Chapter 2

Chloe glanced up from the dusky pink roses she was arranging in the window display of her flower shop in Seattle. Sasha stood in the doorway, holding out a hot cup of coffee.

“You know me too well,” Chloe said as she accepted the cup. She returned to her task, her fingers arranging the petals so that they faced the street.

She had to be careful around Sasha this morning. The more she contemplated the actions of last night, the more she regretted it on some level. Now, Chloe knew full well what she was missing with Hendrix.

Sasha watched her. “You’re anxious. Spill!”

Chloe looked up, her brow furrowed. “About what?”

“I don’t know, you tell me. Since when do you keep things from me?” Sasha asked.

She was right. Sasha was the first person Chloe ran to, especially for things about Hendrix. She faced the same challenge with Miles. Sasha hadn’t revealed her feelings yet. Her worry was Sasha wouldn’t understand their arrangement. One night.

“Are you sure you want to know?”

If Sasha could pick up on her uneasiness that fast, then how was she going to hide it in front of Hendrix?

I’m so screwed.

Last night, she had given into her feelings and slept with Hendrix, her best friend, but Sasha—who had always suspected Hendrix’s true intentions—didn’t know. Should she even tell her?

The biggest concern was it changing their group dynamic. Sasha and Miles came into their lives about five years ago, and they were all inseparable since. But Hendrix had been her ride or die since grade school. Why would she agree to complicate that with a one-night stand?

“Hendrix and I slept together last night. No strings attached.”

“Are you freaking kidding me? Why the fuck would you do that? You’ve been in love with him for like twenty years. Why would you do that to yourself?”

Nothing ever happened between Hendrix and Chloe in the twenty-plus years they had known each other. Hendrix wasn’t your typical Seattle guy. His bank account was large enough to support his family for generations. With that type of money came women. Since living in Seattle, he had been single. One-night stands were his thing. He was the type of guy that would rather spend time on building his business and friends. So real relationships weren’t his thing. In fact, he had only been in one semi-serious relationship before.

Hendrix wasn’t a settling-down type. Until last night, she never left the friend zone. Probably just a temporary lapse of judgment on his part, and when Chloe sees him today, they would both act like nothing ever happened. Right?

“Listen, it happened okay. Nothing I can do about it now. Just keep it to yourself and let’s just act normal. Nothing has changed.”

“He’s here,” Sasha said, nodding over her shoulder.

Chloe’s head snapped up. Fuck! Sure enough, Hendrix was walking toward them, a bright smile on his face. It’s too soon. I’m not ready.

“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” he said, clapping his hands together.

Chloe’s heart beat faster as she watched him stride into the shop. She hadn’t expected him to show up so soon afterward. Sasha studied Hendrix with an expression of thinly veiled suspicion.

“What can I do for you today?” Chloe asked.

Hendrix laughed, the sound sending a shiver down her spine. “I thought I’d stop by and see you,” he said.

Chloe felt her cheeks flush. She glanced at Sasha, who was still watching Hendrix with a look of skepticism.

“I don’t want to interrupt your work,” Hendrix said, gesturing to the window display. “I’ll just take a quick look around and leave you two to it.”

He wandered off, his hands in his pockets as he examined the various bouquets and arrangements. Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Sasha.

“What was that about?” Sasha said, her eyes narrowing.

Chloe shrugged. She had no clue what Hendrix was up to. Why had he come to the shop?

“He’s my best friend, remember? He comes in here all the time. Nothing weird,” she said, her cheeks still burning.

Sasha snorted. “Right,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Chloe sighed and went back to arranging the roses. A sense of deep appreciation washed over her, relieved to have a distraction and the ability to steer clear of conversing with Hendrix. But she knew that eventually, she was going to address what happened between them. She just wasn’t sure how.

Sasha busied herself with the inventory, and Chloe continued to arrange the window display. Hendrix roamed the shop, examining the various arrangements and bouquets.

Just as Chloe finished her task, Hendrix reappeared. He stood in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, watching her with a mischievous grin on his face.

“So, what’s on the agenda tonight? I have heard nothing in the group chat,” he asked.

Chloe, Miles, Sasha and Hendrix go out to dinner on Friday nights. They all work and it was the one time a week where they could all get together.

“Oh, I’m not sure how busy the shop will be today and I need to get stuff done for pickups tomorrow, so I might have to bow out of tonight.”

Hendrix looked at her. She doesn’t want him to think that just because they slept together that she was going to act weird.

Hendrix moved closer and kept his voice down. “If this is about last night, we’re good.”

Chloe could not ignore what happened last night. It meant more to her than it did to him. If only he knew. His cologne was intoxicating as he pushed into her personal bubble further.

“Seriously, I didn’t want this to change us.”

She pretended that it had nothing to do with him, but it did. “Don’t worry about that. I just have some things that have to get done for tomorrow, but I might make it. No worries.”

Hendrix eyed her and then lifted his gaze to Sasha, who was watching them. “Okay, well, I’ll see you later. Let me know in the group chat where we are meeting up and what time. Bye, guys.”

The door closing brought Chloe peace. She shouldn’t have slept with him last night, but at least she got to have him one time. Henceforth, his mere presence would incessantly occupy her mind.

How would she get him off her mind now?