So sue her; Felicity would never win any prizes for romantic essays. She could picture her mother laughing and saying “‘On the topic of the former matter’ doesn’t exactly scream ‘I want to date you; you make me feel good, really good.’” But it was just an opening salvo. Declaring her objectives. Or in boardroom parlance, a notice of intention before setting down the agenda.
She waited a few days to ensure the letter had arrived and then enacted her next step.
Flowers. She’d caught enough feel-good movies in her time to know these were a prerequisite for a burgeoning romance. She called in her new personal assistant, Beatrice, and instructed her to buy a bunch of flowers and send them to Cooper’s workplace.
“Um, Ms. Simmons, what kind?”
“Expensive ones,” Felicity said. “Or…rare ones? Which means they’ll be expensive anyway, I suppose.”
“Yes, but…um, roses or…like, what color? What sentiment? Flowers have meanings, you see and I— Well, it’d help.”
As if she were about to share her sentiment with an assistant the temp agency had produced at a moment’s notice when Elena had fired the previous “inadequate” assistant on her way out the door.
“I can’t be required to think of everything,” Felicity said, caught off guard. “Use your initiative.” She stopped and thought about Cooper. “The sentiment is appreciation. Er…well, affection. And I absolutely want them at Living Ruff within the hour.”
The young woman scurried out with a slightly baffled but determined look on her face.
That done, Felicity decided wooing also needed some food. That’s what people did, right? All the times she’d dated, men would pick her up and take her to restaurants. Eating commenced. Flirting was had. The deal was sealed.
But what was Cooper’s favorite restaurant? Felicity had only dined out with her once—that pizza place—as well as ordering in meals a couple times. Her tastes were more than a little eclectic.
Before she could contemplate that in earnest, Felicity’s phone rang, and she had to deal with Denver on a contract that should have been closed by now.
Five hours and one signed contract later, she rubbed her eyes and sighed. Okay. Back to her primary mission. She looked up a number and called.
“Oh! Ms. Simmons!” Mrs. Brooks said. “I didn’t expect to hear from you. Thank you for my promotion! I couldn’t believe it when I got that official letter. Cooper said it was all your doing.”
“Did she, now.” Trust Cooper to give away the credit.
“What a surprise, you being our boss of sorts. I didn’t expect that!”
Boss? Explaining how Bartell Corp wasn’t really involved directly and everything was independent was getting tedious. “Well, actually—”
Mrs. Brooks barreled on: “Now, don’t worry. I’m all organized. And I’ve green-lit the development plan Dr. Cooper came up with for training suitable clients into being vet techs.”
“Well, that’s good.” Felicity answered. She wondered how to raise the more pressing issue. “On the topic of Cooper, what does she eat?”
Silence fell.
Oh, okay that sounded weird. Food, she eats food, obviously. “I mean, preferred dining choices. As in restaurants.”
“I—” Mrs. Brooks sounded perplexed. “Why?”
“I’m planning to take her out.” Felicity saw no reason to lie. If they were to become a couple, the truth would be known soon enough. “Romantically speaking.”
“I see.” There was a strangled sound as if she was trying not to laugh.
Felicity frowned. Why was her choosing to date Cooper hilarious?
“By any chance, are you responsible for that rather large bunch of flowers Cooper received earlier today?”
Felicity brightened. Oh good, she’d gotten them. “Yes.”
“Oh, honey.”
Okay, that did not sound good. “What?” Felicity asked waspishly.
“It was the most enormous bunch I’ve ever seen. Must have cost a packet.” Mrs. Brooks seemed impressed. “I know my flowers, I can tell you that. I used to love arranging them as a girl, and I’d tell my mother—”
“Mrs. Brooks, could you please get to the point?”
“Oh yes. Right. So there was a big bunch of fluffy yellow tansies, white snapdragons, and yellow carnations.”
White and yellow? Well, that didn’t sound too terrible. “So why—”
“Let’s just say that not even one of them has positive connotations. And all three together? It is not a good message.”
Felicity gasped. “What do they mean?”
“Look at it this way: if you wanted three more damning plants, you’d be hard-pressed to find ’em. One of them actually means disdain!” She chortled.
“Oh, my God. Does Cooper know that?”
“Of course. I volunteered the meanings when she asked about such a curious-looking collection. She never said who they were from, though. I think maybe you should have a word with whoever hates you enough to do that to you. ’Cause, hon, the message sure wasn’t subtle.”
“But…I wanted to say appreciation!” Felicity said, aghast. “Affection!”
