“What message?”
“On the card that came with the roses today. The card said, ‘You will know how it feels,’ and I’m not sure what you meant by that.”
She could hear him breathing on the other end. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t send you roses today. Or a card.”
Maria felt a sudden prickle on the back of her neck. You will know how it feels? It was weird enough if Colin had written it, but if it wasn’t from him, that made the note…
Strange. Even creepy.
“What’s it supposed to mean?” Colin said into the silence.
“I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure it out.”
“And you don’t know who they came from?”
“There was no name on the card.”
Colin said nothing to that, and trying to hide her own feeling of unease, she changed the subject. “I know you’ve got to get back to your workout – and I should get back to work – but what time will you be coming by tonight?”
“How about six thirty? I was thinking that we head down to the Riverwalk and play it by ear. I’m kind of in the mood to move, not just sit. And we can grab a bite while we’re there.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ve been planted in my chair the last couple of days, and a walk is just what I need.”
As they hung up, she was picturing the way he looked in the gym… but then she caught sight of the roses again, as well as the card. The card with no name.
You will know how it feels.
She examined the card again, wondering if she’d be able to call the florist and find out who ordered them, only to realize that neither the envelope nor the card bore any markings whatsoever.
“You’re distracted,” Colin said as they walked hand in hand on the Riverwalk, the popular promenade along the Cape Fear River. Because it was midweek, the streets weren’t crowded, and though it was still warm, the northerly breeze hinted at the possibility of cooler temperatures in the weeks ahead. For the first time in months, she was glad she was wearing jeans.
She shook her head. “I’m just trying to figure out who would have sent me the roses.”
“Maybe you have a secret admirer.”
“Aside from you, I haven’t met anyone new lately. It’s not as though I go out much, either. I’m either visiting my parents, paddleboarding, or at my place.”
“Except when you’re at work.”
“No one at work would have sent them,” she responded, but even as she said the words, Ken’s image popped into her head. He wouldn’t do that, would he? “Besides, the message doesn’t really reflect someone’s attempt to make me feel special. It does just the opposite, in fact.”
“What about a client?”
“I guess it’s possible,” she conceded, but she had trouble believing it.
Colin squeezed her hand. “One way or the other, you’ll find out who he is.”
“You think it’s a he?”
“Don’t you?”
She nodded, absolutely sure of it, though there was no real indication. “The message… bothers me.”
She hoped that he’d say something to make her feel better. Instead, he took a few steps before glancing at her.
“It bothers me, too.”