of red roses and a small box wrapped in white paper and gold ribbon.
“Shawna Ferguson?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m Shawna.”
“These are for you.”
Shawna signed for the items and read the card. Erin tried to peer over her shoulder, but Shawna moved so she couldn’t see.
Remember the first night we went out? I want to create more memories like that. Ryan
“What’s this all about?” Erin asked. “Have you been holding out on me?”
“Mind your business and get back to work.”
“No, you have to—” Erin broke off when the store phone rang behind the counter.
“You better get that,” Shawna said.
“We’re not done!” Erin called as Shawna hurried away.
She entered the small office located at the back of the store. After she set the flowers on the edge of the desk, she tore off the gift wrap to find an MP3 player and earbuds nestled in cotton.
“What are you up to, Ryan?” she asked the empty room.
She put in the earbuds and turned on the device. As she listened, a slow smile spread across her face. A compilation of the eighties and nineties songs she and Ryan had danced to that Friday night in Chicago played in her ears.
She didn’t know how long she sat there, listening to the music, bobbing her head and reminiscing about the party and his surprisingly good moves on the dance floor. She continued to listen as she answered e-mail and updated the store blog.
She only stopped to speak on the phone, place an order, and speak to a couple of clients. Around noon, her cell phone rang, and she fished it out of her bag. Ryan.
“Did you get my surprise?” he asked.
“Yes.” She bit her lip.
“You’re smiling.”
“How do you know?”
“I can hear it in your voice.”
With her elbow on the table, she rested her chin on her hand. “Yes, I’m smiling. But you know this was corny.”
“Yeah, but you like it.” Her smile broadened and she didn’t deny it. “I wanted you to know I was thinking about you.”
“Thank you.”
“I meant what I said in the note, too. I want us to create more memories together.” Without waiting for a response, he shifted gears. “Did you get a new car?” She answered in the affirmative and told him about it. “Now you don’t have to worry about being stranded somewhere.”
“True. I should’ve done it a long time ago.”
“Well, I better get back to work.” He sounded reluctant to hang up. “Keep a look-out. There are a few more things coming your way.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Before hanging up, she wanted to let him know how much she appreciated the gifts. “Ryan, I love the flowers, and I really enjoyed the music. It brought back good memories.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Before the store closed, a second delivery arrived. Another bouquet of roses, this time accompanied by a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. She laughed when she saw them, wondering how in the world he’d arranged it. They weren’t ‘Hot Now,’ but almost as good.
Shawna couldn’t put off Erin after that. As they devoured the sugary treat, she gave her only a quick summary. Being a private person, she didn’t want to divulge too much, and
Shawna had purchased a Camry over the weekend. “I love it. I don’t know why I took so long to get a new one, but I’m glad I finally did it. It’s a relief not having to worry about whether or not my car will start when I turn the key.”
“It’s a major purchase. I understand why you took your time.”
Her sister hadn’t felt the same. Yvonne had given her a hard time, stating she couldn’t comprehend why she hadn’t bought a new car sooner when she’d probably spent the equivalent of a new car in clothes and shoes in the past year. Yvonne didn’t “get” her obsession.
Erin looked past her toward the front of the store. “What’s that?”
Shawna turned around to see a man striding down the middle aisle with a bouquet of red roses and a small box wrapped in white paper and gold ribbon.
“Shawna Ferguson?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m Shawna.”
“These are for you.”
Shawna signed for the items and read the card. Erin tried to peer over her shoulder, but Shawna moved so she couldn’t see.
Remember the first night we went out? I want to create more memories like that. Ryan
“What’s this all about?” Erin asked. “Have you been holding out on me?”
“Mind your business and get back to work.”
“No, you have to—” Erin broke off when the store phone rang behind the counter.
“You better get that,” Shawna said.
“We’re not done!” Erin called as Shawna hurried away.
She entered the small office located at the back of the store. After she set the flowers on the edge of the desk, she tore off the gift wrap to find an MP3 player and earbuds nestled in cotton.
“What are you up to, Ryan?” she asked the empty room.
She put in the earbuds and turned on the device. As she listened, a slow smile spread across her face. A compilation of the eighties and nineties songs she and Ryan had danced to that Friday night in Chicago played in her ears.
She didn’t know how long she sat there, listening to the music, bobbing her head and reminiscing about the party and his surprisingly good moves on the dance floor. She continued to listen as she answered e-mail and updated the store blog.
She only stopped to speak on the phone, place an order, and speak to a couple of clients. Around noon, her cell phone rang, and she fished it out of her bag. Ryan.
“Did you get my surprise?” he asked.
“Yes.” She bit her lip.
“You’re smiling.”
“How do you know?”
“I can hear it in your voice.”
With her elbow on the table, she rested her chin on her hand. “Yes, I’m smiling. But you know this was corny.”
“Yeah, but you like it.” Her smile broadened and she didn’t deny it. “I wanted you to know I was thinking about you.”
“Thank you.”
“I meant what I said in the note, too. I want us to create more memories together.” Without waiting for a response, he shifted gears. “Did you get a new car?” She answered in the affirmative and told him about it. “Now you don’t have to worry about being stranded somewhere.”
“True. I should’ve done it a long time ago.”
“Well, I better get back to work.” He sounded reluctant to hang up. “Keep a look-out. There are a few more things coming your way.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Before hanging up, she wanted to let him know how much she appreciated the gifts. “Ryan, I love the flowers, and I really enjoyed the music. It brought back good memories.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Before the store closed, a second delivery arrived. Another bouquet of roses, this time accompanied by a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. She laughed when she saw them, wondering how in the world he’d arranged it. They weren’t ‘Hot Now,’ but almost as good.
Shawna couldn’t put off Erin after that. As they devoured the sugary treat, she gave her only a quick summary. Being a private person, she didn’t want to divulge too much, and
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