‘Absolutely,’ I say into my desk phone as my cell phone rings on my desk. When her name flashes across the screen I pick it up. ‘I’m sorry, Graham, I’m gonna have to call you back.’ I hang up without waiting for his response and take a deep breath.
‘Ambri.’
‘Oh… I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t answer.’ She sounds disappointed.
‘Ah, the line every man longs to hear when a woman calls.’ I force a laugh even though it stung a little hearing it.
‘That’s not what I meant. I just meant this would be easier over voicemail.’ Her nervous laughter fills my head. I already know this is about the website.
‘What’s going on?’
She hesitates but I can hear her breathing, so I know she hasn’t hung up. ‘Is there any way we could meet up for, like, lunch or something? I think we should probably talk.’
I smile to myself. I thought for sure she was going to ask over the phone, refusing to see me unless absolutely necessary. Talking in person sounds so much better than I expected. ‘Sure. I can set something up and text you the details?’
‘OK, I’m free whenever, unemployed and all,’ she says, sounding a little depressed about it. I don’t blame her. She lost her job, for me. I feel terrible that she thinks I couldn’t handle the news of Karmen and Matthew. At the same time, to know she couldn’t risk me being hurt tells me she doesn’t hate me as much as she wants to. Claire might be right.
‘Hey,’ she says, sounding exactly like the Ambri that used to call me a dozen times a day. ‘Mandarin Sunblaze roses. Delivered. You remembered. Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.’
I’m kind of glad she can’t see the goofy grin on my face right now. ‘I remember everything, Ambri. Plus, I owe you.’
‘I guess that’s a good start.’ She laughs.
‘I’ll text you. You better not stand me up.’ I can’t push her too far because if I do, I risk losing her for good.
‘Have I ever?’
I toss my phone onto my desk when she hangs up, leaning back in my chair, sighing through the butterflies in my chest. She’s never stood me up. I’ve no doubt she won’t this time either. She might be fighting it tooth and nail but she’s finally starting to relax around me again.
I cross flowers off the list sitting in front of me and circle his name. This is a huge risk and it might not work out the way I want it to but if I don’t do this, I’ll always regret it. She deserves to know she’s not just some girl I used to know.
I pick up my phone and dial his number.
He answers on the second ring. ‘Henry! Nice to hear from you. Is everything good with the site?’
‘Everything is great. Listen, I have a huge, probably unrealistic favor to ask of you…’
‘Let’s hear it,’ he says.