Tales Of Valentine's Day Pity Presents And Absent Lovers (Who Should Be All Over You)
Tales Of Valentine's Day Pity Presents And Absent Lovers (Who Should Be All Over You)
Day 9 of The Andie Chronicles
Mother fucking Valentine’s Day.
I always hated how close my birthday was to Valentine’s Day. I’ve never had a boyfriend who didn’t combine the two occasions. Assholes.
James and I made a reservation for Candy’s Bar tonight. We’re both dateless, and as best friends and business partners, we decided to toast us. Our relationship. Our singlehood. Even though Douglas and I hadn’t technically broken up yet, the writing was on the wall. A man doesn’t ignore you for a week, forget your birthday and then give you an impersonal gift if it wasn’t heading for disaster.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t want to try and make contact with Douglas and spend the night with him?”
We were in the middle of inspecting samples a new supplier sent us, the best we had seen in a long time. The box of fabrics reminded me of what we were doing here at 1 Lovelock Drive.
We were building a business we could love, a future for ourselves, and our dreams. You could say this was a romantic moment, in its own strange way.
“I want to spend the night with someone I love. That means you, James.”
He kissed me on the forehead.
“And I’m sorry I don’t have the right equipment to make it a special night for you. But I agree if a nice gentleman comes along between now and tonight, I won’t stand in your way.”
“Same here, babe. If Douglas shows up at your door tonight, I will graciously step aside for him.”
That was never going to happen and I don’t think that’s what I wanted either. However, I couldn’t ignore how indecisive I felt at that moment.
The doorbell rang an hour later. It was unusual for us because we didn’t have visitors during the day. James opened the door to find balloons and flowers spilling from a poor delivery man’s hands.
“Oh fuck, that’s a lot of romance right there.”
“Someone is very lucky. Biggest delivery I’ve done all day.”
James called me over and I helped him haul everything into the house. The balloons filled the entire kitchen and I had to move practically everything off the dining room table, our desk, to fit the flowers.
“Who are they for?”
“Andie, don’t be so daft. Of course, they’re for you. Douglas wouldn’t forget. And after yesterday.”
I shook my head.
“James, you don’t return a man’s birthday gift, and the next day he showers you with flowers and romance. This isn’t from him.”
The heartbreaking part was that I was right. After digging around for a card, we found a note tied to one of the bunches of balloons.
“To our darlings, have the best Valentine’s Day. We love you, GG and Taylor xx”
It was sweet. Our friends thinking of us. James seized the note from my hand. “Isn’t messed up you got flowers from your boyfriend’s brother? If it wasn’t for GG, you would convince he is the Gallo brother who loves you.”
Thanks, James.
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.
Or the day after that.
Or the day after that, too.
Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
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