“Every time I think I have it, another area presents itself,” she told him. “I do not have time for this.”
“Do you have more buckets?”
She shook her head. “I have vases. There are several on the kitchen island. Just dump the flowers in the trash.”
Reese raced from the room and headed to the kitchen where he came to an abrupt stop. The most obnoxious display of flowers covered her entire island. A wide variety of colors and blooms...all fresh and nothing Josie would ever purchase for herself.
No surprise to find cheesy notes attached. Reese made quick work of getting rid of the flowers, then he took armfuls of vases back to the closet.
“Want to discuss this?” Reese asked, holding a vase up and wiggling it.
“Nope.”
“You have thousands of dollars’ worth of flowers spread across your island.”
“Not my money,” she said, taking one vase at a time and looking at the ceiling for where to usefully place it. “And before you say anything else, I definitely realize Chris is an issue now.”
Well, at least that was something. Chris wasn’t going to just slink away. Reese truly believed the man thought he stood a chance at getting Josie back, but that wasn’t happening.
“Why did you marry him to begin with?” Reese asked, his thoughts coming out before he could stop himself.
Josie reached for another vase, her dark eyes locking on his for the briefest of moments. “That’s a conversation for another time.”
And definitely one he would circle back to, because he’d wondered this since the moment she’d dropped the bomb that she’d eloped at the courthouse. The courthouse, for crying out loud.
Josie deserved more than a quickie wedding. He remembered her always talking about wanting a ceremony on the beach, small and intimate. Her love of the beach was just another thing they had in common...granted, he wasn’t looking for marriage.
That engagement of his had been a mistake and one he’d likely have to answer for when they circled back to the topic later. Josie deserved an explanation, too.
Reese took the last two vases and looked around, but didn’t see any more leaks. He sat them aside and pulled out his cell. Getting his contractor out here as soon as this storm passed was imperative, before any more damage was done.
Minutes later, he disconnected the call and focused back on Josie.
“My guy will be here as soon as he can.”
Josie glanced from bucket to bucket to vase. “This place is a mess.”
“Have you seen any other leaks?”
Josie’s eyes widened and she pushed passed him to exit the closet. In her hurried, frantic state, he assumed that was a no. Whatever room she went into, he looked in another. It didn’t take long to find that there were two other small leaks, both in Josie’s bedroom.
“This is an absolute nightmare,” she sighed once the other vases were in place and they’d gone back into the kitchen.
“It can all be fixed,” he assured her. “My guy is the best and once this storm passes, we’ll get it taken care of.”
Josie pushed her hair from her face and stared at the mess of blooms and greenery. “I do feel bad putting them all in the trash.”
“Then don’t.” Reese reached for one stem and picked it up, examining it before glancing back to Josie. “We can make smaller arrangements and take them to the cardiac unit where Dad was. We could give some to the nursing staff and some to the patients.”
Josie granted him the widest, sweetest smile. “I would have never thought of that. You’re sweet sometimes, you know.”
Reese shrugged, not really needing compliments for just trying to find a solution to this mess.
“He had excellent care there, so maybe these would brighten their day. And I know they always have patients with no family.”
“Always thinking of others.” Josie reached up and rested her hand on the side of his face. “One day you’re going to find the right woman. She’s going to be damn lucky.”
“You’re the only woman who puts up with me,” he joked.