Page 99 of When You Had Me Adapting

Gray: Must have been some kiss. Can’t wait to hear all about it in an hour.

I’m sittingat a picnic table outside Dogwood Manor waiting for my friends to meet me for lunch. I tap on the screen of my phone trying to decide what I should say to Jace. The flowers were gorgeous, the kiss was amazing, but I’m having trouble making sense of it all.

I look up and see Wren, Gray, and Poppy heading across the lawn together. I slide my phone into my scrub pocket.

“Every patient I’ve had today has brought up your flowers,” Gray says, sitting down across from me. “Apparently Ms. Ethel was in the gym with Pia when you got them and now everyone knows,” she explains.

Poppy joins me on my side of the table and Wren sits next to Gray.

“Where’s Chloe?” I ask.

“She had a swallowing eval. Told me to enjoy my lunch break while I still had one,” Poppy giggles.

“I honestly could never be a speech therapist,” Gray says. “Chloe never eats with us. No way in hell I’m missing lunch.”

“So, Lacey, a kiss and flowers?” Wren smiles in my direction. “That’s big news.”

“I don’t know, is it?”

“It sure seems like it. You don’t think it is?” she asks.

“Ugh, I don’t know y’all. The kiss was… God it was so hot. He knocked on my door and then when I answered it he was leaning against the frame with his hat on backwards. It was so…”

“Hot,” Gray says, around a bite of salad.

“Yeah. And then he kissed me. Like barged his way into my room and pushed me up against the wall and kissed me, which like if I’m honest I wasn’t expecting from him at all.”

“Sounds amazing. I don’t understand what you’re confused about?” Wren asks.

“Well, then all of a sudden he stopped. Kissed me on the forehead and then tore out of there like he was on fire. I honestlythought he would text me last night, but then he didn’t and then today I show up to work and he has that bouquet delivered.” I take a bite of my food and stare at my friends.

“Have you tried texting him?” Poppy asks.

“No, why would I do that?”

“Lacey, the man sent you flowers.”

I let my head fall into my hands. “I don’t know what to make of all of it, you know. Like what do I text him?Thank you for the flowers and for kissing me?Let’s do it again soon.”

“Do you want to do it again soon?” Wren asks.

“Yes,” I answer honestly. “It’s all I can think about, but he’s being so confusing and I know our history isn’t great and I’m not about to have him break my heart for real this time.”

“Well, I think you should at least text him ‘thank you for the flowers.’ I mean he had Logan ask me to confirm they were your favorite. I think he likes you.”

“Agreed,” Wren and Gray say at the same time.

I pull out my phone and swipe up on the screen. My finger hovers over his name.

“Do it, Lacey.” Poppy looks me dead in the eye.

Lacey: Thanks for the flowers!

Jace: You’re welcome, pixie.

“Now what?” I laugh. “I’m not going to be the one to ask him on a date. Plus, he’s going out of town today, so it’s not like I can see him.”

“Should we plan a dinner?” Wren asks. “We haven’t had one of your dinner things in a while.”

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