Free Please Forgive Me by Melissa Hill Page B

nothing to do with romance and is more of a money-making exercise,’ she teased, and Marcy shook her head.
    ‘Whatever you say, sweetheart,’ she winked, before they both went back to work.
    ***
     
    Much later that evening, Leonie took the bouquet of roses back home to Green Street to deliver it to the occupant of the downstairs apartment as promised.
    It had been a crazy day and she was almost dead on her feet, although Marcy had very kindly had a takeaway delivered to the store immediately after closing, so at least she didn’t have to worry about cooking dinner tonight. It was great after such a long day to be able to relax and take it easy without having to rush straight home, but at the same time, Leonie was keenly aware that she had one last job to do.
    Now, knocking lightly on the entrance door adjacent to her own, she gave a quick flick of her hair to try and make herself look some way presentable. After today she probably looked like she’d been dragged through a hedge backwards so God only knows what her neighbour – male or female – would think of some wild redhead calling to the door!
    She was decidedly taken aback when a girl looking none-too-presentable herself opened the door. She was tall, reed thin, and Leonie suspected, normally very beautiful, but at that moment, her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy.
    ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ the girl gulped, looking aghast at the flowers. ‘Not another one!’
    ‘Erm, delivery for Alex Fletcher?’ Leonie announced timidly, wondering if this had been the best idea. Far from being delighted at the surprise, at that moment the girl couldn’t have looked any more upset than if someone had arrived bearing a stick of dynamite!
    ‘Just take them away – please,’ she insisted, moving backwards into the hallway as if she’d been burned.
    Leonie wasn’t sure what to think. The girl was holding a tissue in one hand and her eyes looked red-raw, as if she’d been crying. God, maybe the flowers weren’t for Valentine’s Day like she and Marcy had automatically assumed?  
    ‘I’m very sorry to bother you,’ she said apologetically, ‘but I work for Flower Power, the florist down by Van Ness, and these were ordered for an Alex Fletcher who –’
    ‘I’m sorry, I really can’t take them,’ the girl insisted yet again. ‘Can you take them back please? I don’t want any more flowers. I hate flowers! Or more accurately they hate me. Damn hay-fever,’ she added with a sniff, and only then did Leonie understand the cause of the watery eyes.
    ‘This is the third delivery today, and it’s not friggin’ funny anymore. Not that it was ever funny, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I can’t take these either. And let me guess, they’re anonymous too?’
    ‘But…’ Leonie wasn’t sure what to do, but when Alex sneezed again she decided it was probably best not to force it. ‘I’m sorry,’ she told her, turning to leave, ‘I’ll take them back to the shop tomorrow and just tell the sender we couldn’t make the delivery. We can refund his credit card.’
    ‘Wait a minute.’ Alex said, her tone stopping Leonie in her tracks.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘You said you’d refund ‘his’ credit card. Which means you must know who sent them, right?’
    Again Leonie wasn’t sure what to say. ‘Well…’
    ‘It’s anonymous, but they had to leave a name when placing the order, didn’t they? Especially when using a credit card.’
    ‘Well yes, but I’m not sure if we can give out that kind of information…’
    ‘Listen honey, this is no joke, I’m dying here.’ Alex indicated her watering eyes as if to push home the point. ‘I have no idea who’s been sending me all these flowers – well maybe I do have an idea – but I need to find out for sure. So tomorrow, why don’t I call to your store… what’s it called again?’
    ‘Flower Power. It’s just a few of blocks away   – off Van Ness.’
    ‘Flower Power,’ Alex repeated with a faint