She glanced in his direction then, but he was still focused on the numbers.
Julie wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, especially since the reason she had discarded them so quickly was because he was so obviously displeased that she had received them. If not for Aaron, Julie was honest enough to admit she would have hauled the roses upstairs—probably even sniffed them, since it was the first time a man had ever given her roses before—and she might have even considered not tossing them…
But she lived with Aaron, and she knew that if she even touched the flowers she was risking alienating him.
It was a simple decision. Meaningless flowers and grumpy Aaron or no flowers and pleasant Aaron.
The elevator chimed and the doors opened, bringing Julie back to reality.
"Because they don't mean anything to me," she finally said, stepping into the elevator with him.
Aaron merely nodded, but he didn't look completely satisfied.
They were on his floor with the doors opening before he asked, "Why do you think he sent them?"
To that, she had no answer. "I… don't really know."
"Has he sent you flowers before?" Aaron asked, reminding her of a detective.
Shaking her head, Julie said, "Nope, first time."
He nodded. "Have you talked to him since I kicked him out?"
That question made her squirm. She couldn't lie, but she hated to tell the truth.
"I take it you have," he said at her continued silence.
"Not… much. He texted me, but I barely even responded."
Putting his key in the lock and opening the door, he told her, "You don't have to sound so guilty, Julie. You're allowed to talk to Matt all you want to; you don't owe me anything."
"But I don't want to!" she said vehemently, concerned about the status of their camaraderie. "I can't help that he texted me, I didn't ask him to, and when he started being stupid I quit texting him back."
"You don't have to explain yourself to me," he said, shaking his head. "I only asked because I was curious as to what he believes our relationship to be right now."
Frowning a little, Julie was reminded of the text that he couldn't believe she was "with" his brother.
"If you don't mind telling me, do you know what he thinks of our relationship?"
She hesitated briefly, but then she said, "He might think we're… together."
"Did you let him believe that?" Aaron asked calmly.
"I didn't lead him to believe that, if that's what you're asking," she said defensively.
He shook his head. "That's not what I was asking. I don't really care what he thinks, I'm just wondering."
Feeling a little less defensive, she tried to remember exactly how their conversation had gone. "Well, I didn't lead him to believe we were together, he just jumped to that conclusion. But… I don't think I necessarily corrected that, I just… told him I didn't say that, he just assumed it on his own. I don't think I ever actually gave him a straight answer."
Nodding, Aaron looked satisfied, but she didn't know why.
"Why do you ask?" she questioned.
Half-smiling, he said, "No reason."
She said nothing, but she definitely didn't believe him. Even if his tone would have been convincing—which it wasn't—there was a hard look in his eye, a cynicism as he shook his head…
But she didn't pry.