“What are you talking about?” Kent interrupted.
“That’s the opening of the Declaration of Independence, except for that physical attraction part. It means that I’m getting ready to tell you why I’m declaring my independence from you.”
“I figured that out, for God’s sake. I want to know what you’re getting at.”
“I want you to know my intentions up front. There’s going to be no one night hookup or anything else involving a bedroom between us. When I tell you I’m letting you go, I mean it.”
“Your memory’s too good. I don’t like it.”
“Too bad,” she replied in an even voice. “So, jumping ahead a bit in the declaration, with necessary changes, I hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal, but that I have been endowed with more than my fair share of twit-like behavior. The history of our relationship is a history of repeated nonsense, all having the direct object of you establishing an absolute tyranny over me, Phae Jones, both physically and mentally.”
Kent groaned. “This is nuts. I can’t believe you think this means anything. I don’t want tyranny over you, except maybe in bed, and not even that all the time. I mean, you can tie me up if you want. I won’t complain as long as I get to do it back to you.”
“You can’t distract me with that sort of thing anymore.” She propped her hands on her hips then raised her right hand again. “I make a formal vow to you, Kent Holmes. No more will I be a twit who falls willingly into your arms every time you touch me. I’ll no longer allow that treacherous sexual fog of yours to hide the fact that you and I are totally incompatible. And no more will I defend my actions, or life choices to you, the idiot, Kent Holmes, who so blindly passes judgment on me.”
“Very funny, Phae,” he said. “Now let’s get serious. We’re not incompatible. We wouldn’t have such a strong connection if we were.”
She waved her hand in his face. “Enough. Here it is, the grand finale. I pledge that any connection between us is to be forthwith and hereafter dissolved. I am now a free and independent woman and grant myself the right to remain such. I pledge to myself, my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor. The end. See ya.”
As if on cue, the fireworks launched into an earth-shaking finale of their own. Ignoring the spectacle of light and sound, Phae attempted to brush past Kent but he grabbed her upper arm.
“It’s not that easy,” Kent shouted over the booms as he tried to maintain his hold. “You can’t void our attraction by making a flippant speech. It’s real and it won’t go away because you’re pissed. All I have to do is kiss you and it’ll be over. You know it.”
As he bent to kiss her, Phae stomped on the insole of his foot with all her strength. He yowled and jumped backward. While he hopped around on his good foot, Phae jumped into her car and locked the door.
She dug the keys out of her pocket, inserted them in the ignition, then rolled her window down about an inch.
Kent hobbled over to the window. “You could have broken my toes.”
Phae smiled. “No. If I’d wanted to break your toes, they’d be broken. You’ll be fine. Give Miss Eugenia a thrill and let her ice your foot.”
“When I get my hands on you …”
“Don’t threaten me. Besides, I’m not completely finished.” With her index finger, she wrote on the window.
Kent pulled off his shoe and rubbed his sore insole. “What are you doing?”
“I’m signing my declaration, silly. I’ve sealed it and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Kent grimaced. “If my foot didn’t hurt so bad, I’d be laughing my ass off right now.”
She shrugged indifferently then started the car. As she backed out of the parking space, she called out, “Don’t follow me home, Kent. I won’t let you in my house.”
He limped over to the moving car and stuck his fingers in the window crack. She considered rolling up the window a little to give him a scare, then toyed with the idea of peeling out and leaving him tottering in the dust. Instead, she pressed on the brake and viewed him with an expression of supreme boredom.
“What do you want now?” she asked. “This is tiresome.”
“I wanted to remind you of something,” he said. “Have you forgotten that the Declaration of Independence was also a declaration of war?”
“So?”
“So we’re at war now, a war of your making. I told you I wasn’t going to let you go. You may be crazy and you may be a twit, not that I ever said that, but you are my crazy twit, and you can’t end this and expect me not to fight for it.”
Phae held her finger over the window button, her threat obvious. Kent yanked his fingers out of the crack. She smiled benevolently then finished backing out.
“It’s war, Phae,” Kent yelled after her as she drove away. “And I’m going to win!”
She rolled her window down all the way, stuck out her arm and waved a queen’s wave at the big man who grew smaller and smaller in her rear view mirror. She turned out of the lot just as the last firework faded in the sky.
She laughed out loud at the absurd notion that Kent thought he could win. Never. She finally knew exactly what she was doing, and he didn’t stand a chance.
This battle belonged to her, and so would all the others should he dare to follow through on his threat. He’d soon learn that she was an implacable enemy.
If this was war, it was hers to win. No doubt about it.
Chapter 19
TEN MEASLY DAYS LATER, PHAE no longer felt so good about her chances. In fact, she thought as she lethargically scrubbed her Aunt Meg’s head, she was downright battle weary. When Kent waged war, he played to win, no matter how low he had to sink to do it.
When the bells on the shop door tinkled, Phae checked the wall clock. Ten o’clock. Oh no. Time for another delivery.
“Come on in, Hal,” Sylvie said gaily. “Oooh, tulips! Look, Phae, he sent beautiful tulips today. And at this time of year. Must have cost a fortune.”
Phae refused to look, but Meg shoved her hands away then leaned up out of the bowl. Phae quickly wrapped a towel around her dripping head.
“Look at them, Phae-phae. They’re simply gorgeous. Where did you find them at this time of year, Hal?”
“Special order, ma’am,” the young deliveryman said. “Where would you like me to put them, Miz Jones? I mean, Miz Ph
ae Jones.”
Phae scowled. “In the dumpster out back.”
Sylvie waggled a finger. “Don’t be mean to Hal. He’s only doing his job. Here, Hal. I’ll shove these ones over there so those will fit here. Yes, there you go. Perfect.”
Phae’s scowl didn’t waver as she surveyed her once tidy shop. She’d been receiving two floral arrangements a day since the Fourth of July, one at ten o’clock and one at three. Every stinking day.
Flowers covered the display window, some hanging and some majestically arranged in vases. Baskets upon baskets of flowers covered every other bit of free space in the small room.
If Kent didn’t cease and desist soon, Phae wouldn’t have any room left for customers.
Sylvie slipped some money to Hal who speedily removed himself from the shop with a mumbled thanks.
“These tulips are my favorite,” Meg said. “There must be at least fifty of them. And they’re arranged beautifully.”
Sylvie sniffed the flowers then glanced over the other floral offerings. “I don’t know. They are beautiful, but I think my favorite is still the one with the birds of paradise and all the different orchids. It’s so unusual. But those roses in all the pretty colors … and the mums … the giant daisies. Oh, I don’t know. It’s too hard to pick. Which one is your favorite, Phae?”
Phae plopped down into one of the dryer chairs. “None of them. I want them all out of here and the sooner the better.” She snapped off a stray branch of baby’s breath that had been tickling her ear.
Sylvie ran over and grabbed the twig out of her hand. “Quit defacing the flowers! If you throw these out, I’m going with them. They’re beautiful and they shouldn’t be wasted.” She poked the twig back into its spray.
“Read the card, Sylvie,” Meg said.
Phae didn’t try to stop her. She’d seen Sylvie snatch the card out of the basket before Hal set it down. Sylvie had done the same thing yesterday and the day before, and so on. Phae had tried to stop her in the beginning but had only managed to pocket a few of them before Sylvie began her interception game. Phae had tired of the fight.