Page 84 of Dream a Little Dream

“She is. No denying that. We just aren’t as compatible as I once thought.”

“Well, that’s okay, too.” He leaned in. “You know Peggy and I once broke up for three months before finding our ride into the sunset. Could be you.”

“Yeah, but it won’t be,” I said as lightheartedly as possible. Giving Jake hope might leave me with some, too, and that wasn’t helpful.

I spent the rest of the afternoon on my laptop in the office, putting in orders for next week, when a beautiful bouquet of very expensive-looking flowers was carried into my office by Henrietta, who looked incredibly impressed. “Someone is thinking of you, my sweet girl, and I, for one, am dying to find out who.”

I had a feeling I knew. “She shouldn’t have done that,” I said quietly, wondering how much money these gorgeous things actually cost. Henrietta placed the huge vase of flowers in front of me on the desk and presented the card. When it was clear she had no plans to leave, I reluctantly opened it, afraid of what it might do to my heart.

Heard things didn’t work out. Call me sometime?—MJ

I was honestly surprised. Just MJ exploring possibilities, it seemed. I’d let her know that I loved the flowers but was out of the romance game for good.

“From Dr. Kyle?” Henrietta asked with a smolder. “Is she fighting to win you back? Wooing you, as they say? Maybe give her another chance. I’m not sure what went wrong, and that’s not my business, but you had a light in your eyes over the holidays that’s not there anymore. You’re a dark hole now.”

“Ouch.”

“Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

“There’s a lot wrong with that.” I placed the card back in the envelope, sidestepping the comment. “The flowers are from MJ, actually. I think she’s testing the waters. Unfortunately, the waters aren’t inhabitable. At least for that kind of company.”

“Definitely not.” Henrietta frowned as if wishing for a redo on that card. It was clear she was Team Kyle and sorely let down. “But what about Dr. Kyle? The waters might be different for her.”

“What about me and water?”

We both turned at the sound of the rich, warm tone. I knew that voice as well as I knew my own. Probably no amount of time would change the dizzying effect it had on me. I sat up straighter, wondering just how much she’d heard.

“She’s here!” Henrietta shrieked as if having conjured Kyle personally. She held out a hand to show me in case I was suddenly unable to observe for myself.

“I see that.”

A grin erupted across Henrietta’s face, because of course it did. She was a woman obsessed with romance novels and seemed to think one was playing out in her midst. It wasn’t. She was looking at two mature adults working on navigating the terrainpost-romance, if anything.

“Hi,” Kyle said, offering Henrietta a wave. “That was quite a greeting.”

“Hi,” Henrietta said in a voice reminiscent of a kid in awe of Santa. Seeming to remember herself, she straightened and headed for the exit. She paused in the doorway and placed a hand on Kyle’s biceps. “I knew you’d come.”

Kyle turned and watched her leave before swiveling back to me. “What was that about?”

“I’m not even sure I could tell you. Henrietta is an unpredictable character.”

“Ah. I see.” Her gaze trained on the flowers, which were a third the size of my desk. “Let me guess. MJ?”

“You’re astute.” I laced my fingers and rested my chin on top. God, it was good to see her. I couldn’t deny that part. The room felt entirely different now that she was in it. I offered a soft smile that Kyle returned.

She jutted her chin at the bouquet. “And you’re not interested in those flowers.” It was a gentle statement.

“Not especially. What brings you by? Not that it’s not nice to see you.”

“Milk, most predominantly. With a side of dog biscuits. There’s this adorable mutt with shaggy brown fur that runs up and down the beach. I’ve been hitting him up with treats when he comes by so we can be friends. I think he’s my neighbor’s dog from two doors down.”

“I didn’t know you were a dog person.”

“In a big way. I’d like one, but I don’t want him or her to be lonely when I’m pulling twelve-hour shifts.”

She was thinking of the imaginary dog and what might be best for them, rather than what she wanted. It went along with everything I knew about her.

“Maybe one day. I think you’d excel at the job of dog mom.”

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