Page 125 of Grand Love

“If Nina agrees to come to the penthouse this evening.” He smiles. “Then flowers. Promise me you will buy her some flowers.”

“She’s coming over to spend time with Ellis, not for any other benefit to me or our situation. Are you sure you were listening to my conversation, George?”

“I was, sir. And I’m not sure if you have been living under a rock for the past year, but I haven’t seen you send any, nor have I been asked to send any arrangements. The woman birthed your child.”

I snigger, slapping my hands on my armrests. “Some days I wonder what I would do without you, George. Then other days, I think of how fucking peaceful my office would be without you in it.”

“I’m presuming it’s a no on the flowers…” He turns his head slightly in question. “Sushi?”

“You’re burying yourself here, George,” Jasmine tells him, pulling him from my office and letting the door close behind them.

I’ve never understood the gift of flowers. Why would someone want something that is only going to die within a matter of days? Seems morbid to me.

Nina isn’t a gifts sort of person. She hates me spending money on her, and I can already picture her beating me with any bunch I’d give her.

Nina: I can do tonight.

Nina: What time?

Whatever Vinny knows, he isn’t telling me, but that was far too easy. It only makes me feel uneasy.

Maybe flowers would soften her up? She will be anxious coming to the house.

Mase: No thorns.

George: Do I have a budget, and does she have a favourite flower?

Mase: It’s flowers?? How much do they cost?!

George: Well, your use of ‘they’ is very vague. There are about 400,000 different flower species in the world, so...

Mase: Jasmine, could you please get me a bouquet of flowers whilst on lunch. Something substantial and still alive.

Jasmine: Ok.

I quickly text Nina and tell her to come over at five thirty. It gives me enough time to get home and shower. I will order something in for dinner so I’m not having to cook.

I scroll till I find Elliot’s name and then hit call. He doesn’t skip days anymore and it pisses me off that he hasn’t even bothered to tell me he’s left for the day. I know I was a complete bastard for the months that followed Nina leaving me, but I always checked in with the guys. Elliot has been out of office the majority of the last two weeks.

Whoever he’s fucking better be worth it.

“Hello?” he answers after the fourth ring.

“Where are you?” I snap.

“’Afternoon, sunshine.”

“Where are you?” I grate out.

I hear cars roaring in the background and music playing. “I’m out.”

“Out where? And why am I the only one in the office this week? It’s bullshit.”

“Are you seriously throwing your toys out the pram when we’ve all not sto—” He pauses, cursing under his breath. “I’m fucking busy, Lowell, I’ll call you later.”

The line cuts off and I drop my phone with a thud to the hard wood of my desk.

Damn drama queen.

He’s being shady and I don’t fucking like it.

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