Page 86 of Awestruck at Dusk
“I’ll make it as interesting as you like.” He gave me one last peck on my lips and said, “Off you go.Please.” He dragged a hand through his brown wavy locks and leaned in over me to knock on the window twice. David opened the door for me. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Aaron will drive you home. See you tomorrow.” I smiled at him, and he smiled one of his charming smiles back.
I walked inside the apartment building, and David offered to walk me up.
“Any plans for tonight?” I asked him as the elevator moved up to the ninth floor. It was Friday, after all.
“Not really. I’m on duty, Miss Murphy,” David replied. “Right until sunrise.”
“But I’m staying in. You should go out or something. Please take the rest of your shift off.” Aaron lived downstairs, so come on. I thought it was excessive for him to stay up all night doing nothing. “I’ll talk to Aaron.”
“Well, there’s this party that Christopher wanted me to go to, but I told him I had work tonight, so—”
“Youhaveto go. I don’t want CJ to resent me.” I laughed. CJ had never once asked me to switch a shift or anything of the sort to accommodate his plans with David. He was respectful of David’s job, but it got me thinking how many times I might’ve ruined their plans.
“He understands, but yeah, he gets annoyed sometimes. You know how he is.” David lifted a brow. I knew what he meant.
“Can you hold this for me?” I handed over the bouquet that Nathan had given me, and I fired a text to Aaron letting him know that I was staying in for the rest of the evening and that David would end his shift right now, not knowing if he would like it or not, but I didn’t care. I wanted David to go to that party with CJ.
“I’ve already let Aaron know, so you’re free to go,” I said as I placed my phone back in my purse and took my keys out.
David gave me the bouquet back with a grin and said, “Thank you, Miss Murphy. Have a good night.”
He walked away, and I opened the door to my apartment with a gasp.
What the hell is this?
The foyer was filled with different types of white flowers. Planters and vases of all shapes and sizes stood against every single wall, making a white trail of flowers toward the living room and another toward my bedroom. It wasbreathtaking. A delicious aroma filled my nostrils as I walked around the apartment.
The living room’s coffee table was also packed with white blossoms. I couldn’t even tell which ones I had brought before, but the person who did this probably used the few vases I had placed around the house to complement this elaborate design.
I unwrapped Nathan’s bouquet and placed the flowers in different vases all around the foyer.
All of this had William’s name written all over it. But I couldn’t find a card anywhere, and why would he do this? Not only did I not deserve anything from him after telling him I’d chosen Nathan, but he had made it clear with his silence and his actions that he had made his choice too.
But I couldn’t think of anyone else who would do something like this. I knew it hadn’t been Nathan, and it’s not something my father had ever done for me before.
I opened my bedroom door and found a single white orchid on a small silver planter sitting on my nightstand. There was a card.
For:Miss Guillermina Murphy
From:Lily and the Sjöberg Family.
“When the best is gone—I know that
other things are not of consequence—”
“Damn it,” I uttered under my breath. William had to be the one who orchestrated this. In our conversation in the cottage last summer, I’d told him that I loved placing white flowers around my apartment on this day. And, of course, he must’ve remembered and took it to the next level. And adding that quote just … damn. It was hard not to reminisce and connect with a lot of things that had happened between us.
But I still couldn’t understand why he would do this. It was also his birthday, and I hadn’t even congratulated him. I’d been toying around with the thought all day, but I never made up my mind—until now. I had to thank him for the flowers, at least.
I texted Eric, Joel, and Tobias, to thank them for the gesture. I wasn’t sure if they knew they’d been added to the card, but I thanked them either way. Eric replied fairly quickly, saying he was glad I liked them, which meant they did know about it. I sent Lily a quick video showing her the flowers and thanking her as well.
My hands trembled when I decided to text William next. I was nervous about reaching out. A part of me didn’t know if he would reply, and I wasn’t yet sure if I wanted him to do so or not. But I had to thank him.
I erased and rewrote my message a few times before finally sending it.
Me:Hey, William. Happy birthday! I just got home and saw the flowers. They are beautiful. Thank you so much. I loved them. Emily wanted me to wish you a happy birthday too. I hope you’re having a great time.
