Page 29 of Not the Plan

“If our paths don’t cross before the end of the week, I wish you a good weekend, Isadora.”

CHAPTER TEN

Isadora

The next day, Isadora was returning to her office after lunch when her nose started itching. She sneezed as she crossed the threshold, and her assistant excitedly stopped her at the door.

“Something came for you while you were gone,” she said, smiling broadly.

“Oh?” Isadora followed her around the entryway desk. Her assistant turned to face her with a large bouquet of magnolias in a glass vase. Isadora took a giant step back.

“I thought they were for the office from a lobbying firm, but the card is addressed directly to you,” she said.

“Ah,” Isadora said. “Well, could you hand me the card?” She didn’t step forward to take the vase. Her assistant looked puzzled but put the vase down and pulled out the card to hand to her.

Dear Izzy,the card read.Mommy was just thinking about you and wanted to send a little something. Love you bunches! —Mom

Isadora sneezed again as she looked back up at her assistant. Her throat was starting to get scratchy.

“Do you have a secret admirer?” the young woman asked.

As if.

“Nope, just my mother,” Isadora said.

“Oh! That’s so sweet! My mom and I are best friends too. Isn’t it great?”

Isadora didn’t let her shoulders slump with her sigh. She hated lying to people, but anytime she’d let on to anyone that she andher mother didn’t get along, the response had always been something that minimized Isadora’s feelings or experience. No point in putting her hand on a hot stove again.

“That is nice,” she said to her assistant.

“Do you want me to put them in your office?” she asked.

Isadora shook her head and sneezed again.

“Unfortunately, I am quite allergic to magnolias.”Which my mother should know.“Why don’t you put them on your desk? That way the whole office can enjoy them?”

“Oh? Okay,” she said.

Sneezing again, Isadora turned to go into her office when there was a knock on the door behind her.

“Hey,” RJ said when she turned around. He nodded a hello to her assistant. “You busy?” he asked Isadora. “Just wanted to stop by and say hi.”

“Not busy right now,” she said. “Come on down.”

He frowned at the flowers as he passed them.

“Were those magnolias?” he asked, closing her office door behind him and taking a seat.

“Yep,” she said.

“Ugh. Bad luck for you. Though the firm that sent them couldn’t know how allergic you are. Maybe it’ll be okay if they stay in the outer office.”

“Hope so,” Isadora said. “But they aren’t from a firm.” She unlocked the drawer for her purse and slid it in, clearing her throat.

RJ tilted his head to the side.

“Are they foryou?”

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