Chapter 28 Friendly Advice
"What's the matter, Josie?" Hailey asks, putting one of the arrangements in the walk-in refrigerator. She's been watching at me since I came back from my little meeting with Rick. I'd been wiping my tears away. She let me alone for a while to gather my thoughts.
"I caught James with some blond out on the street," I whisper, remembering the moment I saw my ex groping some chick in the middle of the sidewalk. It still hurts... Mostly I am just wondering why. Why did this happen to me?
Hailey grunts. "I'm not surprised. That boy has never been... straight with you. It always seems like he's been stringing you along," she grumbles in frustration. "I'm glad you found out now before it was too late! You could've been married and he would still be cheating on you!"
"Yeah, but I thought he loved me," I respond, trying to defend myself. I don't know why I feel like it's all my fault. I feel like I wasn't able to keep him happy, so he had to go find someone else to give him what he needed. Why the hell am I feeling guilty like this?
"Well, maybe he did. But sometimes love isn't enough for men like him... I'm not saying anything wrong about you, mind you. He just seemed to be as horny as a jack rabbit!" Hailey huffed. "He wasn't willing to wait for you and now he's made himself a mess he can't clean up!"
The thought had me laughing. She is right. James is a horny bastard and he didn't want to wait for me. The thought is ironic. Now he's with some slut that will never love him, and yet I wasn't good enough for him.
Something Rick said came to mind. “You are trying to manipulate her. You were the one cheating and you are making her feel bad for a personal choice? What kind of man are you that can’t wait for her to say yes?”
"Rick says James is manipulating me," I say absentmindedly. Adding a few roses to the arrangement in front of me. I reach for the baby's breath and stick a few sprigs in.
"Oh? And who is Rick?" Hailey asks with a sly grin, returning to look at my finished product. I watch as she holds it and inspects the results with a smile and an approving nod.
"The man who came in about an arrangement for his mother," I smile back. The flowers really are lovely. I hope the happy couple will be pleased with the results too...
I wonder if brides even pay attention to the flowers on the day of their wedding? Wouldn't there be too much going on to worry about the flower arrangements?
I honestly have no clue. I may never have a wedding to find out. That thought really depresses me. I want a chance for a happy ending. But it seems to be getting farther and farther away from me.
"Well, it seems to me Rick has a good head on his shoulders," she nods in approval. I don't know if it's of Rick or what he was saying. Either way, I think she's right. He seemed like a decent man.
"Yeah, he does," I giggle, thinking about that head on those broad shoulders. The rest of him was pretty impressive too. But I really shouldn't be thinking of Rick.
Or his perfect dark hair that hangs just off his shoulders, and those piercing blue eyes... And that damn smirk he gets whenever he sees me. Like he knows more than he should.
I was shocked to learn everything he knew about me. Who could know me that well? Was he a friend of my parents? Was that why he was looking into their death? It would make sense, expect the fact he's more my age than my parents... Maybe his parents were friends with mine? Mom and Dad had lots of friends and contacts. I don't remember most of them. They all disappeared after Mom and Dad died.