I nod. “I’m not some jerk who would buy flowers for nurses when there are kids who would be more than happy to receive them.”
She stares at me intently, narrowing her eyes. “Well, I’ll sell them to you since they’re for the kids. To apologize for the misunderstanding, I’ll tell you what each flower signifies and you can choose them according to the kids’ personalities. I assume you know these kids you’re spending all this money on…” I simply quirk an eyebrow at her with a smile on my face.
“Give me a second.”
More than a second passes. Scratch that, an entire hour passes before all thirty-six bouquets of various colors have been assembled. Luca carries them upstairs while I make payment.
“Thanks for buying the flowers for the children,” she says as she returns my card. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”
“If you believe that, can I at least know your name?”
She smiles. “I think not.”
“Isabella,” a voice says from behind me. When I whirl around, I see the caramel-skinned girl who was standing with her in the conference hall. She makes her way to the booth and stands beside her friend. “Her name is Isabella.”
“Naomi, stop!” Isabella whispers to her friend, pinching her hand.
“Isabella.” I repeat her name like it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve heard in a while, and actually it is. “You have a beautiful name.”
Red dusts her cheeks and she fails at trying to hold back her smile. “Thank you. I’ve heard that a lot.”
My chest burns with jealousy. For some reason, I don’t want other men to compliment her, and I definitely don’t want any man that isn’t me to comment on how beautiful her name is.
I think I’m losing my damn mind.
Lucas returns to carry the last set of flowers. He stares between me and the girls, then he smiles knowingly.
“Won’t you tell us your name?” Naomi’s question is directed at Luca. “You’re always oddly quiet.”
“You wouldn’t like the things I’ll say when I say them, ragazza,” Luca replies.
I hold back a laugh because it’s true. I haven’t heard Luca talk to women past telling them how he wants to fuck them. She definitely won’t like to hear the things he’ll want to say to her.
“Whatever.” She waves him away and turns her attention to me. “Do you like my friend? I caught you staring at her at the talk. Is it a love at first sight kind of thing or do you just want to get in her pants?”
My brows shoot towards my hairline.
This one is bold. Very bold. I like her, too.
“Would it be okay if I just liked her?” I don’t take my eyes away from Isabella. “Your friend here is a very interesting woman.”
“You don’t say.” Naomi giggles and pokes Isabella’s ribs. Isabella doesn’t laugh though, she’s staring at me like she’s studying me. “I wouldn’t be her best friend if she wasn’t very interesting.”
“That’s enough.” Isabella raises her hand to stop her best friend from disclosing any more information about her. “Aren’t the children waiting for you to give them their flowers? You should get going.”
“You bought flowers for the kids?” Naomi gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. “That’s so sweet of you.”
I can’t muster a reply. I don’t do any of the things I do to get praise from anyone. I do them because they lessen the burden on my shoulders. The burden of my family’s sins and the loss of the first person I truly cared about who wasn’t one of my brothers.
“Naomi?” Isabella drawls. “You’re embarrassing him. I’m sure he’s not the kind of man to gloat over the things he does for sick children. Are you…?”
“Vincent.” I run a finger over the golden signet ring I’m wearing. “And to answer your question, I’m not that type of guy.”
We stare into each other’s eyes silently for a moment before Naomi clears her throat. “You two might want to get a hotel room if you’re pinning so much for each other.”
“We’re not,” Isabella protests, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah, tell that to someone who is too blind to see the way you were both looking at each other.” Naomi faces me. “Just for context, my friend is single and hasn’t had a man in her life for over a year now.”