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Jules pouts as we gather our things and get in the car, headed to the movies where I can lose myself in someone else’s story for a few hours and spend time with the one person in this world that I trust coet hoht - with Vin Diesel no less –was exactly what I needed to escape reality for a few hours And I ended up giving in to Jules to go shopping afterwards How can I, Natalie Conner, pass up new shoes? They are my vice

"Those red Louboutin’s you found are to die for," Jules and I are pulling bags out of the back of et to wear the of shoes and we head for the front door

We stop abruptly e see what’s waiting on our doorstep Dozens of bouquets of roses, in all different shapes, sizes and colors, are covering the porch, the front steps, every surface possible The aro There must be fifty dozen roses here, ets all gooey, taking it all in

I can’t help but get just a little gooey with her

"Wow" It’s all I can say, and I’m just so relieved Maybe it’s not over?

We walk up the steps, careful not to knock anything over, and I see an envelope taped to the door with my name written on it

"Here!" Jules pulls it off and hands it to me It’s too dark to see well, so we step inside and drop our bags Jules starts hauling bouquets in

"Where should I put these?"

"Uhout the house" Her sirl"

"Yeah, he does" I feel my oide smile and stare down at the envelope and then carefully rip it open

Dear Natalie, There is a rose here for every tiht of you today I wish you would talk to me and let me explain why I didn’t tell you who I am, and I’m so deeply sorry that you had to find out fro to do, and I hope you give me a chance to make it up to you

Please call me when you’re ready to talk

Yours, Luke Oh yes, he’s char all of the flowers inside, scattering the to be a funeral or a wedding in le

"See?" Jules smirks "I told you he’s crazy about you"

"Or just crazy," I reply laughing

"You’d better call him and thank him"

"Yes, mom" I roll my eyes at her

We lock up after the final bouquet has been brought in and fussed over "Here, take some of these up to your room"

"Don’t have to tell me twice!" Jules tucks a bouquet under each arrab my phone, which has stayed turned off all day,steo up to my room I kick my sandals off, set the vase on my bedside table, and put the new shoes in their new ho back to the flowers, I can’t help but fuss over therant bloom I notice another note, tucked in the ste on the bed as I read

These res and delicious red lips And one day, I’d love to see you dressed in nothing but pearls

Oh my Is this what it feels like to be romanced? I wouldn’t know, but I think I like it And it occurs to ; the delicious dinner at his house, cuddling on his deck watching the sunset, our aht when he said that he’d ht Sex has never been that intimate for me

But he did lie, even if it was by oive hio to his house tomorrow and hear him out I already h, the feel of that soft blond hair in ood to happen with this man, and maybe that’s what scares me most of all, even more than his celebrity status and the fact that he could have any skinny little glao too ht of not seeing hiain makes my chest ache