Page 46 of Bulletproof Weeks

The clang of dishes and silverware and laughter left a pang in her chest. She really was going to miss the chaos. She finished her plate and started collecting empties when the front gate buzzed.

“If that’s the bacon fairy, take an order. Christian hogged it all.”

She laughed and headed to the intercom. “Can I help you?”

“Delivery.”

“What company?”

“It’s Mark from Stack Grocery.”

Logan had mentioned that he did an order. She shrugged. “C’mon in.” She went to the door as the truck pulled up.

“Hey, Bella. Someone sure likes you. Or maybe he’s in trouble?”

She smiled at the youngest Stack brother. “Not yet.”

He leaned into the truck and came out with a huge basket of white dahlias and red roses in an elaborate arrangement.

“Wow. Guess he needs to go out of town more often if I’m getting this kind of spread.”

“No kidding.”

She dug into her hoodie and found a five. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

“No, thank you. These are lovely. Must have been a special order.”

“Yeah, there were. Took a whole day to get them from the distributor. Have a nice one, Bella.”

She took a deep, appreciative smell of the huge white blooms, then to the tight rosebuds. “I could use a hand,” she yelled. Cody came to the door with a yip and ran around her legs. “You’re adorable, but you cannot close the door.” The dog nosed the door closed. “Or you can. That’s a good trick.”

“He knows many tricks,” Zeke said with a grin. “Here let me—crap.”

“What? Aren’t they beautiful? I don’t see dahlias too often.”

Zeke’s crystal blue eyes met hers over the flowers, and they’d lost their sparkle. “Yeah. Unfortunately I do.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Did the delivery guy leave already?”

“Yes, why?”

“Was that the—” Logan came to the door and his face went from open smiles to a closed-off wall. He brushed by her to look out the window. “Did he leave?”

“Yes. What’s going on?” She walked into the kitchen and set the basket down on the island. Then she saw the cream-colored card in the blooms.

“Izzy, don’t—”

She held up a finger then pulled the card stock out of the envelope.

I’ve been missing you. Europe just isn’t the same without you. I have this huge place all to myself. The honeymoon suite, of course. You remember how we christened that one in Paris. Every room.

I can’t wait to do it again.

Love,

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