Page 11 of Out of Order
Thank you for a wonderful evening
Niall
XXX
How did he get these so quickly? It was just before 9am? What florist opens that early? The smell of over a dozen roses filled the room as I got to work. Only keeping one eye on my work and the other on the clock as it slowly ticked on towards lunch.
Niall
As soon as I got home, I bolted to the bathroom to shower and shave, then spritzed on some cologne before I could start picking out my suit. I chose a charcoal pinstripe suit with a burgundy shirt and gray tie. The suit fit my broad shoulders and slender waist exactly and the color made my eyes look ‘mysterious’. Well, according to the sales clerk. A little gel and a few minutes with the hairdryer and my hair was good to go.
Then I was back in the car. I wanted to make sure that I made it into the building before Geoff.
CHAPTER NINE
Niall
Geoff had been leaning against the door to my office, drinking his coffee for a while. Watching me, before making his presence known.
“So, flowers? You must’ve had a good time stuck in the building with him?” Geoff looked me up and down.
“Zip it, Geoff. What happened to you last night?”
“Well, I got laid, that’s what happened,” Geoff said, smirking.
“No, not that, you dick. I meant what happened to the text I sent you about finding someone to let us out.” I knew Geoff was trying to avoid the subject, but this time, I wasn’t going to let him off the hook.
Pushing off from the door frame, Geoff strode in and plonked himself down in the chair opposite me. I was running around like crazy after I left Luca to drive home that morning. I phoned Geoff from my car and asked for the number of a florist that did rush orders. He was always getting them something, whether it was for a forgotten birthday or an apology.
“So, are you going to tell me about him? He must have made an impression, as I’ve never known you to buy a guy flowers. From what Toby at Green Fingers told me–you bought 2 dozen long stem roses. RED ROSES, Niall.”
“Are you checking up on me?”
“Yeah, so spill!”
“Nope.” I popped the P, knowing how much Geoff not only hated people saying that. But also, because I knew I now had the upper hand, and it was Geoff’s turn to edge forward in his seat.
“Please?” I knew Geoff wasn’t great at asking, but if he wanted it that badly, he’d have to plead more. Geoff had been trying to get me dates for months, but it never worked out. Not a shocker that Geoff and I had absolutely different ‘great date’ ideas.
“Not going to happen, my friend, so give it up. Anyway, don’t you have somewhere else to be?”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Geoff asked incredulously.
“Yes, was I being too subtle?”I shot him a mild look.
“Fine, I’ll leave for now, but I want a full report later, and to answer your question from before. I ignored your text. I thought that was obvious.”
WTF! Yeah, no. I had no words. So, I just looked at my so-called friend, confused by his reply. “But why?”
“Because I’m worried about you. You work too much and date too little. Here was the perfect opportunity for you to meet someone new–you should thank me.”
“What?!? Thank you, what for? For forcing us to spend a chilly night without proper food stuck in the office gym!”
“Yes, stuck in a cold, dark gym with a MAN!” He replied smugly.
Jeez, he really was beyond belief.He was right, though. I’d enjoyed spending the time with Luca, but Geoff didn’t need to know that.
With that, Geoff pulled himself out of the chair and sauntered to his own office.
