Love Me: The Complete Series Read Online Free PDF

scrubbed his chin for a second and glanced around the room as if seeking confirmation. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Chapter Five
    Holy crap, she was a good florist. Abby smiled at the gigantic bouquet of roses, daffodils, and daisies. A touch of lavender made it smell heavenly. Too bad her family couldn’t appreciate her talent as much.
    She’d come in early to put it together. If she hadn’t, she might have lost her nerve. Besides, Carter was nice and fun, and he even
paid
. She owed him her best effort. Especially since he’d shared a cab with her and stood there at the door of her apartment talking and joking and, for a second, he leaned in as if intending to kiss her. She’d wanted it, too. She’d moved closer and waited, but then the cab honked and he bailed.
    She headed up the elevator of the building his ex-girlfriend worked in. Ex-two-timing-with-another-guy-behind-his-back girlfriend. It was a beautiful arrangement with a well-crafted message. Surely she wouldn’t get upset? In fact, she might even laugh. Or say something ugly. Or get mad. Abby could handle that—despite the revolting roll in her stomach. If the woman dared say anything, she’d give her a piece of her mind. Who did she think she was, anyway?
    She was ready for it when the blonde bimbo walked up. Okay, she wasn’t a bimbo—rather, an attorney, according to the names on the wall. She was smart, big deal. She was still slime. Legal
and
cheating slime. Abby’s stomach somersaulted in preparation for the confrontation. The woman took the flowers eagerly anticipating—something. A love note from her new guy maybe.
    Only, the girl looked at the note and proceeded to …
cry?
    Really? Oh, no. That wasn’t what was supposed to happen. The girl was pretty. And shocked. And, dammit, Abby’s forehead started to sweat. Then her palms joined in the perspiration and she rubbed them dry. She pretended ignorance.
    This had sounded so much better right after she drank a gallon of mojitos. With
him.
Obviously she hadn’t thought it through to this point.
    The girl’s hair was up in a fancy knot and her eyes were raining cats and dogs all over the lapels of her expensive suit. The note played through Abby’s mind—they’d crafted each word together over lots of booze.
    Dear Amanda,
    Thanks for letting me off the hook before the hook sunk in further. The good news? I have a new smartphone! Even better news? I won’t waste another minute of its service talking to you AND I have season baseball tickets to share with someone who actually DOES want to go. Have a good life.
    “What’s wrong? You don’t like them?” Her gut tied up in knots. It had been funny at the time. Now?
I am such a bitch.
    “No, it’s not that. It’s just—he’s really a nice guy. I shouldn’t have gotten involved.” Her nose had started running and she was babbling, a bunch of undistinguished phrases salted heavily with tears and hiccups.
    Abby panicked and grabbed some Kleenex from the reception desk. She shoved them at the woman, who sniffled and blew her nose. The tears continued. “I mean, how was I supposed to know they were friends? They were both soooo … nice. I never thought. How can you help it?”
    “Help what?” Abby had no idea where this was going, but at this point, whatever it was, she’d totally misjudged the ex. Or this woman had a stellar act going. The blubbering woman pushed the note toward Abby, who read it.
    Should she mention that the woman reading the note had also been the woman
writing
the note? Devising every word in order to make a full impact. Shit. It worked. Her head ached.
    “Falling in love with his best friend.”
    • • •
    “What did you say?” Caroline was so engrossed in the story, she accidentally snipped the head of a rose rather than the stem. “Damn. Sorry.”
    Abby turned at the jingle of customers entering. “I wasn’t sure what to say. I just stood there and patted her arm. I think I said something like, well, you