Take Three (The Jilted Bride #2)(46)

He took off his jacket and bent over to take off his shoes. He motioned for me sit in his lap and wrapped his arms around me again.

“I’ll stay until you’re really better,” he kissed my cheek. “Don’t think about anything, just try to sleep.”

“Okay…But only after you ask me a question.”

He shook his head and laughed softly. “Are you dating anyone else right now?”

“No…Are you?”

“No.”

“Okay,” I rested my head against his chest and tried to think of a question for him, but everything went black.

My mom walked around my suite, fiddling with my newest set of flower bouquets, touching each and every petal.

“So he sends you flowers every day?” she plucked a rose from its stem.

“Yeah…” I smiled. “Ten bouquets a day.”

“Wow. I actually think he’d be really good for you.”

“Because he sends me flowers?”

“No,” she rolled the bloom around in her hand, “because he’s a normal guy and he’s been trying his hardest to take you out. None of those celebrity guys you told me about did half of what he’s done just to go out with you, and you definitely need a break from those types…He’s also cute and charming. I like him.”

I like him too…

“I just wish he was famous…” I sighed.

My mom turned around and glared at me with her cold gray eyes, the same eyes I’d seen when I first arrived in Fayetteville. I didn’t like those eyes…

“What did I say?” I practically withered under her glare. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Selena, a good guy is a good guy. Famous or not. Ethan may not be a billionaire, but he’s obviously done quite well for himself. Miss Thompson came into Sweet Seasons this morning talking about how his purchases alone will cover her shop’s expenses for the next six months.”

“What?”

“She said none of these flowers can be grown locally in the fall. She has to call her distributor in Florida and get them flown here. Do you know how much that costs?”

“Two hundred dollars a bouquet,” I guessed, because that’s how much I usually spent when I bought them myself.

“Ha! Two hundred dollars per bloom, and those are for the cheapest ones. The rare roses you have cost three times that much. Isn’t that crazy? He must really like you...”

My eyes widened. I couldn’t believe he was spending that type of money. I couldn’t believe he had that type of money. Then again, that explained the hundred thousand dollar check and he’d mentioned growing up in a wealthy family before. Maybe he had a high position in his family’s business. Or maybe—

“You haven’t slept with him have you?” my mother cut through my thoughts.

“What! You can’t ask me that!”

“Why not? A mother has a right to know these types of things. Have you?”

“No mom,” I sighed. “I have not slept with him.”

Yet…

“Good! They tend to like you more when you make ‘em wait,” she smiled. “Have you given any thought to the contest I entered you in the weekend before your birthday?”

I’d almost forgotten about that. Even though my birthday wasn’t for another two weeks she’d paid for me to be in the state fair’s cake baking contest—the ultimate stage for baked goods.

I appreciated her enthusiasm, but my specialty was pie, not cake.

“Um, I’m not so sure about that…I don’t really make cakes and I’m used to having three to six months to prepare for contests, not weeks.”

“Excuses! You better do it. Me and the rest of the family will be staying in the Marriott all weekend to judge the quilting so we probably won’t be able to help you get the cakes there. You should ask your boyfriend to go with you. You can even use my car.”

“He’s not my boyfriend mom! And I don’t think he would want to go to a state fair. He’d probably think it was lame. Plus, Joan said she had some news about a certain Hollywood guy who asked for my number yesterday—she said it’s someone I’ve worked with before! I think it’s Ryan Gosling! Wouldn’t we be cute together?”

She whipped her head around and gave me that criminal look again. “Really Selena?”

“Okay, okay…I’ll stop it…”

I gave her a hug before she left and called Ethan.

“Hey Selena,” he sounded sleepy. “How are you today?”

“I’m okay. I hope I’m not disturbing you or anything but I was wondering if you could help me with something in a few weeks.”

“It doesn’t involve watching a romantic comedy does it?” he teased.

“No…I’m making a bunch of cakes for the state fair contest in Little Rock. It’s three hours away and I need some help driving there and back…Would you go with me?”

“Absolutely, but you have to do something for me first.”

“What is it?”

“Let me take you out on a real date. Tonight. Can you please let me do that?”

My heart jumped out of my chest and danced around the room. “Um, yeah sure.”