Page 112 of Blush

The door opens, and a gorgeous dark-skinned woman leaves with a tall and handsome blond man.

Then a young woman with black hair and creamy white skin.

The classes at Treasure’s Chest are usually small, so Mary should be coming out at any time.

A few minutes and then the door opens once more.

And—

I drop the bouquet of flowers with a crash.

Mandy. Mandy is coming out the door, and she looks lovely with her hair in a ponytail and black leggings hugging that delectable ass.

She gasps when she sees me. “Jack! What are you doing here?”

Then she eyes the flowers on the ground and the shattered glass from the broken vase scattered over the sidewalk.

Oh God…

I didn’t know Mandy was here, and now she’s going to think I’m here to meet another woman.

Which, of course, I am. But it’s not the way she thinks.

“I’m…waiting for you?”

“Nice try.” She glances at the flowers. “I don’t even like lilies.”

She’s right. Amanda’s favorite flower is a pink rose. Her favorite fruit is a sweet cherry. Her favorite color is red. Her favorite animal is a zebra, unless you count dogs, which are really her favorite.

I know all her favorites.

Blossom comes out next.

“Oh! Hi there, Jackson.”

“Mary.”

Blossom drops her gaze to the broken vase of flowers on the concrete, and then she looks at Mandy.

I can almost see the equation formulating in her mind.

“Always nice to see you.” She turns to Mandy. “See you next week in class or maybe in the store.” Then she hurries off.

She knows. Blossom knows those flowers were for her, and she knows I was with Mandy at the club over the weekend.

She’s a good person. She tried to save all our faces.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

Mandy brushes by me. “See you later.”

I follow her and step in front of her, bringing her to a halt. “That’s it? See you later?”

“What more do you want me to say, Jackson? You obviously brought flowers for someone else. Someone who was here at the shop. I know it was Mary.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Really, it doesn’t matter what I think, Jackson. You made it pretty clear the way you feel about me and what we shared.”